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Modeling distributed real-time applications with specification PEARL

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Abstract

The methodology of hardware/software co-design of embedded control systems with Specification PEARL is presented. Hardware and software are modeled with the language Specification~PEARL, which has its origins in standard Multiprocessor~PEARL. Its usefulness is enhanced for modeling hierarchical and asymmetrical multiprocessor systems, and by additional parameters for schedulability analysis. Graphical symbols are introduced for its constructs to enable graphical modeling while maintaining the semantical background. It is meant to be a superlayer for programs, based on the PEARL programming model. To model program tasks, Timed State Transition Diagrams have been defined. The model of a co-designed system is verified for feasibility with co-simulation. The resulting information should be used when considering changes in a current design with the goal of producing a temporally feasible model. To support dynamic re-configurations, configuration management is introduced into the models. Since UML is becoming a de facto standard also for designing embedded control systems, and since Timed State Transition Diagrams and State Chart Diagrams share great similarity, an interface of the methodology to UML 2 is defined, using UML's extension mechanisms.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Maribor, 2000, Maribor, Slovenia

    Roman Gumzej

  2. Chair of Computer Engineering, Fernuniversität in Hagen, 58084, Hagen, Germany

    Shourong Lu

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  1. Roman Gumzej
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  2. Shourong Lu
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Correspondence to Roman Gumzej.

Additional information

Roman Gumzej started his career as external co-worker of the University Computer Centre of the University of Maribor and Institute of Information Science in Maribor during his studies, where he took part in the university information system and COBISS (Co-operative Online Bibliographic System & Services) projects. After his graduation in 1993 he joined the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science of University of Maribor, Slovenia, from which he received his Master of Science and Doctor of Science degrees in Computer and information science in 1997 and 1999, respectively. In 2004 he was elected assistant professor at the same institution. He has co-operated in several national and international projects on embedded real-time systems design, real-time operating systems, as well as verification and validation of real-time applications. From 2001 to 2004, he conducted a national basic research project entitled “Holistic Embedded Control Systems Design.” In 2002 he co-operated in industrial communications research projects at IFAK e.V. in Magedburg, Germany, as guest scientist in the framework of a DAAD academics exchange programme. He has authored or co-authored 32 book chapters and journal and conference papers, mostly on embedded real-time systems, their operating systems and applications, safety, hardware/software co-design and co-simulation. He is a member of the IEEE Computer Society

Shourong Lu received her M.Sc. degree in theory of automatic control and its applications from Xidian University, Xian, China in 1998. In 1999 she was promoted to associate professor at the Department of Electrical Engineering, Hubei Automotive Industries Institute, Shiyan, China, where she conducted basic and applied research on intelligent control. The areas of her research interests are distributed embedded real-time systems, and intelligent control and applications. She has authored or co-authored 27 journal articles, conference contributions and book chapters, mostly on industrial automation and design of real-time systems. Currently, she is pursuing her doctoral degree in real-time control systems at the Faculty of Electrical and Computer Engineering, FernUniversitäat in Hagen, Germany.

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Gumzej, R., Lu, S. Modeling distributed real-time applications with specification PEARL. Real-Time Syst 35, 181–208 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11241-006-9007-9

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