Appendix B: Rapid development approaches for system engineering and design

Conventional processes often produce systems which are obsolete before they are fielded. This paper explores some of the reasons for this, and provides a vision of how we can do better. This vision is based on our explorations in improved processes and system/software engineering tools

Specification management for the cost constraint optimisation in microelectronic design

International audienceIn the preliminary design phase the integration of the economic constraints of a product is a difficult engineering task since there is a real lack of dedicated tools. This paper illustrates a specification software solution method making it possible to meet this need, applied to the microelectronics field

FV-RAD : a practical framework for rapid application development

Estágio realizado na OPT-Optimização e Planeamento de Transportes, S.ATese de mestrado integrado. Engenharia Informática e Computação. Faculdade de Engenharia. Universidade do Porto. 200

New Technologies for Space Avionics, 1993

The report reviews a 1993 effort that investigated issues associated with the development of requirements, with the practice of concurrent engineering and with rapid prototyping, in the development of a next-generation Reaction Jet Drive Controller. This report details lessons learned, the current status of the prototype, and suggestions for future work. The report concludes with a discussion of the vision of future avionics architectures based on the principles associated with open architectures and integrated vehicle health management

Integration of decision support systems to improve decision support performance

Decision support system (DSS) is a well-established research and development area. Traditional isolated, stand-alone DSS has been recently facing new challenges. In order to improve the performance of DSS to meet the challenges, research has been actively carried out to develop integrated decision support systems (IDSS). This paper reviews the current research efforts with regard to the development of IDSS. The focus of the paper is on the integration aspect for IDSS through multiple perspectives, and the technologies that support this integration. More than 100 papers and software systems are discussed. Current research efforts and the development status of IDSS are explained, compared and classified. In addition, future trends and challenges in integration are outlined. The paper concludes that by addressing integration, better support will be provided to decision makers, with the expectation of both better decisions and improved decision making processes

Modeling and Mapping of Optimized Schedules for Embedded Signal Processing Systems

The demand for Digital Signal Processing (DSP) in embedded systems has been increasing rapidly due to the proliferation of multimedia- and communication-intensive devices such as pervasive tablets and smart phones. Efficient implementation of embedded DSP systems requires integration of diverse hardware and software components, as well as dynamic workload distribution across heterogeneous computational resources. The former implies increased complexity of application modeling and analysis, but also brings enhanced potential for achieving improved energy consumption, cost or performance. The latter results from the increased use of dynamic behavior in embedded DSP applications. Furthermore, parallel programming is highly relevant in many embedded DSP areas due to the development and use of Multiprocessor System-On-Chip (MPSoC) technology. The need for efficient cooperation among different devices supporting diverse parallel embedded computations motivates high-level modeling that expresses dynamic signal processing behaviors and supports efficient task scheduling and hardware mapping. Starting with dynamic modeling, this thesis develops a systematic design methodology that supports functional simulation and hardware mapping of dynamic reconfiguration based on Parameterized Synchronous Dataflow (PSDF) graphs. By building on the DIF (Dataflow Interchange Format), which is a design language and associated software package for developing and experimenting with dataflow-based design techniques for signal processing systems, we have developed a novel tool for functional simulation of PSDF specifications. This simulation tool allows designers to model applications in PSDF and simulate their functionality, including use of the dynamic parameter reconfiguration capabilities offered by PSDF. With the help of this simulation tool, our design methodology helps to map PSDF specifications into efficient implementations on field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). Furthermore, valid schedules can be derived from the PSDF models at runtime to adapt hardware configurations based on changing data characteristics or operational requirements. Under certain conditions, efficient quasi-static schedules can be applied to reduce overhead and enhance predictability in the scheduling process. Motivated by the fact that scheduling is critical to performance and to efficient use of dynamic reconfiguration, we have focused on a methodology for schedule design, which complements the emphasis on automated schedule construction in the existing literature on dataflow-based design and implementation. In particular, we have proposed a dataflow-based schedule design framework called the dataflow schedule graph (DSG), which provides a graphical framework for schedule construction based on dataflow semantics, and can also be used as an intermediate representation target for automated schedule generation. Our approach to applying the DSG in this thesis emphasizes schedule construction as a design process rather than an outcome of the synthesis process. Our approach employs dataflow graphs for representing both application models and schedules that are derived from them. By providing a dataflow-integrated framework for unambiguously representing, analyzing, manipulating, and interchanging schedules, the DSG facilitates effective codesign of dataflow-based application models and schedules for execution of these models. As multicore processors are deployed in an increasing variety of embedded image processing systems, effective utilization of resources such as multiprocessor systemon-chip (MPSoC) devices, and effective handling of implementation concerns such as memory management and I/O become critical to developing efficient embedded implementations. However, the diversity and complexity of applications and architectures in embedded image processing systems make the mapping of applications onto MPSoCs difficult. We help to address this challenge through a structured design methodology that is built upon the DSG modeling framework. We refer to this methodology as the DEIPS methodology (DSG-based design and implementation of Embedded Image Processing Systems). The DEIPS methodology provides a unified framework for joint consideration of DSG structures and the application graphs from which they are derived, which allows designers to integrate considerations of parallelization and resource constraints together with the application modeling process. We demonstrate the DEIPS methodology through cases studies on practical embedded image processing systems

Modelling and analyzing adaptive self-assembling strategies with Maude

Building adaptive systems with predictable emergent behavior is a challenging task and it is becoming a critical need. The research community has accepted the challenge by introducing approaches of various nature: from software architectures, to programming paradigms, to analysis techniques. We recently proposed a conceptual framework for adaptation centered around the role of control data. In this paper we show that it can be naturally realized in a reflective logical language like Maude by using the Reflective Russian Dolls model. Moreover, we exploit this model to specify, validate and analyse a prominent example of adaptive system: robot swarms equipped with self-assembly strategies. The analysis exploits the statistical model checker PVeStA

Development of an integrated product information management system

This thesis reports on a research project undertaken over a four year period investigating and developing a software framework and application for integrating and managing building product information for construction engineering. The research involved extensive literature research, observation of the industry practices and interviews with construction industry practitioners and systems implementers to determine how best to represent and present product information to support the construction process. Applicable product models for information representation were reviewed and evaluated to determine present suitability. The IFC product model was found to be the most applicable. Investigations of technologies supporting the product model led to the development of a software tool, the IFC Assembly Viewer, which aided further investigations into the suitability of the product model (in its current state) for the exchange and sharing of product information. A software framework, or reusable software design and application, called PROduct Information Management System (PROMIS), was developed based on a non-standard product model but with flexibility to work with the IFC product model when sufficiently mature. The software comprises three subsystems namely: ProductWeb, ModelManager.NET and Product/Project Service (or P2Service). The key features of this system were shared project databases, parametric product specification, integration of product information sources, and application interaction and integration through interface components. PROMIS was applied to and tested with a modular construction business for the management of product information and for integration of product and project information through the design and construction (production) process

Strategy realisation process: a modelling enabling approach

Changing conditions within an organisation’s environment necessitate enactment of the strategy realisation process to produce relevant coping strategic intents to successfully reconfigure current, or potential, process networks to better exploit potential opportunities or minimise impacts of a potential threats. Literature regarding strategy realisation has not produced a coherent approach to describe and decompose the subprocesses of the strategy realisation, i.e., several different approaches have been taken to enact some components however there is no formal decomposition of such process. A revision of the strategy realisation literature was conducted and a formal decomposition model for the strategy realisation process was conceived. Various modelling tools, methods and techniques were surveyed to enable the underpinning of the proposed strategy realisation conceptualisation. Utilising a combination of static, causal and simulation modelling methods and tools, a research methodology was proposed to underpin aspects of the enterprise which would facilitate the decision making process of the strategy realisation process. Two case studies were identified in which the proposed methodology could be implemented. In the first case study, two differing strategic intents were analysed within the same organisation under opposing economic conditions. The second case study observed the implementation of a different system configuration to achieve a strategic intent. The strategy realisation process was studied using the described conceptualisation and the enterprise was modelled. Key variables, set by senior management were observed and quantitative analysis was undertaken and reported. It was concluded that the use of modelling methods providing quantitative and qualitative analysis facilitated the decision process within an organisation. A new conceptualisation of the strategy realisation process and the integration of modelling methods, tools and techniques were devised