A comprehensive description of a model-based, continous development process for AUTOSAR systems with integrated quality assurance

Der AUTOSAR-Standard definiert neben einer durchgängig werkzeuggestützten und modellbasierten Methodik zur Entwicklung von Steuergeräte-Software eine technische Infrastruktur als standardisierte Steuergeräte-Basissoftware zur Implementierung dieser Systeme im Automobil. Die wesentlichen Herausforderungen in der Entwicklung automotiver Systeme ergeben sich dabei nicht nur aus der stetig steigenden Menge korrekt umzusetzender Funktionalität, sondern auch aus der wachsenden Anzahl zusätzlich zu erfüllender Qualitätsanforderungen, wie z.B. Sicherheit, Performanz oder Kosten. Die Integration von Ansätzen zur frühzeitigen, Entwicklungsphasen begleitenden Überprüfung von Korrektheits- und Qualitätskriterien kann dabei maßgeblich zur Beherrschbarkeit der Komplexität dieser Systeme beitragen. Es wird ein entsprechend durchgängig werkzeuggestützter und modellbasierter Entwicklungsprozess, basierend auf dem V-Modell sowie dessen Integration in die AUTOSAR-Methodik definiert. Neben der Überprüfung der funktionalen Korrektheit durch systematische Testverfahren sieht das erweiterte Prozessmodell die Bewertung beliebiger Qualitätskriterien für das zu entwickelnde System vor. Es wird beschrieben, wie insbesondere im AUTOSAR-Kontext der Entwurf der Systemarchitektur die hierfür entscheidende Design-Phase darstellt und als Grundlage für Qualitätsabschätzungen durch Architektur-Evaluation dienen kann. Die Vorgehensweise in den einzelnen Entwicklungsschritten wird detailliert anhand einer umfangreichen, vollständig AUTOSAR-konformen Fallstudie, bestehend aus einem vereinfachten PKW-Komfortsystem, demonstriert. Die durchgängige Toolkette umfasst alle Phasen von der Anforderungsspezifikation bis zur Implementierung auf einem prototypischen Hardware-Demonstrator bestehend aus vier über CAN vernetzten Steuergeräten und HIL-Schnittstellen für die Testdurchführung. Es wird auf ausgewählte Implementierungsdetails, notwendige Workarounds und Besonderheiten der prototypischen Umsetzung eingegangen.The AUTOSAR standard defines a seamless tool supported and model based methodology for ECU software design and engineering. Furthermore, the standard specifies a technical infrastructure by means of standardized basic software modules for ECU networks, serving as a uniform implementation platform for AUTOSAR systems. The major challenges in automotive systems development not only arise as a result of the contiuously growing amount of functionality to be realized correctly, but also from the increasing number of quality requirements to be taken into account, e.g. safety, performance, and costs. The integration of approaches for early checking of correctness and quality criteria accompanying the different development phases makes a significant contribution towards coping with the complexity of such systems. We describe such a model based development process and a corresponding tool chain based on the V-modell and its embedding into the AUTOSAR methodology. For the validation of functional correctness systematic testing approaches are applied, and for quality criteria according evaluation methods are used. We discuss that especially in the context of AUTOSAR, the phase of architectural system design is crucial for the quality properties of the system under development, and to what extent architecture evaluation can be used for quality estimation. The practices in the different development steps are illustrated in detail by means of a comprehensive, AUTOSAR compliant case study, i.e. a body comfort system. The tool chain proposed comprises all development stages, starting from the requirements specification, and concluding with the system implementation on a hardware demonstrator prototype. The demonstrator consists of ECUs coupled via CAN, as well as HIL interfaces for test case applications. We give detailled insights in selected impl. issues, workarounds required, and the configuration steps needed for the AUTOSAR operating system. A discussion of the pro's and con's regarding the potential of AUTOSAR concludes

A Spatial Interpretation of the Persistency of China's Provincial Inequality

China's rapid economic growth in recent decades has not led to balanced income distribution: inter- and intra-provincial income inequality have been increasing and their respective contribution to the total income inequality remains relatively stable. Based on a new set of prefectural database during a relatively longer period from 1994 to 2008 on Chinese economic development, this paper investigates the nexus between the spatial dependence and income inequality in China on a prefectural level. Using the decomposition results of the inequality and spatial dependence of inter- and intra-provincial groups, and also the choropleth maps of clusters in China, this paper reaches the conclusion that clusters of prefectures and provinces with high positive spatial association are persistent over years in China, and the resulting highly correlated income disparity on both inter- and intra-provincial levels might be lasting for a relatively longer period, implying that spatial dependence is a contributing factor to the regional income inequality in a spatial context

A 12.3-kb Duplication Within the VWF Gene in Pigs Affected by Von Willebrand Disease Type 3

Von Willebrand Disease (VWD) type 3 is a serious and sometimes fatal hereditary bleeding disorder. In pigs, the disease has been known for decades, and affected animals are used as models for the human disease. Due to the recessive mode of inheritance of VWD type 3, severe bleeding is typically seen in homozygous individuals. We sequenced the complete porcine VWF (Von Willebrand Factor) complementary DNA (cDNA) and detected a tandem duplication of exons 17 and 18, causing a frameshift and a premature termination codon (p.Val814LeufsTer3) in the affected pig. Subsequent next generation sequencing on genomic DNA proved the existence of a 12.3-kb tandem duplication associated with VWD. This duplication putatively originates from porcine Short Interspersed Nuclear Elements (SINEs) located within VWF introns 16 and 18 with high identity. The premature termination truncates the VWF open reading frame by a large part, resulting in an almost entire loss of the mature peptide. It is therefore supposed to account for the severe VWD type 3. Our results further indicate the presence of strong, nonsense-mediated decay in VWF messenger RNA (mRNA) containing the duplication, which was supported by the almost complete absence of the complete VWF protein in immunohistochemistry analysis of the VWD-affected pig. In the past, differentiation of wild-type and heterozygous pigs in this VWD colony had to rely on clinical examinations and additional laboratory methods. The present study provides the basis to distinguish both genotypes by performing a rapid and simple genetic analysis

Haemostaseological Changes of VWF and FVIII during Pregnancy and the Oestrus Cycle in a Porcine Model of Von Willebrand Disease

Pregnancy and the oestrus cycle are challenging for female patients suffering from von Willebrand disease (VWD). Therefore, our study aimed to investigate the changes in von Willebrand factor (VWF) and factor VIII (FVIII) during pregnancy and the oestrus cycle in our porcine model of von Willebrand disease compared with the wild-type. Plasma analyses regarding primary hemostasis, secondary hemostasis, and VWF multimers, as well as immunohistochemistry analyses of VWF in the uterus and ovary, were performed. For levels of VWF and FVIII activities, significant elevations were seen in the last trimester. Primary hemostasis improved towards the end of pregnancy. In the oestrus cycle, significantly lower VWF values can be seen in the immunohistochemistry of the ovaries during the oestrus, while values were highest in the metoestrus. VWF multimer patterns in pigs were similar to the ones in human VWD patients. In summary, the course of VWF and FVIII during pregnancy and the oestrus cycle in porcine VWD were investigated for the first time. The porcine model seems to be suitable for haemostaseological studies on VWD. This provides an advantage for investigating reproduction-related bleeding and understanding the underlying mechanisms of post-partum hemorrhage or miscarriage in women with VWD