Object Structures for Real-Time Systems and Simulators

  • Authors:

  • K. H. (Kane) Kim

  • Affiliations:

  • -

  • Venue:
  • Computer
  • Year:
  • 1997

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Abstract

The market for real-time applications has grown considerably in recent years, and in response engineering methods have also improved. Today's techniques, while adequate for building moderately complex embedded applications, are inadequate for building the large, highly reliable, very complex real-time applications that are increasingly in demand. To build such large systems, engineering teams need a more uniform, integrated approach than is available today. We should ideally make uniform the representations of both application environments and control systems as we proceed through various system engineering phases. The ideal representation (or modeling) scheme should be effective not only for abstracting system designs but also for representing the application environment. It should also be capable of manipulating logical values and temporal characteristics at varying degrees of accuracy. This ideal modeling scheme is not likely to be realized through conventional object models. Although they are natural building blocks for modular systems, conventional object models lack concrete mechanisms to represent the temporal behavior of complex, dynamic systems. At UCI's Dream Laboratory, we have developed a real-time object structure that can flexibly yet accurately specify the temporal behavior of modeled subjects. This approach supports strong requirements-design traceability, the feasibility of thorough and cost-effective validation, and ease of maintenance. The ultimate goal is to significantly increase productivity in the engineering of highly reliable complex systems.