Integrated Design of Distributed Embedded Systems in Industrial Automation

Objective

The primary objective of IDESA is to improve the specification, design and coding of software for distributed embedded systems that are primarily developed by SMEs. A seamless development flow by the definition, implementation and introduction of architectural design, functional fine specification and automated code generation will be established. The engineers' intensive design efforts will be on a higher abstraction level, on model instead of code level. Shorter development cycles, better interchange ability, improved documentation, an increase of reuse capabilities and a higher quality of the final code is the goal. Moreover, verification and testing processes will be significantly better due to methodological support in early design phases. Especially the distribution, network respectively, aspect of embedded systems is within our scope.

Work description:
The steps for the realisation of a seamless design flow for distributed embedded systems are as follows:
1. Analyse the special requirements for embedded systems design regarding real-time, distribution, communication and environmental aspects considering small and medium sized controllers instead of high performance PC-processors as target;
2. Design and implement a common environment (tool pool) in which needed and available best-of-point-tools for specification, design and coding are integrated. We will have two aspects in mind:
a) Fulfilment of the analysis results in (1.);
b) SME applicability (pricing, support, usability);
3. Enable reuse by integration of a library for general use cases;
4. Real user friendly and intuitively usable, common data management system that unifies the individual specific data (s.1) to an overall system view;
5. Define modelling guidelines for the specific requirements for distributed embedded systems;
6. Design a reference application (dyeing machine) as proof of concept and pattern process for other industrial domains.

The project partners from various business areas will then disseminate the results within there specific industrial application area as multipliers. This will be done at exhibition events, conferences, or workshops for special interest groups such as the intranet partners.

Milestones:
The result of this project will be an environment including a "tool-pool" for model-based sw development for embedded systems, a library for use cases, a common data management system and a demonstrator application. According to this, the main milestones are the requirements analysis and the prototype of such an environment. Another milestone is the demonstrator of a control system of a dyeing machine (models, documents, code), which is a reference for exploitation for other industrial applications.

Programme(s)

• FP5-IST - Programme for research, technological development and demonstration on a "User-friendly information society, 1998-2002"

Topic(s)

• 2001-4.1 - Implications Assessment

Call for proposal

Data not available

Funding Scheme

CRS - Cooperative research contracts

Coordinator

TLON GMBH - THE INFRANET COMPANY

Address

Rudolf-then-strasse 62
74544 Michelbach An Der Bilz
Germany

 

Participants (4)

FATMAN OY

Finland

Address

Kivivuorentie 4
01621 Vantaa

 

FORSCHUNGSZENTRUM INFORMATIK AN DER UNIVERSITAET KARLSRUHE

Germany

Address

Haid-und-neu-strasse 10-14
76131 Karlsruhe

 

PROLON CONTROL SYSTEMS APS

Denmark

Address

Herstedvesterstraede 56
2620 Albertslund

 

THEN MASCHINEN-UND APPARTEBAU GMBH

Germany

Address

Milchgrundstrasse 32
74510 Schwaebisch Hall