Real-time design patterns for the verification of safety-critical embedded systems in model-based approach

• Published in: The Journal of supercomputing Vol. 80; no. 8; pp. 11431 - 11473
• Main Author: Mzid, Rania
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01-05-2024; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Compilers; Computer Science; Consistency; Constraint modelling; Design; Designers; Embedded systems; Interpreters; Processor Architectures; Programming Languages; Real time; Safety critical; Software engineering; Task scheduling; Verification; Embedded systems; Scheduling; Verification; Patterns; Real-time; Model-based
• ISSN: 0920-8542; 1573-0484
• DOI: 10.1007/s11227-023-05866-0

The development of safety-critical real-time embedded systems (RTESs) is a difficult task. Indeed, in addition to functional requirements, these systems must guarantee timing constraints. Model-driven engineering (MDE) promotes a rise in the level of abstraction during the development process of these systems. This is beneficial since it may help designers manage the increasing complexity of these systems. It may also accelerate the development process through model transformations and enable early verification of the timing properties. Schedulability analysis techniques aim to verify whether the tasks complete their executions within the time limit specified by the real-time application (i.e., the deadline). Unfortunately, software designers find this task difficult since it requires a deep understanding of real-time scheduling theory, as well as the use of dedicated tools (called analysis tools). In this paper, we propose real-time verification design patterns to promote early verification of timing properties in a model-based approach. These patterns aim to assist designers in the verification process. They encapsulate the knowledge of a real-time expert in scheduling theory. To facilitate and fasten the verification process, we propose to automate the generation of the analysis model. Thanks to the provided patterns, this generation phase includes an automatic consistency check of the design model. The consistency check step verifies the design’s validity and completeness with respect to the applied pattern. To add further benefits to the proposed patterns, we describe a process that provides context for how these patterns can be applied. We apply and simulate the contribution to real-world case study. The obtained results show the viability of this research.