Specification and analysis of system level inter-component communication

Mats Heimdahl, Jeffrey M. Thompson

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

In embedded systems the interfaces between software and its embedding environment are a major source of costly errors. For example, Lutz reported that 20% - 35% of the safety related errors discovered during integration and system testing of two spacecraft were related to the interfaces between the software and the embedding hardware. Also, the software's operating environment is likely to change over time further complicating the issues related to system level inter-component communication. In this paper we discussed a formal approach to the specification and analysis of inter-component communication using a revised version of the RSML (Requirements State Machine Language) specification language. The formalism allows rigorous specification of the physical aspects of the inter-component communication and enables encapsulation of communication related properties in well defined interface specifications. This allows us to both analyze a system design and detect incompatibilities between connected components and use the interface specifications as simple safety kernels to enforce safety and simple liveness constraints.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationProceedings of the International Conference on Formal Engineering Methods, ICFEM
EditorsM.G. Hinchey, S. Liu
PublisherIEEE Comp Soc
Pages192-201
Number of pages10
StatePublished - Dec 1 1997
EventProceedings of the 1997 1st International Conference on Formal Engineering Methods, ICFEM - Hiroshima, Jpn
Duration: Nov 12 1997Nov 14 1997

Other

OtherProceedings of the 1997 1st International Conference on Formal Engineering Methods, ICFEM
CityHiroshima, Jpn
Period11/12/9711/14/97

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