ITR: TADE - Timeliness-Assured Design Environment for Distributed Object-Based Embedded Computing

分布式实时嵌入式计算应用在种类和生产量上都进入了爆发式增长模式。即使在安全关键型应用中，这种增长也是显而易见的。可靠性保证过程中一个极具挑战性的部分是及时性保证。这项研究项目的目标是：(1)加强技术基础，使系统工程师能够为分布式实时嵌入式计算系统的各个子系统的及时服务能力提供保证，特别是基于最近建立的分布式实时面向对象的编程方法和工具；以及(2)开发一个集成的工具集，即保证时间的设计环境(TADE)，以使生产具有服务时间保证的系统所需的系统工程工作大大减少。本课题的研究重点是：(1)一种新的面向RT对象的通用高级风格的分布式程序设计，称为时间触发消息触发对象(TMO)编程，程序员可以通过C++或Java自然的应用程序接口扩展来轻松地学习它；(2)支持实时程序对象的中间件(TMO支持中间件)；(3)实时容错通信协议和基础设施；(4)对容错实时分布式计算的操作系统和中间件的支持；(5)使用先进的运输模型和原型ZEVNET的试验台，可以共享小型电动发动机汽车和航天飞机。在这个框架下，团队正在为一个实用的开发环境开发和评估新的设计方法和支持技术。通过对两者的具体关注来寻求重大的更广泛的影响，提高可靠性和减少需要认证嵌入式系统设计和实施的可接受质量的工程工作。研究成果正在用于实现分布式实时嵌入式软件、系统理论和工程学课程的现代化。

Distributed real-time embedded computing applications have entered an explosive growth pattern in both, variety and production volume. This growth is evident even in safety-critical applications. An extremely challenging part of the reliability assurance process is timeliness assurance. The goals of this research project are: (1) to strengthen technical foundations that enable system engineers to produce guarantees for timely service capabilities of various subsystems of distributed real-time embedded computing systems, especially on the basis of the recently established distributed real-time object-oriented programming methods and tools; and (2) to develop an integrated tool-set, the Timeliness-Assured Design Environment (TADE), for enabling major reduction in system engineering effort required to produce systems with service time guarantees. The research foci of this research project are: (1) a new general and high-level style of RT object-oriented distributed programming called the TMO (Time-triggered Message-triggered Object) programming that can be easily learned by programmers through natural application program interface extensions of C++ or Java; (2) middleware supporting real time program objects (TMO support middleware); (3) real-time fault-tolerant communication protocols and infrastructure; (4) operating system and middleware support for fault-tolerant real-time distributed computing; (5) a testbed using an advanced transportation model and prototype, ZEVNET, that enables shared use of small electric-engine cars and shuttles. With this framework, the team is developing and evaluating new design methods and supporting technologies for a practical development environment. Significant broader impact is sought through specific attention to both, increased dependability and reduced engineering effort entailed to certify acceptable quality of the embedded system design and implementation. Research results are being used enable modernization of the curricula in distributed real time embedded software, systems theory, and engineering.