A real world object modeling method for creating simulation environment of real-time systems

Abstract

Most real-time embedded control software feature complex interactions with asynchronous inputs and environment objects, and a meaningful simulation of a real-time control software specification requires realistic simulation of its environment. Two problems that need to be addressed in the simulation of a target software system and its environment: First, integration and simulation of the specifications of a target software system and its artificial environment are often performed too late in the lifecycle to provide any significant value. Second, real world objects in the environment usually have spatial characteristics (form) such as shape, motion, etc. that must be specified for simulation, and there is no method to express these spatial characteristics at various levels of abstraction that are adequate for the required simulation fidelity. To address these problems, we have developed a method that supports incremental specification and simulation of both the target software system and its environmental objects. The method includes: (1) a specification method for behavior, function, and form integrated objects; (2) form specification primitives that abstract common spatial characteristics of real world objects, their typical spatial relations, and spatial interactions; and (3) a methodology that refines, verifies, and validates behavior, function, and form specification of both the real-time embedded control software and its environment in a systematic and incremental manner. The proposed specification, verification, and validation method has been applied to a robot control system example to demonstrate its effectiveness and usefulness.