A component model for hard real-time systems: CCM with ARINC-653

Abhishek Dubey, Gabor Karsai, Nagabhushan Mahadevan

Softw., Pract. Exper. 2011

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Why This Matters

The increasing complexity of real-time systems and the need for component reusability create tension with the strict isolation and timing requirements of safety-critical systems. This work innovates by demonstrating how standard component middleware concepts can be adapted to operate within hard real-time constraints while maintaining system safety properties. The model-based approach enables design-time verification of system properties while allowing developers to leverage familiar component-based development paradigms.

What We Did

This paper presents a component model for hard real-time systems that extends the CORBA Component Model with ARINC-653 partitioning concepts to enable safe composition of components in critical systems. The work develops a middleware layer that bridges component-based software development with real-time operating system constraints through implementation of CORBA concepts on ARINC-653 partitions. It includes a modeling environment using Model Integrated Computing tools that enables developers to specify component assemblies and automatically generate deployment configurations and timing analysis.

Key Results

The framework successfully implements CORBA component semantics on top of ARINC-653 partitions using less than 15,000 lines of C++ code, demonstrating practical feasibility of the approach. Case studies with GPS example components show that the system can generate code that respects timing constraints while enabling component reuse. The modeling environment successfully captures real-time properties and enables design-time verification of system assemblies before deployment.

Full Abstract

Cite This Paper

@article{Dubey2011,
  author = {Dubey, Abhishek and Karsai, Gabor and Mahadevan, Nagabhushan},
  journal = {Softw., Pract. Exper.},
  title = {A component model for hard real-time systems: {CCM} with {ARINC-653},
  year = {2011},
  number = {12},
  pages = {1517--1550},
  volume = {41},
  abstract = {Size and complexity of software in safety critical system is increasing at a rapid pace. One technology that can be used to mitigate this complexity is component-based software development. However, in spite of the apparent benefits of a component-based approach to development, little work has been done in applying these concepts to hard real time systems. This paper improves the state of the art by making three contributions: (1) we present a component model for hard real time systems and define the semantics of different types of component interactions; (2) we present an implementation of a middleware that supports this component model. This middleware combines an open source CORBA Component Model (CCM) implementation (MICO) with ARINC-653: a state of the art RTOS standard, (3) finally; we describe a modeling environment that enables design, analysis, and deployment of component assemblies. We conclude with a discussion of lessons learned during this exercise. Our experiences point towards extending both the CCM as well as revising the ARINC-653.},
  bibsource = {dblp computer science bibliography, https://dblp.org},
  biburl = {https://dblp.org/rec/bib/journals/spe/DubeyKM11},
  contribution = {lead},
  doi = {10.1002/spe.1083},
  file = {:Dubey2011-A_component_model_for_hard_real-time_systems_CCM_with_ARINC-653.pdf:PDF},
  keywords = {component-based development, hard real-time systems, ARINC-653, CORBA, model-based design, middleware},
  project = {cps-reliability,cps-middleware},
  tag = {platform},
  timestamp = {Sun, 28 May 2017 01:00:00 +0200},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1002/spe.1083}
}
Quick Info
Year 2011
DOI 10.1002/spe.1083
Keywords
component-based development hard real-time systems ARINC-653 CORBA model-based design middleware
Research Areas
middleware CPS
Search Tags

component, model, hard, real, time, systems, ARINC, component-based development, hard real-time systems, ARINC-653, CORBA, model-based design, middleware, CPS, 2011, Dubey, Karsai, Mahadevan