A framework for managing the life-cycle of event-driven, embedded applications

Abstract

Event-driven, embedded applications that embody the composition of many disparate components are emerging as an important class of pervasive applications. Realizing such applications often requires a breadth of expertise across many disciplines; consequently, managing the life cycle for this class of applications can be a very complex, time-intensive process. In this paper, we present a framework that eases the complexity of managing the life cycle of event-driven, embedded applications. We call this framework Rapid Integrated Solution Enablement or RISE. For solution creation, component composition and software reuse are two central concepts of RISE. Solutions in RISE are graphically composed from reusable components using a visual editor. For deployment and management of solutions, we exploit the concept of dynamic and remote deployment of components from the Open Service Gateway Initiative (OSGi). We describe the RISE architecture and discuss our prototype implementation, which follows the model-driven methodology and leverages open source technologies, such as Eclipse. Additionally, we illustrate the efficacy of RISE with an example solution for RFID supply chain logistics.