Embedded control software design with aspect patterns

Abstract

This article presents an aspect-oriented design method for embedded control software. Model-based control design has become popular in embedded control systems such as automotive control systems. In the control logic design phase, a control model is built with a CAD/CAE tool such as MATLAB/Simulink, in which ‘zero-time execution’ is assumed. Then, in the software design phase, we design the software to meet timing constraints and to execute control logic correctly in the preemptive multi-task environment. We design task structures and then add mechanisms for data integrity. To make the timing design more efficient, we represent the mechanisms for the timing design as reusable aspect patterns. We define aspect patterns of triggering methods, synchronizations, and inter-task communications. We also provide a model weaver to weave the aspect patterns into the base model incrementally. In the timing design, we only have to select the aspect patterns and weave them into the functional model with the model weaver.