Functional Virtual Prototyping for Heterogeneous Systems

Abstract

System engineering is possible only on condition of properly mastering the various steps in design from the technical, operational and management points of view. In particular, the technical approach must consider the interactions between physical phenomena and domains. Formalization of global specifications (functional or not), continuous checking of their realization during the whole process, hardware/software co-development, compatibility with industrial and international standards, understanding of interactions between multiple specialties, physical domains, and sub-systems are all guarantees to minimize risks and costs, to ensure quality and to capitalize knowledge. Functional Virtual Prototyping answers, from a technical point of view but also in terms of communication, the majority of constraints, in the R&D phase, involving one or many teams, in a single or in multiple working places. This methodology should allow the formalization, exchange, and reuse of engineers’ knowledge, but also the efficient capitalization of the intellectual property of the project team. A Virtual Prototype is a model composed of multiple abstraction levels of a multi-domain system that combines, according to specific goals, physical phenomena in interaction within the system.