SPECIFICATION-DRIVEN DESIGN OF EMBEDDED SYSTEMS - Design Support for Networked Embedded Software Applications

Abstract

The paper presents an approach to formal specification, verification and prototyping of networked embedded software system applications ranging from large information systems down to small components embedded e.g. in mobile devices. Main attention focuses both on architectural and behavioral specifications of either reactive or real-time activities utilizing either structured or object-oriented approach depending on application requirements. The design approach fully respecting such requirements can eliminate not only behavioral and structural faults but also security flaws caused by design errors. Reflecting current trends in engineering software-intensive systems, this contribution discusses in more detail executable specifications and rapid prototyping for structured design, and structural specifications and verifications for objectoriented design. The paper presents Asynchronous Specification Language and Class Specification Language developed for that purpose. 2 STATE OF THE ART Requirements on current embedded software system applications include both functional and nonfunctional constraints on real-time, safety and security properties. They should be formally specified and verified or, at least, properly explored before they are designed in detail and implemented (Lamport, 2002). Moreover, the specification approach should either conform or suitably complement anticipated design methods, namely structured or object-oriented techniques (Wieringa, 1998). While some applications demand to distinguish at the beginning of design structural and