Research
The Real-Time Systems Engineering group provides research to manage complexity and improve flexibility in the design and implementation of real time systems.
Our successes include work on the implementation aspects of real-time systems development including:
- scheduling and timing analysis - static priority-based schemes, cyclic schemes, communication networks and protocols;
- worst-case execution time analysis and hardware models;
- real-time programming languages - Ada 95 language definition and application;
- real-time kernels - specification and implementation guidance.
- the use of FPGAs as an alternative platform to COTS microprocessors - how to host software on an FPGA and verify that its behaviour is correct.
Worst Case Execution Time Analysis Tool - Our work on a worst case execution time (WCET) analysis tool was successfully transferred into BAE SYSTEMS. This allows scheduling policy to be decided earlier in development and with more accuracy thus reducing rework and costs. (More ...)
Ada Compiler For FPGAs - Recent work on implementation issues has concentrated on hardware aspects and in particular the use of FPGAs. FPGAs provide advantages over standard microprocessors due to their ability to be reprogrammed as well as better predictability and true concurrency on a single device. They give a balance between the flexibility of software with the performance of hardware. The DCSC Real-Time Systems Engineering group has developed a compiler which allows Ada 95 to be targeted at FPGAs hence allowing the benefits of new technology to be utilised with minimal modifications to existing processes. (More ...)
The group also considers architecture and design issues essential for improving flexibility and maintainability of real-time systems. Current work reflects this with current emphasis on:
- architecture assessment and trade-off analysis - how to assess system design options and make trade-offs between different non-functional properties of the system;
- reducing costs of upgrades and minimising required changes - how to create scalable systems and keep changes minimal without compromising functionality.
- scenario based analysis - how scenarios for future requirements can be utilised in the design of current systems to ease the upgrade path
Automated Architecture Tradeoff Framework - Our research has developed a framework for performing automated design trade offs using heuristic search.(More ...).
Current research is building scenarios into this framework and looking at ways of reducing the cost of change
University of York Real-Time Systems Research Group - The members of DCSC Real-Time Systems Engineering Group are part of the wider Real-Time Systems Research Group at York which is addressing a broad range of real-time and embedded systems research issues. A number of the group's current research projects have direct relevance to BAE SYSTEMS. All reports and publications from these projects are available to BAE SYSTEMS customers of the DCSC. Current research includes :
- Timing analysis, including worst-case and statistical methods;
- Safety-critical subsets of Ada 95 and Java;
- Ada 95 for distributed real-time systems;
- Portable code technologies (ANDF, Java);
- Novel implementation techniques and architectures, including FPGA, SoC, NoC;
- Use of optimisation in design;
- Real-time embedded systems;
- Real-Time aspects of human computer interaction.