Hierarchical Integration of Runtime Models

The complexity of embedded applications is growing rapidly. Mainstream software technology is facing serious challenges for leaving out non-functional aspects of embedded systems. To achieve this goal, we have defined a component-based modeling and assembly infrastructure, Pcanel, that supports hierarchical integration of concurrent, runtime models. A key principal in Pcanel is its netlist, namely component connection network. Pcanel advocates netlist as global view of a systemic design, where the basic building block is component. The functionality of embedded system is modeled as netlist. The communication among components is modeled as token flow. The distribution of functionality on netlist is transparent from the runtime models, which makes communication refinement easier. When applied formal models to components, the resulting runtime netlist maintains assurance of diversified non-functional aspects, such as timing and deadlock. The infrastructure advances the synergy between design-time models and runtime models.