The time is long past when we could define an embedded system as a "buried" computer system, operating in complete self-sufficiency. In the era of the portable telephone, we may often wonder what could be considered as such.

Improvement of platforms, internationalisation, increased connectivity, user interface, smart cards, etc; these new possibilities have allowed R&D and marketing to target products for all price ranges. And these developments are not yet finished!

While old equipment is being gradually renewed (hardware, protocols, etc.,) new equipment is looking for added value with USB OTG, wireless technologies (ZigBee, 802.11, etc.), IPv6 or auto-configuration (ZeroConf).

What is it that still unites these various embedded systems?

A dual historical requirement: performance and security in functioning. However, these terms must be specified according to the context: timing constraints, resources available, quality control, degree of determinism of the system, etc.

Although "time to market" is a critical issue inherent in this equipment, its changeability is just as important, whether in regards to managing its obsolescence or making it easily available in several ranges.

Some challenges:

• the control of application complexity
• the security of software and the systems which host it
• the reduction in product development time
• the real-time processing of an ever-growing volume of information
• the robustness of hardware and software architectures faced with environmental constraints
• intelligent and autonomous sensors (image and video).

IT&L@bs is again positioning itself at the forefront of the transformation, developing added value around five service offers:

• the system layers on restricted platforms, with expertise allowing the choice, optimisation and integration of drivers, operating systems and protocols, particularly open source (eCos or Linux, for example).

• the management of constraints specific to transport, such as air or rail, adapting to the application of functional requirements, specific buses, particular standards, etc.

• modelling engineering applied to our clients' businesses, which allows achievement of a very high degree of reliability, re-use and changeability of embedded software.
• securing embedded software by an approach covering, according to requirements, automatic analysis of the code with PolySpace, architecture audit, security advice, etc.
• hardware/software co-simulation, which allows simultaneous work by the hardware and software teams on the same embedded system.

Our technological leadership

• Open Source
• M2M
• Security
• IPV6
• RFID
• Web Technologies
• HDMI
• Simulation

MDE/MDA

Several years ago, IT&L@bs finalised an object-development methodology adapted to restricted industrial contexts - the Process of Development of Industrial Systems (PDIS).  This process integrates into approaches of the type MDE/MDA (Model Driven Engineering/Model Driven Architecture).

principle

Use all the potential of object technologies for:

• Formalising the requirements in a language that is understandable and shared by the various players
• Comprehensively modelling the systems
• Ensuring the coherence of this modelling throughout the whole life of the system
• Generating the code and the tests in a way that is totally coherent with the specifications

SYSTEMC/TLM

For several years, IT&L@bs has been working to promote this technology and has deployed it with manufacturers

The systemC standard and its TLM extension

SystemC (IEEE 1666) supplies a library (C++) for modelling all or part of a System-On-Chip (SoC) and, potentially, any complex digital hardware system, with or without processors and software.

According to the desired "execution time/simulation precision", the modelling can be done at a purely functional level (TLM) or it may include time constraints or be "cycle and bit accurate".

TLM (Transaction Level Modelling), an OSCI standard build on SystemC, defines modelling at a high level of abstraction, supplying a communication model by "transactions" between blocks or IP.

Models in SystemC can be simulated on a standard workstation, with open source or commercial simulators.

objective

Develop hardware and software for the same card in parallel, allowing execution of code that is being developed on a high-speed simulation of hardware that is being developed

advantages

• Reduce time to market
• Control the costs of non-quality through better product reliability
• Reduce the costs of maintaining test resources in an operational condition over the medium term

Usage context

• Upstream hardware study
• Software/simulated platform integration test
• Replacement of a hardware means of emulation or simulation