Hichart Development Environment for Embedded Software

Hichart Development Environment for Embedded Software

○Takaaki Goto (UEC) Yasunori Shiono (Toyo University) Takeo Yaku (Nihon University) Kensei Tsuchida (Toyo University) Tetsuro Nishino (UEC)

本発表について

2009 年 10 月 28 日～ 30 日に、電通大で行われた Triangle Symposium on Advanced ICT 2009 (TriSAI 2009) にて発表した内容 TriSAI は、電通大、北京郵電大、 KAIST （韓国科学技

術院）が 2006 年から毎年行っているシンポジウム Takaaki Goto, Yasunori Shiono, Takeo Yaku,Kensei

Tsuchida, Tetsuro Nishino, "Hichart Development Environment for Embedded Software", Proceedings of Triangle Symposium on Advanced ICT 2009, pp. 17-20, (2009).

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1. Introduction2. Preliminary3. Hichart Editor4. Behavioral Specifications table5. Example6. Conclusion

Contents

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1. Introduction

1.1 Background1.2 Motivation1.3 Purpose

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1.1 Background

Embedded systems are becoming increasingly large and complicated

Development methodologies and efficient testing systems for embedded systems are highly desirable

Checking behavioral specification of upstream operations is especially important

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1.1 Background (cont.)

The program diagram called Hichart (HIerachical flowCHART description language) in this environment is treated

We have already developed bidirectional translators that translate Pascal, C, or DXL to Hichart 　 Hichart to Pascal, C, or DXL

1.1 Background (cont.)

We have already developed visual software development environment with below function parser, Drawing aesthetic Hichart diagrams, Generating a SVG file

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1.2 Motivation

We want to expand our visual software development

environment to support developing embedded system,

provide the functions that enables to treat logical part and physical part, separately on the environment

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1.3 Purpose

To develop a visual software development environment that support developing embedded system

(Target) LEGO MINDSTORM as the example of

embedded system

2. Preliminary

2.1 Hichart2.2 LEGO MINDSTORM

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2.1 Hichart

From the 1970, many program diagram languages have been proposed such as NSD, HCP, SPD, PAD, and so on.

Hichart (HIerarchical flowCHART description language) was introduced by Yaku and Futatsugi in 1978.

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2.1 Hichart (cont.)

Fig. Example of “Hanoi Tower” program written in Hichart

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2.1 Hichart (cont.)

Characteristics of Hichart(1) Diagram is a tree-flowchart with the

same flow control lines as a Neumann program flowchart

(2) The hierarchy of the data structure and the control flow are displayed on a plane simultaneously

2.2 LEGO MINDSTROM

LEGO MINDSTORM has been developed jointly by LEGO and MIT in 1998

RCX is a microprocessor with touch sensor, humidity sensor, photodetector, motor, lamp

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Fig. LEGO MINDSTORM RCX(http://www.legoeducation.jp/mindstorms/)

2.2 LEGO MINDSTROM (cont.) ROBOLAB is the programming software

for LEGO MINDSTORM Users can program by click on the icon

and drag and drop it→ However users can not program on

ROBOLAB in detail

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Fig. ROBOLAB(http://www.mdstorm.com/robolab/index.htm

2.2 LEGO MINDSTROM (cont.)

NQC (Not Quite C) is the C like programming language for RCX is developed by Dave Baum does not support pointer supports function specialized for RCX

Turn on the motor, check the touch sensor value

→ NQC is our target of visual software development environment for embedded software

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2.2 LEGO MINDSTROM (cont.)

The step for executing LEGO MINDSTORM is

1. set up the blocks2. programming3. transfer the program to RCX4. run the RCX

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3. Hichart Editor

Hichart Editor Supports visual editing on diagram Supports behavioral specifications table especially useful for development of the

embedded software

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Input Hichart diagrams or NQC source codes

Output NQC source code

3. Hichart Editor (cont.)

3. Hichart Editor (cont.)

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Fig. System overview

NtoH converts NQC source code into Hichart internal data

3. Hichart Editor (cont.)

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Fig. System overview

allows users to develop programs on visual editor and to change physical parameter on

the Behavioral Specifications table

3. Hichart Editor (cont.)

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Fig. System overview

HtoN converts Hichart internal data into NQC source code

3. Hichart Editor (cont.)

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Fig. System overview

BricxCC can compile and transfer the generated NQC source code to an RCX

3. Hichart Editor (cont.)

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Fig. Screenshot of Hichart diagram on the Hichart editor

3. Hichart Editor (cont.)

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Fig. Screenshot of NQC code generated by Hichart Editor

4. Behavioral Specifications table

A behavioral specifications table indicates a spreadsheet containing

information of specifications for behavior by some parameters of physical units

is produced by demonstration experiments

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4. Behavioral Specifications table (cont.)

Sensitivity s:

0-32 33-49 50-100

Recognizes an table edge

○ ○

Does not turn in its

tracks

○ ○

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Table Behavioral Specifications Table

Perfomance is expected

Perfomance is not expected

indicate the range of parameter

4. Behavioral Specifications table (cont.)

Sensitivity s:

0-32 33-49 50-100

Recognizes an table edge

○ ○

Does not turn in its

tracks

○ ○

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Fig. Behavioral Specifications Table

the RCX does not recognize a table edge, and “does not turn

in its tracks” is met

the specifications of “recognizes a table edge” and “does not turn in its tracks” are

met

5. Example

Specification an RCX runs without falling off a desk→when a photodetector on the RCX

recognizes the edge of the desk, RCX moves backwards and turns.

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5. Example (cont.)

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Fig. Screenshot of Hichart editor

1. Users develop the Hichart diagrams

5. Example (cont.)2. After generating NQC code on Hichart

editor, and compile and transfer program to RCX by BrixCC.

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Fig. RCX runs with falling off a desk

5. Example (cont.)3. Users need to change the sensor value to

the optimum value

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Fig. Screenshot of a behavioral specifications table on Hichart editor

Behavioral Specifications Table

Sensitivity :sRecognizes an table edge

Does not turn in its tracks

5. Example (cont.)

4. The chosen value is reflected to the Hichart diagram

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Fig. Screenshot of Hichart after setting optimum value by a behavioral specifications table

5. Example (cont.)5. The RCX can distinguish the edge of the

table, moves backwards, and turns

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Fig. The RCX works on as required.

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6. ConclusionSummary

We developed a visual software development system for embedded system

can treat source codes for embedded Software as Hichart diagrams support for setting appropriate physical parameters through behavioral specifications tables.

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6. Conclusion (cont.)

Future workWe will Improve the development environment of

Hichart for flexible and appropriate setting. Adopt a method for checking behavior in

Hichart development environments by using model checking tool SPIN for logically checking whether a given behavior specification is fulfilled.

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