Model-Based Hardware-Software Integration

Abstract

This chapter discusses modeling hardware-software integration and examines different methodologies that may be used in capturing hardware-software (HW-SW) integration relationships. As such, this paper does not focus on definition or elaboration of the Systems Modeling Language (SysML) constructs themselves, so much as how those constructs may be applied when describing relationships between physical and functional (behavioral) elements.

Model-based systems engineering (MBSE) and SysML allows for the creation of relationships to other data elements such as behavior or commands and monitors that software uses. For example, interface blocks that capture electrical signal characteristics or protocol definitions may be typed to pins used by an internal block diagram (IBD), or activity diagram swim lanes that capture component functions may be allocated to some other system model element such as a block or part. Note that if the swim lanes are typed by physical elements, this can also help in understanding the functional allocation of behavior to physical elements in the system. Leveraging capabilities such as this, in addition to capabilities such as defining low-level information in blocks or instances so they may be aggregated and typed to activity parameters and ports, provide powerful mechanisms to tie detailed hardware characteristics to behavior and thus enhance hardware-software integration.