METASAT proposes an integration framework (namely, the METASAT Integration Framework, see Figure 1) to support multi-domain simulation of digital twins and their evolution during the V-cycle [1].
Figure 1: METASAT Integration Framework
This framework is built on DESYRE, a multi-domain simulation framework for system virtual integration and testing based on state-of-the-art open standards (such as SystemC TLM 2.0 [2], FMI 2.0 [3], ED-247 [4], ASAM XiL [5], etc.) and developed by Collins Aerospace [6]. DESYRE supports simulation-based system-level analyses of Cyber-Physical Systems at different stages of the V-cycle. By exploiting state-of-the-art open standards, DESYRE enables the integration between different components in the cyber domain (such as, e.g., communication, computational, application SW at different level of abstraction) with multi-physics plant components in the physical domain. Engineers can use the same modelling tools they are used to, and that are specialized for the specific subsystem domain, and then integrate their models in DESYRE. By means of virtual system prototypes, DESYRE enables a broad set of benefits from facilitating the evaluation of different design alternatives to early requirements validation and system-level integration V&V. In particular, the following three capabilities, enabled by DESYRE, are of relevance for the METASAT MBE integration analyses:
- SW Virtual Testing & Certification. This capability enables the integration of the application SW on top of a model-based execution platform consisting of models of the communication (e.g., network bus) and computational (e.g., OS, HW peripherals) platforms. The application SW can be integrated at different abstraction levels (e.g., as a retargeted SW application or as a rehosted binary compiled for the target platform) according to the preferred verification strategy (e.g., SiL or VPiL, respectively) to verify SW/SW or SW/HW integration. This capability scales-up and speeds-up the SW verification activities by anticipating and migrating them from real HW prototypes to virtual model-based execution platforms. This in turn has the potential to pave the road to SW certification by simulation or to just a single certification run.
- System Virtual & Hybrid Integration for V&V. This capability leverages a fully virtual or a hybrid integration (i.e., where virtual and real equipment can be seamlessly integrated together) to enable: i) the co-design of system parts that are usually developed by heterogeneous and multi-domain teams; ii) a fast prototyping of explorative system solutions without creating real prototypes; and iii) the discovery of system integration and performance issues without the need of setting up real integration laboratories.
- Collaborative Virtual & Hybrid Integration for V&V. This capability builds on the previous one but focuses more on the collaborative aspect of the integration analyses that can be performed in an extended enterprise setting (e.g., customer-supplier integration). This includes also preserving the Intellectual Properties when sharing and integrating other party component models.
References
- Calderón, Alejandro J., et al. “The METASAT Model-Based Engineering Workflow and Digital Twin Concept.” 2024 Design, Automation & Test in Europe Conference & Exhibition (DATE). IEEE, 2024.
- IEEE Standards Association, “IEEE 1666-2011 – IEEE Standard for Standard SystemC Language Reference Manual,” https://standards.ieee. org/ieee/1666/4814/, accessed November, 2023.
- Modelica Association, “Functional Mock-Up Interface,” https://fmi-standard.org/, accessed November, 2023.
- Y. Hildenbrand, “ED-247 (VISTAS) Gateway for Hybrid Test Systems,” SAE Technical Paper, 2018.
- Association for Standardization of Automation and Measuring Systems, “ASAM XIL,” https://www.asam.net/standards/detail/xil/, accessed November, 2023
- G. Stazi, S. Sinisi, V. Di Valerio, C. Liu, D. Uttberg, L. Yapi, L. Lazzara, A. Ulisse, M. Baleani, and A. Mignogna, “Agile Model-Based Integration Framework for Advanced Software Validation and Verification,” in AIAA SCITECH 2023 Forum, 2023
