Real-time Embedded Control Systems and Ptolemy II

Researchers:	Stephen Neuendorffer
Advisor:	Edward A. Lee

Most of the domains that have been explored in conjunction with Ptolemy II emphasize deterministic and complete processing of input data. It could be said that the emphasis is on the precision of a reaction to input data. However, in some real-time applications, particularly systems involved with controlling physical objects, timely reactions are more important than precise reactions.

This project will use the port-based objects model of computation, implemented as a domain within Ptolemy II. The PBO model of computation has been shown to be an appropriate abstraction for designing controllers for real-time systems. Because it supports heterogeneous modeling, Ptolemy II can be used to combine a PBO model of a controller with models of the system components being controlled. Since the component models can be based on existing Ptolemy II domains, hardware-software co-simulation of the resulting system will then be possible. Lastly, by using a microcontroller running an embedded Java virtual machine, the model of the system controller in Ptolemy II could easily translate into a java-based controller implementation.

[1] D. Stewart, R. Volpe, P. Khosla, "Design of Dynamically Reconfigurable Real-Time Software using Port-Based Objects," IEEE Trans. on Software Engineering, Vol. 23, No. 12, pp. 759-776, December 1997.

Last updated 11/05/99