Research

Model-based design of safety-critical embedded systems

Modern embedded systems used in domains such as automotive or aerospace are subject to increasingly stringent safety and real-time requirements. To cope with the complexity that is associated with the development of such systems, novel design paradigms based on formal models are becoming increasingly important. In this context, we develop modeling techniques and, based on these techniques, software tools that automatically transform given model instances into reliable implementation artifacts.

Synthesis of isolation mechanisms for modern mixed-criticality systems

To meet their performance requirements, modern embedded systems are increasingly based on multicore processors. This is often accompanied by a tight integration of subsystems with different criticality levels. To ensure that a sufficient degree of safety and security is achieved despite this integration, reliable isolation mechanisms must be incorporated into the systems. We investigate approaches that perform an automatic generation of such mechanisms by leveraging available hardware capabilities.

Fault tolerance mechanisms based on dynamic hardware redundancy

As automated driving functions are on the rise, the risk of electronic malfunctions in the vehicle leading to physical harm is increasing. Therefore, components that are relevant in this context must often be designed in such a way that they reliably deliver a defined minimum level of functionality despite such malfunctions. This requires the use of suitable fault tolerance mechanisms. We are researching how the concept of dynamic hardware redundancy can be used to implement such mechanisms a particularly cost-effective manner.

Publications

2024

Conference Papers

Automatic Deployment of Embedded Real-Time Software Systems to Hypervisor-Managed Platforms
Schade, F.; Dörr, T.; Ahlbrecht, A.; Janson, V.; Durak, U.; Becker, J.
2024. 2023 26th Euromicro Conference on Digital System Design (DSD), Golem, 6th - 8th September 2023, 436 – 443, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). doi:10.1109/DSD60849.2023.00067

2023

Conference Papers

Pattern-Based Information Flow Control for Safety-Critical On-Chip Systems
Dörr, T.; Schade, F.; Becker, J.
2023. Computer Safety, Reliability, and Security. Ed.: J. Guiochet, 181–195, Springer Nature Switzerland. doi:10.1007/978-3-031-40923-3_14

Presentations

Tutorial: Simulation-based development of networked avionics systems using the XANDAR toolchain
Dörr, T.; Schade, F.; Ahlbrecht, A.
2023, June 7. 4th Summer School on Cyber-Physical Systems and Internet-of-Things (CPS&IoT 2023), Budva, Montenegro, June 6–10, 2023

2022

Conference Papers

Safety by Construction: Pattern-Based Application of Safety Mechanisms in XANDAR
Dörr, T.; Schade, F.; Masing, L.; Becker, J.; Keramidas, G.; Antonopoulos, C. P.; Mavropoulos, M.; Kelefouras, V.; Voros, N.
2022. 2022 IEEE Computer Society Annual Symposium on VLSI (ISVLSI), Nicosia, Cyprus, 04-06 July 2022, 369–370, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). doi:10.1109/ISVLSI54635.2022.00081

A Behavior Specification and Simulation Methodology for Embedded Real-Time Software
Dörr, T.; Schade, F.; Ahlbrecht, A.; Zaeske, W.; Masing, L.; Durak, U.; Becker, J.
2022. 2022 IEEE/ACM 26th International Symposium on Distributed Simulation and Real Time Applications (DS-RT), 151–159, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). doi:10.1109/DS-RT55542.2022.9932069

Hypervisor-Based Target Deployment Strategies for Time Predictability in Model-Based Development
Schade, F.; Dörr, T.; Becker, J.
2022. Conference Proceedings: 2022 IEEE 35th International System-on-Chip Conference (SOCC) Ed.: S. Sezer, 1–2, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). doi:10.1109/SOCC56010.2022.9908090

XANDAR: A holistic Cybersecurity Engineering Process for Safety-critical and Cyber-physical Systems
Siddiqui, F.; Khan, R.; Sezer, S.; McLaughlin, K.; Masing, L.; Dörr, T.; Schade, F.; Becker, J.; Ahlbrecht, A.; Zaeske, W.; Durak, U.; Adler, N.; Sailer, A.; Weber, R.; Wilhelm, T.; Nemeth, G.; Nemeth, G.; Morales, V.; Gomez, P.; Keramidas, G.; et al.
2022. 2022 IEEE 95th Vehicular Technology Conference: (VTC2022-Spring): Proceedings ; 19–22 June 2022, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). doi:10.1109/VTC2022-Spring54318.2022.9860859

XANDAR: Exploiting the X-by-Construction Paradigm in Model-based Development of Safety-critical Systems
Masing, L.; Dörr, T.; Schade, F.; Becker, J.; Keramidas, G.; Antonopoulos, C. P.; Mavropoulos, M.; Tiganourias, E.; Kelefouras, V.; Antonopoulos, K.; Voros, N.; Durak, U.; Ahlbrecht, A.; Zaeske, W.; Panagiotou, C.; Karadimas, D.; Adler, N.; Sailer, A.; Weber, R.; Wilhelm, T.; et al.
2022. 2022 Design, Automation & Test in Europe Conference & Exhibition (DATE), Antwerp, Belgium, 14-23 March 2022, 814–818, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). doi:10.23919/DATE54114.2022.9774534

2021

Journal Articles

Model-based configuration of access protection units for multicore processors in embedded systems
Dörr, T.; Sandmann, T.; Becker, J.
2021. Microprocessors and microsystems, 87, Article no: 104377. doi:10.1016/j.micpro.2021.104377

Achieving cost-efficient fail-operational behavior based on inherent redundancy at the system level
Dörr, T.; Sandmann, T.; Friederich, P.; Leitner, A.; Becker, J.
2021. Microprocessors and microsystems, 87, Aricle no: 104380. doi:10.1016/j.micpro.2021.104380

Conference Papers

XANDAR: X-by-Construction Design framework for Engineering Autonomous & Distributed Real-time Embedded Software Systems
Becker, J.; Masing, L.; Dörr, T.; Schade, F.; Keramidas, G.; Antonopoulos, C. P.; Mavropoulos, M.; Tiganourias, E.; Kelefouras, V.; Antonopoulos, K.; Voros, N.; Durak, U.; Ahlbrecht, A.; Zaeske, W.; Panagiotou, C.; Karadimas, D.; Adler, N.; Sailer, A.; Weber, R.; Wilhelm, T.; et al.
2021. Proceedings 2021 31st International Conference on Field-Programmable Logic and Applications: FPL 2021 ; Dresden, Germany, 30 August – 3 September 2021, 382–383, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). doi:10.1109/FPL53798.2021.00075

Employing the Concept of Multilevel Security to Generate Access Protection Configurations for Automotive On-Board Networks
Dörr, T.; Sandmann, T.; Mohr, H.; Becker, J.
2021. 2021 24th Euromicro Conference on Digital System Design (DSD), 107–114, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). doi:10.1109/DSD53832.2021.00026

2020

Conference Papers

An Approach to Cost-Efficient Fault Tolerance in Inherently Redundant Fail-Operational Systems
Dörr, T.; Sandmann, T.; Friederich, P.; Leitner, A.; Becker, J.
2020. 2020 23rd Euromicro Conference on Digital System Design (DSD), 630–637, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). doi:10.1109/DSD51259.2020.00103

A Formal Model for the Automatic Configuration of Access Protection Units in MPSoC-Based Embedded Systems
Dörr, T.; Sandmann, T.; Becker, J.
2020. 2020 23rd Euromicro Conference on Digital System Design (DSD), 596–603, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). doi:10.1109/DSD51259.2020.00098

2019

Conference Papers

Leveraging the Partial Reconfiguration Capability of FPGAs for Processor-Based Fail-Operational Systems
Dörr, T.; Sandmann, T.; Schade, F.; Bapp, F. K.; Becker, J.
2019. Applied Reconfigurable Computing – 15th International Symposium, ARC 2019, Darmstadt, 9.-11. April 2019, 96–111, Springer. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-17227-5_8

2018

Reports/Preprints

Towards Fail-Operational Systems on Controller Level Using Heterogeneous Multicore SoC Architectures and Hardware Support
Bapp, F. K.; Dörr, T.; Sandmann, T.; Schade, F.; Becker, J.
2018. SAE International. doi:10.4271/2018-01-1072