Method for validation of a graphically based executable control specification using model extraction

• US 8,751,094 B2
• Filed: 12/13/2012
• Issued: 06/10/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Farnsworth, Jared M., Ueda, Koichi, Yazarel, Hakan
• Primary Examiner(s): EL CHANTI, HUSSEIN A
• Application Number:
  US13/714,255
• Publication Number:
  US 20140005856A1
• Time in Patent Office: 544 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/29.1, 701/29.3
• US Class Current: 701/29.1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0426 Programming the control sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/24034 Model checker, to verify and debug control software
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/20 Software design

Abstract

A system and method to hierarchically validate graphically based executable logic control specifications. The method may include performing an open loop validation of a feature of a plurality of features in the control specification, performing an open loop validation of the functional hierarchy of an application of a plurality of applications in the graphically based logic control specification in response to completing successful validation of the plurality of features, performing a closed loop validation an ECU model of a plurality of ECUs modeled in the graphically based logic control specification in response to completing successful validation of the plurality of applications, and performing a closed loop validation of the plurality of ECUs modeled in response to completing successful validation of the ECU modeled.

Claims

1. A computer-based method for hierarchically validating a graphically based logic control specification including a plurality of ECU models, the method comprising:

identifying, by a processor for hierarchically validating the graphically based logic control specification, a functional hierarchy of a first ECU model of the plurality of ECU models, the first ECU model including a plurality of applications being at a lower layer or level than the first ECU model, each of the plurality of applications including a plurality of features, each of the plurality of features being at a lower layer or level than each of the plurality of applications;

performing, by the processor, an open of the plurality of features;

performing, by the processor, an open loop validation of the plurality of applications in response to completing successful validation of the plurality of features;

performing, by the processor, a closed loop validation of the first ECU model in response to completing successful validation of the plurality of applications; and

performing, by the processor, a closed loop validation of the plurality of ECU models in response to completing successful validation of the first ECU model.

2. The computer-based method of claim 1, further comprising releasing, by the processor, a validated control specification in response to successful validation of the plurality of ECU models.

3. The computer-based method of claim 1, further comprising generating, by the processor, a validation test plan.

4. The computer-based method of claim 1, further comprising ceasing external editing of the graphically based logic control specification during validation.

5. The computer-based method of claim 1, further comprising certifying, by the processor, results of the validation of the graphically based logic control specification.

6. The computer-based method of claim 1, further comprising validating the graphically based logic control specification to achieve best possible modified condition/decision coverage.

7. The computer-based method of claim 1, further comprising utilizing a graphically based model slicing tool to extract targeted models selected based on functionality.

8. The computer-based method of claim 7, further comprising retaining inputs and outputs of the models post extraction.

9. The computer-based method of claim 1, further comprising validating an entire electronic control unit.

10. The computer-based method of claim 9, wherein the electronic control unit is an electronic control unit of a vehicle.

11. The computer-based method of claim 1, wherein a unique feature test case is developed to validate each unique functional requirement of the graphically based logic control specification.

12. The computer-based method of claim 1, wherein the validation flows from module level to feature level to application level.

13. The computer-based method of claim 1, further comprising subdividing a functional hierarchy based on computational constraints.

14. The computer-based method of claim 1, wherein overlapping test case validation provides substantially exhaustive validation coverage.

15. The computer-based method of claim 1, further comprising validating by starting at an end of the graphically based logic control specification and validating to a beginning of the graphically based logic control specification.

16. The computer-based method of claim 1, wherein the computer-based method is used to validate the graphically based logic control specification to an International Organization for Standardization (ISO) specification.

17. The computer-based method of claim 1, wherein elements of the graphically based logic control specification are rendered on a user interface.

18. The computer-based method of claim 1, wherein the hierarchical structure of the control specification and calculation flow of the graphically based logic control specification are utilized to generate test cases for validation.

19. A system comprising:

a processor configured to hierarchically validate a graphically based logic control specification that includes a plurality of ECU models, a first ECU model of the plurality of ECU models including a plurality of applications, each of the plurality of applications being at a lower layer or level than the first ECU model and including a plurality of features, each of the plurality of features being at a lower layer or level than each of the plurality of applications,

a tangible, non-transitory memory configured to communicate with the processor, the tangible, non-transitory memory having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

performing, by the processor, an open loop validation of the plurality of features;

performing, by the processor, an open loop validation of the plurality of applications in response to completing successful validation of the plurality of features;

performing, by the processor, a closed loop validation of the first ECU model in response to completing successful validation of the plurality of applications; and

performing, by the processor, a closed loop validation of the plurality of ECU models in response to completing successful validation of the first ECU model.

20. An article of manufacture including a non-transitory, tangible computer readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by a computer-based system configured to hierarchically validate a graphically based logic control specification that includes a plurality of ECU models, cause the computer-based system to perform operations comprising:

identifying, by the computer-based system, a functional hierarchy of a first ECU model of the plurality of ECU models, the first ECU model including a plurality of applications, each of the plurality of applications being at a lower layer or level than the first ECU model and including a plurality of features, each of the plurality of features being at a lower layer or level than each of the plurality of applications;

performing, by the computer-based system, an open loop validation of the plurality of features;

performing, by the computer-based system, an open loop validation of the plurality of applications in response to completing successful validation of the plurality of features;

performing, by the computer-based system, a closed loop validation of the first ECU model in response to completing successful validation of the plurality of applications; and

performing, by the computer-based system, a closed loop validation of the plurality of ECU models in response to completing successful validation of the first ECU model.