Model-Driven Software Development: Technology, Engineering, Management

Chapter 16

Case Study: Embedded Component Infrastructures

16.1 Overview

This chapter contains a second, comprehensive case study, an example from the world of embedded systems. The chapter is also about the model-driven development of component infrastructures. It illustrates the following topics:

• Modeling via textual DSLs
• Use of different models for different subdomains
• Generation of infrastructure, not applications
• Product lines and feature models
• Use and adaptation of the openArchitectureWare generator
• ‘Pseudo-declarative’ programming of metamodel constraints
• Interceptors in the generator to separate various aspects in the metamodel
• Generation of build files
• Cascading domain architectures

The case study is based on our experience from various real-life projects.

Note that the explanations in this chapter presuppose that in principle you understand how the openArchitectureWare generator [OAW] works¹. The case study in the first part of this book conveys important basics. Therefore, you should read it first.

16.1.1 Introduction and Motivation

Embedded systems have rapidly increased in complexity in recent years:

• You can take photographs with cell phones, surf the Internet with them, as well as display video streams: it sometimes comes as a surprise to find that you can still use them to make telephone calls.
• Cars contain up to seventy small computers (ECUs – electronic control units) that control a large variety of the vehicle’s technical aspects. These computers are connected ...