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A Concept for a Qualifiable (Meta)-Modeling Framework A Concept for a Qualifiable (Meta)-Modeling Framework Deployable in Systems and Tools of Safety-critical and Cyber-physical Environments Vanessa Tietz Julian Schoepf Andreas Waldvogel Institute of Aircraft Systems Institute of Aircraft Systems Institute of Aircraft Systems University of Stuttgart University of Stuttgart University of Stuttgart Stuttgart, Germany Stuttgart, Germany Stuttgart, Germany 0000-0002-5942-5893 0000-0003-1110-2830 0000-0003-4819-9031 Bjoern Annighoefer Institute of Aircraft Systems University of Stuttgart Stuttgart, Germany 0000-0002-1268-0862 Abstract—The development of cyber-physical systems can sig- has been identified as a key element for modeling tools [1]. In nificantly benefit from domain-specific modeling and requires ad- practice, DSM often only extends auxiliary tools. If the tool equate (meta)-modeling frameworks. If such systems are designed user nevertheless wants to use common frameworks in the for the safety-critical area, the systems must undergo qualification processes defined and monitored by a certification authority. safety-critical domain, this leads to high qualification effort. To use the resulting artifacts of modeling tools without further This is due to fragmentary or nontransparent information on qualification activities, the modeling tool must be additionally the background and structure of the used tools. Moreover, one qualified. Tool qualification has to be conducted by the tool problem is the strong dependence between framework com- user and can be assisted by the tool developer by providing ponents and the custom models. For the application of DSM qualification artifacts. However, state-of-the-art domain-specific modeling frameworks barely support the user in the qualification in safety-critical systems with high demands towards quali- process, which results in an extensive manual effort. To reduce fiability, we propose an essential (meta)-modeling and trans- this effort and to avoid modeling constructs that can hardly be formation framework. The framework focuses on the efficient implemented in a qualifiable way, we propose the development qualification and automation of processes for safety-critical of an open source (meta)-modeling framework that inherently domains like automotive or aerospace. This is achieved by considers qualification issues. Based on the functionality of exist- ing frameworks, we have identified components that necessarily introducing a meta-language considering qualification aspects, need to be rethought or changed. This leads to the consideration implementing the meta-language with the formal provable but of the following six cornerstones for our framework: (1) an strongly restrictive programming language Ada, performing essential meta-language, (2) a minimal runtime, (3) deterministic transformations deterministically and traceably, visualizing transformations, (4) a qualification artifact generation, (5) a complex models, and supporting the generation of qualification sophisticated visualization, and (6) a decoupled interaction of framework components. All these cornerstones consider the artifacts. Another key property is a strong decoupling of aspect of a safety-critical (meta)-modeling framework in their model, runtime, and user interface. Overall, the framework arXiv:2108.04121v1 [cs.SE] 9 Aug 2021 own manner. This combination leads to a holistic framework shall be a new chance where state-of-the-art tools do not suit. usable in the safety-critical system development domain. The remainder of this paper is organized as follows. The next section addresses foundations. The third section reviews I. INTRODUCTION the most recent work over the last decades regarding the Domain-specific modeling (DSM) has attracted popular- modeling of safety-critical systems, transformations, and vi- ity for system developers for several years. Multiple meta- sualization. Our vision is presented in section four, while the languages and modeling frameworks exist to address numerous first progress of our new framework is described in section use cases. DSM easily enables working with higher level sys- five. Section six gives a short conclusion with further research tem abstractions and reusability as well as efficient automated tasks. processes with model transformations. In addition, handling of complex and abstract systems can be supported by graphical II. NOMENCLATURE,MULTI-LEVEL MODELING, visualization and editing. Since common DSM frameworks do VISUALIZATION AND QUALIFICATION not focus on the application in safety-critical domains, there This section provides a consistent view of our framework by is no need to support tool qualification, even if qualifiability introducing the nomenclature, subsequently describing foun- ©2021 IEEE. Personal use of this material is permitted. Permission from IEEE must be obtained for all other uses, in any current or future media, including reprinting/republishing this material for advertising or promotional purposes, creating new collective works, for resale or redistribution to servers or lists, or reuse of any copyrighted component of this work in other works. dations of used methods. For our framework, we do not just [10], and [11] of model transformations all with different rely on one existing meta-modeling standard. Where needed, advantages and disadvantages for specific problem domains. the advantages of several standards and concepts are com- bined. Therefore, multilevel-modeling and deep instantiation D. Generic Visualization of Models are explained followed by existing basics of model-to-model Generally, domain-specific models are visualized interac- transformations, generic visualization, and tool qualification. tively to facilitate understanding and manipulation. Since users mainly interact with the visualization, it has a strong effect on A. Nomenclature the user experience. Among the four classes of visualization In (meta)-modeling, different layers have to be distin- techniques in [12], the icon-based technique class is dominant guished. In the following, we use the designation from the in modeling. To visualize models 2-dimensionally, graphs are meta-object-facility (MOF) standard [2]: The real world is the typically used. For instance, objects are visualized by vertices M0-level, the domain-specific model the M1-level, the meta- and references by edges. Well established is the software model the M2-level, and the meta-language the M3-level. design pattern model-view-controller [13]. Visualization elements can be directly defined in the meta- B. Multi-level Modeling model or they are decoupled and provided by a separate The modeling of systems and software is often performed presentation language [14]. The latter has the advantage of with the Unified Modeling Language (UML) [3]. This leads keeping the meta-model simple, which can be used to reduce to the typical structure of two interacting levels - a classifica- qualification efforts. Generic visualization can be used in both tion level (UML-Language) and an instantiation level (UML- cases and adapts the visualization of the DSM environment Model). Modeling with more than two levels is called multi- dynamically to the meta-model, e.g. only valid child elements level modeling. The principle of instantiating the lower level are made available in a palette [15]. remains. Multi-level modeling can help to overcome problems regarding the explicit specification of relationships with UML E. Tool Qualification that are otherwise only assumed by convention. One multi- For the development of cyber-physical systems, tools can level artifact addresses logical and physical classification. That assist development and verification to decrease manual work- concept is used to give every element on every modeling level load and costs. When developing safety-critical systems, it is the meaning of a physical object [4]. The concept is illustrated necessary to avoid negative impact of error-prone tools on the with a dashed line and the annotation ’physical’ in diagrams. system functionality [16]. This can be achieved by verifying A second artifact is that in the UML standard common the generated artifacts of used software and tools manually elements defined on a modeling level can only be instantiated or by using qualified tools. There are different standards at the level above - the ’two-levels only’ modeling philosophy. considering the process of tool qualification. For instance, The problem of instantiating objects more than one level above ISO-26262 [17] and DO-330 [16] define tool qualification can be addressed with deep instantiation [4], which introduces in the automotive industry and aviation, respectively. Tools a potency value that allows to define in how many levels can be divided into different tool qualification levels (TQLs) an instantiation shall be possible. Every time the element is based on their intended use and safety level. Depending on the instantiated, the potency value is decreased by one. When qualification level, different requirements and processes have reaching a potency value of zero, no more instantiations to be fulfilled in order to obtain a qualified tool. Qualifiable are possible. Deep instantiation can be visualized with the in this context means that a system must be successfully ’@’ symbol or super-scripted numbers. This concept of deep validatable against the relevant standards and regulations and instantiation is based on the assumption that each element finally acceptable to a certification authority. The tool user in multi-level modeling can act simultaneously as class and has full responsibility
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