The Vector-iSYSTEM Timing Bundle automates the timing analysis of ECU Software based on the Vector MICROSAR base software
iSYSTEM, Schwabhausen near Munich, and Vector Informatik, the Stuttgart-based specialist for software and automotive electronics, are now offering a free software bundle for automating timing analysis. With the Vector-iSYSTEM Timing Bundle, AUTOSAR ECU developers can record, analyze, and evaluate the timing behavior of an embedded system in less than seven minutes. The free package includes scripts, header files as well as samples and is compatible with the Vector AUTOSAR Classic base software MICROSAR.
Figure 1: The result of AUTOSAR Profiling in iSYSTEM winIDEA. The Gantt-Chart shows the state of different OS (Tasks/ISRs) and RTE (Runnables) objects over time. The dark red color indicates that an object is running.
To prove functional safety in complex embedded software applications such as in the ECUs of state-of-the-art vehicles, in-depth analysis techniques are required. Recording trace and timing data, for example to determine the execution time of an application, represents a major challenge for embedded developers. A couple of factors, such as the microcontroller, operating system, and debug interface, make every setup unique and require individual configuration of the analysis system. Applications based on multicore processor architecture as well as the AUTOSAR standard can be particularly challenging in this respect.
Figure 2: Recording a hardware trace with the iSYSTEM BlueBox and winIDEA integrated development environment. A dedicated on-chip trace logic generates trace messages that are captured by the debugger and sent to the host computer for profiling. Within the Vector-iSYSTEM Timing Bundle, this data is exported to a file in a format called BTF (Best Trace Format) and imported to the Vector TA Tool Suite for further analysis.
Support is now provided by the new free Vector-iSYSTEM Timing Bundle from iSYSTEM and Vector Informatik: It allows developers to start timing analysis of Vector MICROSAR-based applications in less than seven minutes. The samples and pre-recorded timings included in the bundle provide a quick insight into the general analysis capabilities of system profiling. This data can be viewed and assessed in the iSYSTEM winIDEA Software Analyzer or in the Vector TA Tool Suite.
The Vector-iSYSTEM Timing Bundle contains a step-by-step guideline for integrating scheduling tracing across the entire tool chain, starting with the configuration of MICROSAR.OS in Vector’s DaVinci Configurator Pro, through iSYSTEM winIDEA, to the analysis of the results in the iSYSTEM Analyzer or Vector TA Tool Suite. In addition, the necessary scripts are provided to automate the entire process. The sample included in the bundle using MICROSAR and the pre-recorded analysis data allow users to first get a quick idea of the timing analysis and its results. In a second step, the developer can adapt the provided scripts to their real live application and start the analysis right away from there. To run the samples and visualize the results, the user needs an iSYSTEM winIDEA and / or Vector TA Tool Suite installation.
“The Vector-iSYSTEM Timing Bundle is another good example of the long-standing close partnership between Vector and iSYSTEM,” says Erol Simsek, CEO of iSYSTEM. “We are pleased to be able to offer developers a real ‘help package’ for the challenging analysis of safety-relevant automotive applications in particular.”