The Chimera Methodology: Designing Dynamically Reconfigurable and Reusable Real-Time Software using Port-Based Objects

The Chimera Methodology is a software engineering paradigm that enables rapid development of real-time applications through use of dynamically reconfigurable and reusable software. It is targeted towards a distributed shared memory computing environment. The primary contribution of this research is the port-based object model of a real-time software component. The model is obtained by applying the port-automaton formal computational theory to object-based design. A finite state machine, detailed interface specifications, and a C-language template are used to define the port-based object. Tools to support the integration, scheduling, and state variable communication between the objects have been developed and incorporated into the Chimera Real-Time Operating System. Techniques for verifying correctness and analyzing performance are also provided for configuration managers that integrate software designed using the port-based object model.