Jason M. Carter

Bio: Jason M. Carter is an academic researcher from University of Tennessee. The author has contributed to research in topics: Finite-state machine & Control system. The author has an hindex of 1, co-authored 1 publications receiving 23 citations.

Sequence-based specification of feedback control systems in Simulink®

Abstract: Solid-state microprocessors with software controlled sensors and actuators have essentially replaced analog control systems. Design systems with extensive libraries and code generators such as the ETAS® ASCET and MATLAB®/Simulink are widely used in industry to design control systems. However. the software engineering methods to help get the design right are missing. Sequence-based specification is a rigorous method that is well suited to the design of embedded control systems. This paper focuses on the adaptation of sequence-based specification to Simulink blocks, feedback control, and state machine generation, while preserving the ability to convert ordinary requirements to precise state-machine specifications.

Evaluating Efficiency and Security of Connected and Autonomous Vehicle Applications

Abstract: Evaluating efficiency and security of Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CAVs) requires an environment that can support applications and measurements under real-world conditions. This work introduces our implementation and evaluation of a Connected and Autonomous Vehicle Research Environment (CAVRE). We implement and evaluate an existing CAV application called Cooperative Adaptive Cruise Control (CACC) using physical Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) communications between a virtual agent and a real autonomous vehicle operating on a steerable dynamometer. CAVRE allows the follower to autonomously control longitudinal behavior on the dynamometer in order to maintain a steady following time gap from the leader. The effects of a wireless jamming attack on CACC and fuel efficiency is also evaluated. By executing attacks in a controlled environment, we learn how compromised communications can degrade CAV applications. We show that jamming V2V communications can impact CACC’s string stability and decrease fuel efficiency by more than 50%.

Formal development of control software in the medical systems domain

Abstract: In this thesis we describe the effectiveness of applying a number of formal techniques to the development of industrial control software at Philips Healthcare. We demonstrate how these techniques were tightly incorporated to the industrial workflow and the issues encountered during the application. The work was established in an industrial context, dealing with real industrial projects and a real product concerning the development of interventional X-ray systems. The results are very conclusive in the sense that the used formal techniques could deliver substantially better quality code compared to the code developed in conventional development methods. Also, the results show that the productivity of the formally developed code is better than the productivity of code developed by projects at Philips Healthcare or projects reported worldwide. The thesis also includes a number of design and specification guidelines that assist constructing verifiable components using model checking. The guidelines were successful in designing and verifying a controller component developed at Philips Healthcare. Hence, the guidelines can provide an effective framework to design verifiable control components in industrial settings.

Analyzing the effects of formal methods on the development of industrial control software

Abstract: Formal methods are being applied to the development of software of various applications at Philips Healthcare. In particular, the Analytical Software Design (ASD) method is being used as a formal technology for developing defect-free control software of highly sophisticated X-ray equipments. In this paper we analyze the effects of applying ASD to the development of various control software units developed for the X-ray machines. We compare the quality of these units with other units developed in traditional development methods. The results indicate that applying ASD as a formal technology for developing control software could result in fewer defects.

Formal specification and systematic model-driven testing of embedded automotive systems

Abstract: Increasingly intelligent energy-management and safety systems are developed to realize safe and economic automobiles. The realization of these systems is only possible with complex and distributed software. This development poses a challenge for verification and validation. Upcoming standards like ISO 26262 provide requirements for verification and validation during development phases. Advanced test methods are requested for safety critical functions. Formal specification of requirements and appropriate testing strategies in different stages of the development cycle are part of it. In this paper we present our approach to formalize the requirements specification by test models. These models serve as basis for the following testing activities, including the automated derivation of executable test cases from it. Test cases can be derived statistically, randomly on the basis of operational profiles, and deterministically in order to perform different testing strategies. We have applied our approach with a large German OEM in different development stages of active safety and energy management functionalities. The test cases were executed in model-in-the-loop and in hardware-in-the-loop simulation. Errors were identified with our approach both in the requirement specification and in the implementation that were not discovered before.

Model Based Statistical Testing of Embedded Systems

Abstract: Model Based Statistical Testing is a highly automated test approach. It allows the fully automated test case generation, execution, evaluation and estimation of the test objects reliability. This can be done after building a test model which is called a usage model. These models do neither support a notion of time, nor do they allow to model concurrency, which both are of great concern in testing embedded systems. This paper proposes an extension to Model Based Statistical Testing which deals with the mentioned problems and maintains all mentioned advantages of Model Based Statistical Testing. This is done by using an advanced kind of Petri nets as test model. A usage model can be generated out of these Petri nets. The direct creation of a usage model without the use of the proposed Petri nets is not possible in practice if it is necessary to deal with time and concurrency. This is the case because usage models tend to get very large in this very common situation. The paper does also show that it is possible to generate executable test cases (including oracle information) from the Petri nets. Tool support for the presented approach is available.