An MDE-based approach for self-adaptive RTES model generation

Raising the design abstraction level has been, since many years, a prominent solution to decrease the complexity of self-adaptive real time embedded systems (RTES) and increase productivity. However, the manual specification and integration of the adaptive behavior into the system model is still presenting a big handicap for designers. There is a lack of Computer Aided Software Engineering tools and methodologies that permit to automate the generation of self-adaptive RTES models. Therefore, designers need an expertise in the adaptation domain as well as the modeling language and much time for manual work. At the aim of solving these problems, we propose, in this paper, a Model Driven Engineering based approach that permits to guide the automatic transformation of a classic Y-chart RTES model into a self-adaptive model based on design patterns. A model-based interactive process is developed to enable the generation of self-adaptive models for RTES based on the instantiation, integration and specialization of design patterns. The generated system model is then mapped to the input of a simulation platform in order to perform the non-functional properties verification and simulate the system reconfiguration, if needed. The proposed approach is tested and validated through a case study of an embedded video conferencing system which is CPU and network bandwidth-constrained.