An action is part of a state machine and associated with states or transitions of the state machine. An action is a piece of functionality, whose execution is triggered by the state machine.
An application mode is part of the operating system of ASCET. An operating mode describes different conditions a system can be in, e.g. EEPROM-programming mode, warm-up, or normal mode.
An argument is the input to a method of a class. Arguments can only be used in the specification of the method they belong to, and not in other methods of the class.
User-defined C functions to optimize elementary operations, such as addition operations, and to extend such operations with special properties, such as value limits.
An array is a one-dimensional static list of elements of a basic scalar type, enumeration type, or record type, indexed by the basic scalar type discrete.
AUTOSAR XML
Association for Standardisation of Automation and Measuring Systems, with the working groups Measuring, Calibration, Diagnosis (German: Arbeitskreis zur Standardisierung von Automations- und Messsystemen, mit den Arbeitsgruppen Messen, Calibrieren und Diagnose)
Default exchange format used for projects in ASCII format for the description of measurement and calibration values. The files have the extension *.a2l.
Development tool for control unit software
ASCET Modeling and Design
ASCET Rapid Prototyping
ASCET Software Engineering
Automotive Open System Architecture; see http://www.autosar.org/
Basic model types are used to model physical behavior. There are three types: continuous, discrete and logical. A number of operations, such as addition or comparison, are defined for the basic model types. The implementation is used to transform the model types to implementation types.
Block Diagram Editor
A block diagram is a graphical description for a component in which the various elements, operators and inputs/arguments and outputs/return values are connected by directed lines. A block diagram consists of several diagrams. The description in terms of block diagrams is a physical description in contrast to the description with C code.
In a bypass experiment, ASCET is directly connected to a microcontroller, and parts of the microcontroller software are simulated by ASCET.
C code is an implementation-dependent description of a component.
Calibration is the manipulation of the values (physical / implementation) of elements during the execution of an ASCET model (experiment).
ASCET working window that can be used to modify parameters.
General term used for characteristic maps, lines, and values (see also "Parameter").
two-dimensional parameter
three-dimensional parameter
0-dimensional parameter
A class is one of the component types in ASCET. Classes in ASCET are like object-oriented classes. The functionality of a class is described by methods.
The executable code is the "actual" program with the exception of the data (contains the actual algorithms). The code is the program part which can be executed by the CPU.
Code generation is the first step in the transformation of a physical model to executable code. The physical model is transformed into ANSI C code. Since the C code is compiler-dependent (and therefore target-dependent), different code is produced for each target.
A component is the basic unit of reusable functionality in ASCET. Components can be specified as classes, modules, or state machines. Each component is built up of elements that are combined with operators to build up the functionality.
Working environment where users can set up ASCET and manage the created data, which are stored in a database or workspace.
A condition is used to describe the control flow in a state machine. It returns a logical value which determines, whether a transition from one state to another takes place.
Dialog box used to configure the individual measuring and calibration windows as well as the variables contained therein.
A constant is an element that cannot be changed during execution of an ASCET model.
Containers serve as containers for projects, classes and modules. Their purpose is to structure models and databases and place different database items under a common version control.
Central Processing Unit (singular; plural is CPUs)
The data is the variables of a program used for calibration.
Directory for ASCET data,i.e. databases, user profiles, etc. Default location: C:\ETASData\ASCET6.4
The data generator is part of the experimentation environment. It is used to stimulate the inputs or variables in the model under experimentation.
With the data logger, measurement data can be read from an experiment and stored to disk for further analysis.
A data set contains/references the initial data for all elements of a component or project.
All information specified or produced with ASCET can be stored in a database. A database is structured into folders.
database
Contains the physical description of the characteristics and measured values in the control unit (names, addresses, conversion formulae, functional assignments, etc.).
A diagram is used for the graphical specification of components as block diagrams or state machines.
The dimension is used to describe the ‘size’ of basic elements. The dimension can either be scalar (zero-dimensional), array (one-dimensional), matrix (two-dimensional) or characteristic line/map (two-/three-dimensional).
A distribution contains the sample points for one or more group characteristic lines/maps.
Embedded Code Creator and Optimizer
Embedded Control Unit (singular; plural is ECUs)
See Calibration Window.
An element is a part of a component which reads or writes data, for instance a variable, parameter or other component used within a component.
Embedded Software Description Language
emulator test probe (German: Emulatortastkopf)
An event is an (external) trigger that starts an action of the operating system, e.g., a task.
The event generator is part of the experiment environment. It is used to describe the order and the timing in which events are generated for the activation of tasks (methods/processes/time frames) in the case of an offline experiment.
An experiment defines the settings in the experiment environment that are used to test the proper functioning of components or projects. It contains information about the size, position and content of the measurement and calibration windows, as well as the settings of the event generator, data generator and the data logger. An experiment can be executed either offline (non real-time) or online (real-time) and can be used to control a technical process in a bypass or fullpass application. In all cases, instrumented code generated from an ASCET specification is used for experiment execution.
Main working environment in which the user performs his experiments.
From the physical specification, fixed-point code can be generated, which can be executed on processors without a floating-point unit.
A formula is part of an implementation describing the transformation from the model types to the implementation (data) types.
Floating-Point Unit
In a fullpass experiment, ASCET is directly connected with an experimental microcontroller, and the entire application is simulated by ASCET.
Group characteristic lines/maps are characteristic lines/maps that share the same distribution of axis points but have different return values. The distribution of axis points and the individual group tables are specified as separate elements.
Exchange format of a program version as Intel Hex or Motorola S Record file.
A hierarchy block is used to structure the graphical specification of a block diagram.
Hypertext Markup Language
Icons can be used to illustrate the function of ASCET components.
An implementation describes the transformation of the physical specification (model) to executable fixed point code. An implementation consists of a (linear) transformation formula and a bounding interval for the model values.
Element that provides the users the possibility to control the implementations of intermediate results in arithmetic chains without changing the physical representation of the elements in question.
Implementation data types are the data types of the underlying C programming language, e.g., unsigned byte (uint8), signed word (sint16), float.
Implementation templates. Implementation types contain the main specifications of an implementation; they are defined in the project editor and can be assigned to individual elements in the implementation editors.
Integrated Calibration and Acquisition Systems
Location of the ASCET installation; by default C:\ETAS\ASCET6.4.
A ETAS product family. INTECRIO integrates code from various behavioral modeling tools, facilitates all necessary configurations, allows the generation of executable code, and provides an experiment environment for the execution of the Rapid Prototyping experiment.
Exchange format used for program versions.
An interface of a component describes how the component exchanges data with other components. It can be compared to the *.h file in C.
Interrunnable variable; used by the runnable entities of one SWC to communicate between themselves.
There are several kinds of elements, e.g., variables, parameters, and constants. Variables can be read and written. Parameters can only be read but can calibrated during experimentation. Constants can only be read and not written to during experiments.
The message format for exchanging data between the host and the target, where the experiment is run. Data is transferred, e.g. for displaying values in measure windows.
A component has a graphical representation that shows pins for the inputs/arguments, outputs/return values and time frames/methods/processes. Additionally, the layout contains an icon that graphically represents the component when used within other components.
A literal is used in the description of components. A literal contains a string that is interpreted as a value, e.g. as a continuous or logical value.
ASCET working window which displays measured signals during a measurement.
A variable to be measured.
A measurement is the representation of values (physical / implementation) of variables/parameter during an experiment. The values can be displayed with various different measurement windows like oscilloscopes, numeric displays, etc.
A message is a real-time language construct of ASCET for protected data exchange between concurrent processes.
A method is part of the description of the functionality of a class in terms of object-oriented programming. A method can have several arguments and up to one return value.
Each element of an ASCET component specification is either a component of its own, or it is of a model type. In contrast to implementation types, model types represent physical values.
A module is one of the component types in ASCET. It describes a number of processes, which can be activated by the operating system. A module cannot be used as a subcomponent within other components.
With a monitor, the data value of an element can be displayed in a diagram during an experiment.
Exchange format used for program versions.
non-volatile variable
During offline experimentation, the code generated by ASCET can be run on the PC or an experimental target, but it does not run in real-time. Offline experimentation focuses on testing the functional specification of a system.
In the online experiment, the projects are executed in real-time with the behavior defined in the real-time operating system. The code always runs on an experimental target in real-time. The online experiment focuses on the operating system schedule and the corresponding real-time behavior of the control system.
operating system
An oscilloscope is a type of measurement window that graphically displays data values during experiments.
Working group "open systems for electronics in automobiles" (German: Arbeitskreis Offene Systeme für die Elektronik im Kraftfahrzeug)
A parameter (characteristic value, line and map) is an element whose value cannot be changed by the calculations executed in an ASCET model. It can, however, be calibrated during an experiment.
Provided port; used by an SWC to provide data or services to other SWC. A Pport is implemented either as sender port or as server port.
Every task has a priority in the form of a number. The higher the number, the higher the priority. The priority determines the order in which tasks are scheduled.
A process is a program function called from an operating system task. Processes are specified in ASCET modules and do not have any arguments or return values. Inputs to and outputs from a process are handled by messages.
A program consists of code and data and is executed as a unit by the CPU of the control unit.
A project describes an entire embedded software system. It contains components that define the functionality, an operating system specification, and a binding mechanism that defines the communication.
Random Access Memory
A resource is used to model parts of an embedded system that can be used only mutually exclusively, e.g. timers. When such a part is accessed, it has to be reserved and then released again, which is done using resources.
Read-Only Memory
Required port; used by an SWC to require data or services from other SWC. An Rport is implemented either as receiver port or as client port.
AUTOSAR runtime environment; provides the interface between software components, basic software, and operating systems.
Runnable entity; a piece of code in an SWC that is triggered by the RTE at runtime. It corresponds largely to the processes known in ASCET.
Scheduling is the assigning of processes to tasks and the definition of task activation by the operating system.
An element has one of two scopes: local (only visible inside a component) or global (defined inside a project).
A state is a part of a state machine. A state machine is always in one of its states. One of the states is marked as the start state, which is the initial state of the state machine. Each state is connected to other states by arcs. A state has an entry action (executed upon entry of a state), an static action (executed when the state remains unchanged) and an exit action (executed upon exit of the state).
A state machine is one of the component types in ASCET. The behavior is described with a state graph consisting of states connected by transitions.
AUTOSAR software component (singular; plural is SWCs)
A target is the hardware an experiment runs on. A target can either be an experimental target (PC, rapid-prototyping hardware) or a microcontroller target.
A task is an ordered collection of processes that can be activated by the operating system. Attributes of a task are its operating modes, its activation trigger, its priority, the mode of scheduling. On activation, the processes of the task are executed in the specified order.
A transition is a connection between states. Transitions describe possible state changes. Each transition is assigned to a trigger of the state machine, has a priority, a condition, and an action.
A trigger activates the execution of a task (in the scope of the operating system) or of a state machine.
Variables and parameters are of type cont (continuous), udisc (unsigned discrete), sdisc (signed discrete) or log (logic). Cont is used for physical quantities that can assume any value; udisc for positive integer values, sdisc for negative integer values, and log is used for Boolean values (true or false).
Unified Modeling Language
Universally Unique Identifier
A variable is an element that can be read and written during the execution of an ASCET model. The value of a variable can also be changed with the calibration system. Also: General term used for parameters (characteristics) and measured signals.
Virtual function bus (in AUTOSAR)
workspace
Extensible Markup Language