JP5971193B2 - Software development support apparatus, development support method and program - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a software development support apparatus, a development support method, and a program thereof, and more particularly, to an operation check of a functional block developed as software.

  In designing software incorporated in an electronic control device such as an automobile, a plurality of functional blocks are visually combined on a screen of a personal computer or the like, and software source code is automatically generated based on the information.

  Then, the automatically generated software is incorporated into the electronic control device and an actual machine test is performed. However, if a malfunction occurs in the actual machine test stage, the software design must be reviewed and the rework scale will increase.

  Patent Document 1 proposes a software development support system and program for confirming the operation of a module formed by connecting a plurality of functional blocks. Specifically, it has been proposed to add a functional block for stopping the computation for checking the operation during the computation simulation.

JP 2010-102362 A

  However, in the software development support system proposed in Patent Document 1, it is not easy to identify a location that causes an abnormality even though an operation abnormality can be confirmed during the operation simulation.

  In particular, regarding the calculation cycle for each functional block that can be arbitrarily set by the user, depending on the connection between the set value of the calculation cycle and each functional block, the function block on the signal input side may change the function block on the signal output side. There is a possibility that the transmitted signal cannot be correctly referred to and the correct operation is not performed. In recent years, the functional block scale is becoming larger due to complicated control, and the above problem is becoming remarkable.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to easily identify functional blocks and connections that may cause an operation error due to a calculation cycle.

  The invention disclosed herein employs the following technical means to achieve the above object. Note that the reference numerals in parentheses described in the claims and in this section indicate a corresponding relationship with specific means described in the embodiments described later as one aspect, and limit the technical scope of the invention. Not what you want.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a block in which a block diagram having a plurality of function blocks to which function block names are assigned and connection lines to which connection names are assigned and the function blocks are connected is stored in advance. A figure storage means (120), an input means (200) for a user to input a calculation cycle for each functional block, and an assignment means (130) for assigning a calculation cycle input by the input means to a functional block. A software development support apparatus for outputting source code corresponding to the block diagram to the output means (300) based on the computation cycle and the block diagram, at least from a short cycle block which is a functional block having a short computation cycle A connection name indicating transmission of a signal output to a long-period block which is a functional block having a longer calculation cycle than the short-period block, and a short A functional block name phases blocks, is characterized by having an extraction means for extracting a function block name long period block (150).

  According to this, it is possible to extract a connection such that the long cycle block refers to the output signal of the short cycle block. In addition, it is possible to extract long-period blocks and short-period blocks in which such connections are made. Therefore, the user can find out the possibility that correct operation is not performed in the corresponding block and connection in the stage before generating the source code. That is, the scale of rework can be suppressed as compared with the case where an operation failure is confirmed by an actual machine test.

It is a figure which shows schematic structure of the software development assistance apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment. It is a figure which shows an example of a block diagram. It is a flowchart which shows the software development assistance method. It is a flowchart which shows the detail of step S34 in FIG. It is a figure which shows an example of the table hold | maintained at memory in a block serial number provision step. It is a figure which shows an example of the table hold | maintained at memory in the connection name extraction step for input. It is a figure which shows an example of the table hold | maintained at memory in the connection name extraction step for an output. It is a figure which shows an example of the table output to an output part.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following drawings, the same reference numerals are given to the same or equivalent parts.

(First embodiment)
First, a schematic configuration of a software development support apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

  The software development support apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment supports model design for automatic source code generation. The model design is performed while verifying the validity of the calculation based on a block diagram formed by connecting functional blocks having various functions.

  The software development support apparatus 10 includes a processing unit 100, an input unit 200 that inputs information necessary for the processing unit 100, and an output unit 300 that outputs information processed by the processing unit 100 to the outside. The processing unit 100 is configured by a known CPU, a memory such as a ROM / RAM, an I / O, and a bus connecting them, and executes a given instruction. The input unit 200 is an input device such as a keyboard or a mouse, and the output unit 300 is an output device such as a display or a printer. That is, the software development support apparatus 10 can be configured by a generally used personal computer and an apparatus equivalent thereto.

  The processing unit 100 stores a functional block database 110 (hereinafter referred to as a functional block DB) in which a plurality of functional blocks are stored, and a block diagram created by connecting functional blocks arbitrarily selected by the user. A block diagram database 120 (hereinafter referred to as a block diagram DB). In addition, the processing unit 100 includes an assigning unit 130 that sets a calculation cycle for each functional block constituting the block diagram stored in the block diagram database 120. The calculation period is input by the user via the input unit 200. The processing unit 100 includes a calculation simulation unit 140 for performing a calculation simulation based on a block diagram configured by each functional block in which a calculation cycle is set. Arithmetic simulation is a general simulation that simulates whether the output is as intended with respect to the input in the block diagram created by the user. It is not always possible to faithfully simulate omissions.

  In addition to the above configuration, the processing unit 100 of the present embodiment includes an extraction unit 150. By the way, in a block diagram in which at least two functional blocks having different calculation cycles are connected, a signal is transmitted from a short cycle block having a short calculation cycle to a long cycle block having a longer calculation cycle than the short cycle block. There may be connections. If such a connection is made, the long cycle block cannot correctly refer to the signal output by the short cycle block, and there is a possibility that the correct operation is not performed. The extraction unit 150 extracts the function block name and the connection name of the connection that have been connected as described above.

  In the present embodiment, the extraction unit 150 assigns a natural number (1 to n) of serial numbers (hereinafter referred to as block serial numbers) to the N functional blocks constituting the block diagram in ascending order of the calculation cycle. Have Further, for each functional block, an input connection name extraction unit 154 that extracts a connection name of an input connection used for input, and an output connection name extraction unit 156 that extracts a connection name of an output connection used for output. Have. Furthermore, the connection name that matches the connection name of the input connection in the functional block corresponding to the block serial number m (2 ≦ m ≦ n) is the output connection in the functional block corresponding to the block serial number 1 to (m−1). It has a search unit 158 that searches whether or not it exists.

  As described above, the software development support apparatus 10 is mainly configured as an electronic general-purpose computer, and is configured by a well-known CPU, a memory such as a ROM / RAM, an I / O, and a bus connecting them. The Then, the software development support apparatus 10 executes each process (a process assigned to the assignment unit 130, the extraction unit 150, and the operation simulation unit 140) by executing a program stored in the memory.

  The block diagram DB 120, the allocation unit 130, the extraction unit 150, the input unit 200, and the output unit 300 correspond to the block diagram storage unit, the allocation unit, the extraction unit, the input unit, and the output unit, respectively, in the claims. . Further, the block sequence number assigning unit 152, the input connection name extraction unit 154, the output connection name extraction unit 156, and the search unit 158 constituting the extraction unit 150 are respectively a block sequence number assigning unit and an input in the claims. This corresponds to a connection name extraction unit for output, a connection name extraction unit for output, and a search unit.

  Next, the operation of the software development support apparatus 10 will be described with reference to an example of a specific block diagram shown in FIG. 2 and FIGS. That is, a software development support method will be described. The software development support program described in the claims is a program that causes a computer to execute the software development support method described below.

  First, the configuration of a block diagram as an example of the operation will be described with reference to FIG.

  The block diagram shown in FIG. 2 includes N functional blocks. The function block names are α, β,. The calculation unit set by the user is allocated to each functional block by the allocation unit 130. In the example shown in FIG. 2, calculation cycles K2, K1, and Kn are given to the functional blocks α, β, and ζ, respectively. Further, the calculation cycles (K3 to K (n-1)) are also given to the other functional blocks other than the functional blocks α, β, and ζ, respectively, which are omitted in this example. In this example, the magnitude relationship of the calculation cycles is K1 <K2 <.

  In the functional block α, connection E and connection F are connected as input connections, and connection D, connection G, and connection H are connected as output connections.

  In the function block β, connection A, connection B, connection C, and connection D are connected as input connections, and connection E is connected as an output connection. That is, the connection D and the connection E are connections that connect the functional block α and the functional block β. More specifically, the connection D is an output connection for the functional block α and an input connection for the functional block β. The connection E is an input connection for the functional block α and an output connection for the functional block β.

  In the functional block ζ, a connection H, a connection I, and a connection J are connected as input connections, and a connection K and a connection L are connected as output connections. That is, the connection H is a connection connecting the functional block α and the functional block ζ. More specifically, the connection H is an output connection for the functional block α and an input connection for the functional block ζ.

  Next, the operation of the software development support apparatus 10 will be described in order with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. 3 and 4 and FIGS. 5 to 8.

  First, as shown in FIG. 3, the input step S10 is performed. With respect to the block diagram shown in FIG. 2, the user sets the calculation cycle for each functional block. Specifically, the user inputs a calculation cycle corresponding to each functional block to the processing unit 100 via the input unit 200.

  Next, the allocation step S20 is performed. In this step, the assigning unit 130 assigns the information on the calculation cycle input in the input step S1 to each functional block.

  Next, extraction step S30 is performed. The extraction step S30 in the present embodiment includes a block sequence number assigning step S31, an input connection name extraction step S32, an output connection name extraction step S33, and a search step S34. In the following, description will be given in order.

  The block sequence number assigning step S31 is a step of assigning a block sequence number to each functional block in ascending order of the calculation cycle. In step S31, the block sequence number assigning unit 152 sorts the functional blocks in ascending order so as to be in the order of K1 <K2 <... <Kn, and sequentially assigns 1 to n as the block sequence numbers. The block sequence number assigning unit 152 holds the table shown in FIG. 5 in the memory. The table shown in FIG. 5 is a table in which the assigned block serial numbers, the functional blocks corresponding to the block serial numbers, and the calculation cycle are listed.

  After the block serial number assigning step S31, an input connection name extraction step S32 and an output connection name extraction step S33 are performed. Note that the order in which these two steps S32 and S33 are performed is arbitrary.

In the input connection name extraction step S32, as shown in FIG. 6, the input connection name extraction unit 154 generates an input connection table that lists only the connection names of the input connections of each functional block. In the input connection table, the connection serial number i is also given to the connection name for each functional block. For example, in the functional block (functional block β) in which the block serial number is 1, the connection serial number i = 1 is assigned to the connection A, and the connection serial number i = 2 is assigned to the connection B, as shown in FIG. A connection serial number i = 3 is assigned to the connection C, and a connection serial number i = 4 is assigned to the connection D. Further, in this functional block β, after connection numbers are assigned to all connections, “Null” is assigned as a connection name to the connection number immediately after the last connection number (i = i _Null ). In the flowchart shown in FIG. 4, for example, the connection name assigned to the m-th row and i-th column cell of the input connection table is indicated as X _mi .

In the output connection name extraction step S33, the output connection name extraction unit 156 generates an output connection table in which only the connection names of the output connections of each functional block are listed as shown in FIG. Similar to the input connection table shown in FIG. 6, the connection serial number o is also assigned to the connection name for each functional block. In the flowchart shown in FIG. 4, for example, the connection name assigned to the cell in the m-th row and the o-th column of the output connection table is indicated as Y _mo .

  The search step S34 is performed after the input connection name extraction step S32 and the output connection name extraction step S33. The search step S34 is for outputting the functional block to which the same connection as the input connection of the functional block to which the block serial number m satisfying 2 ≦ m ≦ n is assigned is assigned the block serial number 1 to the block serial number (m−1). This is a step for searching whether or not a connection exists.

  Finally, an output step S40 is performed. In this step, the result extracted in the extraction step S30 is output to the output unit 300.

  The search step S34 will be specifically described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 4 and FIGS.

  First, step S34a is performed. Step S34a is a step of setting the first functional block for starting the search. As shown in FIG. 4, the functional block with the block serial number m = 2 (the functional block α in this embodiment) is the first function for starting the search. It is considered as a block. Since the functional block (functional block β) with the block serial number m = 1 has the shortest calculation cycle, an output signal from any other functional block can be referred to. For this reason, in this step S34a, the functional block with the block serial number m = 2 is set as the first functional block for starting the search.

  Next, step S34b is performed. Step S34b is a step of determining whether or not the search has been completed for all functional blocks satisfying 2 ≦ m ≦ n. If the search for all the functional blocks has been completed (No determination), the search step S34 is terminated. If the search for all functional blocks has not been completed (Yes determination), the process proceeds to step S34c. In this description, at this stage, the functional block α (m = 2) defined in step S34a is a search target. For this reason, the search of all the functional blocks is not completed, and a Yes determination is made, so the process proceeds to step S34c.

Next, step S34c is performed. Step S34c is a step of setting the first connection serial number i for starting the search. As shown in FIG. 4, the input connection with the connection serial number i = 1 (X ₂₁ : in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6). The connection E) is the first connection at the start of the search.

Next, step S34d is performed. Step S34d is a step of determining whether or not the search has been completed for all input connections of the functional block that is the target of the search, that is, the functional block α at the current stage. If the search for all the input connections (i.e., two connections with i = 1 to 2 if function block α) has been completed (No determination), the function block with the next block serial number (m) is passed through step S34h. = 3) The search is shifted to. That is, the process proceeds to step 34b for the functional block of the next block serial number. Step S34h is a step in which the block serial number of the functional block to be searched is advanced by one. On the other hand, if the search for all the functional blocks has not been completed (Yes determination), the process proceeds to step S34e. In this description, at this stage, the input connection (X ₂₁ : connection E) defined in step S34a and step S34d is the object of search. For this reason, the search for all input connections has not been completed, and a Yse determination is made, so the process proceeds to step S34e.

Next, step S34e is performed. In step S34e, is an output connection that matches the input connection that is the object of the search present in the output connection of the functional block to which the block serial number w (1 ≦ w ≦ m−1) is assigned? This is a step of determining whether or not. At this stage, the input connection to be searched is X ₂₁ , that is, connection E. As shown in FIG. 7, the output connection for which the match is confirmed is Y _1o , but the target connection in the functional block β with the block serial number m = 1 is only Y ₁₁ . Y ₁₁ is a connection _E, because it is X 21 _{= Y 11,} step S34e in Fig. 4 is Yes judgment. That is, the process proceeds to step S34f.

Next, step S34f is performed. Step S34f describes the connection name of the connection satisfying the conditional expression X _mi = Y _wo (m ≧ 2, 1 ≦ w ≦ m−1) of step S34e and the functional block to which the connection connects, that is, in the claims. This is a step of storing the function block names of the short cycle block and the long cycle block in a memory provided in the processing unit 100. At this stage, since the connection E satisfies the above conditional expression, the connection name and the function block name of the connection E, the short-cycle side functional block β to which the connection E is connected, and the long-cycle function block α are associated with each other. Retained in memory.

Next, step S34g is performed. Step S34g is a step for advancing the connection sequence number i of the input connection that is the object of the search by one. In this example, X ₂₂ is the search target after X ₂₁ . As shown in FIG. 6, X ₂₂ is a connection F.

Next, step S34d is performed again. Since the connection sequence number i = 2 of the block sequence number m = 2 is the connection F and not Null, i <i _null is satisfied. That is, step S34d is Yes determination, and it progresses to step S34e.

Next, step S34e is performed again. At this stage, the input connection to be searched is X ₂₂ , that is, the connection F. As shown in FIG. 7, the output connection for which the match is confirmed is Y _1o , but the target connection in the functional block β with the block serial number m = 1 is only Y ₁₁ . Since Y ₁₁ is the connection E and X ₂₁ ≠ Y ₁₁ , step S 34 e in FIG. 4 is No. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4, the process proceeds to step S34d again after step S34g.

At this stage, the input connection of the search target has a X _23. Since X ₂₃ is Null, i <i _null is not satisfied. That is, step S34d is No determination, and it transfers to the search of the functional block (m = 3) of the next block serial number via step S34h.

And as shown in FIG. 4, step S34b is implemented again. The block diagram illustrated in this embodiment has at least three functional blocks α, β, and ζ. Therefore, in this stage where m = 3, m ≦ n is satisfied. Accordingly, the process proceeds to step S34c. Step S34c at the stage that has passed through the input for connection to be searched becomes X _31.

Then, step S34b to step S34h are repeated in the manner described above. As for the input connection of each functional block related to block serial number 3 to block serial number n, the connection name of the connection satisfying X _mi = Y _wo (m ≧ 2, 1 ≦ w ≦ m−1) by taking the above steps The function blocks connected by the connection, that is, the function block names of the short cycle block and the long cycle block described in the claims are extracted. In the present embodiment, X _n1 = Y ₂₃ , and the connection name and function block name of the corresponding connection H, the short-cycle side functional block α to which the connection H is connected, and the long-cycle side function block ζ are Associated and held in memory.

When the search for the input connection X _n3 (connection J) is completed, the process proceeds to step S34d via step S34g. Since X _n4 = Null at this stage, step S34d is No. Then, the process proceeds to step S34b via step 34h. In the present embodiment, there are N functional blocks, and the block serial numbers are up to n, so m ≦ n is not satisfied. Therefore, step S34b is No. Then, as shown in FIG. 4, the software development support apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment ends the search step S34 and proceeds to the output step S40.

  In the output step S40, for example, as shown in FIG. 8, the information stored in the memory in step S34f is output to the output unit 300.

(Other embodiments)
The preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above. However, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

  In the above-described embodiment, an example in which both the extraction unit 150 and the operation simulation unit 140 are included in the processing unit 100 has been described, but each may be independent.

  In the above-described embodiment, an example is shown in which, in the extraction step S30, a block serial number is assigned to each functional block, and the corresponding connection and functional block are extracted by dividing the table into the tables shown in FIGS. . However, this is an example, and at least a connection name indicating transmission of a signal output from a short cycle block having a short calculation cycle to a long cycle block having a long calculation cycle, a short cycle block name, and a long cycle block name If it is the structure which has the extraction means which extracts these, the same effect can be show | played.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Software development support apparatus 100 ... Processing part 110 ... Functional block database 120 ... Block diagram database 130 ... Assignment part 140 ... Operation simulation part 150 ... Extraction part 200 ..Input unit 300 ... Output unit

Claims (6)

A block diagram storage means (120) in which a block diagram having a plurality of function blocks to which a function block name is assigned and a connection name to which the function name is assigned and connecting the function blocks to each other is stored in advance;
Input means (200) for a user to input a calculation cycle for each functional block;
Allocating means (130) for allocating the operation cycle input by the input means to the functional block,
A software development support apparatus that outputs source code corresponding to the block diagram to the output means (300) based on the calculation cycle and the block diagram,
At least the connection name representing transmission of a signal output from the short cycle block that is the functional block having a short calculation cycle to the long cycle block that is the functional block having a longer calculation cycle than the short cycle block; A software development support apparatus comprising extraction means (150) for extracting the function block name of the short cycle block and the function block name of the long cycle block. For the block diagram in which N (N ≧ 2) functional blocks are used,
The extraction means includes
Block sequence number assigning means (152) for assigning the block numbers 1 to n (n = N) to the functional blocks to which the computation period is assigned by the assigning means in the shortest order of the computation periods;
An input connection name extracting means (154) for extracting the connection name of the input connection used for input for each functional block;
An output connection name extraction means (156) for extracting the connection name of the output connection used for output for each functional block;
The connection name that matches the connection name of the input connection in the functional block corresponding to the block serial number m (2 ≦ m ≦ n) is the functional block in the functional block corresponding to the block serial number 1 to (m−1). The software development support apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising search means (158) for searching whether or not the output connection exists. In a block diagram having a plurality of function blocks to which function block names are assigned and connection names to which connection names are given and connect the function blocks to each other, a user sets an operation cycle for each function block via an input unit. An input step (S10) for inputting;
An allocating step (S20) in which an allocating unit allocates the calculation cycle input in the input step to the functional block;
The extraction means represents transmission of a signal output from at least the short cycle block that is the functional block having the short calculation cycle to the long cycle block that is the functional block having the calculation cycle longer than the short cycle block. A software development support method comprising: an extraction step (S30) for extracting a connection name, the function block name of the short cycle block, and the function block name of the long cycle block. For the block diagram in which N (N ≧ 2) functional blocks are used,
The extraction step includes
A block sequence number assigning step (S31) in which a block sequence number assigning unit assigns the block numbers of 1 to n (n = N) in order from the shortest computation cycle to the functional blocks to which the computation cycle is assigned by the assigning unit; ,
An input connection name extracting means for extracting, for each functional block, the connection name of the input connection used for input for each functional block;
An output table generation means for extracting the connection name of the output connection used for output for each functional block;
The connection means corresponding to the connection name of the input connection in the functional block corresponding to the block serial number m (2 ≦ m ≦ n) corresponds to the block serial number 1 to (m−1). The software development support method according to claim 3, further comprising a search step (S34) for searching whether or not the output connection exists in a functional block. Development of software for generating source code corresponding to the block diagram based on a block diagram having a plurality of functional blocks to which functional block names are assigned and connection names to which the connection names are given and connecting the functional blocks to each other A support program,
An allocating step (S20) in which the allocating unit allocates the calculation cycle input by the user to the functional block;
The extraction means represents transmission of a signal output from at least the short cycle block that is the functional block having the short calculation cycle to the long cycle block that is the functional block having the calculation cycle longer than the short cycle block. A software development support program for causing a computer to execute an extraction step (S30) for extracting a connection name, the function block name of the short cycle block, and the function block name of the long cycle block. For the block diagram in which N (N ≧ 2) functional blocks are used,
The extraction step includes
A block sequence number assigning step (S31) in which a block sequence number assigning unit assigns the block numbers of 1 to n (n = N) in order from the shortest computation cycle to the functional blocks to which the computation cycle is assigned by the assigning unit; ,
An input connection name extracting means for extracting, for each functional block, the connection name of the input connection used for input for each functional block;
An output table generation means for extracting the connection name of the output connection used for output for each functional block;
The connection means corresponding to the connection name of the input connection in the functional block corresponding to the block serial number m (2 ≦ m ≦ n) corresponds to the block serial number 1 to (m−1). 6. The software development support program according to claim 5, further comprising a retrieval step (S34) for retrieving whether or not the output connection exists in the functional block.

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