Performance and behavioral modeling of avionics subsystems

In this paper we provide a brief description of some of the current efforts and report experiences and lessons learned in the use of modeling on some avionics development programs at Boeing. Performance and behavioral modeling is a valuable tool for evaluating hardware and software designs. Electronic component and assembly hardware models, based on standard languages such as Verilog and VHDL, have been useful for evaluating hardware architectures. Software models that can interoperate with the hardware models are useful for evaluating software architectures and the performance of the software architectures on given hardware platforms (co-simulation). These performance models can be used to specify systems and parts of systems. The simulations of the models can be used to provide a minimum set of acceptance tests that any design must achieve. In this sense, the models contain the dynamic specifications for the desired design. The authors have experience that includes performance only, behavior only, and performance and behavioral models used in the development of avionics systems, subsystems, and components. These models were useful at different stages of development and were able to provide insight into system requirements as well as the suitability of any proposed implementations. This paper addresses performance and behavioral modeling and simulation as applied to avionics systems and sub-systems in the product development phases.