This thesis addresses the issues of data management in embedded systems' software. The complexity of developing and maintaining software has increased over the years due to increased availability of resources, e.g., more powerful CPUs and larger memories, as more functionality can be accommodated using these resources. In this thesis, it is proposed that part of the increasing complexity can be addressed by using a real-time database since data management is one constituent of software in embedded systems. This thesis investigates which functionality a real-time database should have in order to be suitable for embedded software that control an external environment. We use an engine control software as a case study of an embedded system. The findings are that a real-time database should have support for keeping data items up-todate, providing snapshots of values, i.e., the values are derived from the same system state, and overload handling. Algorithms are developed for each one of these functionalities and implemented in a real-time database for embedded systems. Performance evaluations are conducted using the database implementation. The evaluations show that the real-time performance is improved by utilizing the added functionality. Moreover, two algorithms for examining whether the system may become overloaded are also outlined; one algorithm for off-line use and the second algorithm for on-line use. Evaluations show the algorithms are accurate and fast and can be used for embedded systems.

This thesis is related to the knowledge area of real-time systems and real-time databases. The increasing complexity of the systems, specifically the embedded systems, and the need of store and share the information they use leads to the need of new technologies. For this reason a need of real-time database management system has emerged to satisfy the new requirements. Several commercial database systems claim to be real-time, but this technology is not consolidated enough. The thesis will perform an evaluation of those databases mainly in predictability terms since predictability is necessary for the correct execution of hard real-time systems. In order to complete the evaluation, a real-time database application has been implemented. This application implements two commercial databases, namely Mimer and eXtremeDB, and a monitor application which is responsible for displaying all the relevant database behavior’s information at runtime. A comparative studying of both databases has been carried out in order to determine how predictable these databases are. Parameters such as response time, CPU time consumption, etc has been studied. Finally, it can be concluded that both databases are predictable to a certain level. On one hand Mimer has an estimation of the worst case response time around 12 µs and CPU overload of 36%, and the fluctuation along the transactions is nearly negligible. On the other hand, eXtreme has an estimation of the worst-case response time around 18 µs and CPU overload of 41%, and the fluctuation along the transactions are rather bigger than the Mimer’s. However, it can be concluded that both databases provide real-time transactions and, thus, they are able to be implemented in real-time systems.

<p>An embedded system is an application-specific system that is typically dedicated to performing a particular task. Majority of embedded systems are also real-time, implying that timeliness in the system need to be enforced. An embedded system needs to be enforced efficient management of a large amount of data, including maintenance of data freshness in an environment with limited CPU and memory resources. Uniform and efficient data maintenance can be ensured by integrating database management functionality with the system. Furthermore, the resources can be utilized more efficiently if the redundant calculations can be avoided. On-demand updating and active behavior are two solutions that aim at decreasing the number of calculations on data items in embedded systems.</p><p>COMET is a COMponent-based Embedded real-Time database, developed to meet the increasing requirements for efficient data management in embedded real-time systems. The COMET platform has been developed using a novel software engineering technique, AspeCtual COmponent-based Real-time software Development (ACCORD), which enables creating database configurations, using software components and aspects from the library, based on the requirements of an application. Although COMET provides uniform and efficient data management for real-time and embedded systems, it does not provide support for on-demand and active behavior.</p><p>This thesis is focusing on design, implementation, and evaluation of two new COMET configurations, on-demand updating of data and active behavior. The configurations are created by extending the COMET component and aspect library with a set of aspects that implement on-demand and active behavior. The on-demand updating aspect implements the ODDFT algorithm, which traverses the data dependency graph in the depth-first manner, and triggers and schedules on-demand updates based on data freshness in the value domain. The active behavior aspect enables the database to take actions when an event occurs and a condition coupled with that event and action is fulfilled.</p><p>As we show in the performance evaluation, integrating on-demand and active behavior in COMET improves the performance of the database system, gives a better utilization of the CPU, and makes the management of data more efficient.</p>

<p>A distributed, real-time database could be used to implement a shared whiteboard architecture used for communication between mobile nodes, in an ad-hoc network. This kind of application implies specific requirements on how the database handles replication and consistency between replicas (global consistency). Since mobile nodes are likely to disconnect from the network and connect again at unpredictable times, and since a node may be disconnected an arbitrary amount of time, this needs to be treated as normal operation, and not as failures.</p><p>The replication scheme used in the DeeDS architecture, and the PRiDe replication protocol are both suitable for a shared whiteboard architecture as described above. Since the mobile nodes are likely to be some kind of hand-held device (e.g., used by rescue personnel to exchange information), the database system should be suitable for use in embedded systems. The Polyhedra Real-Time Relational Database (RTRDB) and the TimesTen database are two such systems. A problem is that neither of these two database systems have a replication scheme suitable for use in the previously described type of architecture.</p><p>This dissertation presents two design proposals for how to extend the Polyhedra RTRDB with support for multi-master replication of data using full replication and eventual consistency. One design proposal is based on the DeeDS architecture and the other is based on the PRiDe replication protocol. The proposal based on DeeDS puts a number of requirements on the underlying database and is not easy to port to another DBMS since it makes use of Polyhedra specific API’s. The proposal based on PRiDe on the other hand requires no instrumentation of the underlying database and is thus easier to port to other database systems.</p>

An embedded system is an application-specific system that is typically dedicated to performing a particular task. Majority of embedded systems are also real-time, implying that timeliness in the system need to be enforced. An embedded system needs to be enforced efficient management of a large amount of data, including maintenance of data freshness in an environment with limited CPU and memory resources. Uniform and efficient data maintenance can be ensured by integrating database management functionality with the system. Furthermore, the resources can be utilized more efficiently if the redundant calculations can be avoided. On-demand updating and active behavior are two solutions that aim at decreasing the number of calculations on data items in embedded systems. COMET is a COMponent-based Embedded real-Time database, developed to meet the increasing requirements for efficient data management in embedded real-time systems. The COMET platform has been developed using a novel software engineering technique, AspeCtual COmponent-based Real-time software Development (ACCORD), which enables creating database configurations, using software components and aspects from the library, based on the requirements of an application. Although COMET provides uniform and efficient data management for real-time and embedded systems, it does not provide support for on-demand and active behavior. This thesis is focusing on design, implementation, and evaluation of two new COMET configurations, on-demand updating of data and active behavior. The configurations are created by extending the COMET component and aspect library with a set of aspects that implement on-demand and active behavior. The on-demand updating aspect implements the ODDFT algorithm, which traverses the data dependency graph in the depth-first manner, and triggers and schedules on-demand updates based on data freshness in the value domain. The active behavior aspect enables the database to take actions when an event occurs and a condition coupled with that event and action is fulfilled. As we show in the performance evaluation, integrating on-demand and active behavior in COMET improves the performance of the database system, gives a better utilization of the CPU, and makes the management of data more efficient.

A distributed, real-time database could be used to implement a shared whiteboard architecture used for communication between mobile nodes, in an ad-hoc network. This kind of application implies specific requirements on how the database handles replication and consistency between replicas (global consistency). Since mobile nodes are likely to disconnect from the network and connect again at unpredictable times, and since a node may be disconnected an arbitrary amount of time, this needs to be treated as normal operation, and not as failures. The replication scheme used in the DeeDS architecture, and the PRiDe replication protocol are both suitable for a shared whiteboard architecture as described above. Since the mobile nodes are likely to be some kind of hand-held device (e.g., used by rescue personnel to exchange information), the database system should be suitable for use in embedded systems. The Polyhedra Real-Time Relational Database (RTRDB) and the TimesTen database are two such systems. A problem is that neither of these two database systems have a replication scheme suitable for use in the previously described type of architecture. This dissertation presents two design proposals for how to extend the Polyhedra RTRDB with support for multi-master replication of data using full replication and eventual consistency. One design proposal is based on the DeeDS architecture and the other is based on the PRiDe replication protocol. The proposal based on DeeDS puts a number of requirements on the underlying database and is not easy to port to another DBMS since it makes use of Polyhedra specific API’s. The proposal based on PRiDe on the other hand requires no instrumentation of the underlying database and is thus easier to port to other database systems.

<p>During the last years the need for real-time database services has increased due to the growing number of data-intensive applications needing to enforce real-time constraints. The COMponent-based Embedded real-Time database (COMET) is a real-time database developed to meet these demands. COMET is developed using the AspeCtual COmponent-based Real-time system Development (ACCORD) design method, and consists of a number of components and aspects, which can be composed into a number of different configurations depending on system demands, e.g., Quality of Service (QoS) management can be used in unpredictable environments. </p><p>In embedded systems with requirementson high up-time it may not be possible to temporarily shut down the system for reconfiguration. Instead it is desirable to enable dynamic reconfiguration of the system, exchanging components during run-time. This in turn sets demands on the feedback control of the system to adjust to these new conditions, since a new time variant system has been created. </p><p>This thesis project implements improvements in COMET to create a more stable database suitable for further development. A mechanism for dynamic reconfiguration of COMET is implemented, thus, enabling components and aspects to be swapped during run-time. Adaptive feedback control algorithms are also implemented in order to better adjust to workload variations and database reconfiguration.</p>

During the last years the need for real-time database services has increased due to the growing number of data-intensive applications needing to enforce real-time constraints. The COMponent-based Embedded real-Time database (COMET) is a real-time database developed to meet these demands. COMET is developed using the AspeCtual COmponent-based Real-time system Development (ACCORD) design method, and consists of a number of components and aspects, which can be composed into a number of different configurations depending on system demands, e.g., Quality of Service (QoS) management can be used in unpredictable environments. In embedded systems with requirementson high up-time it may not be possible to temporarily shut down the system for reconfiguration. Instead it is desirable to enable dynamic reconfiguration of the system, exchanging components during run-time. This in turn sets demands on the feedback control of the system to adjust to these new conditions, since a new time variant system has been created. This thesis project implements improvements in COMET to create a more stable database suitable for further development. A mechanism for dynamic reconfiguration of COMET is implemented, thus, enabling components and aspects to be swapped during run-time. Adaptive feedback control algorithms are also implemented in order to better adjust to workload variations and database reconfiguration.

Dans ce travail, nous nous focalisons sur l’ajout de contraintes temporelles dans les Bases de Données de Capteurs Sans Fil (BDCSF). La cohérence temporelle d’une BDCSF doit être assurée en respectant les contraintes temporelles des transactions et la validité temporelle des données, pour que les données prélevées par les capteurs reflètent fidèlement l’état réel de l’environnement. Cependant, les retards de transmission et/ou de réception pendant la collecte des données peuvent conduire au non-respect de la validité temporelle des données. Une solution de type bases de données s'avère la plus adéquate. Il faudrait pour cela faire coïncider les aspects BD traditionnelles avec les capteurs et leur environnement. À cette fin, les capteurs déployés au sein d'un réseau sans fils sont considérés comme une table d'une base de données distribuée, à laquelle sont appliquées des transactions (interrogations, mises à jour, etc.). Les transactions sur une BD de capteurs nécessitent des modifications pour prendre en compte l'aspect continu des données et l'aspect temps réel. Les travaux réalisés dans cette thèse portent principalement sur trois contributions : (i) une étude comparative des propriétés temporelles entre une collecte périodique des données avec une base de données classique et une approche de traitement des requêtes avec une BDCSF, (ii) la proposition d’un modèle de traitement des requêtes temps réel, (iii) la mise en œuvre d’une BDCSF temps réel, basée sur les techniques décrites dans la deuxième contribution. / In this thesis, we are interested in adding real-time constraints in the Wireless Sensor Networks Database (WSNDB). Temporal consistency in WSNDB must be ensured by respecting the transaction deadlines and data temporal validity, so that sensor data reflect the current state of the environment. However, delays of transmission and/or reception in a data collection process can lead to not respect the data temporal validity. A database solution is most appropriate, which should coincide with the traditional database aspects with sensors and their environment. For this purpose, the sensor in WSN is considered as a table in a distributed database, which applied transactions (queries, updates, etc.). Transactions in a WSNDB require modifications to take into account of the continuous datastream and real-time aspects. Our contribution in this thesis focus on three parts: (i) a comparative study of temporal properties between a periodic data collection based on a remote database and query processing approach with WSNDB, (ii) the proposition of a real-time query processing model, (iii) the implementation of a real time WSNDB, based on the techniques described in the second contribution.