March 16, 1998 - A component-based, real-time programming system that gives teams building complex electromechanical (EM) systems far more power, capability and time-savings than has been previously available was introduced today by Real-Time Innovations, Inc. (RTI).

Called ControlShell(R), Release 6.0, the system allows the creation of clean, object-oriented designs, built from tested, maintainable, high-quality software components. It combines event-driven logic and sampled-data feedback control in a fully automated visual programming system that greatly reduces design time and improved quality.

After a careful evaluation process, NASA's John F. Kennedy Space Center chose ControlShell 6.0 as the base software architecture for the $200 million project to redesign the Shuttle Checkout and Launch Control System (CLCS). ( See http://clcs.ksc.nasa.gov ).

ControlShell 6.0 allows the creation of EM design from the ``top-down'' by visually decomposing problems into interacting objects. It also allows designers to build their system from the ``bottom-up'' by graphically combining components from a repository of reusable, tested and maintainable software.

ControlShell is specially designed for building complex EM systems. It combines event-driven logic, sampled-data feedback control and signal processing. While it allows engineers to build from pre-existing components without coding, it is still an open and powerful programming system that supports the custom software development that truly complex EM projects require.

In addition, its fully-automated visual programming is ideal for team development, providing specific graphical tools that leverage the skills of all the members: system architects, programmers and end users.

ControlShell is supported on Sun, SGI and Windows NT hosts. Real-Time target applications will run on Wind River Systems' VxWorks(R) and SGI's React. In addition, ControlShell is integrated with Wind River Systems Tornado(TM) development environment.

CONTROLSHELL 6.0 CONCEPTUAL OVERVIEW

Top-Down/Bottom-Up Approach

Traditionally, solutions took one or the other approach to build complex systems. ControlShell does both with equal facility. Top-down design consists of breaking a problem into smaller and smaller parts until the pieces can be easily implemented. It is intuitive, and allows division of labour and rapid prototyping.

Bottom-up design is the process of synthesising from proven, pre-existing components. However, it offers no global view to communicate the goals and progress of the project.

Recognising this trade-off, ControlShell takes a unique merged approach. It allows the user to start with a global, undefined concept, then decompose it into more specialised subsystems. But it goes beyond that to allow easy implementation of subsystems from reusable components.

Structure for Complex Electromechanical Systems

Structural complexity dominates most EM systems, especially when the user begins to connect subsystems with various functions. Such interconnections often lead to even greater complexity, since many systems change behaviour in response to changes in operating conditions.

To address this issue, ControlShell provides specific tools and run-time engines that support interface capture and reuse, sampled-data feedback control and event-driven sequencing. ControlShell is a programming system, which means it provides users a framework in which to build their own application. It offers the flexibility that inventive engineers and programmers need to solve difficult and unique problems. In addition, this proven framework allows customers to focus on coding their application and not worry about all the ``glue'' code, therefore allowing them to get their job done faster.

Complete Automated Programming System

ControlShell recognises that development teams contain a mix of skills and talents with each team member required to understand the overall problem and contribute specific solutions. ControlShell is a rich toolset that aids programmers and system engineers alike.

The graphical language provides both efficient design and team communication with everything placed in reusable software repositories. Team members then use these repositories to share their work. Installation, code generation, system building and documentation are all automated.

Real-Time Innovations, Inc. - www.rti.com