BSP enables real-time OS for the aviation industry

The project aims at finding a European solution for a certified real-time OS for the aviation industry that is both affordable and attractive in terms of what it has to offer for small and medium-sized enterprises. Working together, the project partners have the task of testing and evaluating the real-time OS within a realistic application environment. Embedded Office’s specific task was to adapt the real-time OS along with the associated BSP to the hardware platforms used and to develop the software framework for this, thus establishing the basis for its commercial use.

The real-time kernel µC/OS-II, with a partitioning extension, served as the real-time OS. This system has already been used and certified by various manufacturers engaged in the aviation industry. By way of hardware platforms, the application processors of the i.IMX6 series from Freescale, PowerPC architectures and the STM32 MCUs from STMicroelectronics were available. For the BSP, Embedded Office has drafted software lifecycle documentation according to the aviation standard DO-178B/C and transferred this into a safety-BSP.

The research findings will also help in future to support new modular hardware platforms efficiently, such that these are certified more quickly and the requirements of the aviation industry implemented faster. In addition, they make it possible to use these in other industrial sectors that require certifiable hardware and software such as industrial automation, automotive and medical technology.

“We have used software lifecyle documentation to transfer the BSP into a safety-BSP,” commented Michael Hillmann, Managing Director, Embedded Office. “This safety-BSP encompasses all the information, the source code, documents and test cases necessary for a successful certification. In addition, we also offer training courses, workshops and support. We endeavour to provide users with optimum support throughout the entire integration of their products, namely from the planning to the certification on site with the responsible certification authorities.”