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F R A U N H O F E R I N S T I T U T E F O R C O M M U N I C A T I O N S Y S T E M S E S K
ANNUAL REPORT
2011/2012
F R A U N H O F E R I N S T I T U T E F O R C O M M U N I C A T I O N S Y S T E M S E S K
ANNUAL REPORT
2011/2012
FOREwORd
Ladies and gentlemen,
customers and business partners,
I’m pleased to have the opportunity to take a mutual look
back at 2011 – a successful year in which we broadened our
expertise in fields that we branched out into in 2010: smart
grid technologies, electromobility and embedded systems.
For the Automotive Business Unit 2011, was highlighted by
our participation in the Fraunhofer Electromobility Alliance,
for which we developed the central electronic control unit
for an electric vehicle. Two years of research culminated in
our presentation of the first Fraunhofer electric vehicle – the
Frecc0. We continued to work on the issue of information
and communication technology (ICT) in electromobility
through our involvement in the Smart Vehicle to Grid project
initiated by the EU. These activities focus on the intelligent
integration of electrical vehicles into future smart grids.
One of the key activities of the Industrial Communication
Business Unit is managing the smart grids of the future
through ICT. As part of this effort, we published a study in
November 2011 titled “Smart Grid Communications 2020”,
which focused on the German market. The study outlined
the communication technologies required to effectively
manage intelligent power networks. With an eye on improv-
ing com munication via power networks, our researchers are
also investigating narrowband powerline communication, a
technology for transporting data via power cables.
Before it can be utilized in in-house communication systems,
powerline technology must operate in wideband mode,
an issue that is being examined by the Telecommunication
Business Unit, which was created from the Communication
Solutions group in 2012. This new business unit, which is
focused on access and in-house networks, will continue to
develop and expand into new fields of research such as the
suitability of satellite communication as an access network
technology.
The applied research activities of Fraunhofer ESK are closely
tied to the basic research work carried out through my Chair
for Communication Systems at the University of Augsburg.
In 2011 we broadened our networked research activities
even further. Prof. Dr. Christian Prehofer – Chief Researcher
for software systems at Fraunhofer ESK – began lecturing at
Munich’s Ludwig-Maximillian University (LMU) in 2011. This
has led to close collaboration with the LMU Chair for Pro-
gramming and Software Engineering. We were also fortunate
to have Prof. Dr. Antonio Grilo – guest lecturer at the Lisbon
University of Applied Sciences – spend six months with us in
Munich carrying out research in the field of wireless commu-
nication.
The primary goal of our activities is the development of reliable,
flexible and resource-efficient ICT systems. Through our vision
of “ICT for networked systems” we address a variety of tech-
nological challenges in the automobile/traffic, energy techno-
logy, automation and telecommunication market segments.
A key aspect of our work in 2011 was the completion of a stra-
tegic plan, which was presented to an technology audit team
comprised of research and industry professionals in early 2012.
One result of the strategic plan was the creation of six core
competencies: Wired Transmission Technologies, Local
Wireless Networks, Ethernet & IP Communication, Adaptive
Systems, Model-based Software Testing & Validation, Multi-
core Software. These groups will form the foundation for the
expansion of our R & D services over the coming years.
In order to promote our research findings, as well as to
strengthen ties with our customer base, Fraunhofer ESK
participated in 15 trade fairs and events in 2011 including the
International Automobile Show in Frankfurt as well as the
Embedded World and the SPS/IPC/Drives in Nuremberg.
I would like to take this opportunity to express my appreciation
to our employees for their participation in the Fraunhofer-wide
employee survey conducted in 2011. With a participation rate
Fraunhofer ESK Annual Report 2011/20124
of 93 percent, Fraunhofer ESK ranked among the top of the
more than 80 institutes of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft. My
sincere thanks go out to these highly committed and motivated
employees, without whom superior research results and success-
ful project activity would not be possible.
I would also like to thank all of our partners and customers from
industry, the research community and government. I hope you
enjoy reading our annual report, which provides an overview
of the highlights and successes of 2011, as well as insight into
what 2012 has in store for us.
All of us at Fraunhofer ESK are looking forward to another year
of mutual success!
n Laboratories
Automotive Lab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Industrial Lab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Enterprise Communication Lab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
DSL & Access Test Lab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
n Automotive
Automotive Business Unit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Research Group Automotive Networks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Reliable Electromobility with Fraunhofer! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Common Interfaces for
Infotainment Applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Research Group Automotive Connectivity . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Predictive Front Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Energy Management Communication
for Electric Vehicles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Research Group Automotive Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Ensuring Software Reliability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Seamless Modeling and Code Generation
for Embedded Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
n Annual Report 2011/2012
Fraunhofer Institute for
Communication Systems ESK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
The Management Team . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Facts and Figures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Our Customers and Partners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Chair of Communication Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
n Core Competences
Wired Transmission Technologies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Local Wireless Networks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Reliable Ethernet and IP Communication . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Adaptive Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Model-based Software Design
and Validation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Multicore Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
TAbLE OF CONTENTs
Foreword 4
Table of Contents 6
Fraunhofer Institute for Communication Systems ESK 9
The Management Team 11
Facts and Figures 12
Our Customers and Partners 13
Chair of Communication Systems 14
Core Competences 16
Core Competence Wired Transmission Technologies 18
Core Competence Local Wireless Networks 19
Core Competence Reliable Ethernet and IP Communication 20
Core Competence Adaptive Systems 21
Core Competence Model-based Software Design and Validation 22
Core Competence Multicore Software 23
Laboratories 24
Automotive Lab 24
Industrial Lab 25
Enterprise Communication Lab 26
DSL & Access Test Lab 27
Automotive Business Unit 28
Research Group Automotive Networks 30
Reliable Electromobility with Fraunhofer! 32
Common Interfaces for Infotainment Applications 34
Research Group Automotive Connectivity 36
Predictive Front Lighting 38
Energy Management Communication for Electric Vehicles 40
Research Group Automotive Software 42
Ensuring Software Reliability 44
Seamless Modeling and Code Generation for Embedded Systems 46
Industrial Communication Business Unit 48
Research Group Industrial Networks 50
Reliable Wireless Communication 52
Smart Wireless Power Outlets 54
Research Group Industrial Software 56
Software Methods for Embedded Multicore Systems 58
Validating and Testing Adaptive Automation Technologies 60
Telecommunication Business Unit 62
Access & In-house Networks Research Group 64
Satellite-based Communication 66
Communication Solutions Research Group 68
Mobile Learning 70
Names, Dates and Events 72
Events 74
Publications 76
The Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft 88
How to reach us 90
Fraunhofer ESK Annual Report 2011/20126
n Names, Dates and Events
Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Publications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
The Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
How to reach us . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Editorial Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
n Industrial Communication
Industrial Communication Business Unit . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Research Group Industrial Networks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Reliable Wireless Communication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Smart Wireless Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Research Group Industrial Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Software Methods for Embedded
Multicore Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Validating and Testing
Adaptive Automation Technologies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
n Telecommunication
Telecommunication Business Unit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Access & In-house Networks Research Group . . . . . . . 64
Satellite-based Communication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Communication Solutions Research Group . . . . . . . . . . 68
Mobile Learning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Fraunhofer ESK Annual Report 2011/2012 7
Networked information and communication technology
(ICT) systems have become increasingly pervasive in all
facets our lives and have significantly altered business
approaches and products across the entire industrial landscape.
Against this backdrop, Fraunhofer ESK undertakes applied
research geared toward new ICT processes and methods
by focusing on the design of reliable, flexible and resource-
efficient networked ICT systems that are becoming increasingly
distributed and heterogeneous. The institute collaborates with
numerous industry segments including automotive and traffic,
energy, automation, building and security, and telecommuni-
cation. In 2011 alone, our researchers worked together with
more than 60 partners, from large global companies and small-
to-medium enterprises to public sector organizations.
With around 60 employees, Munich-based Fraunhofer ESK is a
member of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, the largest organization
for applied research in Europe. Prof. Dr. Rudi Knorr, the director
of the institute, has held the Chair of Communication Systems
at the University of Augsburg department of computer science
since 2006. Prof. Dr. Christian Prehofer, Chief Researcher for
software-based adaptive systems, has been lecturing in the
field of programming and software engineering at the Tech-
nical University Munich since 2011. These dual roles ensure that
Fraunhofer ESK’s R & D activities benefit from unfettered access
to the basic research work conducted by both universities.
Core competencies
The growing complexity of high-grade networked ICT systems
calls for new system architectures and methods. To meet these
new requirements, Fraunhofer ESK bundles its know-how into
six core competencies deployed across the business units:n The Wired Transmission Technologies core competence
is involved in transmission methods and protocols used in
access and in-house networks.n The Local Wireless Networks core competence offers
know-how ranging from physical transmission methods and
wireless channels to application implementation.
n The Reliable Ethernet and IP Communication core
competence examines how Ethernet and IP protocols can
be used in embedded systems. n The Adaptive Systems core competence focuses on
adaptive, software-based and embedded systems.n The Model-based Software Development and Vali-
dation core competence bundles various model-based
methods suitable for software development activities.n The Multicore Software core competence examines
ways to optimize software for use in multicore systems and
parallel operating environments.
Fraunhofer ESK continuously adapts, enhances and augments
its core expertise with new know-how in response to the needs
and market outlook of each of the business units. By exploiting
this expertise across all areas, the institute is well-positioned to
help industry develop better products.
Business units
Fraunhofer ESK leverages its horizontal expertise to support com-
panies and public sector organizations through its business units:
Automotive, Industrial Communication and Telecommunication.
The Automotive business unit offers vehicle manu facturers
and suppliers a wide range of R & D services through three
groups: Automotive Networks, Automotive Connectivity and
Automotive Software. Our specialists develop future auto-
motive electronics architectures, middleware technologies and
software architectures for networked automotive systems, as
well as solutions for vehicle-to-environment networking and
the integration of mobile end-user devices and services. This
business unit also specializes in software development methods,
end-to-end test concepts and the early-stage validation of soft-
ware specifications.
The Industrial Communication business unit comprises
two key research groups. The Industrial Networks group
tracks issues such as local wireless networks, energy-efficient
FRAUNhOFER INsTITUTE FOR COmmUNICATION sysTEms EsK
Fraunhofer ESK Annual Report 2011/2012 9
sensor networks and smart grid communication. Experts
in the Industrial Software group examine new multicore
software architectures and performance analyses, in addition
to adaptive software deployed in mechatronic systems. This
business unit targets manufacturers and providers in the auto-
mation technology, energy, building engineering and security
technology industries.
The Telecommunication business unit, through the Access
& In-house Networks group, develops and optimizes high-
speed wired technologies (DSL, G.hn, powerline) and works
on the adaptive utilization of the available building wiring
infrastructures, including power lines. This group also evalu-
ates hybrid network access technologies, including satellite
communication. The Communication Solutions group offers
companies and public sector organizations expert consulting
and analysis services ranging from security appraisals and
patent evaluations to system architecture design.
Fraunhofer ESK Annual Report 2011/201210
ThE mANAgEmENT TEAm
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Rudi Knorr was appointed director of Fraunhofer ESK in 2003 and promoted to Chair of
Communication Systems at the University of Augsburg in 2006. Prof. Dr.-Ing. Knorr specializes in the area
of self-organizing communication systems that are increasingly deployed in non-traditional communica-
tion fields such as automotive systems, networked vehicle environments and industrial systems control and
monitoring mechanisms.
Dr.-Ing. Dirk Eilers joined Fraunhofer ESK in 1999 and was appointed head of the Automotive business
unit in 2007. Prior to that, he was active in the automotive and embedded systems R & D area. He completed
his doctoral thesis on the subject of “dynamic reconfiguration of adaptive real-time communications systems”
in 2006. Dr. Eilers specializes in the fields of automotive communication protocols and designs used in info-
tainment and embedded systems.
Martina Gerloff has been head of the Administration area for Fraunhofer ESK since 2000. After hold-
ing several positions in the field of financial controlling, Ms. Gerloff joined the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft
in 1992 where she worked in the central administration’s research and budget department. In this
capacity she was responsible for developing and maintaining the institute budget for Germany and the
United States.
Mike Heidrich joined Fraunhofer ESK in 1999 and has been head of the Industrial Communication
business unit since 2008. His research activities focus on new industrial communication and soft-
ware development methods. After obtaining his degree in electronic engineering, Mr. Heidrich was
active in the development and commissioning of commercial software-based SCADA systems for
three years.
Prof. Dr. habil. Christian Prehofer joined Fraunhofer ESK in 2009 and is Chief Researcher for soft-
ware-based adaptive systems. He has held several research and management positions in the telecom-
munication industry since 1998, most recently as a director at Nokia Research. Prof. Dr. habil. Prehofer
lectures in the field of software engineering at the Technical University, Munich. His research activities
are focused on adaptive, self-organizing systems and multicore software.
Sven Brandt was appointed head of the Telecommunication business unit in 2012. He has also managed
the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft Center of Competence for Voice Communication since 2001. This group was
expanded in 2004 to support mobile communication. Mr. Brandt specializes in access and in-house networks
as well as enterprise communication solutions. Prior to joining Fraunhofer ESK in 2000, he held several
positions in the telecommunication industry.
Fraunhofer ESK Annual Report 2011/2012 11
0
1,000
2,000
3,000
4,000
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
Personnel costs Operating costs Capital expenditures
1,000
2,000
3,000
5,000
4,000
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
Industrial income Internal incomePublic sector EU sector
Internal programs Other income
0
FACTs ANd FIgUREs
Personnel
As of December 31, 2011, the
Fraunhofer Institute for Com-
munication Systems ESK had
around 60 employees, 78 %
in research and engineering
and 22 % in administrative
functions.
The institute was also sup-
ported by approximately 90
interns, graduate school stu-
dents and research assistants.
Research budget
(in Euro thousands)
For the year 2011, personnel
expenses totaled approxi-
mately € 3.4 million, operating
costs around € 1.7 million and
capital expenditures just under
€ 200,000.
Research income
(in Euro thousands)
Fraunhofer ESK generated
research income of around
€ 4.4 million in year 2011.
Researchers and engineers63.8 %
Administrative22.4 %
IT support13.8 %
Fraunhofer ESK Annual Report 2011/201212
OUR CUsTOmERs ANd PARTNERs
Fraunhofer ESK Annual Report 2011/2012 13
ChAIR OF COmmUNICATION sysTEms
others, current projects in this area include adaptive methods
for the dynamic and efficient exploitation of wireless channels,
self-organizing methods and protocols for wireless systems
and the design and analysis of innovative, dynamic automotive
communication platforms.
Next generation networks (NGN)
State-of-the-art communication systems must be able to sup-
port the implementation of network- and location-wide voice,
video and data communication. Depending on the needs of
the participants, they require features such as dynamic band-
width management, minimal delay times, high bandwidth and
innovative intelligent services while minimizing the cost of the
devices and operation of the network. These requirements
are best fulfilled by next generation networks (NGN). NGNs
are created by the convergence of conventional (telephone,
mobile) and IP-based networks and open communication
platforms that also feature integrated multimedia services and
personal information on demand. The department is currently
carrying out research into the development of reliable Ether-
net and IP communication for use in new fields of applications
such as onboard vehicle communication, building communi-
cation, vehicle-to-environment networking and the integration
of mobile end-user devices into the vehicle.
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Rudi Knorr is director of Fraunhofer ESK
and also holds the Chair of Communication Systems at
the University of Augsburg Department of Computer
Science. This chair is devoted to basic research in the cutting-
edge field of self-organizing communication systems in con-
junction with next generation networks such as cyber-physical
systems or the Internet of Things. The research activities and
the teaching curriculum emphasize the new demands on in-
formation and communication technologies, particularly those
that result from the mobility of our modern society. Among
other issues, the department is examining ways to ensure the
seamless convergence of public and local networks, whether in
private and public buildings or in vehicles. The research focuses
on wireless ad hoc networking and self-organizing networks.
Self-organizing systems
Future networked systems will experience fast growth in the
number of connected devices (end-user devices, sensors,
actuators, embedded systems). The devices will also be much
more powerful and complex, a trend that is driving research
into aspects such as reliability, flexibility and resource efficiency.
These systems will also need to be more intuitive, self-organ-
izing and capable of assuming more autonomous tasks.
Self-organization refers to the so-called self-x technologies,
which encompass a range of autonomous capabilities from
management, awareness, (re)configuration, optimization,
healing and protection to adaptation and description. Among
Fraunhofer ESK Annual Report 2011/201214
CORE COmPETENCEs
Wired Transmission Technologies
Local Wireless Networks
Reliable Ethernet and IP Communication
Adaptive Systems
Model-based Software Design and Validation
Multicore Software
CORE COmPETENCE wIREd TRANsmIssION TEChNOLOgIEs
communication (PLC) offers a promising alternative. Researchers
are evaluating both broadband PLC and narrowband high bit
rate PLC. Assessing the viability of broadband PLC requires
research into new transmission methods that allow the use
of frequency ranges above 30 MHz for data transmission.
The goal is to achieve data rates exceeding 100 Mbit/s, which
would make powerline communication suitable for multi media
and IPTV applications in multifamily dwellings. Research in the
narrowband area is focused on bandwidth efficiency, meaning
transmission rates of up to 1 Mbit/s using minimal frequency
resources. This transmission technology must be extremely
robust in order to support services such as smart metering or
demand side management.
Since its inception, Fraunhofer ESK has been actively
involved in the optimization of broadband trans mission
systems running over copper wire circuits. The institute
is currently the only commercial provider in Germany with
a fully-equipped DSL and access test and measurement lab
for analyzing broadband transmissions over twisted-pair
copper lines. In addition to DSL, researchers evaluate in-house
transmission technologies, particularly data transmission via
powerline communication (PLC).
The institute also analyses the effects of high bit rate transmis-
sions on live systems. One example is emission behavior, a char-
acteristic that plays an important role when deploying broad-
band in specific environments such as buildings and power grids.
Broadband transmission using twisted-pair lines and
DSL technology
Fraunhofer ESK relies on dynamic spectrum management (DSM)
techniques for optimizing wired transmission technologies. One
example is utilizing VDSL vectoring to mitigate far-end crosstalk
(SELF-FEXT) in VDSL systems. Vectoring can be combined with
circuit bonding or with phantom mode, which yields additional
transmission capacity that can result in data rates as high as
300 Mbit/s. This group is also evaluating the use of low power
mode together with algorithms that improve the stability of
individual DSL systems. Using measurements as a basis, the insti-
tute developed twisted pair and coaxial cable models and set up
a simulation environment with the goal of making broadband
transmission more energy efficient. Apart from using simulation
platforms for examining wired transmission systems, new tech-
nologies such as the G.hn standard are integrated into the lab’s
test environment and then evaluated under real conditions.
Powerline communication
To address the demand for broadband Internet access in
buildings, optimized high bit rate links are gaining popularity.
Given its structure and penetration characteristics, powerline
Mathias Leibiger
Phone: +49 89 54 70 88-372
Fraunhofer ESK Annual Report 2011/201218
CORE COmPETENCE LOCAL wIRELEss NETwORKs
Wireless sensor actuator networks
In the area of sensor networks, Fraunhofer ESK focuses on
reliability, energy-efficiency and realtime-capability. Using its
own modular sensor network stack, the institute developed a
protocol stack designed especially for applications that require
a high level of energy efficiency. An additional highlight of
this work is an energy-optimized MAC protocol that works
in the 868 MHz and 2.4 GHz ranges. Furthermore, research
into robust and scalable routing protocols, as well as sensor
network middleware solutions, will be carried out.
Car-to-X Communication
The 5.9 GHz band is reserved for safety relevant applications
in Car-to-X Communication, which is carried out in 10 MHz
wide channels. Even during heavy traffic periods, the fast and
reliable transmission and forwarding of safety-critical infor-
mation from other networked vehicles is essential. For this
reason, Fraunhofer ESK evaluates reliable and realtime-capable
communication methods suitable for cooperative traffic safety
applications. This includes analyzing heterogeneous wireless
transmission technologies, reliable routing protocols, multihop
and multichannel communication and mechanisms for control-
ling distributed congestion. To accelerate the development
and testing of these methods, Fraunhofer ESK implemented its
own Car-to-X Framework that contains the protocol stack, in
addition to the basic services.
The utility of wireless networks has long since moved
beyond the telephone and computer and into a wide
range of new applications. Concrete examples are
networked vehicle environments (Car-to-X Communication)
and networked industrial applications such as machine-to-
machine (M2M). In many cases, standard technologies cannot
be directly deployed. For example, unreliable connectivity is
one factor that keeps potential users from utilizing wireless
technologies. On the other side of the coin, wireless networks
feature characteristics such as flexibility and device mobility
that make applications like Car-to-X and industrial sensor net-
works possible in the first place. This aspect, plus the potential
cost savings that result from the reduced installation effort,
make wireless systems an attractive alternative.
Wireless data transmission is subject to special physical con-
straints. In contrast to wired transmission technologies, wire-
less networks possess specific characteristics such as trans-
mission loss, sensitivity to external emissions and multipath
propagation that can cause interference. The environment,
whether outdoor or indoor, determines the characteristics of
the channel. When designing transmitter and receiver systems
and the implementation of the protocol stacks, engineers
have to take these characteristics into account.
Cognitive radio in local networks
The growth in wireless traffic necessitates more efficient utili-
zation of the frequency spectrum. At the same time, transmis-
sions must be made more robust by preventing collisions and
interference from occurring. Fraunhofer ESK relies on cognitive
radio technology to carry out research in this area. Spectrum
sensing and channel prediction methods were also evaluated
and implemented. Researchers utilize software defined radio
(SDR) technology as the underlying platform. This research has
yielded several important developments including a wireless
test and measurement station for analyzing and monitoring
the wireless spectrum, as well as a software component library
for cognitive radio.
Günter Hildebrandt
Phone: +49 89 547088-354
Fraunhofer ESK Annual Report 2011/2012 19
CORE COmPETENCE RELIAbLE EThERNET ANd IP COmmUNICATION
To ensure an adequate degree of reliability and quality
regardless of the state of the system, the adaptive resource
management approach is implemented at runtime. Research
into the management of functional safety and energy manage-
ment under modified network circumstances has also been
lacking. Fraunhofer addresses this demand by carrying out
research in the area of adaptive resource management and
by developing solutions for autonomous parameterization and
system descriptions
Building communication via Ethernet and IP
Compared to automotive systems, the field of building com-
munication has longer innovation cycles. The development
of market-ready technologies in conjunction with industry
partners is therefore spread over a longer timeframe. Fraun-
hofer ESK developed an approach for representing new and
existing building-specific services on a common networking
platform as early as 10 years ago. For multifamily dwellings,
such platforms have to be set up on a distributed basis, thus
creating the need for a realtime, broadband backbone net-
work. At the IP level, the focus is on representing the specific
application within the IP protocol environment, be it intercom
services or door communication. This requires enhancing
protocols such as SIP with several specifications. Together with
an industry partner, Fraunhofer ESK designed a complete,
IP-based integrated building communication system that has
already moved into the product implementation phase.
Although Ethernet and IP technologies are independent
of one another, they are often mentioned in the same
breath. They benefit from one another and enjoy
a near-monopoly in local networks. Because these techno-
logies were originally designed for pure data transport, QoS
mechanisms for applications such as telephony and multi-
media transmission have evolved gradually.
To date, the industry still lacks integrated mechanisms for ad-
dressing realtime requirements. Apart from QoS in embedded
environments, resource issues such as energy consumption,
CPU and memory usage are of major importance. So far, Ether-
net and IP technologies and their various implementations have
failed to sufficiently solve these issues.
In response to this situation, one-off or special solutions have
become well established. Examples include FlexRay and MOST
for the automotive industry and EtherCat/ProfiNet for indus-
trial automation applications. These special solutions are usually
complex and costly, possess little evolution potential and stand
in stark contrast to the desire for cost-effective Ethernet and IP
solutions with high bandwidth.
Automotive Ethernet and IP networks
Infotainment and driver assistance systems require a high
degree of network connectivity and significant amounts
of bandwidth. This was the impetus for evaluating a time
synchronization method for transporting media streams via
Ether net based on the IEEE P1588 and IEEE P1722 standards.
Apart from the implementation of realtime Ethernet, there is
ample demand for research into communication and network
planning and in the reliable administration of resources.
In particular, practical experience has shown that the testing
of time synchronization mechanisms is increasingly difficult.
Precise network planning, together with specific tests to
determine adherence to the defined behavior patterns, ensures
reliable Ethernet communication.
Falk Langer
Phone: +49 89 547088-327
Fraunhofer ESK Annual Report 2011/201220
CORE COmPETENCE AdAPTIvE sysTEms
one of which entails designing a control structure capable
of streamlined and accurate decision making. That means
executing reconfigurations only in the right situation and
within the time constraints of embedded systems, which are
often subject to strict availability and realtime requirements.
Reconfiguration also requires ascertaining a valid new con-
figuration and then completing the process by switching to
the new configuration without impacting the system.
Adaptive system development
Fraunhofer ESK developed a feature-based methodology and
architecture concept that enables the transition to adaptive
systems. The goal is modeling of the individual system features
and systematic development of a product based on design
decisions made during the development process. By modeling
the dependencies between the features and the system
resources – also referred to as non-functional characteristics –
developers have the opportunity to systematically handle poten-
tial variabilities at the design and runtime levels.
Aadaptivity refers to the extent in which a system is
capable of adapting itself to changes in its internal and
external environment, resources and requirements.
Adaptivity can improve the resource efficiency and flexibility
of software-driven embedded systems. The corresponding
control mechanisms must ensure reliability, an essential factor
for many embedded systems. Another research issue involves
the growth of distributed systems, meaning multiple processors
that are networked together to provide common services. The
key challenge in such distributed environments is making sure
that the adaptive systems exhibit a high level of coordination,
efficiency and consistency, all of which must be guaranteed
during the design and analysis phases.
Taking adaptivity into account at the design level requires new
concepts for designing distributed services and functions in
networked systems. With existing approaches, the features
and aspects of the system – also referred to as variability – are
specified in the design and cannot be adapted at runtime.
Against this backdrop, one of Fraunhofer ESK’s research goals
is to develop an end-to-end methodology and modeling tech-
nique for adaptive systems that features inherent variability and
adaptivity and the associated control mechanisms.
At the core of these activities is the design, implementation and
evaluation of distributed embedded system concepts.
Adaptive software systems
For this area of research, which centers on networked system
adaptivity, Fraunhofer researchers developed several concepts
that enable the efficient and reliable reconfiguration of dis-
tributed software. These new concepts were evaluated with
simulation platforms and then demonstrated on automotive
electronic control units (ECU). The research activities encom-
pass the development of system and architecture concepts
for adaptive systems, as well as the reconfiguration process
itself. There are several important aspects to enabling adap-
tivity through the reconfiguration of software components,
Prof. Dr. habil. Christian Prehofer
Phone: +49 89 547088-352
Fraunhofer ESK Annual Report 2011/2012 21
CORE COmPETENCE mOdEL-bAsEd sOFTwARE dEsIgN ANd vALIdATION
other analyses. A key element here is improving the models
through the use of direct feedback from the analyses.
Using models for validation
The use of model-based methods can also be advantageous
during the integration and validation phase. For validating
networked systems, the researchers focus on the communica-
tion behavior. This phase encompasses specification-based test
models, specific executable test models and models for the
coverage, generation and evaluation of test cases. Fraunhofer
ESK carries out research into passive validation models for the
automated or semi-automated generation of specification
models. These models run parallel to the system or components
under test and are designed to identify deviations from or flaws
in the specified behavior, using a method that is currently being
patented.
Development tool platforms
Fraunhofer ESK is enabling the use of these improved domain-
specific test methods in real development environments by
integrating them into tool platforms. This is frequently accom-
plished by creating model transformations, which allow engi-
neers to generate and test different communication interface
implementations.
Software is the basis for a wide range of functions in
today’s networked systems, such as in automobiles or
industrial systems. The networking and interaction of
these functions is becoming increasingly complex, creating a
demand for new approaches to software development and
validation. One of the fundamental challenges lies in guaran-
teeing the reliability of the functional and non-functional
communication behavior. Model-based methods can be used
to create an abstraction that helps developers deal effectively
with these complex network and interaction environments.
A key example is the use of executable specification models,
which aid in identifying and localizing weaknesses and gaps
in the specification during the early phases of development.
Such models have already been successfully implemented by
Fraunhofer ESK for validating the behavior of vehicle infotain-
ment software functions.
Exploration of the design space and analysis
The development of networked systems requires taking into
account not only functional, but non-functional characteristics
such as timing behavior and reliability. Through modeling
extensions such as MARTE, engineers can specify the non-
functional characteristics of UML software components.
As part of the CHESS project for instance, researchers are
examining the automatic generation of an analysis model
to validate timing behavior in a simulated environment using
Fraunhofer ESK’s own DynaSim framework.
In order to develop resource-efficient and thus cost-effective
systems, especially in embedded environments, early explo-
ration of the design space is essential. A key factor here is
integrating various application-specific methods. Apart from
the pure software modeling, the characteristics of the target
platform must be taken into account in the development
model.
Fraunhofer ESK researchers rely on iterative methods that
provide repeated feedback from the simulation processes and
Gereon Weiß
Phone: +49 89 547088-348
Fraunhofer ESK Annual Report 2011/201222
CORE COmPETENCE mULTICORE sOFTwARE
these shortcomings at a later point. Instrument-based profilers
are often used to determine internal software operations.
Because they have an effect on response times, efficiency is
a challenge when implementing such profilers. In addition,
the limitations of hardware and software tracing complicate
the task of multicore software performance analysis. For this
reason, one of the problems is that software performance
becomes difficult to measure due to the effects of the instru-
mentation.
The other issue is that identifying the precise performance
bottlenecks and diagnosing the exact causes in the software
design can be very difficult. This situation was the impetus
for carrying out several joint research projects with industry
partners, work which has resulted in several publications.
Worth mentioning is MucoS, a joint project with Lantiq in
which a multicore toolchain for embedded processors was
evaluated and improved.
The increased use of multicore processors is leading to
a paradigm shift in the field of software development.
This technology can significantly increase processor
performance if the software is optimized to work with parallel
processor cores. To date, accelerating clock speed has “auto-
matically” led to gains in software performance. Exploiting
the available processing power in the form of multiple cores
nevertheless requires considerable effort. This impacts not
only new software development, but the ability to port exist-
ing software to new multicore platforms.
Multicore software development
The complexity of multicore software development makes
it a difficult and error-prone process. For the programmer,
grasping the full implications of running different program
components in parallel can be problematic, not to mention
there is a lack of suitable tools. For this reason, the potential
for multicore processors remains vastly untapped.
Compounding these issues even further are embedded systems
with realtime requirements. The use of common multicore
resources like cache and memory makes it nearly impossible to
predict system behaviors at runtime, which is essential in the
area of safety-critical applications. Research has also shown
that existing development tools have not been adequately
adapted to the requirements of multicore programming, espe-
cially in embedded environments.
To address these issues, Fraunhofer ESK focuses on models, per-
formance measurements, analyses and development tools for
multicore systems. The development tools are designed to take
into account the special requirements of multicore processors,
especially performance evaluations, testing and debugging.
Multicore system performance optimization
Performance tests are designed to pinpoint the causes of
delayed response times or low throughput in order to resolve
Prof. Dr. habil. Christian Prehofer
Phone: +49 89 547088-352
Fraunhofer ESK Annual Report 2011/2012 23
AUTOmOTIvE LAb
LAbORATORIEs
The Fraunhofer ESK Automotive Lab offers manufacturers and
suppliers a comprehensive platform and set of tools to sup-
port design and development projects. Researchers examine
new technologies for automotive networks, wireless-based
networking of vehicles, real-time operating systems as well as
infotainment systems and virtualization platforms. The exten-
sive test facilities enable the testing of more efficient software
development methods and verification of the results through
prototypes.
The Fraunhofer ESK ARTiS platform line enables the rapid
prototyping of vehicle functions as well as the integration and
testing of results in real environments. ARTiS-XT has been
enhanced with a faster CPU and more powerful graphics
processor, making it suitable for the development of infotain-
ment applications as well.
The real-time Ethernet test platform allows developers to get
a head start in implementing future Ethernet-based automotive
systems and to protect against potential risks.
The Automotive Lab also features the SystemC DynaSim frame-
work for hardware/software co-simulation. This in-house
developed platform can be used to validate communication
relationships.
EqUIPMENT
n Equipment for prototyping ECUs and performing automotive bus
system measurements (CAN, MOST, Flexray, Ethernet)
n ECU test rack for automotive electronics systems
n ESK DynaSim Framework for the design and simulation of adaptive
automotive electronics system software
n ESK ARTiS-XT and ARTiS-RT platform: Target system for CAN,
MOST, FlexRay, RT-Ethernet and infotainment applications
n Car-to-X Communication hardware from a wide range of manu-
facturers for interoperability testing and optimization of the wireless
transmission
n Test and evaluation of various operating systems such as AUTOSAR
or Linux within different applications
n Ruetz Technologies test analyzer for carrying out MOST conformity
tests
n TCP/IP Conformance tests
n Tools for automotive and residual bus simulations such as the
Vector CANOe prototyping environment and Rhapsody’s model-
based framework MODENA
n Hardware platforms for various application scenarios (e. g. FPGA
prototyping platforms for Xilinx and Altera building blocks)
n Broad range of development and test and measurement equipment
such as in-circuit debuggers, logic state analyzers, development
tools and Ethernet analyzers
Fraunhofer ESK Annual Report 2011/201224
The Fraunhofer ESK Industrial Lab maintains an extensive
variety of equipment and systems for measuring, testing and
developing communication systems.
The lab features a wireless measurement station for analyzing
wireless environments and managing the frequency spectrum.
This ensures the efficient and robust operation of wireless
systems. The measurement data indicates what type of inter-
ference to expect and helps in the selection of the optimal
wireless solution.
The field of building communication has a wide range of
appli cations such as door communication, smart metering and
localization. To help companies in the development, selection
and installation of such systems, the Fraunhofer ESK researchers
set up demonstration platforms and carry out comparative
studies and analyses.
In-house developed, energy-saving software modules are used
to rapidly develop and integrate application-specific sensor
network solutions. Software defined radios (SDR) make it easy
to validate the feasibility of developing and implementing new
types of cognitive transmission methods.
In the area of software architectures and methods, the lab is
equipped with systems for researching and testing technologies
such as:n New architecture approaches and development methods for
parallel multicore applicationsn Virtual commissioning of mechatronic production processesn Adaptive and reconfigurable automation software
EqUIPMENT
Test and measurement environment for analyzing the radio spectrum, propagation and wireless protocolsn Broadband antennas (300 MHz –7 GHz)n Spectrum analyzer (including handheld)n Vector network analyzern Oscilloscopen Signal generatorsn Logic analyzern SDR-based wireless sensor network analyzer
Software defined radion Hardware: USRP2 with 2.4 / 5 GHz and 868 MHz daughterboardn Development environment: GNU radio
Sensor network developmentn CC11xx, CC24xx and CC25xxn IEEE 802.15.4, Zigbee ISA100 / wireless HARTn TinyOS, FreeRTOS, Contiki, Linuxn Microcontroller: ATmega, MSP, EFM32n Software modules (e. g. MAC, routing, bootloader)
Software architectures and methodsn Multicore environments: Intel, Cavium Octeonn Mechatronic simulation: WinMod, SIMITn SPS: Siemens Simaticn Model of a mechatronic production process
INdUsTRIAL LAb
Fraunhofer ESK Annual Report 2011/2012 25
ENTERPRIsE COmmUNICATION LAb The Fraunhofer ESK Enterprise Communication Lab analyzes
and tests the compatibility of communication systems, making
it possible to evaluate customer-specific solutions and then
develop corresponding concepts.
Much of the recent activity centers on communication and
collaboration systems. These convergent solutions combine a
variety of communication services such as voice and video, in-
stant messaging, presence information and web conferencing.
The engineers verify conformity to standards, interoperability,
data transmission security and the storage of connection data.
The integration of mobile end-user devices into local commu-
nication systems is also examined.
The lab has the capability to evaluate the connectivity of
unified communication systems to existing communication
and IT management platforms and building monitoring and
access control systems.
Apart from locally-installed systems, the lab focuses on web-
based solutions such as evaluating the suitability of public
versus private cloud solutions, particularly in combination with
enterprise-based smartphone and tablet PC applications.
EqUIPMENT
Unified communication installations, including the following servicesn Voice and video conferencingn Presence and instant messagingn Application and desktop sharingn Mobile UC integration
Mobile end-user devicesn Mobile integration concepts in UC environments, IP / PBS systems
and web collaboration solutions
SERVICES
Usability and interoperability testsn Evaluation of system constellationsn UC operation conceptsn Mobile UC integration
Evaluation of information securityn Distributed communication systemsn Hosted web collaborationn Mobile integration in various communication environments
Customer-specific solutionsn Development and evaluation of UC integration conceptsn Development and adaptation of specific portal solutions, e. g.
invoice portal and applicant portal
Reference installation for the Fraunhofer-wide communication platformn Usability and performance testsn Evaluation of new features
Fraunhofer ESK Annual Report 2011/201226
Fraunhofer ESK operates a comprehensive DSL & Access Test
Lab that can be used to analyze and test a wide range of
telecommunication network components, services and new
solutions ranging from end-user devices – such as telephones,
PCs and set top boxes – to IADs, modems, subscriber line
connections, access and aggregation networks and servers for
video, voice and data services.
The test activities focus on the interoperability and perform-
ance of DSL systems, in addition to spectral compatibility and
the introduction of new capabilities.
The lab achieves real conditions by operating its own cable
farm that combines different telecommunication cables. In
parallel, the telephone wiring structure of a four-story dwell-
ing with 16 residents can be simulated to take into account
the specific conditions of the in-house segment of a network.
Apart from verifying telecommunication network parameters
and functions, researchers are also examining various sub-
systems with an eye toward enhancing them with additional
components and tests.
In order to streamline its test activities, the lab created a com-
prehensive automated test environment.
Current projects include testing and measuring energy
consumption in access networks and working on solutions
for improving their range.
dsL & ACCEss TEsT LAbEqUIPMENT
Line simulators/Noise generators for DSL systems VDSL2, ADSL2+
and SHDSL in line with ETSI, ANSI and Broadband Forum requirements
Line test network consisting of a 6-kilometer access and in-house
test network and various line types
Measurement station for powerline communication systems
consisting of a test network and measurement station for powerline
communication (PLC) and G.hn transmission systems
DSLAM Siemensn HiX 5630 (M600): VDSL2, ADSL2+n HiX 5300 (M200): ADSL, ADSL2, ADSL2+, SHDSLn XPress Link 2.1 (Mini DSLAM): ADSL (Annex A/B), SHDSLn Multiservice access platform (MSAP): ADSL, ISDN, POTS, SHDSL
DSLAM Alcateln 7300 ASAM DSLAM: ADSL (Annex A and B), ADSL2+ (MultiDSL),
SHDSL
DSLAM Zyxeln VES1608: VDSL2
Aggregation network consisting of Ethernet/ATM switches and access routersn Cisco CATALYST 3750 n Juniper ERX 700 access routern Extreme Summit 48xi n XPress Pass 36144 ATM switchn Extreme Summit X450a n Siemens CMX-II voice gateway
Data, voice and video servers
Test and measurement equipmentn Vector signal/network/spectrum/impedance analyzersn PC-based data/load generators and analyzersn Ethernet test systems (Spirent Smartbits, IXIA Chariot)n DSL and ISDN testern Bit error rate testern Ethernet and ATM protocol testern ATM tester for Utopia interfacesn Energy measurement instrument and power measurement instrument
Powerline communication (PLC) tests and measurement environmentn Powerline networkn Test and measurement station for PLC und G.hn
Fraunhofer ESK Annual Report 2011/2012 27
AUTOmOTIvE bUsINEss UNIT
the information during the entire development process, from
specification and testing to commissioning.
Research spheres and results
To satisfy the consumer’s desire for safety, efficiency, comfort
and flexibility, future vehicles will feature a high level of seam-
less network connectivity. With this background, Fraunhofer
ESK is examining technologies and methods in a wide range
of areas including:n Efficient automotive system technologies, from networks
to middleware systemsn Vehicle-to-environment networking for traffic efficiency/
safety and infotainment applicationsn Design methods for automotive applications in complex,
adaptive environments
By carrying out research into new technologies, methods and
models, the Automotive business unit supports automobile
manufacturers and suppliers in the areas of ECU development,
new in-vehicle communication technology design and vehicle-
When drivers are asked what they expect from
vehicles in the future, the most common response
is safety, followed by efficiency, comfort and
flexibility. From a technology standpoint, this translates into a
demand for increased networking capability, both within the
vehicle and with its environment. Today’s vehicles are evolving
into a progressively complex network of systems with differ-
ent requirements, be it reliability or quality. Particularly in the
field of electromobility, the challenge is designing solutions
to support state-of-the-art communication architectures
for new vehicles and operating concepts. Future vehicles will
be extensively networked with the environment in order to
support new services and driver assistance functions. As the
level of networking and number of new applications grows,
both internal and external communication requirements
will become even more complex, a trend that will spur the
creation of new software architectures and integrated and
continuous development processes. This will result in new
approaches that enable the abstract description of functional
and non-functional characteristics and allow engineers to use
Business Unit Manager
Dr.-Ing. Dirk Eilers
Phone: +49 89 54 70 88-329
to-environment networking. To transfer these new technolo-
gies and methods into standards, this business unit actively
participates in groups such as AUTOSAR, GENIVI and the CAR
2 CAR Communication Consortium.
Research focus
The Automotive Networks research group focuses its activities
on state-of-the-art networking technologies. The objective
is to simplify the domain-wide communication of vehicle
functions through software architectures built on Ethernet
and IP technologies. In the field of electromobility, which is
characterized by software-controlled, highly-decentralized
E-vehicle drive trains, this group is examining concepts for
safe and energy-efficient communication architectures for the
electrical/electronics (E/E) systems. The efficient utilization of
multicore and real-time systems is also being analyzed.
The Automotive Connectivity research group is developing
its own Car-to-X framework designed to integrate driver
assistance systems by relying on communication and sensor
data. The research activities focus on adaptive service plat-
forms and platforms for data aggregation and data merging
for driver assistance systems. Researchers are also looking at
data management systems to support end-to-end (home-to-
vehicle) infotainment network infrastructures.
The Automotive Software research group is actively engaged
in the area of model-based software development, new
architecture designs and tool platforms. The research empha-
sizes model-based tools and toolchains for integrated and
contin uous development and testing, as well as methods for
adapting the ECU network to dynamic driving situations while
taking into account non-functional requirements.
Research Groups
n Automotive Networksn Automotive Connectivityn Automotive Software
REsEARCh gROUP AUTOmOTIvE NETwORKs
The Automotive Networks research group is active in
the field of vehicle communication infrastructures.
To facilitate communication between the electronic
control units (ECU), modern vehicles rely on network systems
such as FlexRay, MOST and Ethernet. In order to simplify
software development and increase the reusability of the
software, indus try is moving more towards the use of
transport protocols such as TCP/IP and IP-based middleware
solutions. The goal of the research group is to support these
trends while working to develop systems for the fast, secure
and energy-efficient transmission and processing of vehicle
data. The Automotive Networks research group targets OEMs
and suppliers in offering a wide range of services such as parti-
cipation in standards committees, prototype-based feasibility
testing, ECU integration and the standards-compliant valida-
tion of communication software. The group focuses its core
technologies and research activities on real-time-capable
run time environments from operating systems and middleware
applications to conventional network technologies.
IP and Ethernet
In an effort to open up new network technologies and proto-
cols for use in automotive systems, special measurement and
test platforms are created. These systems form the foundation
for analyzing and eventually integrating new technologies into
the vehicle. The Automotive Networks research group supports
these activities with a comprehensive test suite designed to
test the conformity of TCP/IP implementations. By incorporating
support for AUTOSAR, IPv4, IPv6 and other special automotive
system requirements, Fraunhofer ESK laid the cornerstone for
systematic testing of vehicle communication technologies.
Infotainment and GENIVI
Validating communication behavior requires analyzing and
enhancing the operating systems and middleware applications
with respect to their communication properties and how the
resources are administered. The primary focus here is in the
area of infotainment applications. These efforts are underscored
by membership in the GENIVI alliance with Dr.-Ing. Dirk Eilers,
head of the Automotive business unit, who represents the
Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft within the GENIVI alliance. One of the
key research efforts is the deployment of virtualization techno-
logies while simultaneously running real-time and non-real-time
applications together on multicore processors.
Electromobility
Electric vehicles represent an important field of application for
the Automotive Networks research group. E-vehicle software
developers are now facing new challenges given the inevitable
increase in the degree of electrification and thus the greater
number of x-by-wire functions. In light of this background, the
Automotive Networks group is examining E/E-architectures
suitable for future E-vehicles with an emphasis on high levels
of safety, flexibility and energy-efficiency. While augmenting
their knowledge in the area of E-vehicles, the researchers have
also brought their own know-how to the Fraunhofer-Electro-
mobility Alliance, a joint effort that has produced two E-vehicle
prototypes referred to as Frecc0 1.0 and 2.0.
Prototyping with ARTiS
The second-generation ARTiS-XT is a versatile prototyping
platform with integrated power management, allowing it to be
utilized directly in the test vehicle. Unlike its predecessor, ARTiS-
XT has a main processor equipped with a GPU to support 3D
and HD video. The well-known automotive controller, which
features interfaces for MOST, Ethernet, CAN and FlexRay, remains
an integral part of the platform. Fraunhofer ESK offers exten-
sive know-how related to bus systems, communication proto-
cols, conformity testing and real-time operating systems. With
state-of-the-art platforms like ARTiS-XT, prototyping represents
another key element of the services spectrum. The tools and
services are designed to support automobile manufacturers
and suppliers during research and pre-production in the
areas of E/E-architectures, infotainment and driver assistance.
Fraunhofer ESK Annual Report 2011/201230
RELIAbLE ELECTROmObILITy wITh FRAUNhOFER !
as high risk when operating multiple-motor drive trains. They
initially pinpointed the potential dangers and evaluated the
associated risks according to three criteria:
n severity of the software malfunctionn how often driving situations occur in which this malfunction
is dangerousn degree to which the driver can compensate when the mal-
function occurs
These evaluation criteria originated from ISO 26262, a new
standard for the functional safety of road vehicles. Vehicle
manufacturers and suppliers will be required to comply with
this standard when developing products that perform safety-
critical functions.
Fraunhofer ESK developed its safety concept for electrical
vehicles is leaned to this standard. The goal is to make the
e-car driving experience just as safe as what we have come to
expect from conventional automobiles.
Modular E/E architecture
Frecc0 has a modular electronics system that makes it possi-
ble to reuse existing components, exchange components and
integrate new components. This requires precisely adapting
the component interfaces and the way they communicate
with one another. To do this, the Fraunhofer ESK researchers
developed a model-based simulation environment for the Frecc0
that is based on Matlab/Simulink. This platform replicates the
interaction of the components, as well as the state manage-
ment, enabling verification of the functionality of the ECU
concept at an early stage.
Through the joint project entitled “Fraunhofer System
Research for Electromobility (FSEM)”, engineers devel-
oped two roadworthy, fully-electric prototype vehicles.
Fraunhofer ESK contributed by providing its know-how in the
field of automotive E/E-architectures during the planning and
implementation of both “Fraunhofer E-concept cars type 0”,
also known as Frecc0.
Because e-vehicles rely more heavily on electronics to manage
safety-critical functions, researchers focused on the functional
safety of the vehicle’s system. The Frecc0 E/E-architecture
design is based on detailed hazard analysis and risk assessment
and was verified by simulations. At the heart of the vehicle’s
management system is a central electronic control unit (CECU)
developed by Fraunhofer ESK. The CECU manages the vehicle
status and calculates the torques of the motors. To ensure
the right calculations, the CECU and the entire system were
developed with a special safety concept.
Frecc0 serves as a modular test platform that enables
detailed examination and optimization of the interaction of
the individual components within the entire system of the
electric vehicle.
Functional safety
Electric vehicles not only run on a different type of “fuel”.
The entire architecture is unlike those found in cars with
conventional combustion engines. Frecc0 is equipped with
two electric motors that independently drive the two rear
wheels. This simplifies the design while increasing the driving
dynamics. The operation of several distributed motors means
automobile manufacturers face completely new challenges
however. One of the key issues is ensuring the wheels always
rotate with the same force and in the same direction. Since
the distributed motors are completely software-controlled,
unexpected acceleration or braking triggered by malfunction-
ing software must be prevented. Researchers designed a
safety concept to address these issues, which they identified
Fraunhofer ESK Annual Report 2011/201232
platform ARTiS, can be programmed with Matlab/Simulink
models among others. Therefore offers the flexibility to be
adapted and expanded.
Apart from Frecc0-specific issues such as replacing the me chan i-
cal braking system with the deceleration opportunities afforded
by the electric motor, totally new aspects related to electro-
mobility can now be jointly addressed with industry partners.
The project is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Edu-
cation and Research.
Central ECU
The central ECU (CECU) developed by Fraunhofer ESK assumes
the job of managing all of the vehicle control functions in the
Frecc0. The software for the CECU was developed using the
simulation models as a basis. The CECU interprets and imple-
ments the driver’s wish through the vehicle’s drive train control.
It takes over the state management function, calculates the
torques for the motors, acts as a gateway to the vehicle and
controls most of the ancillary components. This complex range
of tasks illustrates the extent to which the CECU is responsible
for safety-critical functions.
To ensure the highest degree of safety, the CECU consists
of a primary and control processor. The control processor
determines the plausibility of the primary processor calcula-
tions and can thus prevent other components from executing
with faulty values. Should a critical malfunction still occur, the
CECU transfers the components and the vehicle to a safe state
and notifies the driver.
The central ECU transmits the vehicle data to the digital
instrument cluster, which was also developed by Fraunhofer
ESK, and visually displays the information to the driver.
Outlook
Future vehicle architectures will be able to benefit from the
advantages of distributed drive trains. With this project,
researchers have addressed the initial hurdles associated with
the implementation of E/E-architectures and safety concepts
in electric vehicles. They have also expanded their know-how
with key knowledge specific to electric vehicles.
Both of the Frecc0 vehicles are available as research platforms
for integration and testing activities. The modular design of the
test platforms allows newly-developed components to be easily
integrated into the system and then directly tested. The CECU,
which is based on the Fraunhofer ESK embedded prototyping
Falk Langer
Phone: +49 89 547088-327
Patrick Heinrich
Phone: +49 89 547088-383
Fraunhofer ESK Annual Report 2011/2012 33
COmmON INTERFACEs FOR INFOTAINmENT APPLICATIONs
if the format has been standardized. Researchers precisely
defined and evaluated these criteria. To analyze the IPC
mechanisms, a detailed test plan containing specific test
scenarios was developed for a wide range of mechanisms.
Engineers at Fraunhofer ESK then carried out the tests on
an embedded platform under near-real conditions.
The test showed that combining the D-Bus as an IPC mecha-
nism with the D-Bus specification as the preferred input format
goes a long way in fulfilling the requirements established by
the project partners.
End-to-end development process
The objective was among others to demonstrate an end-to-
end development process based on the selected mechanisms.
The process was also designed to enable the utilization of
other IDLs. To do this, researchers designed an Eclipse-based
toolchain that supports the description of various IDLs. The
toolchain converts the input models of each description
language into a centralized model based on FIBEX, a data ex-
change standard used by the automotive industry. The model
then generates source code interfaces in a common target
language (C++). This allows suppliers to easily integrate the
generated interfaces into their own programs without having
to deal directly with the underlying IPC mechanism.
A wide range of programs for navigation, multimedia and
driver assistance applications run on an automobile’s
infotainment head unit. The infotainment system is
tasked with processing and displaying various information for
the driver and then making it usable. Reliable communication
between the programs requires the development of clearly
defined information interfaces.
To date there has been no common interface description
language (IDL) and no well-established, common transmission
mechanism for interprocess communication (IPC) that trans-
mits the information at runtime.
The GENIVI Alliance, which is striving to create an open source
development platform for in-vehicle infotainment, has chosen
D-Bus as an IPC method. Apart from D-Bus, many applications
also rely on the MOST protocol for transmitting data between
local programs.
On behalf of the R & D arm of BMW (BMW Forschung und
Technik GmbH), Fraunhofer ESK is carrying out research to
create a common IDL in order to unify the various methods for
developers. Researchers have examined different IPC methods
with the aim of simplifying the development of the head units
and ensuring the compatibility of future IDLs.
Specifying a common method
Ensuring effective and reliable communication between the
head unit components requires IPC mechanisms and IDLs that
are fully aligned with one another. They must also meet cor-
responding criteria in order to simplify the development and
integration of new components for suppliers and automobile
manufacturers. This results in components that are less
error-prone. The criteria include the functional scope of the
IDL and the availability and licensing rights for using tools such
as editors and code generators, in addition to determining
Fraunhofer ESK Annual Report 2011/201234
Migrating existing components
Complex systems such as automotive man-machine inter-
faces contain many components that often use different IPC
mechanisms and IDLs because there is currently no standard
in this area. So that existing components can continue to be
used instead of developing new ones, researchers created a
migration scenario that involves swapping out the underly-
ing IPC mechanism without changing the source code of the
software components.
Outlook
The interface design method that grew out of the project,
including the integration of the interfaces, is suitable for
more than just the head unit internal communication. It
has utility in other areas as well. The research revealed that
the design of the interfaces has a significant impact on the
performance of the applications. This is relevant not only
for communication within the head unit, but also for the
use of any other information interface. For this reason, the
interface design method also plays a role in other projects
such as connecting external devices and components to the
head unit.
The new architecture significantly simplifies the software
development process for infotainment components and the
associated collaboration with automotive suppliers.
IDLs can now be exchanged in a defined description language.
In addition, a model-generated, common C++ interface can
be used during programming.
Another upside is the capability to incorporate existing applica-
tions into new products without extensive changes, stream-
lining both the effort and costs. Because new input and output
formats can be added at any time, the toolchain structure also
makes the associated applications future-proof.
Falk Langer
Phone: +49 89 547088-327
Daniel Engelhardt
Phone: +49 89 547088-337
Fraunhofer ESK Annual Report 2011/2012 35
REsEARCh gROUP AUTOmOTIvE CONNECTIvITy
The concepts are evaluated in a simulation environment,
allowing researchers to reliably predict how they can be
deployed on a larger scale. The approaches are also imple-
mented within a Fraunhofer ESK C2X software framework,
which features a prototyping platform for testing under real
conditions.
Ensuring interoperability of the entire system requires
standardization of the communication protocols. Fraunhofer
ESK is involved in this process through its participation in
the CAR 2 CAR Communication Consortium.
End-to-end infotainment networking
The trend toward global networking and unlimited mobility
is also reflected in the way communication users behave.
Future services will be optimally adapted to the respective
environment and the available technology through transpar-
ent, around-the-clock access, regardless of location and
device. With this in mind, concepts are being developed for
synchronizing device, user and dynamic media profiles on
an ad hoc or cloud basis. By combining this technology with
the self-description of the devices and services, as well as
open interface designs, researchers are moving a step closer
towards seamless integration of multimedia services and
social networks in the vehicle, and thus a seamless end-to-
end entertainment experience.
Target groups
The Automotive Connectivity research group conducts
research into concepts and algorithms that will one day lead
to the safe and convenient implementation of active safety,
traffic optimization and seamless infotainment services. By
collaborating with the automobile industry, road network
operators, information service providers and end-user device
manufacturers, researchers are building the foundation for
the creation of reliable, cooperative driver assistance systems
and seamless infotainment networking.
Today’s global networking trends have long played a role
in automotive systems. The Automotive Connectivity
research group is active in the field of vehicle commu-
nication, examining solutions that improve safety and increase
comfort while contributing to efficient multimodal mobility.
This includes networking the vehicle with its environment, as
well as the seamless integration of mobile end-user devices
and services.
Cooperative driver assistance systems
One of the more promising applications in this field involves
networking vehicles and their driver assistance systems to
one another and to their environments with the goal of
reducing the number of traffic accidents. Depending on the
application, researchers develop corresponding communica-
tion architectures for heterogeneous networks that are made
up of vehicles, roadside infrastructure elements and backend
systems.
Today’s vehicles already contain various sensors capable of
recognizing driving situations at short range. However, the
creation of a reliable, local dynamic map is only possible
through the active exchange of information between vehicles
and their environments, also known as Car-to-X Communica-
tion (C2X). The map provides an extensive interpretation of the
driving situation and also expands the driver’s vision, making it
possible to develop new applications such as cooperative driver
assistance systems and semi-autonomous driving. This has led
to research into algorithms for merging sensor information with
C2X data. The resulting local dynamic map is made available as
a database to all of the applications.
The large amount of traffic and the vast tides of information
that it creates requires local filtering of the information. To
address this issue researchers are developing algorithms for
adaptive aggregation and forwarding of the data, allowing
the communication system to optimally adjust to the current
conditions.
Fraunhofer ESK Annual Report 2011/201236
PREdICTIvE FRONT LIghTINg
to control the headlight system can then be optimized with
the aid of situation descriptions stored in a database.
Expanding the field of view through communication
Because they have a limited field of view, by the time the current
vehicle sensors detect oncoming traffic coming around a curve
or heading over a crest, it is too late to adjust the headlights to
prevent drivers from being blinded. Wireless communication
between the vehicles helps minimize this risk. Furthermore,
special infrastructure elements that deliver information on tem-
porary road works or blind stretches of road, allow the system
to provide the driver with timely danger warnings.
Fraunhofer ESK contributed to the solution by developing a
Car-to-X (C2X) communication module that enables the vehicle
to control the headlights by factoring in the supplementary
road information.
A striking number of automobile accidents occur at night
or during the twilight hours. To improve driving safety,
even when visibility is poor, manufacturers are making
increasing use of adaptive front lighting systems (AFS) includ-
ing improved lighting for cornering or automatic high beam
control. Conventional AFS technology only analyzes the current
driving situation. The next generation attempts to “look into
the future” by detecting potential danger spots and oncoming
traffic early enough and illuminating the road accordingly. As
project coordinator, Fraunhofer ESK is working with teams from
AUDI AG and DELVIS GmbH to develop ways to control vehicle
headlights based on NAVTEQ digital map data, road attributes
and vehicle-to-vehicle communication.
Local ambient detection and digital maps
The foundation of predictive headlight control is the ability to
precisely judge the current driving situation. In order to ana-
lyze the current and future
vehicle position, information
must be collected from the
GPS, steering and accelera-
tion sensors and digital maps.
Cameras or radar sensors
provide additional informa-
tion on the surroundings by
detecting objects and other
vehicles within their range.
The problem is that this data
is often incomplete or self-
conflicting. To address this
issue, Fraunhofer ESK devel-
oped a data fusion module
that merges the pre-filtered
information into a common
context to derive a precise
analysis of the current driving
situation. Decisions about how
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Optimal adjustment of the headlights requires processing and analyzing various ambient data in real-time.
Fraunhofer ESK Annual Report 2011/201238
data, important decisions regarding energy management and
drive train systems in electric vehicles can be fully automated
in a reliable manner.
The project is supported through a grant from the Bavarian
Ministry of Economic Affairs, Infrastructure, Transport and
Technology.
Prototype and field tests
In order to evaluate the new concept, researchers integrated
all of the components into a test vehicle, including headlight
prototypes, data fusion module and the C2X communication
module. A vast amount of data was initially collected over
predefined test routes. This information was then used in
an offline simulator to analyze and enhance the ability of the
system to anticipate the driving route and situation. A final
field test is designed to demonstrate if, and to what extent,
the predictive headlight control contributes to driver safety
and comfort.
Safe and efficient road illumination
The AFS takes full control of the road illumination so that
the driver is not distracted from the road traffic. The driver’s
own lane and important roadside objects such as traffic
signs are optimally illuminated while taking into account
other vehicles. Blinding headlights can be avoided through
the timely detection of other vehicles. Unnecessary illumina-
tion of areas beyond the edge of the road is also prevented.
Many of today’s vehicles are already equipped with the
sensors needed for data fusion. It is easy to imagine that the
networking technology will be in place within a few years.
This will allow developers to quickly and easily re-apply the
results of their research without creating additional costs for
manufacturers and car owners.
The path to collaborative assistance systems
Vehicle-to-vehicle communication is one of the basic corner-
stones of collaborative systems in the areas of driver assist-
ance and active safety. This project clearly illustrates how
headlight technologies can benefit from the exchange of
information between vehicles on the road. The acquired ex-
pertise in the area of data fusion is also essential for research
into other technologies such as energy-optimized and auto-
nomous driving. By relying on merged sensor and ambient
Torsten Steiner
Phone: +49 89 547088-330
Karsten Roscher
Phone: +49 89 547088-349
Fraunhofer ESK Annual Report 2011/2012 39
ENERgy mANAgEmENT COmmUNICATION FOR ELECTRIC vEhICLEs
battery’s operating range, intelligent distance management
comes into play. This involves factoring in not only the posi-
tion of charging stations in the navigation route while under-
way, but displaying other parameters such as the availability
of a quick-charge option or ways to pass the time while the
battery is charging (i.e. restaurants, shopping).
Information exchange before, during and after
charging
In every single scenario, the exchange of information between
the electric vehicle and the power grid significantly simplifies
the charging process while saving energy and money. Fraun-
hofer ESK’s participation in the project involves developing the
required interfaces. To ensure a timely charging process, the
system requires information regarding the available charging
stations within the calculated driving range. Determining the
To ensure sustainable energy management, many re-
search projects are working towards developing today’s
power grid into a Smart Grid. Enhancing the power
grid with communication technologies will enable intelligent
management of the generation, transport and consumption
of electricity. One of the most frequently-discussed applica-
tions is electromobility, a technology in which electric vehicles
act as intelligent consumers and charging stations serve as an
interface to the Smart Grid. In the Smart Vehicle-to-Grid Inter-
face Project (SmartV2G), Fraunhofer ESK is working together
with European partners from Spain (Instituto Tecnológico de
la Energía (ITE) and CIT Development S. L.), Slovenia (Etrel and
Elektro Ljubljana d. d.), Italy (Sapienza Universita di Roma) and
Germany (Technomar GmbH) to develop the communication
interfaces required for accessing the Smart Grid.
New charging scenarios
With battery operating
ranges that are limited at the
moment, new situations are
arising that call for a variety
of charging alternatives for
e-vehicles. For the daily com-
mute to work, the time that
an electric vehicle sits idle in
the company parking lot or
garage is usually sufficient to
charge the battery. This time
span can be determined via
load management, or so-
called demand-side manage-
ment. With shorter stops,
such as at the super market,
drivers can take advantage
of the idle periods to charge
the vehicle if the parking
lot is equipped with charg-
ing stations. To handle long
distances that exceed the
Smart chargingstation
Smart gridbackend
E-vehicle
Smart chargingstation
Energy DataE-vehicle
The use of smart grids in the field of electromobility calls for the development of new communication
interfaces.
Fraunhofer ESK Annual Report 2011/201240
communication infrastructure. Mobile technologies such
as UMTS and LTE are also being examined in addition to an
evaluation of various hybrid approaches.
Next steps
Fraunhofer ESK’s participation in the project, which involves
researching the communication interfaces that will enable inte-
gration of electric vehicles into the Smart Grid, is expected to
last until the middle of 2014. The plan is to have the partners,
an energy provider and a manufacturer of intelligent charg-
ing stations, evaluate the interfaces and the integration of the
Smart Grid services into existing products. The project is being
jointly managed by the Automotive and Industrial Commu-
nication business units, with the tasks distributed according
to expertise in the field of wired and wireless communication
technologies.
The project is being funded by the European Commission under
the framework of the European Union’s Seventh Framework
Programm (FP7).
optimal charging station requires static information such as
location, opening hours, existing charging options, payment
methods or a detailed map showing how to get there. Highly
dynamic information is also relevant for an optimal charging
process. This includes the number of available parking spots,
waiting time forecasts and real-time energy prices as well as
a reservation process. While driving to a specific charging
station, the system could also choose preset options that are
tied to a user ID. Data exchange is also necessary to carry out
user authentication and to complete the billing for the pur-
chased electricity. The system should be designed so that users
can input the required information by means of in-vehicle
control elements, smartphones or a touch screen installed on
the charging station.
Communication interfaces specification
There is a wide range of components involved in supplying a
Smart Grid with energy and information. This includes wired
and wireless communication between electric vehicles and
charging stations. Some of the wireless interface functions
are currently being specified by the European Telecommunica-
tions Standards Institute (ETSI) in the area of intelligent traffic
systems and are categorized as “Electric Vehicle Charging
Spot Notification”. To support wired communication via the
charging cable, the system will rely on powerline technology.
In order to carry out decentralized distribution of the load,
the charging stations must be able to communicate with
one another. For energy management and eventually for
the integration of a centralized energy provider control and
monitoring system, communication from the electric vehicles
and charging stations to the Smart Grid backend must be also
enabled. Apart from creating a specification for the commu ni-
cation protocols, the selection of a suitable networking tech-
nology is an important aspect, bearing in mind the limited
transmission range and QoS parameters. One of the techno-
logies under consideration is the new IEEE 802.11p standard,
including the European profile ITS-G5 for local wireless com-
munication between vehicles and road side units (RSU) in the
Dominique Seydel
Phone: +49 89 547088-363
Josef Jiru
Phone: +49 89 547088-379
Fraunhofer ESK Annual Report 2011/2012 41
REsEARCh gROUP AUTOmOTIvE sOFTwARE
With this in mind, the Fraunhofer ESK researchers utilize
various languages for the architecture and domain-specific
description when creating the models. They also draw on
in-house developed, open-source and commercial frame-
works for the development-phase validation, from modeling
to series code generation and testing. The Automotive
Software research group develops complete tool platforms
or enhances existing tools by integrating new ones or creat-
ing complete toolchains. The utilization of integrated tool
frameworks such as Eclipse-based platforms leads to more
efficient design methods for standard software architectures
such as AUTOSAR, GENIVI or EAST-ADL.
Services
In order to put new software development methods into
practice, Fraunhofer ESK conducts joint research and works
together with automobile manufacturers during pre-series
produc tion and development of the electronics. The institute
also cooperates with automotive suppliers and tool manufac-
turers to create automobile-specific development tools. Apart
from its development-based R & D activities, Fraunhofer ESK
also participates in national and international research projects.
The group focuses issues such as:
n Tool platform, tool integration methods
and developmentn Model-driven design methods and analysesn Virtual integration (for early-stage iterative
simulation for instance)n Test methods for validating functional and
non-functional characteristics
By offering model-based design methods and analyses as well
as software architectures and tools, the Automotive Software
research group helps customers streamlining the development
of existing and future automotive software.
The fundamental challenge in developing automotive
software is to ensure quality, efficiency and safety in an
increasingly complex environment. Dealing effectively
with the future demands of automotive software develop-
ment requires taking the new methods developed through
research and putting them into practice in industry. The
Automotive Software research group addresses this issue by
creating open toolchains and platforms for the model-based
design and analysis of distributed automotive software.
Model-based design methods and analysis
To guarantee automotive software quality, developers must
ensure that even non-functional requirements, such as re-
sponse time behavior, are adhered to on the target platform.
The utilization of model-driven simulation and analysis tech-
nologies such as virtual integration and executable models
enables the validation of automobile software functionality
during the early stages of the design process. The creation
and automated testing of modeling guidelines allows a high
level of model quality to be maintained during the design
process. Methods are also being examined to support the
early-stage validation of specifications using model-based
approaches like model-in-the-loop. They range from the
modeling of individual systems to comprehensive Systems-
of-Systems such as Intelligent Transportation Systems. For this
purpose the Fraunhofer ESK researchers use the institute’s
own DynaSim framework for simulating and analyzing both
complex and adaptive automotive systems. One of the main
areas of focus is the development of model-based processes
and methods to support the increasingly adaptive behavior of
the electronic control unit (ECU) network.
Software architectures and tools
As software-based automotive applications become more
complex and networked together, the associated distributed
software platforms and tool platforms are becoming increas-
ingly important.
Fraunhofer ESK Annual Report 2011/201242
ENsURINg sOFTwARE RELIAbILITy
and SysML. The language is designed to be suitable for the
domain-wide modeling of non-functional properties. The
Fraunhofer ESK researchers are focusing on the modeling of
the timing behavior. The description of the timing behavior
follows the AUTOSAR architecture and allows the model to be
created during the early stages of component design. Because
the non-functional properties are defined by the respective
domain experts, the researchers implemented a so-called
“model view” concept. The modeling tool limits the view of
the model to a specific aspect, thus restricting the modeling
and editing capability to certain information. Other informa-
tion can be accessed on a read-only basis. This approach helps
developers cope with increasingly complex models.
Analysis and simulation
In order to guarantee at an early stage that non-functional
properties are maintained at runtime, analyses must be per-
formed to determine if the specifications are being adhered
to. Apart from static processes for evaluating reliability and
timing behavior, other data and runtime results derived from
the simulations also flow back into the model. This process
is carried out using the DynaSim simulation framework devel-
oped by Fraunhofer ESK, which also permits the replication
of adaptive functional behavior.
An increasing number of functions in modern automobiles
are software-based. This requires electronic control
units (luxury segment vehicles can have as many
as 80) that communicate with one another to ensure proper
vehicle functionality. As the degree of networking within
the vehicle grows, so does the complexity of the software
development. That means manufacturers are facing new chal-
lenges. This trend has shed further light on the importance
of non-functional aspects during software development, in
particular reliability and timing behavior. Existing develop-
ment solutions unfortunately fail to adequately address these
requirements.
As part of the CHESS project funded by the EU, the Fraunhofer
ESK researchers are working with European partners from the
automotive, telecommunications, rail and space industries to
develop domain-wide software development solutions for em-
bedded systems that can be used by industry. In order to deal
with this growing complexity, the project team is combining
component-based technologies with model-driven software
development methods.
Software with guarantees
The goal of this joint project is adherence to defined require-
ments when developing software components to ensure a
guaranteed level of service. All of the relevant functional and
non-functional properties of a software component have to
be modeled and then preserved at runtime. This requires an
end-to-end development process beginning at the very early
stages of architecture design and stretching to code genera-
tion and execution.
Modeling non-functional properties
Existing modeling languages do not adequately support the
description of non-functional properties. For this reason, the
CHESS project is specifying a modeling language based on the
concepts and artifacts of existing languages such as MARTE
Fraunhofer ESK Annual Report 2011/20124 4
Outlook
The integration of the analysis methods into the modeling
environment, plus the results of the CHESS project which are
expected to be available by early 2012, will permit the early
detection of software errors, leading to lower development
costs with embedded software systems. Fraunhofer ESK will
use the derived know-how to support project partners and
customers in implementing these development methods for
the early-phase modeling and validation of non-functional
properties in production environments.
The project is funded by the ARTEMIS Joint Undertaking
Programme and the German Federal Ministry of Education and
Research.
Automobile domain
The method developed under the framework of the CHESS
project will be deployed in various industry domains. The
Fraunhofer ESK researchers are focusing on the utilization for
the automobile industry. This involves among other things the
development of a model transformation that converts an exist-
ing CHESS model into an EAST-ADL2 model, an architecture
description language used by the automobile industry. This
transformation represents the foundation for application of
the development method in the automobile sector and also for
generating AUTOSAR modules.
The modules will be executed in a real-time-capable Linux
environ ment. To achieve this, the runtime environment pro-
vides AUTOSAR operating system functions. Non-functional
properties that cannot be statically verified in the design will
be monitored in the runtime environment.
Reliable software
The primary aim of the CHESS joint project is integrating the
modeling of the non-functional properties into the domain-
wide, component-based development method. The participat-
ing researchers specified the CHESS modeling language and
then researched and developed a toolchain that supports the
modeling as well as the analysis of non-functional properties.
They also developed enhancements for the domain-specific
runtime environments for verifying the non-functional proper-
ties at runtime. One of the major cost factors is resolving design
flaws that are not detected until the later development phases.
The CHESS method allows such flaws to be identified and
resolved using analysis and simulation methods during the early
development stages when design modifications can still be
cost-effectively carried out. By taking into account non-func-
tional properties, combined with existing component-based
design approaches and model-based software development,
CHESS makes it possible to implement and integrate innovative
and complex, pre-validated functions in the automobile.
Alexander Stante
Phone: +49 89 547088-345
Benjamin Kamphausen
Phone: +49 89 547088-332
Fraunhofer ESK Annual Report 2011/2012 45
sEAmLEss mOdELINg ANd COdE gENERATION FOR EmbEddEd sysTEms
to special hardware. The more compact the runtime frame-
work, the easier it adapts to new hardware. The challenge for
framework developers is finding a balance between perform-
ance and adaptability. For this reason, prior to selecting a
runtime framework it pays to conduct a thorough analysis
that focuses on the hardware and how it will be used. The
factors that should be taken into account include processor
performance, available compilers and operating systems.
Designing software with the unified modeling language
(UML) has become a well-established method in a
broad range of applications. Although originally used
for graphical notation, since that time various tool developers
have been able to generate runtime-capable program code
from UML models. Using this type of program code in embed-
ded systems requires optimizing the efficiency of the generated
code and runtime environment. Model-based development
introduces other new issues related to hardware abstraction,
which can impact the reusability of the application models.
Together with AUDI AG, Fraunhofer ESK evaluated seam-
less modeling and code generation methods using the IBM
Rational Rhapsody embedded systems tool. Apart from
analyzing the various runtime environments, researchers took
a particularly close look at the different modeling alternatives.
The focus was finding a solution to the hardware abstraction
issue.
Modeling environment
Generating program code from UML models requires three
components: modeling tool, code generator and runtime
environment. The modeling tool depicts a model of the system
using graphical notation. The tool also frequently provides
UML extensions for configuring the code generator. The code
generator is tasked with generating the program code based
on the model and the configuration. In turn, the runtime
framework maps the modeling concepts to the corresponding
runtime components.
UML runtime framework analyses
Modeling tools and code generators typically leave little room
for application-specific enhancements. The Rhapsody tool that
was evaluated in this project offers only the choice between
C and C++ code generation for instance. In contrast, runtime
environments offer more alternatives that differ with respect
to performance, microcontroller support and how they adapt
Program code
Target platform
User model
Hardware abstraction Execution framework
The introduction of hardware abstraction increases the reusability
of application models.
Fraunhofer ESK Annual Report 2011/201246
Model-based toolchains
This project confirmed that UML-based development is well-
suited for embedded automotive systems. Future activities will
involve the development of end-to-end toolchains, including
the possibility to carry out early-phase, model-based analyses
that lead to a reliable and streamlined development process.
Fraunhofer ESK helps its customers to evaluate and develop
such model-based frameworks and put them into practice.
After an initial evaluation, the Fraunhofer ESK researchers
chose several different runtime frameworks for embedded
auto mobile systems for further analysis. To maintain qualita-
tive decision criteria, the frameworks were compared with
respect to performance characteristics such as runtime and
memory efficiency. Runtime efficiency was analyzed using
generated statecharts containing different numbers of states
and transitions. The primary basis for evaluating memory ef-
ficiency was the size of the framework and statechart code.
Hardware abstraction requirement
In order to reuse application models, the underlying hard-
ware must be abstracted. For example, the application
model should function regardless whether a switch that has
been activated is on the device or in the network. The evalua-
tion revealed that signals are particularly expressive abstract
mechanisms. The actual source of the signal is irrelevant for
the application model because the modeled components
are only expecting the predefined data type. This means the
dependencies between the hardware and the application
can be defined and separated.
Deploying UML code generation
In the joint project with AUDI AG, the Fraunhofer ESK re-
searchers demonstrated that existing UML tools and run time
frameworks can be used to design and generate code for
automotive embedded systems, although the specific require-
ments have to be examined in each case individualy.
The researchers also capitalized on their expertise in imple-
menting hardware abstractions in a prototype environment.
This allowed them to demonstrate the advantages of hardware
abstraction and implement various approaches. Separating the
application model from the underlying hardware allows the
models to be reused even if the system and hardware architec-
tures have undergone significant modifications. The result is a
more cost-efficient development process.
Gereon Weiß
Phone: +49 89 547088-348
Alexander Stante
Phone: +49 89 547088-345
Fraunhofer ESK Annual Report 2011/2012 47
INdUsTRIAL COmmUNICATION bUsINEss UNIT
Research spheres and results
The use of wireless communication for industrial applications
was a key area of research for this business unit in 2011.
In order to implement coexistence management in indus-
trial wireless environments, ESK researchers developed an
on-site, mobile measurement station that detects the wireless
spectrum and provides a striking 3 D display of the results.
Recognizing that many applications require interoperability,
another project involved enhancing a wireless technology with
Version 6 of the Internet protocol (IPv6). When implemented
in home automation systems, this technology eliminates the
need to install special hardware. The enhancement also per-
mits owners to manage the power outlets in their homes with
any IPv6-capable device.
ESK researchers also expanded their know-how in the field of
smart grid communication by working on powerline commu-
nication validation processes for smart metering applications.
They were also involved in the SMARTV2G project, which
In fields such as energy provision, security technologies,
automation systems and building engineering, the degree
of innovation depends to a large extent on new communica-
tion and software systems. A good example is the smart grid,
a concept that will become reality only with network compo-
nents that communicate via common protocols. With security
technologies, the issue of protecting critical infrastructures is
gaining importance. In manufacturing, the drive toward more
flexible and energy-efficient production facilities requires
automation systems that can more easily adapt to changing
conditions. And in the area of building engineering, the vision
of the networked and automated building is still prevalent.
Solving these issues requires more than standard approaches.
Instead, the solutions must address specific requirements
such as robustness, energy efficiency and the size of the
communication components. With this in mind, the Industrial
Communication business unit focuses its activities on com-
munication solutions and future standards that will satisfy the
unique demands of industrial applications.
Business Unit Manager
Mike Heidrich
Phone: +49 89 547088-377
aims to create a standardized IT infrastructure for charging
electric vehicles.
In the area of embedded multicore software development,
researchers introduced a software-based process for valida-
tion of the cache coherence, which simplifies the job of the
software engineer. In addition, ESK set up a development and
test environment for adaptive automation software, which
will be used to carry out research in the field of industrial
software over the coming years.
Research focus
Adaptive and cognitive transmission technologies hold the
key to the future of local wireless communication used in
industrial applications. In response, this business unit is
working to determine the feasibility of these new types of
wireless network interfaces. In the field of sensor networks,
ESK researchers are examining new energy-efficient connec-
tivity and media access protocols, as well as scalable routing
methods that lead to robust and energy-efficient systems.
Apart from the rise of wireless communication, powerline
communication is currently experiencing a renaissance in the
area of wired transmission methods. In this area the Indus-
trial Communication business unit is conducting research
into channel models and methods for optimizing high-speed
narrowband powerline transmissions, which play a major role
in data and control system communication. Researchers are
also working on highly-optimized, dynamic runtime architec-
tures for embedded multicore systems, as well as adaptive and
reconfigurable software architectures for embedded systems
used in industrial applications.
Research Groups
n Industrial Networksn Industrial Software
REsEARCh gROUP INdUsTRIAL NETwORKs
Modern communication systems are more than just
platforms for communication between two partici-
pants. They are also playing an important role in the
exchange of control and management data. This information
enables for example intelligent management in Smart Grids
for energy providers and consumers, supports smart metering
processes in building technologies and is also a vital element in
the manufacture of goods and products in the industrial envi-
ronment. As more and more manufacturing processes become
automated, the demands on communication are growing,
especially in industrial applications. While a high degree of net-
working ensures efficiency and flexibility, it also places more
demands on the exchange of data.
Consulting, development and prototyping
The Industrial Networks research group helps the institute’s
customers introduce new communication technologies and
resolve issues such as the energy-efficient, secure and reliable
transmission of process-relevant information, including control
and management data. The researchers specialize in the area
of intra-building communication and automation technologies
by focusing on state-of-the-art wireless technologies in which
the customer requirements determine the selection of the
technology. This also includes wired technologies and hybrid
solutions.
This group develops proprietary protocol stacks and enhances
existing ones with the aim of reducing power consumption in
wireless sensor networks and making the transmission more
robust while fulfilling real-time requirements at the same time.
Fraunhofer ESK addresses the growing demand on transmission
resources by conducting research into new system concepts
such as cognitive radio. Not satisfied with only improving well-
established solutions and developing new ideas, the researchers
set their sights on implementation. One example is the integra-
tion of cognitive radio technology into industrial environments,
which have unique communication requirements.
One of the other areas of interest is Smart Grid communication,
where Fraunhofer ESK researchers are working on sustainable
system concepts and the implementation of communication
solutions. The key fields of research in this area include not only
the associated transmission technologies such as Power line
Communication, but also software architectures and optimized
protocols.
The institute relies on various in-house developed tools and
its own software library to focus on the precise needs of the
customer using a streamlined approach. The combination of
integrated mobile user devices and web technologies enables
researchers to apply their solutions to a wide range of applica-
tions. These research activities stretch across various disciplines
ranging from system specifications and proof-of-concept to
the development of complete prototypes.
As a member of the Fraunhofer research network, Fraunhofer
ESK keeps constantly abreast of new technology developments
and standards. This information is shared with interested
companies and partners through publications, workshops and
trade fair exhibits.
Tailor-made solutions
The results of the institute’s research are suitable for imple-
mentation in the areas of building and security technology and
automation technology, as well as robotics, machine engineer-
ing and plant engineering. The energy industry and network
providers can also benefit from the results of this work. The
cooperation projects encompass service contracts for intro-
ducing and implementing new technologies and solutions to
the market in addition to collaborative research with industry.
Fraunhofer ESK offers its support and services to both small-
to-medium enterprises and large companies.
Fraunhofer ESK Annual Report 2011/201250
RELIAbLE wIRELEss COmmUNICATION
A vast percentage of today’s global data transmission
is wireless-based. Wireless transmission is also taking
on growing importance in industrial applications.
Particularly in the field of automation technology, the key
factors driving this growth are remote control, which is en-
sured through mobility and flexibility, as well as wireless and
unimpaired data transmission. There are nevertheless issues
to keep in mind when deploying wireless technology. Ensuring
a high level of reliability and availability is only possible by
professionally planning each and every wireless system. When
multiple systems simultaneously transmit at the same location
and on the same frequency, this can result in interference.
Keeping communication interference to a minimum requires
so-called coexistence management, a process that is typically
very complex. In order to simplify the regular coordination,
installation and management of wireless systems using this
process, Fraunhofer ESK researchers developed a small wire-
less measurement station.
Interference-free wireless communication through
coexistence management
Coexistence management, as outlined in the VDI/VDE 2185
guidelines (Association of German Engineers, Association for
Electrical, Electronic & Information Technologies) can minimize
system interference while meeting the requirements for com-
munication links in industrial environments. At a high level the
process can be divided into four steps:
1. Detecting all wireless systems according to:
– Location
– Frequency/channel bandwith
– Responsible party or department
– Duty cycle
– Requirements
2. Evaluating the current coexistence situation
3. Minimizing wireless interference
4. Regular monitoring of the first three steps
Coexistence management
measures the local wireless
environment in order to detect
all available wireless systems
and the various sources of
interference. The information
is used to analyze the current
coexistence situation and
minimize interference. This can
be addressed by changing the
operating frequency or adapt-
ing the transmission power for
instance. The process searches
for newly-installed systems
and performs the configura-
tion and installation according
to the requirements and the
current coexistence situation.
The system must carry out
periodic measurements during
Bluetooth
802.15.4
Frequency [GHz]
Po
we
r
Time
WLAN
Microwave
2.48
2.46
2.44
2.42
2.40
The ESK wireless measurement station renders wireless signals visible by revealing the available or
occupied frequencies.
Fraunhofer ESK Annual Report 2011/201252
systems offered by this tool creates the foundation for reliable
wireless communication.
The SDR-based technology makes it easy to expand the
measurement station. Apart from the pure spectrum analysis,
the tool can also perform demodulation and packet analysis to
uncover errors at the higher protocol levels. The coexistence
analysis can also run automatically in order to detect problems
before an outage occurs, adding yet another layer of reliability
to the wireless system.
operation to track whether any changes to the optimization
measures have taken place. Long-term measurements that can
detect sporadic interference sources are also essential.
ESK wireless measurement station simplifies
coexistence management
Because measurement instruments are costly and require a
specific level of know-how to operate and analyze, Fraun-
hofer ESK developed a measurement station that supports
coexistence management. At the heart of the instrument are
two software defined radios (SDR). SDR technology relies
solely on software to define and manage the transmit and
receive characteristics. That means all physical layer functions
are for the most part independent of the hardware and can
be flexibly reconfigured in the software.
The user interface features an easy-to-use graphical design.
The measurement results can be displayed in a three-
dimensional time-frequency domain, as a two-dimensional
waterfall diagram or as amplitude density distribution. A
detailed analysis of the coexistence situation is possible
while the measurements are still being carried out. An addi-
tional feature that is particularly well-suited for the channel
selection of a new system is the direct, statistical analysis of
the frequency occupancy. This is done through a bar graph
that shows the occupancy percentage of the 2.4 GHz band
in the 1 MHz raster. In addition to the real-time analysis of
the coexistence situation, the measurement results are also
stored on the hard drive, where they can be analyzed in
more detail at a later point using programs such as Octave
or Matlab.
Results and outlook
The wireless measurement station developed by Fraunhofer
ESK offers system operators a simple tool for carrying out
coexistence management. The simplified and professional
planning, installation and regular monitoring of all wireless
Günter Hildebrandt
Phone: +49 89 547088-354
Fraunhofer ESK Annual Report 2011/2012 53
smART wIRELEss POwER OUTLETs
for 6LoWPAN because this open-source and standardized
protocol features inherent IP capability. The advantage of IP-
based communication is its broad propagation, which means
standard devices such as smartphones, tablets and PCs can be
used. There is no need to purchase additional special hard-
ware, which is costly. Another benefit is that the HexaBus can
be connected to home routers, allowing users to query and
manage the wireless power outlet via the Internet even when
they are away from home.
Secure data transmission
To ensure secure wireless communication, the Fraunhofer
ESK researchers added Advanced Encryption Standard (AES)
128 encryption, a license-free method that encrypts the data
during transmission. This eliminates the risk of the “glass
consumer” and also wards off attacks from those who might
otherwise find a way to hack into the home automation
system.
To date, electrical outlets have been more or less a local
matter. In order to obtain a meter reading or activate
the flow of electricity, one had to be directly in front of
the outlet/meter, or at least in the vicinity. With the HexaBus
power outlet developed by Fraunhofer ITWM as part of
the “mySmartGrid” project funded by the German Federal
Ministry of Education and Research, consumers benefit from
a flexible plug-in receptacle integrated with IPv6-based wire-
less communication by Fraunhofer ESK researchers. Using
any IPv6-capable device, consumers can obtain actual meter
readings and switch the outlet on or off.
HexaBus power outlets allow tasks such as turning on the
washing machine before you get home by using IPv6-capable
devices like smartphones. The HexaBus home automation
system, which consists of a commercially-available router,
a USB stick and a wireless power outlet, was developed by
enhancing the Contiki operating system for integrated micro-
controllers. The result was a software-based application that
gives consumers intelligent,
location-independent and
secure remote control of any
household appliance plugged
into a power outlet. The USB
stick and power outlet hard-
ware was developed and
series-manufactured by the
German company embedded
brains GmbH.
HexaBus wireless
power outlet based on
IPv6 communication
The enhancement carried out
by Fraunhofer ESK enables
Contiki to operate with the
6LoWPAN communication
protocol. Researchers opted
My power sockets
Waschmaschine
Start 12.27
Energy consumption
Hexabuswireless power outlet
Smartphone
Standard router
HexabusUSB stick
IPv6
IPv6
In smart home environments, equipment or appliances plugged into the Hexabus wireless power outlets
can be turned on and off with an IPv6-capable device.
Fraunhofer ESK Annual Report 2011/201254
Multi-hop networking for extended wireless
coverage
The IPv6-capable wireless power outlets, which are built
around open-source hardware and software, are already
at a stage where application providers can turn them into
products. Detailed information about the system and other
sources are available at www.mysmartgrid.de. The open-
source design allows application providers to integrate
additional sensors. Although the project is initially aimed at
the private consumer market, multi-hop networking could
eventually open up coverage of larger areas. In this vision of
the future, it’s not only the individual consumer who benefits
from the home automation system, but also the entire office
or industrial facilities.
This project was funded by the German Federal Ministry of
Education and Research (BMBF) and the state of Rhineland-
Palatinate.
Over-the-air firmware update
The Fraunhofer ESK researchers also created an easy way to
update the software. The firmware can be updated via a wire-
less bootloader after the user presses a button on the power
outlet. This is a major step towards ease-of-use consider-
ing that conventional systems must still be connected to a
programming device with a cable.
868 MHz for extended range
The engineers also modified the system so that the USB stick
and the power outlet operate in the license-free (in Europe)
868 MHz band instead of 2.4 GHz, allowing users to switch
their household appliances on and off over long distances.
Consumers can reach devices distributed over a wide range
because compared to the 2.4 GHz band, the 868 MHz band
has better wall penetration and less attenuation.
Naming and configuration
Another new feature is the capability to use a browser to
individually address and name the power outlets according to
the household appliance they are connected to, for instance
“washing_machine.bathroom”. For this purpose the Fraun-
hofer ESK researchers added the mDNS protocol to the Hexa-
Bus power outlets. Prior to this modification, the web server
merely provided the data. This enhancement now allows
browser-based configuration of the power outlet, regardless
of the platform.
By combining energy consumption and wireless communi-
cation technologies, engineers have managed to create an
intelligent application that offers secure, wide-ranging and
ubiquitous access to household appliances. By implementing
protocol stacks and adapting the Contiki operating system,
Fraunhofer ESK researchers utilized and broadened their ex-
perience in the field of networked components and IP-based
home automation systems.
Neda Petreska
Phone: +49 89 547088-344
Günter Hildebrandt
Phone: +49 89 547088-354
Fraunhofer ESK Annual Report 2011/2012 55
REsEARCh gROUP INdUsTRIAL sOFTwARE
Engineering and electronics technologies offer increasingly
powerful platforms for developing complete mechatronic
products and systems with software. With this in mind, the
Fraunhofer ESK researchers anticipate that flexibility will be
a key aspect. That means mechatronic systems will require
software that can autonomously adapt to dynamic operat-
ing scenarios, thus spurring research into innovative runtime
platforms and design and test methods. In order to validate
and test these new innovations, Fraunhofer ESK set up a
special laboratory environment consisting of a workstation
for mechatronic simulation and virtual commissioning. It also
features a model factory for simulating manufactured goods
processes. Software-based controls such as programmable
logic controllers (PLC), as well as soft PLCs, can be linked to
both environments.
Target groups
The Industrial Software research group is well-positioned to
support small-to-medium and large enterprises. Fraunhofer
ESK works with companies through joint projects and contract
research to develop solutions that can be implemented in a
wide range of areas, from building and security technologies
to energy networks, automation engineering and robotics.
Software is a major driver of innovation in industrial appli-
cations such as robotics motion sequences and complex
control mechanisms in manufacturing technologies and
energy networks. Because these applications demand adher-
ence to highly stringent requirements, industrial software must
offer a high degree of quality and reliability. The development
processes must also be designed for these special environments,
which requires suitable tools. The activities of the Industrial
Software research group are currently focused on software
architectures and methods for multicore processors in embed-
ded systems, as well as methods for testing adaptive software
in mechatronic systems and equipment.
Multicore and manycore processors in embedded systems
The use of multicore processors, which is meanwhile well-
established in desktop PCs, is gaining increasing traction
in embedded systems for industrial systems. Given the
special requirements and conditions in these applications,
embedded multicore processors require optimized software
architectures and corresponding design methods. In this
area of focus, the Fraunhofer ESK researchers are working
on a runtime environment for highly cost-efficient multicore
processors, in addition to designing and testing various de-
velopment tools that industry can use for multicore software
development. These solutions are designed to help software
developers take advantage of the performance of state-of-
the-art parallel processing hardware in an efficient manner.
Furthermore, many existing applications must be ported to
the new processors and then optimized. Fraunhofer ESK devel-
oped a methodology that addresses this issue and offers its
in-depth expertise with toolchains and programming methods
to help companies make the transition.
Adaptive software in mechatronic systems
The fields of automation technologies and machine and plant
engineering present major challenges to industrial software
developers, particularly with respect to reliability and quality.
Fraunhofer ESK Annual Report 2011/201256
sOFTwARE mEThOds FOR EmbEddEd mULTICORE sysTEms
functions that are considered standard desktop and server
processor technology as an example. These missing func-
tions must be compensated by the software. A joint project
between Fraunhofer ESK, Lantiq Deutschland GmbH and
the Institute for Integrated Systems at the Technical Univer-
sity Munich, in which the multicore system platform lacks
hardware support for ensuring cache coherency, is a good
example. Cache coherency is important because it prevents
individual caches from containing different data for the same
memory address in multicore processing systems.
In order to effectively address these types of challenges, the
Fraunhofer ESK researchers are developing specific tools de-
signed to support software manufacturers. The work involves
three development tools – compiler adjustments, debugging
support for runtime and tools for dynamic runtime environ-
ments – which can be used during development, as well as
with the finished product.
Compiler adjustments reduce manual effort
Compiler enhancements simplify the creation of optimized
code for multicore processors because they reduce the manual
and tedious work associated with software development and
Embedded systems are relying more and more on multi-
core processors. Powerful and cost effective, they also
enable the use of microprocessors in applications such as
packet or signal processing. To date this has required special
hardware developed only for this one purpose. Multicore
processors offer a flexible, powerful and reusable hardware
platform. This allows the implementation of software-based
functions that are easier to reuse than when utilizing custom
hardware.
Challenges with embedded multicore systems
Developing software based on embedded multicores presents
two major challenges. First, highly-optimized software must
be written to take full advantage of the limited hardware
resources. This often forces developers to manually optimize
the programs, making them extremely complex to debug. In
the end, the software turns into a high-maintenance product
that is difficult to port to new hardware.
The second issue has its roots in the specific requirements
of embedded system development. When developing the
hardware, a high value is placed on small chip surfaces and
low energy consumption. This results in forgoing hardware
Compile time Runtime
Development Implementation
Compiler modifications:
improved analysis and
code generation
Debug support
via tools at runtime
Dynamic runtime
environment
for embedded
multicore systems
ESK researchers are working on three tools to help software engineers during the development of multicore systems.
Fraunhofer ESK Annual Report 2011/201258
hardware loads and concentration of the processing tasks
on fewer cores when the system load is diminished. Individual
cores can thus be temporarily deactivated to save energy.
These research activities illustrate the importance of having
the right tools for developing multicore-based software.
With this in mind, Fraunhofer ESK will continue to pursue the
development of tools and methods designed especially for
embedded multicore systems.
The project is supported through a grant from the Bavarian
Ministry of Economic Affairs, Infrastructure, Transport and
Technology.
troubleshooting. This leads to a higher degree of automation.
The researchers rely on source code annotation to precisely
control the optimization of the compiler. They also identify
code passages that are relevant for ensuring cache coherency
by combining static analyses with a cache model.
Debugging support at runtime streamlines trouble-
shooting
Parallel system programming often results in errors that are
difficult to reproduce and fix. As with the project’s target
system, lacking hardware support exacerbates the situation
since it’s impossible to predict the precise interaction of the
individual software components. Researchers are developing
tools that look for signs of potential errors at runtime before
they appear. This gives developers a way to quickly locate
errors and precisely determine the cause. The tool under
devel opment runs in the background of an operating system
to examine the contents of the cache. The actual memory
usage is analyzed and compared to a usage model, allowing
the detection of faulty software operations.
Dynamic runtime environment optimizes hardware
utilization
Although operating systems such as Linux offer extensive
support for multicores through symmetric multiprocessing
(SMP), they are often unsuitable for embedded systems due
to the high overhead. Small real-time systems are utilized
instead. Each core executes its own operating system in-
stance using its own scheduler. This approach is referred to
as asymmetric multiprocessing (AMP). When using AMP, the
migration of tasks from one core to another is not a straight-
forward process. The result is that the software often ends up
distributed across the individual cores in a static fashion. To
address this issue the project team is creating a runtime envi-
ronment that combines the elements of both approaches. This
ensures the dynamic distribution of tasks across embedded
cores with limited resources. The advantages are improved
Prof. Dr. habil. Christian Prehofer
Phone: +49 89 547088-352
Adriaan Schmidt
Phone: +49 89 547088-384
Fraunhofer ESK Annual Report 2011/2012 59
vALIdATINg ANd TEsTINg AdAPTIvE AUTOmATION TEChNOLOgIEs
of communication technologies used in industrial production
processes.
Open-source validation and test environment
The validation and test environment developed by Fraunhofer
ESK consists of a prototypical mechatronic process model that
drives a production and logistics process, as well as a hardware-
in-the-loop-based (HIL) realtime simulation of the process.
Various process controls can be linked to the model or to the
simulation environment via a PROFIBUS. In addition to the latest
Siemens S7 controllers, a PC-based platform with standard
components and open-source software is also available. This
provides an open and flexible basis to carry out the research.
Goal: dynamically-reconfigurable systems
The Fraunhofer ESK researchers are using this test environ-
ment to work on processes for the dynamic, in-situ recon-
Industrial production processes are evolving more and
more into dynamic systems. Today’s smaller batches and
increasingly variant-rich products require systems with
a higher degree of flexibility than in the past. Rather than
just carrying out static tasks, future systems must adapt to
constantly changing conditions. This will require the devel-
opment of processes that permit these complex systems to
be reconfigured at the fieldbus, process control and factory
levels.
Fraunhofer ESK researchers are developing new adaptive
control system concepts that support these complex produc-
tion processes and which furnish a higher degree of flexibility
and automation. In order to test these new processes, the
institute developed its own validation and test environment
for analyzing and evaluating a wide range of approaches. The
know-how acquired through this work allows the research-
ers to offer support and consulting services to industry
partners during the introduction and on-going development
CAD system
(Solidworks)
Simulation
(Winmod)
Network connection
(PROFIBUS)
Software
Software
Real
process model
Standard PLC
(Siemens S7)
PC based
Controler
Fraunhofer ESK created a validation and test environment for testing and enhancing dynamically-reconfigurable automation systems.
Fraunhofer ESK Annual Report 2011/201260
relying on their state-of-the-art validation and test environ-
ment to pursue new concepts and solutions that will enable
them to support future industrial process developments.
figuration of automation technologies used in manufacturing
systems. The following areas of research are of particular
interest:
n Adaptive and reconfigurable automation softwaren Integrating additional services into the industrial control
systems (ICS)n Integrating new communication structures such as wireless-
based sensorsn Powerful industrial controllers based on multicore tech nology
To increase production system flexibility, automation software
must be allowed to dynamically activate and deactivate ICS
software components. Software-based functions also need to
be distributed across various components by changing the dis-
tribution of the software at runtime, such as when modifying
the current job. Apart from more flexible system integration,
adaptive behavior can also improve system uptime. The test
environment developed by Fraunhofer ESK is a useful tool for
determining if system operation can be maintained by means
of dynamic reconfiguration when hardware components fail.
Researchers are also examining if there is enough flexibility to
integrate components like wireless sensors into the system,
in addition to exploring whether systems can be powered up
and down independent of the production process in order to
improve energy efficiency.
All of these approaches lead down the path to automation
components enhanced with new functions that must undergo
extensive testing before going into production. The Fraunhofer
ESK validation and test environment is the ideal platform for
carrying out this work.
Result
Software’s role in industrial automation systems will eventually
grow well beyond the process controls. In order to cope with
these new complexities, the Fraunhofer ESK researchers are
Mike Heidrich
Phone: +49 89 547088-377
Fraunhofer ESK Annual Report 2011/2012 61
TELECOmmUNICATION bUsINEss UNIT
Research spheres
These challenges are the focus of the Telecommunication
business unit, which comprises two research groups. Com-
munication Solutions primarily offers product and technology
services evaluations. The Access & In-house Networks research
group uses its expertise in wired transmission technologies to
offer R & D services focused on the development of high-speed
wired technologies for the access segment and for in-house
building networks.
The Telecommunication business unit carries out applied
research in the area of networked systems. The activities are
concentrated on communication networks and technologies
and system and application concepts as well as software
design and engineering approaches used in the development
of communication systems.
Always on.” Although consumers take for granted the
idea of ubiquitous, around-the-clock access to data
from any device, providing such services can be a
challenge. Network quality, data privacy, data security and
system interoperability are all issues that companies must
face nowadays.
We expect access to our data from anywhere and at the
highest speed possible. To satisfy this demand, the German
government wants 75 percent of the country’s households
to have high-speed (> 50 Mbit/S) broadband access by 2014.
The challenge in building a nationwide broadband network
lies in establishing high-quality IP connectivity across different
physical network segments and components. Over the next
few years, the industry will be called upon to deal effectively
with the issues of high network availability and reliability,
interoperability, third-party data protection and adequate
“always on” bandwidth with minimal latency.
Business Unit Manager
Sven Brandt
Phone: +49 89 54 70 88-360
A relatively new area of research is satellite transmission.
Complete broadband coverage requires enhancing the access
segment with hybrid solutions that include additional trans-
mission technologies, even wireless-based. With this in mind,
Fraunhofer ESK began to build-up its expertise in the field of
satellite communication in 2010.
Fraunhofer ESK relies on its research findings and the accumu-
lated know-how to help companies carry out product evalua-
tions, technology studies and planning for telecommunication
infrastructures and the integration of mobile devices.
Research Focus
The Telecommunication business unit will continue its R & D
activi ties in the area of vectored DSL technologies in 2012.
Powerline communication is another important area that
involves the modeling of PLC channels, creating models for
detecting and resolving interference issues and developing
reference boards. With an eye on improving energy efficiency,
this business unit will also look into intelligent and load-
dependent processes which can be used for implementing
digital power management.
Another area of research involves interoperability between
various in-house networking technologies. A good example is
the HomeGrid Forum, which is promoting a unified twisted-
pair phone line, coaxial and powerline standard, particularly
for residential buildings.
Research Groups
n Access & In-house Networksn Communication Solutions
ACCEss & IN-hOUsE NETwORKs REsEARCh gROUP
Expanding the use of powerline technology
This group is also expanding its research efforts in the area
of powerline technology. Working together with semi-
conductor and network equipment manufacturers, Fraun-
hofer ESK is devel oping a new generation of broadband
communication based on the existing powerline cabling.
The activities are focused on developing channel models and
transmission methods that enable stable broadband commu-
nication in the 100 MHz frequency range at data rates of more
than 100 Mbit/s.
Integrating satellite networks
Providing extensive broadband coverage in the access seg-
ment calls for taking a close look at satellite communication.
Fraunhofer ESK partnered with the Telecom Services division
of EADS Astrium Services to evaluate the transmission charac-
teristics (quality of service or QoS) and behavior of non-
commercial stationary satellite links using conventional VPN
technologies. The goal over the medium term is to establish
high-quality, realtime-capable business services for endpoints
that are primarily underway, such as ships.
Services
The challenge in providing nationwide broadband coverage
lies in establishing high-quality IP connectivity across different
physical network segments and components. Over the next
few years, the industry will be called upon to deal effectively
with the issues of high network availability and reliability, inter-
operability, third-party data protection and adequate “always
on” bandwidth with minimal latency. Working together with
semi-conductor companies, equipment manufacturers and
telecommunication network operators, researchers are facing
these challenges head on through their research activities
and by helping companies develop and introduce new tele-
communication solutions.
Building on many years of experience in its core exper-
tise of wired transmission technologies, the Access &
In-house Networks research group focuses on the
development of high-speed wireline technologies. This group
examines technologies such as DSL and powerline with the
goal of optimizing the various transmission technologies used
in access and in-house networks.
With the trend toward the use of powerline technology to
supplement twisted-pair cables in buildings for connecting
a variety of end-user devices to the network, interoperability
between these technologies is a key area of research.
An additional challenge involves greater network cover-
age within the access segment, a goal that demands hybrid
solutions, including satellite communication. Because the
transmission characteristics of hybrid networks differ greatly
than wired technologies, researchers see additional demand
for R & D activities in this area.
This research group is also focusing on how these newly-opened
transmission alternatives can be used, particularly for enter-
prise applications. The technologies under evaluation range
from VDSL2 and powerline communication to satellite-based
transmission. Researchers are also looking at how data can be
transmitted with a high level of quality using these technologies.
Optimizing VDSL2
The Access & In-house Networks research group has been
involved in the development and testing of DSL-based trans-
mission networks for many years. These activities focus on the
optimization of VDSL2 through the utilization and combina-
tion of various techniques such as vectoring, bonding and
phantom mode. Deploying these access technologies in build-
ings requires taking into account the different conditions and
then modifying or developing new channel models. The goal
is to achieve transmission rates of up to 1 Gbit/s using DSL
technology over copper pair telephone cabling in the building.
Fraunhofer ESK Annual Report 2011/201264
According to the German Federal Network Agency, by
mid-2011 there were nearly 27 million broadband
connections in Germany. The majority of the Inter-
net access connections – more than 85 percent – were based
on digital subscriber line (DSL) technology. A variety of alter-
natives are available including cable TV, fiberglass, wireless
technologies like long term evolution (LTE) and SatDSL.
From a global perspective, vast parts of the world are still
without broadband access and realtime communication.
Covering these areas with conventional network technolo-
gies is economically unviable. Globalization and the open-
ing of new markets will spawn an increasing demand for
communication alternatives in these regions. An ideal way
to quickly, and in some cases temporarily address this need
is through satellite communication, because it allows data
to be transmitted and received through space without tele-
phone cables or cable TV connectivity.
Legacy satellite solutions only use the downlink. Trans-
mitting data still requires a telephone/data connection for
the uplink. Newer satellite systems offer bidirectional data
transmission, although this places more demands on the
system from several aspects. This includes a requirement
to install parabolic antennas with low noise block convert-
ers (LNB), line-of-sight positioning, a satellite modem and a
transmit-capable block up converter (BUC) power amplifier.
The demands become even more complex if the connection
involves ground- or water-based moving objects such as ships
or measurement buoys.
Satellite transmission and business applications
With business applications in mind, Fraunhofer ESK under-
took research aimed at identifying the technical pros and
cons of satellite-based broadband Internet access. The
research examined to what extent the coding and encryption
algorithms and extensive transmission distances involved in
satellite transmission are suitable for typical industrial and
enterprise applications. In a joint project with EADS Astrium
Services, the performance and throughput of various satellite
broadband services were analyzed and different applica-
tions were tested. The project team also evaluated private
consumer services that currently use the KU band (12.4 to
18 GHz), as well as a professional very small aperture terminal
(VSAT) system.
The latency problem
The major advantage of satellite connectivity is that a con-
nection can be established at nearly any location within
a relatively large footprint. Transmission quality and the
associated throughput depend on where the terminal
device is located within the satellite footprint. The closer to
the center of the footprint, the better the quality. Moving
towards the edge of the footprint results in less through-
put and thus the use of larger antennas. Although satel-
lite communication benefits from being mostly location
independent, it has inherent disadvantages from a system
standpoint. One of them is the long distance between the
satellite modem (user), satellite and the provider’s ground
station. This leads to relatively long delay times ranging
from 500 to 700 ms, as opposed to less than 40 ms with
DSL systems.
Standard applications enjoy good quality
The analyses and measurements conducted by Fraunhofer
ESK revealed that typical Internet applications, be it surfing
the web, watching videos or accessing a database, can be
sATELLITE-bAsEd COmmUNICATION
Fraunhofer ESK Annual Report 2011/201266
carried out with good quality over satellite links despite the
long delay times. Establishing a secure link to an enterprise
virtual private network (VPN) is also possible via satellite.
Even databases, e-mail systems and network services can be
accessed via encrypted VPN connections without incurring
lengthy delays.
With voice transmissions however, there are noticeable
service restrictions created by delays of more than 500 ms.
Telephone conferences can be held via satellite only on a
limited basis for instance. The delay times can cause the
participants to talk over one another or force them to inten-
tionally wait longer for answers from other callers. Caution is
also advised with consumer telephone tariffs, which have fair
use policies as standard language. Depending on the volume
of data transmitted, at a certain usage level these clauses can
trigger throttling of the available bandwidth outlined in the
service agreement. The rational for this is the generally limited
capacity of the KU band.
Outlook
Last year saw the launch of additional satellites that increas-
ingly transmit data over the Ka band (27 to 40 GHz) in addi-
tion to the KU band. This should eventually lead to additional
services that provide more bandwidth. Researchers will be
facing challenges on three different fronts over the next
several years:
n Maintaining data rates that are as constant as possible
within the footprintn Stable, high-bit-rate and highly-secure connections with
moving objects such as ships, without permanently relying
on motor-driven antenna adjustments n Higher interference immunity to other wireless solutions
operating near the ground
Fraunhofer ESK will be actively pursuing and driving these
three key areas of research in future projects.
Mathias Leibiger
Phone: +49 89 54 70 88-372
Sven Brandt
Phone: +49 89 54 70 88-360
Fraunhofer ESK Annual Report 2011/2012 67
COmmUNICATION sOLUTIONs REsEARCh gROUP
ESK works with partner institutes to detect security pitfalls in
web collaboration solutions. The researchers examine how
the systems were designed and programmed, in addition to
analyzing how well the product functions in practice. The
security analysis is carried out in Fraunhofer ESK’s own Enter-
prise Communication Lab, where researchers examine cloud
and locally-installed solutions among others. A test network
is used to determine the level of security and stability during
data transmission and storage.
Distributed system architectures
Web applications are enjoying tremendous growth. As they
spread, these distributed software systems are frequently re-
placing conventional software applications. However, existing
methods-based development approaches do not adequately
cover the non-functional requirements such as expanda-
bility, security and offline capability. With this background,
the Communication Solutions research group is developing
an architecture model optimized for various aspects of the
application. The model defines the point at which non-func-
tional system requirements should be incorporated into the
architecture decision process.
Services
The Communication Solutions research group offers compa-
nies, associations, public institutions, government organiza-
tions and telecommunication manufacturers a wide range
of professional consulting and analysis services including
system and security evaluations, patent appraisals and system
architecture designs. This group is simultaneously working
on the issue of shared content in distributed systems and the
associated rights management.
The Communication Solutions research group is focused
on the core issue of whether IT systems can actually
provide the enterprise with a communication infra-
structure capable of accelerating internal processes and thus
driving down costs while meeting the demand for a high
level of security. Its mission is to find ways to deal with in-
creasingly complex enterprise communication infrastructures
and to supply professional, high-quality and independent
technology and infrastructure consulting services. The Com-
munication Solutions research group helps companies by
carrying out technology evaluations, infrastructure analyses
and developing security policies. Complete system evalua-
tions are also part of the service spectrum. To carry out their
work, researchers rely on years of experience in managing
the Center of Competence for Voice and Mobile Communi-
cation, part of the research group that has been active in this
field for nearly 10 years. In addition to providing consulting
services, the group also develops architectures for systems
distributed across the Internet.
Enterprise communication consulting
Modern communication systems are much more than just a
fixed telephone on one’s desk. Today’s solution’s are designed
for the integrated utilization of as many communication chan-
nels as possible, allowing employees to extend the reach of
their activities on an enterprise-wide basis. Companies can
often find it difficult to search through a maze of services of-
fered by various manufacturers and providers in order to iden-
tify and select the right enterprise communication solution.
The Fraunhofer ESK team streamlines the decision process by
developing uniform system solutions based on the customer’s
individual needs.
Evaluating security in collaborative solutions
The growth of collaboration systems that create common
workspaces and allow access to highly-sensitive enterprise
data raises the important issue of data security. Fraunhofer
Fraunhofer ESK Annual Report 2011/201268
mObILE LEARNINg
the user to deal with and a backend system that is robust,
cost-effective and simple to administrate. To fulfill these
requirements, the Fraunhofer ESK researchers based their con-
cept on an easy-to-use open-source Linux platform comprised
of a voice-over-IP (VoIP) interactive voice response (IVR) system
and a web-based authoring tool.
The IVR system, referred to as “I-Call”, was implemented in
phase one of the project. The authoring tool will be part of
phase two.
“I-Call” speech system
I-Call is an IVR application that was installed on the FreeS-
WITCH open-source VoIP server (version 1.0.6 on Debian
Linux).
The tree-like structure of the story episodes, including the
branching possibilities, were illustrated and programmed in a
menu structure. The story sequences are stored in the system
as audio files. The story content was developed by “common-
sense eLearning & training consultants GmbH”, an Austrian-
based project partner, and then recorded by professional
speakers.
The user sequences were verified by testing the various
branching possibilities. Using a mobile phone and the GSM
network, the user calls into the voice system via the provider’s
dial-up system. The provider’s dial-in gateway is linked to the
SIP-capable I-Call system per VoIP by means of a session initia-
tion protocol (SIP) interconnection.
A Fraunhofer ESK test system was used to configure the
server-side SIP interface and the provider gateway testing.
The user input, which is used to control the progress of the
story, is converted into dual tone multifrequency (DTMF)
sequences in the mobile phone and then transmitted to
There is tremendous demand for training and educa-
tion among populations in developing countries. This
involves issues such as health and the environment,
both of which are particularly important for rural populations.
The real difficulty lies in using conventional learning tools
such as courses and textbooks. With infrastructures that are
inadequate or even non-existent, Internet-based E-learning
solutions that usually require broadband connections are not
well-suited to tackling this challenge either.
In contrast, the use of simple mobile phones is exploding in
these countries. With this in mind, researchers came up with
the idea of establishing an E-learning system that individuals
can use through the existing mobile communication infra-
structure where they live. Fraunhofer ESK designed and imple-
mented such a system that enables access to communication
platforms via mobile end-user devices.
Learning by story-telling
The idea behind the project was to create an E-learning
system that allows the user to run a learning program on
their mobile phone by dialing a toll-free telephone number.
The learning method relies on the traditional form of story-
telling. Instructors load story sequences in the form of audio
files onto the system using a web-based interface.
After listening to a story sequence on the mobile phone,
the user must answer questions to advance the story to the
next sequence. Depending on the type of answer, the story
progresses until it reaches a corresponding end, at which
point the user receives commentary to complete the learning
process.
Robust and cost-effective
Given the challenges of running such a system in developing
countries, several important requirements have to be met.
They include devices and operational flows that are easy for
Fraunhofer ESK Annual Report 2011/201270
I-Call via a dial-in gateway. This step occurs over the SIP
interface. First a voice connection is established, after
which the DTMF sequences are transmitted to the I-Call
server via real-time transport protocol (RTP) data streams
or INFO data elements. The system then uses the signaling
to branch out further within the menu structure in order to
select and playback the corresponding sound file to advance
the story.
The users are registered in the system so that if they call
again, they can be identified and re-enter the menu structure
at the right point.
The I-Call IVR system was set up and tested in October 2011
as part of a field test in Kenya, together with local mobile
phone provider Safaricom. Depending on the results of the
test, the system will potentially be enhanced and deployed
in other countries in concert with the United Nations Environ-
ment Program (UNEP).
Outlook
The potential enhancements will involve the I-Call IVR system.
Researchers also plan to implement a web-based authoring
tool.
The I-Call roadmap includes features such as:
n Menu system re-entry by logging the telephone call
sequences in an SQL database n Implementation of a dynamic dial plann Text-to-speech capabilityn Improved security through encryption and authentication
of the data traffic between the dial-in gateway and the
I-Call system
For the authoring tool, researchers will develop a web-based
communication and user interface that allows non-experts to
create and store text in the system.
Thomas Messerer
Phone: +49 89 54 70 88-336
Beate Eickhoff
Phone: +49 89 54 70 88-320
Fraunhofer ESK Annual Report 2011/2012 71
NAmEs, dATEs ANd EvENTs
Events
Publications
The Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft
EvENTs
embedded world, Nuremberg
March 1– 3, 2011
Under the motto “… it´s a smarter world”
more than 800 exhibitors gathered together
in Nuremberg to present a wide range of
embedded technologies, from hardware and
software to tools. Fraunhofer ESK was present
with five different research projects. The re-
searchers also premiered the wireless test and
measurement station, a Fraunhofer ESK inno-
vation that measures the wireless spectrum
occupancy and displays unoccupied channels.
IKOM, Garching
Juni 29, 2011
Under the motto “Professional Contacts
with a Personal Touch”, Fraunhofer ESK
and its scientific staff participated for
the third time in the Munich IKOM
career forum held in June. Apart from
learning about research activities in the
field of communication technologies,
visitors could also inquire about job and
career opportunities at the Munich-based
research institute.
Job fair konaktiva 2011,
Darmstadt
May 10, 2011
BICCnet Innovation Forum Embedded
Systems (IFES) 2011, Munich
April 8, 2011
At the Innovation Forum Embedded Systems,
engineers and computer scientists from
Fraunhofer ESK highlighted a series of
active research projects in the field of auto-
motive technologies, including a dynamic,
self-organizing automotive software
application. Secure and reliable vehicle-to-
environment communication represented
another key topic.
IMTEX 2011,
Bangalore (India)
January 20 – 26, 2011
Fascination with Tech-
nology – university
and career information
trade fair, Munich
January 29, 2011
VDI Knowledge Forum: Wireless
Automation 2011, Baden-Baden
June 28 – 29, 2011
At the VDI (Association of German
Engineers) Knowledge Forum event,
Fraunhofer ESK engineers intro-
duced the compact wireless measure-
ment station and demonstrated
how it detects channel occupancy.
They also showed how an energy-
saving and robust network can
be set up using the institute’s own
modular sensor network kit.
Hannover Trade Fair 2011,
Hannover
April 4 – 8, 2011
At the Hannover Trade
Fair, Fraunhofer ESK
focused on the forward-
looking topic of electro-
mobility. Researchers
provided insight into
next-generation vehicle
data systems and outlined
ways to design energy-
efficient and operationally-
safe electric vehicles.
Girls’ Day 2011, Munich
April 14, 2011
In 2011 Fraunhofer ESK continued its long
tradition of opening its doors for the day to
female students who are passionate about the
natural sciences and mathematics, demon-
strating once again that technology is not just
a male domain. The young girls, ranging in age
from 13 to 15, had the opportunity to write a
software program and test analog and digital
wireless links in a laboratory environment.
February April June
January March May
Fraunhofer ESK Annual Report 2011/201274
SPS / IPC / Drives 2011, Nuremberg
November 22 – 24, 2011
One of the key aspects of industrial production
efficiency is wireless networking. At the
SPS / IPC / Drives conference in Nuremberg,
Fraun hofer ESK researchers introduced several
wireless communication research projects
including the HexaBus wireless power outlet,
a joint effort between Fraunhofer ITWM and
embedded brains GmbH. With HexaBus, con-
sumers can switch their household appliances
on and off using IPv6-capable smartphones.
Roadshow “Forum E-Motion”, Munich
September 28, 2011
At the end of September the “Forum
E-Motion” road show stopped by Fraun-
hofer ESK. The event revolved around
E/E-architectures for electric vehicles and
car-to-car communication concepts. The
highlight of the day was “Frecc0 1.0”,
an electric vehicle jointly developed by
several Fraunhofer institutes. Interested
auto mobile fans had the chance to go
for a ride in the red concept car.
Workshop Embedded Multicore Techno-
logies, Munich
July 5, 2011
Together with the Bavarian Mechatronic
& Automation Cluster and VDI/VDE-IT
GmbH (technology and innovation
service provider), Fraunhofer ESK
organized a workshop on the topic
of embedded multicore technologies
on July 5 in Munich. The workshop
partici pants discussed new approaches
for the use of multicore processors.
Visits by delega-
tions from techno-
logy companies
from Kerala (India),
Munich
October 24, 2011
University contact
trade fair HOKO,
Munich
November 2, 2011
IAA 2011, Frankfurt
September 15 – 25, 2011
At the International Motor Show
in Frankfurt, the Automotive busi-
ness unit introduced E/E architecture
concepts for electric vehicles with
a focus on safety. Fraunhofer ESK
engineers also presented various
approaches for integrating the
E-vehicle into the road infrastructure
and the power grid.
IHK Company Talk,
Munich
July 7, 2011
During the organized
event “Company Talk”,
participants learned about
opportunities for cooper-
ating on research projects
with Fraunhofer ESK and
the services offered by the
institute. Fraunhofer ESK
researchers also highlighted
several on-going activities
including projects in the
fields of enterprise commu-
nication services and wire-
less communication.
VDI Knowledge Forum:
Vehicle Electronics Exhibition
2011, Baden-Baden
October 12 – 13, 2011
At the industry exhibition
“Vehicle Electronics” held in
Baden-Baden, researchers
used a model car to introduce
the results of their research
into E/E architecture concepts
for electric vehicles.
August October December
July September November
Fraunhofer ESK Annual Report 2011/2012 75
PUbLICATIONs
Eickhoff, B./Messerer, T./Brandt, S.:
Bekämpfung des Missbrauchs
von IP-Sprachsystemen.
Whitepaper, Fraunhofer ESK,
April 2011, München.
Exner, C./Dufft, N.:
Apple, Google oder Microsoft?
Mobile Betriebssysteme im
Vergleich.
Studie, Fraunhofer ESK/PAC/
Berlecon, August 2011, Berlin.
Höfer-Zygan, R./Oswald, E./
Heidrich, M.:
Smart Grid Communications
2020 – Fokus Deutschland.
Studie, Fraunhofer ESK,
November 2011, München.
Studies and White papers
IP-Telefonanlagen geraten zunehmend ins Visier von Angreifern. Sei es, um dem Unternehmen mit Denial-of-
Service-Attacken zu schaden, mit Man-in-the-Middle-Attacken Geheimnisse auszuspähen oder durch Abuse-
Attacken finanziellen Schaden zuzufügen. Besonders beliebt sind Angriffe an Feiertagen, da diese erst spät
bemerkt werden. Damit es an Feiertagen keine böse Überraschung gibt, haben die Experten der Fraunhofer ESK
ein Whitepaper mit Sicherheitstipps zusammengestellt. Administratoren schützen mit diesen Sicherheitsmaßnah-
men ihre IP-Telefonanlagen vor Missbrauch, der schnell tausende von Euros kosten kann.
Bei der Auswahl mobiler Endgeräte für den Unternehmenseinsatz ist insbesondere eine zentrale Betreuung durch
die IT-Abteilung entscheidend. ITK-Verantwortliche benötigen Funktionen, die eine zentrale Administration
und Konfiguration der Endgeräte ermöglichen. Hintergrund ist vor allem die Durchsetzung von Sicherheitsricht-
linien und eine einfache Nutzung von Unternehmensdiensten durch den Mitarbeiter. Der in Kooperation mit der
Fraunhofer ESK erstellte Report untersucht, wie sich die Betriebssysteme iOS, Android und Windows Phone 7 in
die bestehende ITK-Infrastruktur einbinden lassen und zeigt, worauf dabei zu achten ist. Der vorliegende Report
richtet sich an Businessentscheider und ITK-Verantwortliche, die über den Einsatz von mobilen Endgeräten in
ihrem Unternehmen entscheiden müssen.
Das „Intelligente Stromnetz“ („Smart Grid“) ist als zentraler Baustein für die verstärkte Nutzung erneuerbarer
Energien in aller Munde, doch was genau ist darunter zu verstehen? Was sind die Anforderungen des Smart
Grids an die Informations- und Kommunikationstechnologien? Die Studie gibt Antworten auf diese Fragen.
Sie adressiert den intelligenten Ausbau des deutschen Stromnetzes im Zeitrahmen bis 2020 und beschreibt die
aktuellen regulatorischen Rahmenbedingungen und Marktpotentiale sowie Forschungs- und Standardisierungs-
aktivitäten.
Fraunhofer ESK Annual Report 2011/201276
Baumer, S.:
Wir sind alle Autoren –
ein Jahr Intranet-Wiki bei der
Fraunhofer ESK.
„Social Media und internes
Wissens management“.
25. Oktober 2011, Berlin.
Exner, C.:
Unified Communication &
Cloud Communication.
Gastvortrag gehalten im Rahmen
der Vorlesung „Next Generation
Networks“ am Lehrstuhl für Kom-
munikationstechnik der Universität
Augsburg. 15. Juli 2011, Augsburg.
Heinrich, P./Königer, M./
Niehoff, B./Eilers, D./Knorr, R.:
Autonomous Parameter and
Schedule Configuration for
TDMA-based Communication
Protocols such as FlexRay.
2011 International Joint Confe-
rence of IEEE TrustCom-11/IEEE
ICESS-11/FCST-11. 16.–18. Novem-
ber 2011, Changsha (China).
Um dem Informations- und Kommunikationsbedürfnis vorwiegend aus den Fachgebieten Informatik und
Elektro technik nachzukommen, hat die Fraunhofer ESK ein Intranet basierend auf der Wiki-Technologie
eingeführt. Ein Jahr nach der Einführung wurde evaluiert, ob die Ziele – verbesserte Informationserfassung,
-verbreitung und -suche – erreicht wurden.
Klassische Telefonanlagen haben ausgedient – Applikationen mit integrierten Kommunikationskanälen werden
im privaten und geschäftlichen Umfeld der Alltag. Mit sogenannten Unified Communication & Collaboration
Lösungen (UCC) versprechen die Hersteller eine Zusammenführung aller fixen und mobilen Kommunikations-
kanäle sowie die Möglichkeiten, diese in Geschäftsprozesse zu integrieren. Der Vortrag beleuchtet die Grenzen
dieses Ansatzes, zeigt aber auch die immensen Vorteile auf. Einen Schwerpunkt dabei bildet die Bereitstellung
von UCC-Diensten über die „Cloud“.
One goal of research activities is finding ways to manage the growing complexity of embedded systems using
self-configuration methods. While autonomous configuration could potentially be used in safety-critical and real-
time systems, the basic requirements are not yet in place. This paper will outline a concept for the real autono-
mous configuration of TDMA-based communication processes, which currently does not exist. The paper initially
addresses the TDMA-specific framework conditions and a potential solution. The issue of the mandatory a-priori
known schedule is resolved using a generic schedule, because a simple method based on “free-slot-reserved-
for-further-nodes” is not feasible. The most difficult part – the startup – was implemented through the generic
schedule and an ID-based collision resolution process. To demonstrate the viability of the concept, the configura-
tion method was implemented using a FlexRay communication system. This also satisfied the goal of eliminating
the need for additional hardware and preserving the fault tolerant multimaster structure of the FlexRay system.
The functionality of the concept was validated under different scenarios. The configuration times were analyzed,
the results of which are also detailed here.
Conference papers
Fraunhofer ESK Annual Report 2011/2012 77
Horst, O./Prehofer, C.:
Multi-Staged Virtualization for
Embedded Systems.
2011 37th EUROMICRO Conference
on Software Engineering and Ad-
vanced Applications (SEAA 2011).
30. August bis 2. September 2011,
Oulu (Finnland).
Jiru, J.:
Kooperative Fahrerassistenz-
systeme durch Car-to-X Kommu-
nikation.
11. MAHREG-Innovationsforum.
12. Oktober 2011, Barleben.
Langer, F.:
Modulare Plattformen für
flexible E/E Architekturen im
Elektrofahrzeug. Forum Road-
show „E-Motion“.
28. September 2011, München.
Langer, F./Bertulis, K.:
Self Learning Anomaly De-
tection for Embedded Safety
Critical Systems.
21. Workshop “Computational
Intelli gence”. 1.–2. Dezember 2011,
Dortmund.
A flexible toolbox for embedded multi-staged virtualization is proposed. The toolbox is intended for system
integrators, who could compose new system software by simply mirroring the requirements of the employed
applications with the toolbox components. I/O virtualization is identified as an open issue for an implementa-
tion of the toolbox and suggested as future work.
Durch die Car-to-X Kommunikation erhalten Fahrzeuge Dienste zur Verkehrssicherheit und -effizienz. Der
Vortrag zu kooperativen Fahrerassistenzsystemen durch Car-to-X Kommunikation gibt einen Überblick über den
aktuellen Stand der Technologien, der Standardisierung und der darauf aufbauenden Fahrerassistenzsysteme.
An Beispielen werden die aktuellen technischen und organisatorischen Herausforderungen aufgezeigt und
mögliche Lösungswege in der Einführungsphase entworfen.
Die Elektrofahrzeuge der nächsten und übernächsten Generation stellen neue Herausforderungen an die E/E
Archi tektur im Automobil. Dies resultiert vor allem aus der größeren Flexibilität, welche durch die neu gewonne-
nen Designfreiheiten und eine größere Produktvielfalt bei Elektrofahrzeugen zu erwarten ist. Besonders im
Bereich der Softwarearchitektur müssen daher Wege gefunden werden, die eine möglichst individuelle Wieder-
verwendung von Software-Modulen ermöglichen. Speziell im Bereich von sicherheitskritischen Anwendungen ist
dies bisher nicht oder nur schwer möglich. Der Vortrag gibt einen Überblick über Technologien, welche zukünftig
zu modularen Plattformen und zu einer flexibleren E/E Architektur in Elektrofahrzeugen führen sollen.
Especially in embedded systems like in the automotive domain, the amount of distributed functionality of
safety critical software is increasing faster than the test engineers are able to manage. In this paper we address
the problem how to ensure the correct functioning of a piece of software if specification is weak, incomplete
or wrong. Such problems with specifications are not expected in the development process of safety critical
systems. But these problems did occur in reality, mostly for new innovative functionality with a high grade of
dependencies with other features. These circumstances are a big problem for detecting errors in system tests
and for building diagnostic models for error detection at system runtime. The basic idea is the investigation on
methods for using the huge amount of testing effort and the resulting test traces as basis for system diagnosis. It
is discussed how a self learning diagnosis can be implemented efficiently based on a dependency model which is
inferred from test cases. The inferred model is represented as a deterministic finite automation and learned with
an adapted Angluin learner.
Fraunhofer ESK Annual Report 2011/201278
Langer, F./Prehofer, C.:
Anomaly Detection in Embed-
ded Safety Critical Software.
22nd International Workshop on
Principles of Diagnosis (DX 2011).
4.–7. Oktober 2011, Murnau.
Leibiger, M.:
Managed Corporate Commu-
nication Services: Best Practice
des zentralen Fraunhofer-
Sprachdienstes.
Gastvortrag gehalten im Rahmen
der Vorlesung „Next Generation
Networks“ am Lehrstuhl für Kom-
munikationstechnik der Universität
Augsburg. 8. Juli 2011, Augsburg.
Manderscheid, M./Langer, F.:
Using Network Calculus for the
Validation of Ethernet for Auto-
motive in-Vehicle Functions.
International Conference on
Cyber-Enabled Distributed Com-
puting and Knowledge Discovery
(CyberC). QoS-Workshop: The 1st
International Workshop on Service
Oriented QoS Management from
Theory to Practice. 10.–12. Okto-
ber 2011, Beijing (China).
The amount of distributed functionality of safety critical software is a challenging problem, especially in embedded
systems like in the automotive domain. In this paper the question is addressed how to ensure the correct behavior
of distributed communicating software systems if the specification is weak, incomplete or wrong. The key point
is the usage of existing test traces from communicating modules (e. g. network traces) as basis for system diagnosis.
It is discussed how this can be implemented efficiently, e. g. based on a dependency model which is inferred from
test cases.
Als Verbund aus Forschungseinrichtungen hat die Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft die Zielsetzung, dass Projekte mit Hilfe
modernster, flexibler und kosteneffizienter Kommunikationslösungen durchgeführt werden. Die Umsetzung
eines modernen Unified Communication Systems auf IP-Basis an bis zu 40 Standorten in Deutschland bedurfte
der Lösung einer Vielzahl technischer und organisatorischer Probleme. Technologisches Verständnis der Systeme
und verwendeter Protokolle ist die Grundvoraussetzung für Planung, Umsetzung und Betrieb. Im Rahmen des
Vortrags wird am Beispiel des Fraunhofer-Sprachdienstes eine Managed Service Lösung vorgestellt. Eingebettet
in die Darstellung des Systemkonzepts und der Erfahrungen bei der Umsetzung und Inbetriebnahme der Lösungen
werden die Rufinitialisierung bei der IP-Telefonie sowie grundsätzliche Probleme der Signalisierung erläutert.
Automotive functions require validation of the underlying network in advance. Especially driver assistance
functions may require hard time bounds concerning their communication infrastructure. In several works
analytical models have been introduced, enabling the calculation of worst case delays for realtime applications
using Ethernet as communication technology. On the other hand considerable effort has been spend to evalu-
ate Ethernet for the use in automotive in-vehicle networks using simulation tools and prototypes. Showing
that Ethernet can be used in general for the automotive use, they did not make an assertion about what happens
if the worst case occurs. In this work we show by means of an analytic model the worst case analysis of a
sample automotive Ethernet network configuration. We show that this configuration satisfies a current set of
automotive functions requirements even for the worst case.
Fraunhofer ESK Annual Report 2011/2012 79
Manderscheid, M./Langer, F./
Eilers, D.:
A Formal Approach Enabling
the Computation of Network
State Permutations Using
Binary Relations.
2011 IEEE Pacific Rim Conference
on Communications, Computers
and Signal Processing. 23.–26. Au-
gust 2011, Victoria/B.C. (Kanada).
Manderscheid, M./Plankl, A./
Langer, F./Engelhardt, D.:
Adaptives qoS Management
in Auto motive in-Vehicle Net-
works.
VDI Fachtagung „Steuerung und
Regelung von Fahrzeugen und Mo-
toren – AUTOREG“. 22.–23. No-
vember 2011, Baden-Baden.
Oswald, E.:
Übertragungstechnologien für
das Smart Metering.
BiccNet Innovation Forum Embed-
ded Systems Smart Home – Smart
Grid. 8. April 2011, München.
The automotive industry is currently searching for new networking technologies to meet their requirement of
high bandwidth demand at low chip cost. Profiting from the research on Quality of Service and high pervasive-
ness in the consumer market the way to an Ethernet/IP based car in-vehicle network might not be far. Unfortu-
nately, the research community focused on scenarios not applicable for automotive embedded networks. This
paper presents a basic toolset for a novel Quality of Service assuring process for IP/Ethernet based in-vehicle car
networks, which is believed to meet the requirements of the automotive industry. This toolset is designed to
be the basis for a development process enabling an automotive in-vehicle network to react in an adaptive way
on different situations distinguishing between different network states and thus making effective use of the
network resources. We formulate all formal assumptions necessary to compute different network states. Based
on these assumptions we further present an algorithm enabling the computation of all possible network states.
Analyzing the use of Ethernet and the Internet Protocol (IP) inside the car, network planning and validation
turned out to be one of the major tasks to be solved. While several works showed that Ethernet can be used in
general inside a car, questions concerning a suitable design process are still remaining open. In previous works
two approaches have been proposed for the design process of automotive in-vehicle networks. The first method
exploits the fact that many automotive functions do not communicate at the same time. The modeling of the
time dependencies using binary relations has been proposed. On this foundation a formal way is provided to
detect which functions will communicate simultaneously. The second method shows a way to validate the
communication requirements of Ethernet based in-vehicle network configurations using the Network Calculus.
Combining those two approaches a formal process validating Ethernet network configurations is developed. This
process will be presented in this work. Furthermore, an exemplary case study will be presented, emphasizing the
necessity of a formal process.
Bestandteil der Klimaschutzziele der Bundesregierung ist die Reduktion des Energieverbrauchs durch Effizienz-
steigerung. Ein Schritt zum Erreichen dieser Vorgabe bildet die Einführung von Smart Metering. Innerhalb der
Gebäude wird dafür eine intelligente und leistungsfähige Vernetzung benötigt. Die Inhaus-Vernetzung erfolgt
gegenwärtig auf Basis einer Vielzahl unterschiedlicher Übertragungsmedien und -technologien, was auf viele
verschiedene Anwendungen zurückzuführen ist. Der Beitrag zeigt geeignete Übertragungstechnologien für die
Realisierung von Smart Metering in Privathaushalten. Dazu wird in einem ersten Schritt eine Übersicht erstellt,
die relevante Übertragungstechnologien für die Smart Metering Kommunikation aufzeigt. Ausgehend von den
spezifischen Anforderungen an die Kommunikation werden anschließend prädestinierte Übertragungstechnolo-
gien ausgewählt und Aspekte wie Funktionsweise, Vorteile/Nachteile und Standardisierung beleuchtet.
Fraunhofer ESK Annual Report 2011/201280
Oswald, E.:
Vehicle-to-Grid Konzepte.
Forum Roadshow „E-Motion“.
28. September 2011, München.
Oswald, E./Hildebrandt, G./
Heidrich, M.:
Breitband vs. Schmalband –
Welche Technologie braucht
das Inhaus?
5. ITG-Fachkonferenz der Fach-
gruppe 5.2.2. 29.–30. März 2011,
Berlin.
Prehofer, C.:
An Adaptive Control Model
for Non-Functional Feature
Interactions.
2011 37th EUROMICRO Conference
on Software Engineering and Ad-
vanced Applications (SEAA 2011).
30. August bis 2. September 2011,
Oulu (Finnland).
Im Beitrag wird die Verbindung zwischen Elektrofahrzeugen und dem Smart Grid skizziert. Diese Verbindung
umfasst neben dem eigentlichen Ladevorgang des Fahrzeugs an der Ladesäule eine Vielzahl weiterer Aspekte.
So müssen parallel zu den bestehenden Stromleitungen und der Ladeinfrastruktur zuverlässige und sichere
Kommunikationskanäle bereitgestellt werden. Beispielsweise möchte ein Fahrer unterwegs wissen, wo er am
günstigsten auf seiner geplanten Route bei welchem Anbieter mit welchen Wartezeiten seine Fahrzeugbatterien
aufladen kann. Das Energieversorgungsunternehmen möchte dagegen Ladesäulen gezielt mit Strom versorgen.
Hierzu muss es wissen, wo sich potentielle Abnehmer befinden. Der Fahrer bzw. das Fahrzeug kann zusätzliche
Navigationshilfen erhalten. Eine wichtige Funktion besteht ferner darin, beim (oder besser vor) dem Ladevorgang
die Identität des Fahrers zu prüfen und eine sichere Abrechnung zu gewährleisten. Der Beitrag zeigt Aspekte
der hierfür benötigten Ladeinfrastruktur sowie geeignete Kommunikationslösungen auf, wobei speziell auf die
unterschiedlichen Kommunikationsschnittstellen eingegangen wird.
Die Inhaus-Vernetzung erfolgt gegenwärtig auf Basis einer Vielzahl unterschiedlicher Übertragungsmedien
und -technologien. Das ist darauf zurückzuführen, dass je nach Einsatz (z. B. Internet-Zugang, Gebäudeauto-
matisierung) unterschiedliche Anforderungen zu erfüllen sind. Hierbei kommen sowohl Breitband- als auch
Schmalbandtechnologien zum Einsatz. Der Beitrag bildet das Spektrum der Übertragungstechnologien in einer
Übersicht ab und beleuchtet charakteristische Eigenschaften.
Many systems, especially distributed embedded systems, have very strong emphasis on non-functional proper-
ties, which are often cross-cutting and difficult to capture in a modular way. Here, we consider non-functional
feature interactions, which occur if two features show unexpected behavior regarding non-functional properties.
The goal is to handle non-functional properties and interactions in a modular and flexible way on a separate
control layer. On this control layer, we can adapt control components to different feature interactions. We use
statecharts to describe control models and use statechart refinement to make interactions explicit. We present
our approach by two examples with several non-functional feature interactions and argue that the control layer
can address these. The main advantages are modular control of non-functional properties and explicit modeling
of non-functional feature interactions on a separate control layer.
Fraunhofer ESK Annual Report 2011/2012 81
Seydel, D.:
Nahtloses Entertainment –
Multi mediainhalte jederzeit
und überall konsumieren.
4. Systems Integration – Mikrosys-
temtechnik-Lösungen im Gebäude
der Zukunft. 16. Juni 2011, Dortmund.
Strebelow, R./Prehofer, C.:
Analysis of Event Processing
Design Patterns and their
Performance Dependency on
I/O Notification Mechanisms.
“Facing the Multicore-Challenge II”.
28.–30. September 2011, Karlsruhe.
Strebelow, R./Prehofer, C.:
Evaluation of Parallel Design
Patterns for Message Proces-
sing Systems on Embedded
Multicore Systems.
ACM SIGOPS EuroSys 2011 Confe-
rence, Poster Session. 10.–13. April
2011, Salzburg (Österreich).
Weiss, G./Becker, K./Kamphau-
sen, B./Radermacher, A./Gérard, S.:
Model-Driven Development of
Self-Describing Components
for Self-Adaptive Distributed
Embedded Systems.
2011 37th EUROMICRO Conference
on Software Engineering and
Advanc ed Applications (SEAA
2011). 30. August bis 2. September
2011, Oulu (Finnland).
Das Konsumverhalten bezüglich multimedialer Inhalte hat sich in den letzten Jahren stark verändert. Ein umfangrei-
ches Angebot personalisierter Medieninhalte und zahlreiche Innovationen im Bereich der Unterhaltungselektronik
führen dazu, dass Nutzer die Möglichkeit einer zeit-, ort- und geräteunabhängigen Konsumierung ihrer gewohnten
Medieninhalte auch im Fahrzeug erwarten. Die Fraunhofer ESK entwickelt dazu zusammen mit Partnern aus der
Industrie und weiteren Forschungsinstituten eine Integrations-Plattform für die durchgängige Multimedianutzung
zuhause, auf mobilen Endgeräten und im Fahrzeug. Die Medieninhalte werden automatisch auf das jeweilige End-
gerät übertragen und die Wiedergabe optimal an die Eigenschaften des jeweiligen Endgeräts angepasst.
In this presentation we take a look on two software design patterns, namely the Half-Sync/Half-Async and the
Leader/Followers pattern. Both aim for efficient processing of messages in multicore environments. We analyze
their performance differences and dependencies on the selected networking primitives and their specific
characteristics.
Software design patterns reflect software engineering practices and experience by documenting proven design solu-
tions. Today these patterns cover many areas including concurrent systems as well as systems for message processing.
Some examples, like Half-Sync/Half-Async or Proactor patterns, aim for efficient processing of messages in concurrent
environments. While performance evaluations for particular patterns are available in literature there is little work to
analyze the multicore performance of these in realistic settings. In this paper we address this problem by evaluating a
set of patterns designated for efficient and concurrent message processing. Through measurement we will show that
these patterns have significant differences in their performance and that a wrong multi-threading architecture can
do more harm than good. Also, we will see that message reception should be distributed over multiple threads.
Increasingly distributed embedded systems are deployed in complex scenarios and must be able to adapt
to changing environments and internal system changes. Such self-adaptive embedded systems pose great
advantages in terms of flexibility, resource utilization, energy efficiency and robustness. The realization of these
systems requires enhanced development methods to incorporate the adaption to the design. We introduce a
novel concept for the model-driven development of self-adaptive embedded systems. The focus of our work is
the definition and transfer of the information needed for the adaption runtime. This is preserved as so-called
self-description of the components. We present our self-x profile, a modeling extension for describing the adap-
tion, and the respective design flow with built-in transformations. Furthermore, we outline the applicability of
our methodology in an automotive use case.
Fraunhofer ESK Annual Report 2011/201282
Weiss, G./Becker K./Raderma-
cher, A./Gérard, S.:
RT-DESCRIBE: Self-describing
Components for Self- Adaptive
Distributed Embedded Systems.
3rd International Workshop on
Adaptive and Reconfigurable
Embedded Systems (APRES).
11. April 2011, Chicago (USA).
Zeller, M./Prehofer, C./Weiss, G./
Eilers, D./Knorr, R.:
Towards Self-Adaption in
Real-time, Networked Systems:
Efficient Solving of System
Constraints for Automotive
Embedded Systems.
2011 5th IEEE International Con-
ference on Self-Adaptive and
Self-Organizing Systems (SASO).
3.–7. Oktober 2011, Ann Arbor/
Michigan (USA).
Zeller, M./Weiss, G./Eilers, D./
Knorr, R.:
An Approach for Providing
Dependable Self-Adaptation
in Distributed Embedded
Systems.
26th Symposium On Applied Com-
puting (SAC 2011). 21.–25. März
2011, Taichung (Taiwan).
In this paper the Fraunhofer ESK presents in cooperation with CEA LIST a novel integrated model-driven
methodology for developing self-adaptive distributed embedded systems. Software components of the design
model are enriched with self-descriptions which provide information at runtime that is necessary for adaptation
decisions. Therefore, a new self-x profile and the tool-chain with the essential model transformations are intro-
duced. The iterative development process, including early feedback through an integrated simulation framework,
enables an early refinement of the self-adaptive system.
While there has been considerable work on self-adaptive systems, applying these techniques to networked,
embedded systems pose several new problems due to the requirements of embedded real-time systems.
Among others, we have to consider memory and hardware limitations, as well as task schedulability and
timing dependencies. The goal of this paper is to find a correct placement of software components efficiently,
even though most of these individual constraints are highly intractable (NP-complete). This is a prerequisite for
runtime adaption in such domains and can be used for system optimization, extension or failure handling.
Modern distributed embedded systems are reaching an extreme complexity which is very hard to master with
traditional methods. Particularly the need for these systems to adapt their behavior autonomously at runtime
to changing conditions is a demanding challenge. Since most industrial application domains of distributed
embedded systems have high demands on reliability and safety, we need a dependable self-adaptation
mechanism to apply adaptation successfully in these domains. Therefore, we propose a concept to guarantee
the proper system behavior and a mechanism which preserves the predefined functional and non-functional
requirements of the system.
Fraunhofer ESK Annual Report 2011/2012 83
Heinrich, P./Langer, F.:
Sicherheit für Elektrofahrzeuge.
In: Hanser Automotive (2011) 10,
Oktober, S. 70–72.
Hildebrandt, G.:
Zuverlässigere und effiziente-
re industrielle Funklösungen
durch Cognitive Radio.
In: NTZ (2011) 5, September/Okto-
ber, S. 20–23.
Hildebrandt, G./Heidrich, M.:
Keine Koexistenzprobleme.
Funkmessplatz für das Koexis-
tenzmanagement der drahtlo-
sen Industriekommunikation.
In: NET – Zeitschrift für Kommuni-
kationsmanagement (2011) 6, Juni,
S. 30–31.
Krogmann, M./Heidrich, M./Bich-
ler, D./Barisic, D./Stromberg, G.:
Reliable, Real-Time Routing in
Wireless Sensor and Actuator
Networks.
In: International Scholarly Research
Network ISRN Communications
and Networking (2011), elektro-
nisch erschienen (Umfang 8 S.).
Die Architektur von Elektroautos unterscheidet sich von der konventioneller Fahrzeuge, denn ein Elektroauto
benötigt deutlich weniger Mechanik. Das korrespondiert mit mehr Software, die zusätzlich sicherheitskritische
Funktionen, wie etwa die Drehmomenten-Steuerung der Motoren, übernimmt. Diese neuen Architekturen benö-
tigen andere Sicherheitskonzepte, um die Elektrofahrzeuge genauso sicher zu gestalten, wie es bei konventionel-
len Fahrzeugen der Fall ist. Ein solches Sicherheitskonzept entwickelte jetzt die Fraunhofer ESK.
Funksysteme wie WLAN oder Bluetooth halten in der industriellen Automatisierung vermehrt Einzug. Die VDI/
VDE-Richtlinie 2185 beschreibt, wie durch ein „Koexistenzmanagement“ der störungsfreie Betrieb von Funkkom-
munikationssystemen sichergestellt wird. Doch besonders durch die feste Zuweisung von Frequenzbereichen zu
einzelnen Systemen stößt dieses Koexistenzmanagement hinsichtlich der spektralen Effizienz und der wachsen-
den Zahl an Funksystemen in der Zukunft an Grenzen. Techniken der Cognitive Radios (CR) können hier helfen.
Ein wesentlicher Teil der weltweiten Datenübertragung basiert auf Funk. Auch im industriellen Bereich gewinnt
die drahtlose Übertragung mehr an Bedeutung. Die wichtigsten Schlüsselfaktoren, die hinter diesem Prozess
stehen, sind speziell für die Automatisierungstechnik die Fernsteuerung, die Mobilität und Flexibilität gewährleis-
tet, sowie die kabellose und folglich verschleißfreie Datenübertragung. So kann beispielsweise die Überwachung
von beweglichen Maschinenteilen durch Sensoren von der drahtlosen Kommunikation profitieren. Dazu gehören
Messungen an und die Kontrolle von beweglichen Objekten sowie die Lokalisierung und Zuordnung von mobilen
Geräten.
We present a novel Reliable, Real-time Routing protocol (3R) based on multipath routing for highly time-constrai-
ned Wireless Sensor and Actuator Networks (WSANs). The protocol consists of a newly designed routing metric
and a routing algorithm utilizing this metric. Our routing metric enables strong Quality-of-Service (QoS) support
based on parallel transmissions which significantly reduces transmission delays in WSANs. A routing algorithm
utilizing this metric is presented based on Dijkstra‘s shortest path. A novel Medium Access Control (MAC) layer
that supports dynamical adjustments of retransmission limits reduces traffic overhead in multipath routing
protocols. Thorough simulations have been performed to evaluate the routing protocol. The results show that
real-time performance of WSANs can be vastly improved.
Articles
Fraunhofer ESK Annual Report 2011/201284
Oswald, E.:
Künstliches Rauschen. Kapitel 6.4.
In: Deutscher Wirtschaftsdienst
(Hg.): Handbuch der Telekommuni-
kation. München/Neuwied/Köln
2011, S. 140–146.
Oswald, E.:
Phantomkreise. Kapitel 6.3.
In: Deutscher Wirtschaftsdienst
(Hg.): Handbuch der Telekommu-
nikation. München/Neuwied/Köln
2011, S. 134–140.
Oswald, E.:
Smart Metering. Verbrauchs-
kontrolle und Steuerung für Ver-
braucher und Energieversorger.
In: Technik in Bayern (2011) 6,
November/Dezember, S. 36.
Schmidt, A./Prehofer, C.:
Embedded-Software auf
Multicore-Systeme portieren.
In: Embedded Software Engineer-
ing Report, Sonderheft Elektronik-
praxis (2011), Mai, S. 12–13.
Weiss, G./Zeller, M./Eilers, D.:
Towards Automotive Embedded
Systems with Self-X Properties.
In: Chiaberge, Marcello (Hg.): New
Trends and Developments in Auto-
motive System Engineering. Rijeka
(Kroatien) 2011, S. 411–432.
Ein zentrales Problem, was Netzbetreiber vom Einsatz des energiesparenden Low Power Modus L2 abhält, ist,
dass dieser Instabilitäten durch zeitvariantes Nebensprechen hervorruft. Benötigt wird somit eine Lösung, die
einerseits die Stabilität der Übertragung sichert und außerdem leicht in die seit Jahren gültigen DSL-Standards
integriert werden kann. Der Einsatz von virtuellem/künstlichem Rauschen dient der Stabilisierung von xDSL-
Systemen bei zeitvariantem Nebensprechen.
Die Nutzung von Phantomkreisen bedeutet, dass über zwei Übertragungswege (Doppeladern) drei Kommunikations-
kanäle realisiert werden können. Diese Anfang des 20. Jahrhunderts für die Sprachkommunikation entwickelte
Methode ist bis heute nahezu in Vergessenheit geraten. Da für den dritten Kommunikationskanal keine zusätzliche
Leitung verlegt werden braucht, ist der Einsatz von Phantomkreisen für die DSL-Übertragung aus heutiger Sicht hoch-
interessant. Laboruntersuchungen der Fraunhofer ESK haben gezeigt, dass eine hochbitratige DSL-Übertragung (z. B.
ADSL2+ oder VDSL2) über zwei Doppeladern sowie die gleichzeitige Übertragung mittels Phantomkreis möglich ist.
Bestandteil der Klimaschutzziele der Bundesregierung ist die Reduktion des Energieverbrauchs durch Effizienzstei-
gerung. Ein Schritt zum Erreichen dieser Vorgabe bildet die Einführung von Smart Metering. Innerhalb der Gebäude
wird dafür eine intelligente und leistungsfähige Vernetzung benötigt. Die Inhouse-Vernetzung kann basierend auf
einer Vielzahl unterschiedlicher Übertragungsmedien und -technologien erfolgen. Der Beitrag zeigt einige wichtige
Rahmenbedingungen bei der Realisierung von Smart Metering auf. Es wird sowohl auf die Gesetzeslage als auch auf
technische Aspekte bei der Auswahl der benötigten Kommunikationsinfrastruktur im Inhouse-Bereich eingegangen.
Bei der Einführung von Multicore-Systemen ist es aus Zeit- und Kostengründen meist nicht möglich, die gesamte
Software neu zu schreiben. Eine Portierung des existierenden Legacy-Codes ist also wichtig, wird allerdings
allgemein als sehr schwieriges Problem angesehen. Die Forscher der Fraunhofer ESK entwickeln daher Methoden
und Werkzeuge zur systematischen Migration von Embedded-Anwendungen auf Multicore-Plattformen. Bei der
Portierung hat sich ein vierstufiger Ansatz aus Analyse, Refactoring, Parallelisierung und Optimierung bewährt.
With self-adaptation and self-organization new paradigms for the management of distributed systems have
been introduced. By enhancing the automotive software system with self-X capabilities, e. g. self-healing, self-
configuration and self-optimization, the complexity is handled while increasing the flexibility, scalability and
dependability of these systems. In this chapter we present an approach for enhancing automotive systems with
self-X properties. At first, we discuss the benefits of providing automotive software systems with self-manage-
ment capabilities and outline concrete use cases. Afterwards, we will discuss requirements and challenges for
realizing adaptive automotive embedded systems.
Fraunhofer ESK Annual Report 2011/2012 85
Auer, Alexander:
Entwurf und Evaluierung eines kognitiven und adaptiven Medienzugriffsverfahrens
für die C2X-Kommunikation.
Masterarbeit (Jiru, J./Roscher, K./Dippold, M.), Fraunhofer ESK/Hochschule München.
Bertulies, Karsten:
Self-Learning Anomaly and Fault Detection in Automobile Networks.
Masterthesis (Langer, F./Sachen bacher, M.), Fraunhofer ESK/ Technische Universität München.
Bestler, Peter:
Konzeption und Implementierung von IP-Cores zur Unterstützung der
Echtzeitfähigkeit von Gigabit-Ethernet.
Diplomarbeit (Plankl, A./Högl, H./Kiefer, G.), Fraunhofer ESK/ Hochschule Augsburg.
Eggert, Andreas:
Implementierung und Evaluierung eines auf Zyklostationarität beruhenden
Signalklassifikators.
Masterarbeit (Hildebrandt, G./Peik, S.), Fraunhofer ESK/ Hochschule Bremen.
Halaseh, Rana Al:
Support Vector Machine Based White Space Predictors for Cognitive Radio.
Masterthesis (Hildebrandt, G./Dahlhaus, D./Hunziker, T.), Fraunhofer ESK/Universität Kassel.
Helferich, Markus:
Entwicklung eines Technologie-Demonstrators für den Automotive-Bereich auf
Basis eines 1:5 Modellfahrzeuges mit verteilten elektrischen Antrieben.
Masterarbeit (Heinrich, P./Irber, A.), Fraunhofer ESK/ Hochschule München.
Keyvan, Ali:
Frequency Occupancy Prediction and its Application in a Novel Channel Access
Method.
Masterthesis (Hildebrandt, G./Reich, W.), Fraunhofer ESK/ Hochschule Offenburg.
Königer, Markus:
Development of a Self-Configuration Concept for a FlexRay Communication System.
Masterthesis (Heinrich, P./ Niehoff, B.), Fraunhofer ESK/ Hochschule Kempten.
Diploma, master and bachelor thesis
Fraunhofer ESK Annual Report 2011/201286
Machleidt, Maximilian Jonas:
Analyse von Algorithmen zur Lösung des Generalized Assignment Problems
bezogen auf die Zuweisung von Aufgaben auf Steuergeräte in automobilen
Bordnetzen.
Bachelorarbeit (Zeller, M./Möhring, R. H./ Grötschel, M.), Fraunhofer ESK/
Technische Universität Berlin.
Rafiq, Salman:
Measuring Performance of Soft Real-time Tasks on Multicore Systems.
Masterthesis (Schmidt, A./Brorsson, M.), Fraunhofer ESK/KTH Royal Institute of Technology,
Stockholm.
Rüttgers, René:
Konzeption, Untersuchung und Simulation von E/E-Architekturen in
Elektrofahrzeugen.
Masterarbeit (Heinrich, P./ Oßmann, M.), Fraunhofer ESK/Fachhochschule Aachen.
Schönheits, Manfred:
Ressourceneffizienz für verteilte Dienste in der Fahrzeug-Umwelt-Vernetzung.
Diplomarbeit (Jiru, J./Knorr, R./Ungerer, T.), Fraunhofer ESK/ Universität Augsburg.
Schröder, Michael:
Elektromobilität am Beispiel verteilter Antriebe – Entwicklung und Imple-
mentierung eines Sicherheitskonzeptes für die Drehmomentüberwachung.
Bachelorarbeit (Demmel, K./Heinrich, P./Wolf, K.), Fraunhofer ESK/Hochschule Regensburg.
Weber, Christian:
Implementierung und Verifikation verschiedener Spectrum Sensing Algorithmen.
Masterarbeit (Hildebrandt, G./Christ, A.), Fraunhofer ESK/ Hochschule Offenburg.
Wörle, Lukas:
Routing in Heterogeneous Car-to-X Environments.
Diplomarbeit (Roscher, K./Gehrsitz, T.), Fraunhofer ESK/TU München.
Fraunhofer ESK Annual Report 2011/2012 87
ThE FRAUNhOFER-gEsELLsChAFT
As an employer, the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft offers its staff
the opportunity to develop the professional and personal
skills that will allow them to take up positions of responsibility
within their institute, at universities, in industry and in society.
Students who choose to work on projects at the Fraunhofer
Institutes have excellent prospects of starting and develop-
ing a career in industry by virtue of the practical training and
experience they have acquired.
The Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft is a recognized non-profit
organization that takes its name from Joseph von Fraunhofer
(1787–1826), the illustrious Munich researcher, inventor and
entrepreneur.
Research of practical utility lies at the heart of all activities
pursued by the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft. Founded in
1949, the research organization undertakes applied
research that drives economic development and serves the
wider benefit of society. Its services are solicited by customers
and contractual partners in industry, the service sector and
public administration.
At present, the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft maintains more than
80 research units in Germany, including 60 Fraunhofer Insti-
tutes. The majority of the more than 20,000 staff are qualified
scientists and engineers, who work with an annual research
budget of € 1.8 billion. Of this sum, more than € 1.5 billion is
generated through contract research. More than 70 percent
of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft’s contract research revenue
is derived from contracts with industry and from publicly
financed research projects. Almost 30 percent is contributed
by the German federal and Länder governments in the form
of base funding, enabling the institutes to work ahead on
solutions to problems that will not become acutely relevant to
industry and society until five or ten years from now.
Affiliated international research centers and representative
offices provide contact with the regions of greatest impor-
tance to present and future scientific progress and economic
development.
With its clearly defined mission of application-oriented research
and its focus on key technologies of relevance to the future,
the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft plays a prominent role in the
German and European innovation process. Applied research
has a knock-on effect that extends beyond the direct benefits
perceived by the customer: Through their research and devel-
opment work, the Fraunhofer Institutes help to reinforce the
competitive strength of the economy in their local region, and
throughout Germany and Europe. They do so by promoting
innovation, strengthening the technological base, improving
the acceptance of new technologies, and helping to train the
urgently needed future generation of scientists and engineers.
Fraunhofer ESK Annual Report 2011/201288
hOw TO REACh Us
Traveling north to south: using the Mittlerer Ring, you will
cross the railroad lines at Donnersbergerbrücke. Stay in the
right hand lane as you enter the tunnel. At the end of the
tunnel, take the first exit Westend/Heimeranplatz. Take the
first right onto Tübinger Strasse, then the next right onto
Dillwächterstrasse and finally the first right onto Hansastrasse.
Travel straight for approximately 150 meters. Our building is
on the right hand side, Hansastrasse 32.
Traveling south to north: using the Mittlerer Ring, take the
Westend/Heimeranplatz exit, cross the intersection and turn
left onto Hansastrasse. Travel straight for approximately 100
meters. Our building is on the left hand side, Hansastrasse 32.
Parking is available in the underground garage of our build-
ing by entering from Dillwächterstrasse. Parking spaces for
visitors are on the basement level (Untergeschoss) and are
numbered as follows: 101–109, 164, 165, 167, 168, 169, 170
and 177–181.
Fraunhofer Institute for
Communication Systems ESK
Hansastr. 32, 80686 München
n By train
From Munich main station: Take the U4 or U5 subway ( U-Bahn)
in the direction of Laimer Platz or Westendstraße as far as
Heimeranplatz. Exit the most forward portion of the train
and follow the signs to the Hansastrasse exit. Cross Hansas-
trasse using the pedestrian crosswalk, then immediately turn
right and walk approximately 50 meters. We are located on
the fourth floor of the next large building, Hansastrasse 32.
Please note, the journey from the Munich main station to
Heimeranplatz requires two stripes with the MVV stripe card.
n By air
From Munich airport, take the S8 or S1 suburban rail ( S-Bahn)
line as far as Karlsplatz Stachus station, and change to the
U4 or U5 subway (U-Bahn). Travel in the direction of Laimer
Platz as far as Heimeranplatz. Exit the most forward portion of
the train and follow the signs to the Hansastrasse exit. Cross
Hansastrasse using the pedestrian crosswalk, then immediately
turn right and walk approximately 50 meters. We are located
on the fourth floor of the next large building, Hansastrasse 32.
n By car
If arriving in Munich on the A8 motorway, take it right
through to the end and continue straight on Verdistrasse. Turn
right on Meyerbeerstrasse, then left on Landsberger Strasse,
and right on Elsenheimer Strasse, which eventually turns into
Hansastrasse. Travel straight for approximately 500 meters.
Our building is on the right hand side, Hansastrasse 32.
If arriving in Munich on any other motorway, follow the
signs to the Mittlerer Ring (city circular) in the direction of the
Stadtmitte (city center).
Fraunhofer ESK Annual Report 2011/201290
Photography
Bernd Müller Fotografie
www.berndmueller-fotografie.com
Elvira Peter
www.elvirapeter.de
Layout
formidee designbüro
www.formidee.de
English Version
Daniel Hawpe
English Language Services (s. u.)
www.hawpe.eu
Acknowledgements
We would like to express our appreciation to our
customers and indudustry partners for their trust
and willingness to disclose information about our
mutual projects in this annual report. Industry
projects were published with the approval of our
partners.
© Fraunhofer-Einrichtung für Systeme der
Kommunikationstechnik ESK München, 2012
All rights reserved. Reprints, reproduction and
translation are subject to editorial authorization.
Editorial Notes
Editorial Address
Fraunhofer Institute for
Communication Systems ESK
Hansastr. 32
80686 München
Phone: +49 89 54 70 88-0
Telefax: +49 89 54 70 88-220
www.esk.fraunhofer.de
Editorial Team
Susanne Baumer
Phone: +49 89 54 70 88-353
Telefax: +49 89 54 70 88-220
Sabrina Kaspar
Phone: +49 89 54 70 88-367
Telefax: +49 89 54 70 88-220
Christiane Weber
Phone: +49 89 54 70 88-339
Telefax: +49 89 54 70 88-220
Image Credits
All images courtesy of Fraunhofer ESK
with the exception of: Pages 16–17, 41, 45, 47,
67, 71, 72–73: Panther Media GmbH
www.esk.fraunhofer.de/en.html