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Issues in Tool Qualification for Safety-Critical Hardware: What Formal Approaches Can and Cannot Do

B. Butka, J. Zalewski, A.J. Kornecki

Proc. SACECOMP'2009, International Conference on Computer Safety, Reliability, and Security, Hamburg, Germany, September 15-18, 2009, pp. 201-214.

Abstract: Technology has improved to the point that system designers have the ability to trade-off implementing complex functions in either hardware or software. However, clear distinctions exist in the design tools. This paper examines what is unique to hardware design, areas where formal methods can be applied to advantage in hardware design and how errors can exist in the hardware even if formal methods are used to prove the design is correct.

Certification of software for real-time safety-critical systems: state of the art

A.J,. Kornecki, J. Zalewski

Innovations in Systems and Software Engineering: A NASA Journal, Vol. 5, No. 4, pp 149–161, June 2009.

Abstract: This paper presents an overview and discusses the role of certification in safety-critical computer systems focusing on software, and partially hardware, used in the civil aviation domain. It discusses certification activities according to RTCA DO-178B “Software Considerations in Airborne Systems and Equipment Certification” and touches on tool qualification according to RTCA DO-254 “Design Assurance Guidance for Airborne Electronic Hardware.” Specifically, certification issues as related to real-time operating systems and programming languages are reviewed, as well as software development tools and complex electronic hardware tool qualification processes are discussed. Results of an independent industry survey done by the authors are also presented.