For architects and managers of real-time critical embedded systems

Embedded Systems

Timing and Performance

Methods, tools and services for the design, optimization, analysis and test of embedded systems and software. Event chains (DE: Wirkketten) based approach, model-based simulation and trace-based testing.

Your benefits:

  • Event Chain centric approach to focus on end user experience and data flows
  • Save time and money by finding and fixing timing issues 12 months earlier
  • Learn from our 20 years of experience

OUR CUSTOMERS

Celebrating 20 Years of INCHRON

INCHRON celebrates its 20th anniversary with a look back at what has shaped the business and its incredible team.

View our interview with Dr. Ralf Münzenberger, CEO, and Matthias Dörfel, CTO, as they share how timing-driven development improves automotive software quality and safety. They also share what makes INCHRON a values-driven company and how this helps create a close-knit team that can deliver two decades of success.

Timing & Performance

In series production projects, the emphasis has traditionally been on functions, features, and safety. However, in the realm of complex real-time critical systems, effective management of timing and performance becomes paramount and must be meticulously handled throughout the entirety of the project.

In today’s context, relying solely on PowerPoint and Excel falls short. INCHRON offers a comprehensive suite of methods, tools, and services tailored to manage the timing aspects of your embedded real-time system and software, guiding you seamlessly from initial requirements to the conclusive testing phase.

Event Chains: A Proven Method

Data travels through your system from component to component and module to module. In addition to data types and content the end-to-end latency is important.

Event chains (DE: Datenfluss-Wirkketten) are an enabling technology for complex systems. Focusing on the data and its processing instead of hardware and software components reduces complexity.

Design, simulate, optimize, analyze and test your event chains with INCHRON!

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Example: Headlight Flasher Latency

Using the headlight flasher involves a number of ECUs today. End-to-end latency from the handle to the light is expected to be below 150 ms. This time budget is distributed to several ECUs, networks and software components.

With INCHRON’s model-based simulation  chronSIM this timing and latencies are optimized and timing budgets for each ECU and software component are derived.

Inside the ECUs the RTOS scheduler is optimized.

Save Time & Money by Front-Loading

The concept of front-loading is one of the known best-practices for project management. The cost of bug-fixing increases exponentially over time. Every day you find a problem earlier saves time and money.

With INCHRON checking requirements is done during the architecture and design phase using a model-based simulation. Before and after integration the requirements will be checked against trace files.

Communicate in Your Team

Communicating desired behavior of complex systems is a challenge for development teams today.

Using event chains, the simulation and visualization makes it fun to find the best solution. Everyone will understand the concepts and works towards a optimal solution.

The INCHRON Method

Our method uses these simple steps:

1. Define formal timing requirements
2. Build a model of the dynamic architecture
3. Simulate the dynamic behavior based on the model
4. Visualize and analyze timing and performance
5. Test against requirements and create a report.
6. Import traces from existing implementation for visualization and test
7. Automate import/export of models, test and reporting.
8. Improve incrementally and iteratively.

Already started a project? You can start with INCHRON in every project stage.

Let’s schedule a meeting: We provide free strategy consulting for you!

Virtual Integration on All Levels

Model-based development and simulation allows early “virtual” integration and verification of requirements. Exploring design alternatives at the PC has the benefit of finding the best option before going into expensive implementation.

Checking architecture and design before going in to implementation of systems, software and change requests enables early detections of problems. Good bye trial-and-error!

INCHRON support multiple architecture levels like logical architecture, vehicle architecture, ECU architecture and software architecture.

Test, Test, Test

Test against your formal timing requirements to see the current state of your project. Test the design of your dynamic architecture against timing requirements. Test your software implementation against individual requirements. Test your software and system before and after integration.

Automation and reports included.

[schedule meeting]

Integration with Your Existing Software & Workflow Automation

Often information about the dynamic behavior of systems and software is already available in other software. INCHRON provides a Python API and XML files to exchange data with 3rd party software. Easy!

Our tools come with a state-of-the-art design and visualization GUI. For automation (e.g. CI/CD) everything can be run in batch mode / CLI mode. Tools are available on Windows, Linux and Cloud (docker container).

Automated checking of timing-requirements is the best way to continuously monitor the progress of a real-time critical embedded project.

chronVIEW imports all common trace format.

Integrate INCHRON in your CI/CD workflows!

Product Portfolio

Trace Visualization and Analysis
Worst-Case Timing Analysis

Services & Support

Let’s get started. You’ll get the support that you need in every project phase:

1. Free strategy feedback (schedule meeting)
2. Free block-diagram analysis (schedule meeting)
3. Free and no-paperwork evaluation license (request)
4. video training, live video conference training, on-site training
5. Jump-start workshop at the beginning of a project
6. Multiple tool licensing options
7. Tool support and software updates
8. Project consulting
9. Dedicated team members for your project

INCHRON’s headquarter is in Germany. Our experts with 15+ years of experience are available on-line and on-site world-wide. Local experts are available in Japan, China, South Korea and India.

[schedule meeting] [contact form]

About INCHRON

INCHRON was founded 2003 to predict real-time behavior of embedded software and systems. Since then we have worked with all major OEM and Tier-1 in the automotive industry and other industries. In more than 190 projects, embedded timing has been improved and saved project costs and risks. INCHRON provides a leading tool-suite and world-wide experts services.

Our headquarter is in Erlangen, Germany and we a present in Japan, South Korea, India and China. Our CEO and Chairman of the board Dr. Ralf Münzenberger and CTO Matthias Dörfel are founders of INCHRON AG.

Questions & Answers

I don’t know the details for my software timing. How can I start?

  • You can start any time with the knowledge that you have. If exact timing is not available, you can go with rough estimations. It has been proven in many projects that details are less important than high-level overview
  • If timing details will not become available because of a 3rd party library or use of legacy software, replacement models are available.

I have data in other formats. Can I re-use this data?

  • INCHRON provides import, export and update APIs. You can easily attach your software.
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