VAPS QCG Case Study

The following is a high level description of a typical Original Equipment Manufacturer OEM/Supplier relationship within the development of an avionics display system. While this Case Study explains the uses of VAPS QCG within a particular workflow, the various roles of the supplier and OEM could differ from this example.

The first step involves the OEM creating a detailed system specification that includes the following:

• HMI specifications, including VAPS design files,
• software architecture requirements, including the real-time operating system selection,
• hardware parameters, and
• many other relevant system details.

Then, the supplier uses the system specification document as a primary guideline for the development of the system. To begin, the supplier develops the integrated hardware and driver platform and then integrates and optimizes the RTOS for the target hardware. The supplier then ports the VAPS QCG Run Time Libraries to the target RTOS/Hardware platform, resulting in a platform that does not need to be modified for each subsequent HMI application and system. This porting activity can also be accomplished by the Engenuity Professional Services group.

Next, the supplier code generates the VAPS Design Files for the target platform by using VAPS QCG. Changes to the HMI specification can now be immediately deployed to the target system using VAPS QCG automatic code generation. 

In the final step, the system is certified DO-178B jointly by the OEM and the supplier. Since VAPS QCG is a qualifiable tool to be used under DO-178B, this must be declared in the end-user system PSAC. The supplier performs the low-level verification of the porting layer, which can, in turn, be used across multiple projects. In addition, verification of the VAPS HMI is performed as part of the complete system validation and testing. At this point, DesignDoc automatically generates detailed documents, including display formats, that are extremely useful for verification activities. 

The benefits for the OEM of using the VAPS QCG approach are the following:

• The OEM has complete control and ownership of the display format and resulting Intellectual Property (IP).
• Changes to the VAPS display format can be easily communicated to the supplier and implemented in a matter of minutes without any modification to the underlying platform.
• Development artifacts used in a VAPS QCG port for a specific platform configuration can be re-used across multiple projects sharing that same configuration, thereby leading to important reductions in development time and certification effort.
• New HMI applications can be developed and have code generated to the target platform as well, resulting in additional time/cost savings.
• The use of COTS tools provides the OEM with the option to take more control of the project by choosing to perform the VAPS QCG porting work without the need for specialist knowledge.
• The use of VAPS QCG on subsequent projects greatly reduces risk because VAPS QCG will have been recognized as certifiable on previous projects.

The VAPS approach also provides the supplier with the following benefits:

• Fewer programming and specialized skill sets required.
• Faster time to market, greater reliability, and overall better service to the OEM.