Architecture Analysis and Design Language: An

Architecture Analysis
and Design Language:
An Overview
Drew Gardner
Background

Communication and agreement needed

2002 study: $59.5 billion annual to fix errors

UML

AADL
Origins

Originally Avionics Architecture
Description Language

Based on similar language MetaH
Purpose

Model real time embedded systems

Not diagrammatic like UML

Written like programming language

Unambiguous
Usage




Avionics
Aerospace
Automobiles
Any constrained environment
Design

Programming language

Compilable

3 abstraction categories: software,
hardware, composite
Components

Software





Thread
Thread group
Process
Subprogram
Data

Hardware





Device
Memory
Bus
Processor
Composite


System
Package
Components (cont)
Type Declarations




Extends: Inheritance
Features: Interacting components
Flows: Logic and control flows
Properties: Attributes
Implementation Declarations




Refines: Override properties
Subcomponents: Internal implementations
Calls: Call subprograms
Connections: Interactions involving ports and data
Summary

Rough rule: type = class,
implementation = object

Detailed description of software and
hardware interactions
Example 1


Process control
mechanism
Simple; incomplete
Example 1 Diagram
Example 2

End to end flow

Flow wholly
contained within
component

Brake pedal causes
cruise control to
change throttle
Conclusions

AADL is effective analysis and design tool

Wide array of capabilities,
can also be extended

Does not compete with UML; complements

Download Report