Controlled Vocabulary Requirement Description for Embedded Systems
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Solution Overview
Problem
Natural language requirements for embedded systems are often ambiguous, making it difficult to create clear and unambiguous test specifications, which hinders the development of systematic and efficient testing processes.
Innovation Solution
A method is developed to create a requirement description using a limited vocabulary of natural-language text segments that can be combined to form unambiguous sentences, with a data processing system restricting combinations to ensure clarity and correctness, and transforming these descriptions into machine-readable formats for automated testing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If natural language is used to specify requirements, then ease of understanding by users is improved, but ambiguity in requirement meaning increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter of language structure from free-form natural language to a controlled vocabulary system with predefined text segments. This allows requirements to maintain natural language readability while eliminating ambiguity through standardized segment combinations and grammatical rules.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments natural language requirements into discrete, selectable text segments that can be combined according to defined grammar rules. This segmentation enables systematic control over requirement formulations while preserving natural language comprehension.
2Ease of operation
If free-form natural language is allowed, then ease of requirement formulation is improved, but machine readability and automatic test generation capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the parameter of language structure from unstructured to semi-structured by implementing a controlled vocabulary system. This enables both ease of formulation through predefined segments and machine readability through systematic combination rules and grammatical validation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary layer between free natural language and machine processing. This intermediary consists of the controlled vocabulary system and grammar rules that translate user-friendly text segment selections into structured, machine-readable requirement specifications.
3Reliability
If a limited vocabulary with combination rules is implemented, then ambiguity is reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter of language structure from free-form to controlled vocabulary with defined combination rules. This reduces ambiguity while managing complexity through systematic grammar validation and structured text segment organization.
4Manufacturing precision
If text segments are restricted to specific combinations, then requirement clarity is improved, but ease of user selection deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic adaptability in the text segment selection system. The grammar rules dynamically determine which text segments can be combined based on previously selected segments, providing guidance that improves clarity while maintaining ease of selection through context-aware options.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a method of creating a requirement description for an embedded system, including but not only a motor vehicle electronic control unit, in which a vocabulary of natural-language, selectable text segments is stored in a data processing system, said text segments being combinable with one another to form at least one natural-language sentence, possibly but not necessarily in the English language, to form a machine-readable requirement description, and that each text segment is linked to a set of further text segments that can be combined with it, whereby for a text segment that is selected, the data processing system automatically represents the further combinable text segments in selectable form on a display unit. The invention further relates to a computer program product stored on a data medium that, when executed on a data processing system executes a method according to one of the previous claims.