Software Dependency Diagnosis Tool for Cyber-Physical Systems
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for engineering and maintaining software architectures of complex cyber-physical systems face challenges such as huge amounts of dependencies, information overload from automated extraction, and lack of evolution information, making it difficult to diagnose and manage software artifact dependencies effectively.
Innovation Solution
A method and tool that diagnose and categorize software artifact dependencies, relate changes to evolution information, and represent dependencies and changes in a graphical format, using node groups and time bar representations to reduce clutter and enhance understanding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If automated extraction of dependencies is used, then dependency information is obtained, but information overload occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the monolithic dependency graph into multiple categorized views (layered view, tangled view, context view). Each view presents a specific aspect of dependencies, allowing architects to analyze different categories separately rather than being overwhelmed by all dependencies simultaneously. This segmentation reduces information overload while preserving complete dependency information.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds categorical dimensions to the dependency information by classifying dependencies into different types (layered, tangled, context) and presenting them in separate dimensional views. This transforms the flat, overwhelming dependency list into a multi-dimensional structured representation, making the information manageable while retaining completeness.
2Reliability
If comprehensive dependency analysis is performed, then architecture quality is improved, but engineering time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary automated categorization of dependencies into layered, tangled, and context groups before analysis. This preliminary action organizes the data structure in advance, so when architects need to analyze architecture quality, the dependencies are already sorted and ready for efficient examination, reducing the time required for comprehensive analysis.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates simplified categorical copies of the dependency information in different views (layered view, tangled view, context view) rather than requiring architects to examine the complete raw dependency data. These copied views present essential information in organized formats, enabling quality assessment without processing the entire dependency set manually.
3Measurement precision
If detailed dependency information is displayed, then diagnosis accuracy is improved, but readability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments detailed dependency information into multiple categorical views that can be displayed separately. Each view (layered, tangled, context) presents a specific category of dependencies with appropriate detail level, maintaining diagnosis accuracy for each category while improving overall readability by avoiding the presentation of all detailed information simultaneously in a single view.
Data Source
AI summary
In order to give architects engineering the software of software architectures with its various software artifacts of complex cyber-physical systems of different technical domains a powerful way to identify and control architecture erosion in codebases of the complex cyber-physical systems, a method or tool is provided that may (i) diagnose and categorize software artifacts dependencies in the software architectures of complex cyber-physical systems triggered by revisions or commits, (ii) relate changes in the diagnosed and categorized dependencies with change events on the software artifacts, e.g., those caused by at least one of enhancing the complex cyber-physical system with new features as required by market demands and fixing defects found in operation and/or raised during maintenance of the complex cyber-physical system, and (iii) represent the diagnosed and categorized dependencies and the related changes in the diagnosed and categorized dependencies.