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Product category: Embedded Software and Operating Systems
News Release from: LiveDevices | Subject: Realogy Real-Time Architect
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial Team on 18 July 2002

RTOS powers novel
energy management platform

Continental Automotive Systems has selected LiveDevices' Realogy Real-Time Architect for use in its innovative integrated starter alternator damper (ISAD) energy management platform

The ISAD is an entirely new class of product, designed to support combined 12/42V systems, reducing fuel consumption, increasing power production, providing rapid engine start capability and virtually eliminating powertrain oscillations. Unlike conventional starters, the ISAD assembly starts the combustion engine by electromagnetically triggering the rotation of the crankshaft.

Its powerful asynchronous motor revs the combustion engine from cold to idling speed in just a fraction of a second.

Through its start-stop functionality and exceptionally high efficiency the ISAD system reduces fuel consumption in city traffic by about 20%.

Moreover, with its power generation features, the ISAD system offers standard household electrical outlet capabilities in vehicles - far exceeding the performance of present-day alternators.

By neutralising powertrain oscillations and noise, the ISAD system also enhances riding comfort.

The control electronics records rotational irregularities and applies an equalising counter-torque to the crankshaft.

This way ISAD can absorb any annoying engine jerks that may occur, for example, when the engine shifts abruptly from traction to overrun.

To be effective the timing of the counter vibrations produced by the ISAD is critical.

LiveDevices' Realogy Real-Time Architect product is the only OSEK OS solution that can cope with this demanding real-time application.

It includes tools that perform a number of uniquely useful analyses.

Schedulability analysis is used to check whether the system meet its deadlines or not.

Sensitivity analysis identifies the degree to which the execution time of tasks or interrupts can change and the system continue to meet its deadlines.

This allows developers to identify the areas of risk in a design, explore potential for system modifications, target corrective action, and investigate idle time and scope for reduced clock speeds.

Priority allocation is used to arrange the priority levels of tasks so they can continue to meet deadlines while sharing memory usage, thus minimising memory requirements.

LiveDevices' RTA includes SSX5, a highly efficient and scaleable single stack operating system, which ensures hardware resources are only consumed for features that are used.

It has minimal system memory and processor clocks cycle overheads, and runs on a wide range of microcontrollers from 8-32 bits.

"LiveDevices offered the only OSEK-certified solution on the market that addressed our demanding requirement for low CPU overheads, as well as providing us with the ability to guarantee the timing deadlines of our product", said Peter Bagel, Group Controller and Operating Systems at Continental Automotive Systems.

"We see LiveDevices as a very valuable technical partner throughout the continuing development of the ISAD product, helping us provide our customers with the technical innovation and reliability they have come to expect from Continental".

"Realogy Real-Time Architect is a unique product that is enabling pioneering companies like Continental Automotive Sysems to bring innovative products to market and guarantee their performance and reliability", said Dr Andy Coombes, Automotive Product Manager at LiveDevices.

"We are looking forward to continued involvement with Continental in this rapidly expanding market".

A hybrid drive system incorporating ISAD will be offered as an option on General Motor's Chevy Silverado and the GMC Sierra from 2004.

A new element of the GM hybrid system will be two 20A, 110/220V household outlets which will enable the system to work as a generator, supplying power, for example, to standard electric tools and leisure equipment.

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