DDC-I enables safety-critical compute and deterministic TSN networking in a single edge platform

DDC-I, a leading supplier of software for mission and safety-critical applications, today announced a new MOSA-aligned SoC platform for edge processing applications. Based on the AMD Zynq Ultrascale+ SoC, the platform combines the Deos DAL A, FACE conformant, DO-178C safety-critical RTOS with TTTECH's Time Sensitive Networking (TSN) implementation, TSN-End Point IP Integration Kit. The combined SoC platform extends TSN backbone networks to the edge, providing a modular, scalable, SWaP-friendly end point control and sensor node, DCU (Data Concentrator Unit), or intelligent TSN interface solution for a broad range of avionics, land and marine applications.

"Deos provides an industry standard, open architecture, MOSA-compliant, RTOS environment that is ideal for extending real-time networking and multi-core processing to edge devices, providing a low-SWaP, low latency, high bandwidth, deterministic, cost-effective endpoint solution for sensor and control nodes," said Gary Gilliland, Vice President of Marketing at DDC-I. "Ultrascale+ SoCs running Deos have a strong pedigree in both commercial and military markets, and when coupled with TSN, provide a flexible, high-performance, low-risk platform for a wide range of edge sensing and control, from fly-by-wire flight controls and mobile machinery to sensor fusion for 360º situational awareness."

TSN is an IEEE networking standard employed in automotive and industrial markets that is rapidly being adopted as a digital backbone standard for next generation aerospace and defence systems. TSN ensures common, reliable, real-time and low-latency data delivery across multiple platform providers. TTTECH provides 1 and 10 Gigabit TSN network IP that complies with the recently released IEEE 802.1DP TSN aerospace profile.

Extending TSN from the backbone to the edge, particularly in conjunction with a safety-critical RTOS like Deos, enables developers to create SWaP-friendly, standards-based edge nodes that are modular and deliver higher performance and increased functional density. These modular nodes provide an easier path to certification and maintenance as new capabilities are added. In avionics edge applications, bringing control and high-speed networking closer to the edge significantly reduces wiring weight and harness complexity by standardising the wiring to fewer types while TSN's higher bandwidth supports more devices per line. Overall, the ability to scale the TSN network to smaller devices reduces size, weight, cost and power consumption, thereby reducing the need for intermediate data interface units.

Deos is highly scalable, from small footprint single-core applications to complex applications requiring multiple cores, enabling developers to start with a single-core Deos environment and migrate to a multi-core configuration seamlessly. Deos has built-in multi-core synchronisation that's often needed in distributed control and redundant systems. To enhance SWaP and streamline the certification process at the network edge, Deos employs a modular architecture in which the exact same OS component software modules, down to the binary level, can be reused from one certifiable project to the next. This ensures that developers get a high integrity RTOS that has been proven through prior FAA and/or EASA processes. The Deos reuse infrastructure also makes it easy for developers to take advantage of the latest processor technology. For example, if multi-core performance on the four Arm A53 Ultrascale+ cores proves limiting, developers can migrate their applications and other system level software executables directly to AMD's newer Versal 2 family, which features eight Arm A78AE primary cores, without recompiling. Where space constraints allow, developers can also migrate their applications to a MOSA-aligned card-level solution available from companies like North Atlantic Industries.

Development support for the Deos-hosted TSN platform includes TTTECH's Ultrascale+ TSN development reference platform, which incorporates Deos, DDC-I's Open Arbor development tools, and a TSN driver. The turn-key platform allows customers to quickly start building up a TSN end point controller/sensor node for safety-critical use cases. Deos takes full advantage of Ultrascale+ security features to deliver capabilities including secure boot, encryption, secure communications and system update. Further, if a secure TSN network is required, Datagram Transport Layer Security (DTLS) may be integrated via the Deos TLS (Transport Layer Security) module.

About Deos

Deos is employed in commercial and military ground, marine, air, and space systems where reliability and determinism are paramount. Rooted initially in avionics, Deos was first certified to DO-178 DAL A (the utmost software process standard) in 1998 and is deployed in over 10,000 commercial aircraft. Deos' use cases have extended outside avionics, where its proven technical features provide numerous advantages over legacy RTOS architectures, especially as integrated system complexity continues to grow while still requiring a high degree of determinism and robustness. Deos is also aligned with modern military initiatives such as FACE, MOSA, PYRAMID, and others.

Deos is a safety-critical embedded RTOS that employs patented cache partitioning, memory pools, and safe scheduling to deliver higher CPU utilisation than any other certifiable safety-critical COTS RTOS while also addressing AC/AMC 20-193 multi-core objectives. The Deos environment also offers security features, middleware, networking, and other components often desired for modern embedded systems.