Component-node-network: three levels of optimized code generation with ASCET-SD

ETAS' CACSD tool ASCET-SD (Advanced Simulation and Control Engineering Tool) is specifically designed for control system design in automotive applications. It supports the entire design cycle from the early stages (i.e. graphical block diagrams) over rapid prototyping, target identical prototyping to eventually optimized code generation for various microcontroller targets. This paper focuses on code generation aspects on three levels of complexity (component, node, network), each of which must be addressed properly in order to obtain optimal results. On the component level the generation of the control algorithm itself with a focus on numerical issues is discussed. The node level addresses data and code structures for the entire program to be run on a microcontroller. When combining several nodes (electronic control units) to a network, timing and communication aspects have to be considered.