DMAP: IP DO254 Reverse Engineering

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Design Methods & Assurance Process /6

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The contribution of reverse engineering in the Aerospace and Defense : The IP case’s.

James Bezamat, CEO DMAP

July 2010

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THE CONTRIBUTION OF « REVERSE ENGINEERING » IN THE

AEROSPACE AND DEFENSE : THE IP CASE’S

Context

The picture is clear: aerospace industry is becoming more and more depending of complex

embedded systems. In particular, the needs expressed in the segment of the electronics are

growing and require finding new means in the choice of implementation.

The needs of sustainable solutions to long-term (>25 years) - a specificity of aeronautic

market - leads naturally to the desire to control the content of each system, particularly

strategic components that are processor and their peripherals, but also associated functions

such as communications interfaces (AFDX, Ethernet and PCI bus).

Recent developments around FPGA devices can consider them as an industrial solution

compliant with the requirements of the aviation industry while giving access to complex

objects.

The cost, time and skills needed to develop systems more and more complex require new

solutions based on the integration of IP blocks, it's the only way to optimize and rationalize

this type of project.

In this favorable context, the SoC development and use of IP are now essential in the field of

complex systems for aerospace, as they are in most areas of electronics.

However, this economic reality cannot ignore the quality requirements of this industry and the

compliance with quality assurance standards that govern this type of development

(particularly the DO-254 for electronic objects including IP and SoC).

The current situation is disappointing: few IP "DO-254 certifiable" are actually available on

the market and the ability to integrate these objects quickly and reproducibly in a system, SoC

or SoPC is yet to be demonstrated.

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The reverse engineering approach

The solution closest to the expectations of certification authorities - expressed for example by

the DO-254 European User Group - go through an upgrading of existing IPs, this compliance

based mainly on reverse engineering type processes, perfectly controlled and recognized for

demonstrating the safety level of a PI.

But it is not enough to re-create documentation from a given code, or to complete a poorly

covering test-suite.

The expectations in terms of insurance processes are well beyond the purely documentaries

aspect and should cover basic activities required in the case of a normal development (i.e.

configuration management, problem reports, documentary management, peer reviews,

progress reviews, independence, traceability ...).

The recommendations of the DO-254 User Group, which advocates a flow adapted to the

approach reverse engineering, are perfectly clear: the flow must be very close to the life cycle

structure required by DO-254.

The flow of an IP development is realized by a certification package, demonstration and proof

of the capacity that the IP address all the criteria of DO-254. This package is the central

element of the integration of an IP in the user's flow.

This method makes sense only if it meets a number of criteria, pledges of its complete

success:

- Ability to demonstrate the reality of a design flow with expectations of the DO-254,

like a classic design.

- Available data after inventory and analysis will be used to fill gap by keeping them up

(especially code) to preserve the service experience of the IP which is an additional

source of confidence that must be mobilized.

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- The flow must be reproducible, independent of the IP and approved by the

certification authorities.

- The certification package must be consistent and based on design and support tools

with a demonstrated performance within the meaning of DO-254.

- The certification package must be designed to be easily integrated into an external

flow, the client's one, like IPs together make a SoC.

- The certification package must guarantee the highest level of design assurance (DAL

A) to avoid the proliferation of sub-packages.

- The certification package must be implemented quickly with a maximum level of

quality and a limited additional cost.

- The certification package shall include a support for the integration and certification

audits.

Implementation and Outlook

We conducted an experiment around a single IP (an ARINC429_APB from ACTEL) and

we did the full exercise of the reverse engineering without concession or compromise.

The result is a complete package which includes the original source code which provides

significant added value. These results was obtained using well known tools, but also open

source tools, while avoiding a customization of flow, which remained fully independent of

the IP treatment.

Procedures, plans, checklists, standards have yielded a complete result in a limited time

with a high level of assurance process.

Beyond demonstrating the effectiveness of the method, this experience has allowed us

highlight the important deposits of productivity that remains to be explored to make it

even more attractive solution.

Moreover, the SoC approach would seem to make setting up a Complete IP library around

a standardized bus protocol (type AMBA), which creates gains of scale particularly

interesting on the verification aspect.

The current approach of DMAP is therefore to develop axes to reduce costs and delays

while maintaining-or improving-the quality of the product.

This necessarily requires an increased use of powerful tools, including management tools

and process control and documentation generation tools.

The contribution of advanced methods of verification is considered essential in our

reflection and is part of the development priorities of the company.

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Agreements have been concluded between DMAP and CAD tool vendors and

management tools to facilitate their adaptation to the specific needs of this market. The

coherence and complementarity of these tools is an important component that we take in

the near future to propose a solution to global process management implemented in

structured electronic design projects.

Conclusion

It is now possible to propose the use of IP blocks in electronic hardware development

constrained by the DO-254, without compromising the requirements of standard and with

the support of certification authorities.

This introduction - required and desired - will be technically and economically possible

by relying on the tremendous catalog of existing blocks and on systematic approaches

like reverse engineering.

The approach that we are driving demonstrates the need for an approach fully developed

and controlled through a dedicated repository and by adding tasks automation more and

more efficient.

Of course, the development of new customized IP for the avionics field can also benefit

from this favorable environment, to minimize the overhead inherent in this adjustment.

Under these conditions, the development of SoPC will be done with all the expected

benefits in terms of time, of implementation and of independence which can be

legitimately expected by all the players.

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Who

Founder, Chief Executive Officer

James Bezamat co-founded DMAP in 2009, is a senior microelectronic expert with about 25

years in digital design targeting both ASIC and FPGA and team management, especially in

aerospace and defense domains. James is an expert in DO-254 related methods with 8 years’

experience in aerospace projects and familiar with the different approaches commonly used

in the major aircraft companies. he was involved in the definition of most of these strategies

with immediate practical application as a responsible assurance process manager and auditor.

James is also a recognized trainer in microelectronics design and DO-254 approach within a

lot of major companies. James spent 8 years as professor for a famous french institute. He

has a degree in Engineering at Centrale Lille (1983) and a PhD in microwave at Lille

University (1985).

Company Overview

DMAP is a startup company focused on high reliability semiconductor application domains.

DMAP has been founded in 2009 by two highly skilled engineers in the semiconductor area.

With more than 40 years of experience we are able to combine IP and SoC development for

ASIC and FPGA target with high reliability methods provided by the DO-254 guidance. High

reliable domains as aeronautic, medical, defense and space like others mass markets are

sensible to time-to-market constraints and a growing system complexity, that's why we offer

to IP vendors the opportunity to address new markets and to high reliable sub-contractor

community to buy DO-254 ready IP to speed up their development.

DMAP: IP DO254 Reverse Engineering

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