Are you looking for an intelligent, consistent solution for the development of your control unit? Do you intend consistently to design and optimise your development process? Do you want to make inroads into your costs? These questions represent the current status of many developments of control units. A large number of heterogeneous, uncoordinated software and hardware development environments exist on the market for this purpose.

Because of the many different and, to some extent, very complex control units, and also the development and solution processes used in the past, consistency within the tool chain and the workflow is not guaranteed. In view of this situation, Bertrandt found a basic standard solution for all its branches, which it has successfully implemented in the last few months in the »BCE: Bertrandt Competence Electronic« project.

Virtual development of control unit software
The BCE represents a control unit platform, which can be provided with individual software on a flexible basis. The corresponding software development process is based on the virtual principle according to the V model. The tool chain extends from Requirement Management with DOORS up to and including modelling and simulation of the functions with Matlab/Simulink/Stateflow. The structuring of the models includes an abstraction layer (“HAL”) in which all the hardware and system-related reference and functions are encapsulated. The connection of other tools established in the vehicle test already allows the validation and verification of all the functions in the simulation, including CAN communications in real time. The “frontloading” allows faults to be remedied at a much earlier point, saving considerable time and money and the test environment created can be used further in the development chain. Software is generated from the models by autocode generation, which can run on the BCE Hardware.

System software
The software of the BCE system drivers can be re-used to a maximum degree. To achieve this level of further use, system tasks have been distributed over defined interfaces, both at hardware level and application modules. The individual system software modules are encapsulated, highly specialised in their task, and small in size. Because of the portability of the standard components from project to project, the development time has been shortened and the use of structured editors de- fines the module concept clearly and precisely. To provide the control unit with a “residual” vehicle environment, all the necessary parameters have been calculated and all the tools have been prepared for CAN Bus analysis. The diagnosis of the control unit via transport protocol is also possible. All the development stages are based on process models.

Hardware
The BCE hardware is not a standard Bertrandt product. It is a platform for the virtual development process, which can represent specific functions for series developments very quickly, and cost-effectively without rapid prototyping hardware. Applications of this platform must be seen as niche areas, like special vehicles, additions to the model series or retrofit solutions, mainly in the body electronics area. The basic hardware has an ST10 controller (16 bit), a large number of analogue and digital I/Os, high speed and low speed CAN and also LIN interface. Approximately 20 percent of the hardware has to be revised slightly for specific projects and customers. Bertrandt has a prototype which can be used in many ways in the development period for evaluating the software. Because of the near series level, the series hardware solutions can be developed and built in parallel with the software development.

Presentation of the BCE on the IAA stand
The electrics/electronics shop on the Bertrandt stand offers an opportunity to see the virtual software development and trial and test phase via screens, computers and BCE hardware. The control unit functionality is displayed in the model and can be changed. It is also possible to simulate these functions. To do this, an idealised residual bus simulation and simulation of the actuators and sensors via the Bertrandt bus server, its own development, are linked with the model. The software modelling generation process is demonstrated with BCE hardware. At the shop, the code generated from the model can be tested with the aid of a test environment. This demonstrates the second development phase – rapid prototyping – of the laboratory rig. Two seat actuator motors belonging to the Ergoseat are used for the test rig. The complete rig is shown, which includes the power packs for the voltage supply and the oscilloscope for measuring the motor signals. The practical application of the BCE project is demonstrated on the basis of the seat cushion displayed. The Ergoseat is controlled with BCE hardware and software created with the aid of the entire development process.

Bertrandt, as an engineering service provider, is showing off its extensive electronics capability at the IAA 2003 based on the BCE concept. With the aid of the BCE project, Bertrandt has put together a development chain which will allow it, in future, to develop for customers complete control units that are both modern and cost-effective. The BCE project also provides future options for Bertrandt to take responsibility for the production and supply of series control units.