Knowledge-based integration between virtual and physical prototyping for identifying behavioral constraints of embedded real-time systems

Rapid prototyping methods are in need of autonomous decision making and analysis during the product development stages so that the "time-to-market"can be reduced faster than traditional product development methodologies. Therefore, new methods of prototyping are inevitably essential. This paper proposes an approach to utilize the benefits of virtual prototyping (VP) and physical prototyping (PP) methodologies by integrating them into knowledge-based systems (KBSs) by providing seamless connection. This approach is termed autonomous integrated prototyping. The main contribution of this paper is the development of an intelligent system architecture to facilitate and guide the product development autonomously and simultaneously in both VP and PP environments. The seamless connection between VP and PP, along with KBSs, enables the exploration of new behaviors of developing systems and analyzing different behaviors. The architecture is applicable to embedded real-time systems (ERTSs), sensor applications, robotics, and ubiquitous applications where system interaction with the external environment is necessary.