The EMIR experience in the use of software control simulators to speed up the time to telescope

Pablo Lopez Ramos; J. C. López-Ruiz; Heidy Moreno Arce; Josefina Rosich; José Maria Perez Menor

doi:10.1117/12.925465

24 September 2012 The EMIR experience in the use of software control simulators to speed up the time to telescope

Pablo Lopez Ramos, J. C. López-Ruiz, Heidy Moreno Arce, Josefina Rosich, José Maria Perez Menor

Proceedings Volume 8451, Software and Cyberinfrastructure for Astronomy II; 84511L (2012) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.925465
Event: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation, 2012, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Abstract

One of the main problems facing development teams working on instrument control systems consists on the need to access mechanisms which are not available until well into the integration phase. The need to work with real hardware creates additional problems like, among others: certain faults cannot be tested due to the possibility of hardware damage, taking the system to the limit may shorten its operational lifespan and the full system may not be available during some periods due to maintenance and/or testing of individual components. These problems can be treated with the use of simulators and by applying software/hardware standards. Since information on the construction and performance of electro-mechanical systems is available at relatively early stages of the project, simulators are developed in advance (before the existence of the mechanism) or, if conventions and standards have been correctly followed, a previously developed simulator might be used. This article describes our experience in building software simulators and the main advantages we have identified, which are: the control software can be developed even in the absence of real hardware, critical tests can be prepared using the simulated systems, test system behavior for hardware failure situations that represent a risk of the real system, and the speed up of in house integration of the entire instrument. The use of simulators allows us to reduce development, testing and integration time.

Citation Download Citation

Pablo Lopez Ramos, J. C. López-Ruiz, Heidy Moreno Arce, Josefina Rosich, and José Maria Perez Menor "The EMIR experience in the use of software control simulators to speed up the time to telescope", Proc. SPIE 8451, Software and Cyberinfrastructure for Astronomy II, 84511L (24 September 2012); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.925465

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KEYWORDS

Device simulation

Software development

Control systems

Logic

Interfaces

Telecommunications

Telescopes

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