A practical eight-step guide for teams developing their first safety-related embedded system. Using a washing machine controller as a running example, it covers documenting system scope and requirements, performing hazard analysis, selecting applicable international standards (IEC 61508, IEC 60335, IEC 60730), choosing a software platform (Time-Triggered architecture over RTOS), selecting an appropriate MCU (e.g., NXP LPC1769 for Class B), planning runtime monitoring with Power-On Self Tests and task watchdogs, and building an early prototype. The goal is to give teams a high-level feel for safety-critical development requirements before diving into full specification work.
Table of contents
1. Document the system concept and scopeASIDE: Looking further ahead2. Document the key system requirements3. Document the main hazards / threats / risks4. Consider relevant international standards5. Make an initial choice of software platform6. Make an initial choice of target microcontroller(s)7. Document your plans for system (run-time) monitoring8. Plan the first prototypeConclusions33 Impressions