EASY5 Beyond Version 6

1. EASY5 Beyond Version 6 Brian Ummel EASY5 Product Support March 17, 2000

2. Development Areas • More improvements to the EASY5 Schematic Diagram • Making it easier to build Library Components • Making it easier to modify models • Improved Model Documentation • Enabling Concurrent Engineering • Configuration control of Models • Help with obtaining model data • Improved Viewing of Results • Making MAT and EASY5 work better together • Algorithm Enhancements • Platform Support - where EASY5 runs

3. Development Timescales Imminent: Will be included in a “bug-fix” release within the next few months Near Term: Will be included in the next main release (which will probably be called 7.0) which we hope to get out in the next 12 to 18 months). Further Out: May be in our next release but may be delayed to a later release Future Direction: Some ideas about where we would like to go but not understood enough yet to work on

4. Near Term: Finer Grid - Four times as many “grid points” in both x and y axes{ allows much more freedom of placement of components while maintaining auto-routing of connections } Named Pins - allow connections to a component port to attach to a component by default at a specific point on the component icon. Alternate icons for the component can have different attach points Text Annotation - Put a formatted text message anywhere on the schematic without having to tie it to a specific component User Defined Connection Labels - allow you to put any text as a connection label rather than just the component name Smart Hot Text - eliminate unnecessary zeros and ones (e.g. “1s + 0” should display simply as “s”) Improvements to EASY5 Schematic Diagram

5. Making it Easier to Build Library Components • Near Term: • New Macro Name Syntax • S2 IN-- becomes S_2_IN (or maybe sig_out_integ) • No double underscore or imbedded blanks • Total name length can be 24 characters - allowing 4 more to be added to designate instances • No limit to length of macro • Interim ability to use both old and new libraries Further Out: • New Icon Editor • New interface • New Operations • Text Blocks • Ability to edit existing text • Ability to reshape existing object • Schematic Macros 1. Build model schematic 2. Designate and name inputs and Outputs 3. Group becomes library component 4. Appears to user just like any macro

6. Making it Easier to Modify Models Near Term: Multiple selection of model objects Cut and paste of object within and between models Further Out: Replace Operation Drag a component from the add menu and drop it on a component in the model would cause the new component to replace the old one. The connections from and to the original component would be made to the new one. Only happens when it makes sense Insert Operation Drag a component from the add menu and drop it on an existing model connection would cause the new component to be added to the model and connected between the original from and to components Only happens when it makes sense

7. Improved Model Documentation Near Term: Component Notes Text form Short text note explaining purpose of component in this model Saved as part of model file HTLM link Could be used to point to vendor data for component HTML Documentation to include Schematic Uses “Simple Vector Graphics” (SVG) web protocol to draw schematic SVG browser plug-in required (available free from Adobe) Linked to HTML Docmod component tables Clicking on component in schematic causes component data to be shown in Docmod frame

8. Enabling Concurrent Engineering Further Out: Smart Submodels Built like any model Have named inputs and outputs to allow easy connection to rest of model Connections made via standard Connection Form “Replace” would update submodel without manual reconnection Creator can determine if users can modify or even see the internals Future Directions Levels within Submodels Can specify models of various levels of accuracy within single submodel Only selected level is included within compiled model Layers within Models Permit selective viewing of schematic contents (e.g. only electrical)

9. Configuration Control of Models Further Out: Based on having XML format which stores all model data Current metafile contains “extra” and redundant data Smart Difference Utility will be able to determine differences between versions of a model Standard “diff” could be used but would require interpretation Source code maintenance utility will be used to manage differences SCCS or RCS on Unix Several on windows

10. Help with Obtaining Model Data Near Term: Prepared Common Data Sets Pressing button on CDT will bring up list of parameter sets available Example: EC Motor component might have a parameter set for a “10 Horsepower Motor” Selecting a set would cause the parameters and initial conditions to be loaded into the component data table Future Direction: Convenient Access to vendor supplied models of system elements Preferred access via the world wide web Would be in the form of single components or “smart submodels” Requires agreement about protecting proprietary information

11. Improved Viewing of Results Near Term: Improvements to Interactive Simulation Widgets Improved control panel (combine with TI block) Restart and extend capabilities Multiple y-axis scales Review strip chart results that have scrolled off window “Plot Everything” from Simulation Generate plot data before and after switch events and sample times Further Out: Display Steady State Results on Schematic as Hot Text Pressures and Temperatures near Components Flows (and Temperatures) near connections

12. Making MAT and EASY5 Work Better Together Present: Rely on “system” call to run EASY5 from within MAT Slow - must re-start EASY5 on each call Tested prototype based on CORBA communication Performance was good Configuration was complex Stability was unacceptable Near Term: New implementation based on MAT .emx architecture Abbility to Create Executable as .emx file rather than stand-alone executable Need for multible resident .emx files for optimization

13. Improved Algorithms Near Term: Add Linearization of Discrete Implicit Systems Update Switch State Logic: Allow continuous states to be reset at switch state events Remove requirement that “Set Switch” command be executed even when no event occurs. Further Out: Add new integration algorithms: Fixed step with proper switch state handling Additional implicit system integration algorithms Combine Steady State Scan and Root Locus Future Directions: Run simulations on multiple processors Generate separate models of top level submodels Run within “standard” backplane architectures Run stiff ( e.g. hydraulic) models in Real Time environments

14. Platform Support: Where EASY5 runs Imminent • Windows 2000 on Intel PC • D-space real time board within PC Near Term • Improved integration with Exceed on PCs • Linux ( still waiting for demand to show up) • Continue support of current platforms (weak spot is DEC Alpha) Future Direction: • Web enabled GUI with EASY5 distributable between local and remote processors • Run from anywhere - No need to install EASY5 • Could be license on a per job basis