SEooC

HCC is using a Safety Elements out of Context (SEooC) approach to develop reusable software components that can be integrated with systems engineered to meet stringent requirements for safety, quality, and portability.

HCC has invested extensive time and effort in creating the processes and environment required to build reusable SEooCs for deeply embedded software components. HCC has built a full life cycle as a manageable part of our customers’ safety development.

SafeTCPIP

The first Element is HCC’s SafeTCPIP network stack for use in automotive systems. Future releases will map the standard ISO 26262 V-model process to other safety-critical standards such as those used in aerospace, industrial, and medical device markets.

The stack is built as a set of SEooCs, Safety Elements out of Context as defined in ISO 26262-10, and deliverable as a distinct safety project with full life cycle maintenance for each customer project.

It has been developed following ISO 26262-6 as a formal V-model development with the following core work products:

• Assumptions (Required for SEooCs).
• High Level Requirements.
• Functional Requirements.
• Architectural Design.
• Detailed design.
• Fully MISRA compliant C Implementation.
• Verification Test Specification.
• Full MC/DC coverage.
• Validation Test Specification.
• Test harness for complete on-target testing.
• Complete forwards/backwards traceability between requirements, design, implementation and test cases.

SEooC: Reusing Embedded Software in Safety-Critical Automotive Systems

Originating in ISO 26262-10, a SEooC is defined as a method for using software or hardware components in a vehicle that were not originally designed for that specific project. A software SEooC is developed to a safety standard, in this case ISO 26262, which means that it is developed with all the processes of a full software safety life cycle and within the design constraints of a safety system. The parts of the acronym are used as follows:

• “Safety” – indicates that this module is specifically developed in the context of a set of safety requirements.
• “Element” – indicates that this is a unit or module with a specific range of functionality;
• “out of Context” – software components are developed to provide a specific function, with no awareness of how the component will actually be used in the target system. 

HCC is the first embedded software module vendor to use the SEooC approach to build commercial software Elements, beginning with SafeTCPIP. This TCP/IP stack is built as a set of SEooCs deliverable as a distinct safety project with full life cycle maintenance for each customer project.

This diagram shows the process with reference to SafeTCPIP: