Software tools for small scale process controllers using a real-time rule interpreter and object-oriented techniques

Numerous CASE tools are available for large systems, but many relatively simple applications employing embedded microprocessors do not need these large costly tools, which anyway have to be used by specialists. There is a lack of low cost CASE tools suitable for small projects. In many of these cases, products must be tailored to individual customers needs; smaller firms frequently specialise in these areas, yet such firms are just those who are unlikely to employ specialist software engineers. The person with the best knowledge of the customer´s real requirements is the sales or applications engineer; they are therefore the person best able to produce the applications software. Inevitably such a non-specialist needs considerable help from the CASE system. The paper describes work in an advanced stage of development which seeks to answer this problem; ways in which control strategies can be implemented correctly are discussed