i4ware Software implemented the i4ware Requirements Diagramming project in 2010–2011, where the Gliffy diagramming tool was integrated into the Polarion ALM environment. The solution enabled the storage of diagrams in version control as well as their attachment and traceability to software requirements, test cases, and tasks. The project was presented in a blog post by Polarion published on August 5, 2010, which is currently available on Siemens’ website.
Although i4ware did not sell any product licenses, the intellectual property rights, or IPR rights, generated in connection with the project were transferred to Polarion Software. The project thus serves as a reference for software development, ALM integration, and the transfer of software-related rights.
Polarion Software was later acquired by Siemens. This acquisition was separate from the project previously carried out by i4ware and the transfer of IPR rights.
Project presentation: Requirements Diagramming with Gliffy and Polarion ALM
Technical diagrams are used to design the architecture, operational logic, data flow, and interfaces between hardware and software of systems. For example, state diagrams describe the operational states of a device, sequence diagrams illustrate communication between different parts, and activity diagrams show the progression of processes.
In i4ware’s Requirements Diagramming solution, diagrams could be linked to the requirements, test cases, and development tasks in the Polarion ALM environment. This way, design solutions could be traced back to the original requirements and the tests that validate their fulfillment.
This type of design is utilized in fields such as aviation and defense, automotive, healthcare, marine industry, electronics, and machinery and equipment manufacturing, as seen in the image. Design targets may include vehicle control units, medical devices, navigation systems, industrial robots, and sensor and control systems of machines.
In the energy, process, and infrastructure sectors, diagrams are used to design control systems for power plants, production lines, water treatment, and building automation, as well as alarm functions and safety-related operations.
Common programming languages for embedded systems are C and C++. They are used in the internal software of devices where memory usage, performance, and timing are critical. Assembly is used when necessary for low-level hardware functions. Ada and SPARK are particularly used in some safety-critical solutions, such as in aviation and defense. Rust is also an option in system development that emphasizes memory safety.
In industrial programmable logic controllers (PLC systems), languages such as Structured Text, Ladder Diagram, and Function Block Diagram are used. The digital logic of FPGA chips is described using VHDL and Verilog/SystemVerilog languages. Python is often used for testing, simulation, and automation of development.
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