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General
What is TTA-Group?
TTA-Group is a cross-industry consortium for highly dependable time-triggered
systems. Its objective is to share experience and distribute know-how
in the area of safety-critical data communication. Members benefit
from the successful deployment of low-cost data communication systems
for safety-critical applications that fulfill safety requirements
at aerospace level.
Why did major companies from various industries
join TTA-Group?
Leading companies have chosen TTA-Group as a cross-industry consortium
to discuss the development and use of time-triggered architecture
for safety-relevant issues. In addition, aerospace companies and
companies from other industries with the need for a highly dependable
system architecture have found the Time-Triggered Protocol TTP to
be the best data communication system for safety-critical systems.
TTA-Group serves them as a platform to establish a cross-industry
standard for these industries with safety and cost as top priorities.
Why is an advanced electronics architecture
needed?
There has been an enormous increase of the number of electronic
control units over the past few years. New safety-critical functions
are increasing the overall complexity of the electronics and are
demanding an even higher level of dependability. In order to be
used in future applications, an advanced electronics architecture
needs to satisfy all safety, availability, and fault tolerance requirements.
Additionally, it has to support ease of system integration, component
upgrades, and the migration of existing systems. A great number
of models, platforms, and equipments has to be supported. Last not
least, such an architecture needs to meet the stringent cost constraints
imposed by the market.
What is TTA-Group's mission?
TTA-Group's mission is to provide a platform for exchanging cross-industry
experience about the deployment of a data communication architecture
for safety-critical systems.
TTA-Group promotes technologies for a time-triggered solution and
concentrates on the aerospace, off-highway vehicles, railway, and
industrial control industry, where demanding requirements for safety-critical
applications have to be fulfilled at low cost.
TTA-Group has no intention to standardize technologies and solutions
for the automotive industry. This is done in other consortia such
as FlexRay
and AUTOSAR.
However, automotive members of TTA-Group benefit from the synergy
of cross-industry experience and know-how in technology-oriented
and application-specific working groups.
TTA-Group gives guidance and recommendations to other groups and
consortia in terms of safety issues from a cross-industry point
of view.
Which are TTA-Group's strengths?
- TTA-Group consists of leading market players.
- TTA-Group members have a leading role in establishing a time-triggered
architecture.
- The members share their substantial experience in safety-critical
communication.
- Clearly regulated access to a comprehensive patent family in
the area of time-triggered architecture.
- The Time-Triggered Protocol TTP has been adopted by leading
industry players due to its rigorous and cost-efficient safety
approach.
- TTP is a mature solution that is low-cost and can handle safety-critical
applications.
- Based on stable specifications, TTP communication controllers
have been available since 1998. Qualified third-generation communication
controllers are available today.
- Currently available TTP communication controllers support communication
speeds of up to 25 Mbit/s. This high speed is coupled with net
data throughput efficiencies of about 80%.
- TTP products available today include chip models, a comprehensive
tool chain for design, implementation and validation as well as
hardware boards and electronic control units for prototyping.
- TTP is now deployed in commercial applications after more than
25 years of R&D work.
What are TTA-Group's goals?
- To share experience and distribute know-how in the area of safety-critical
data communicaton
- To benefit from the successful aerospace deployment of data
communication systems for safety-critical applications where demanding
requirements have to be fulfilled at low cost
- To provide a platform for exchanging cross-industry experience
about the deployment of a data communication architecture for
safety-critical systems
- To promote technologies for a time-triggered solution in the
aerospace, off-highway vehicles, railway, and industrial control
industry
- To benefit from the synergy of cross-industry experience and
know-how in technology-oriented and applications-specific working
groups
- To give guidance and recommendations to other groups and consortia
such as FlexRay
and AUTOSAR
in terms of safety issues from a cross-industry point of view
- To direct further research and development with safety and cost
as top priorities
- To ensure a fast time-to-market
Business Model
Who pays license fees for bringing the
technology to the market?
Only semiconductor manufacturers pay license fees based on a market-accepted
licensing model.
Do manufacturers or their suppliers need
to pay license fees or royalties?
No license fees or royalties have to be paid by manufacturers, suppliers,
service or support companies or any other company using chips from
a licensed semiconductor manufacturer.
More details can be found at Business Model.
Organizational
Structure
What are the governing bodies of TTA-Group?
The governing bodies are the steering committee and the technical
committee. New committees can be appointed by the steering committee.
What is the steering committee?
The steering committee is composed of up to two representatives
for each committee member, one of them being entitled to vote. The
steering committee decides
- strategy and policy, including in particular the further development
of specifications for time-triggered architecture,
- membership applications,
- establishment of new committees.
What is the technical committee?
The technical committee is responsible for drafting and interpreting
the specifications, which are released to the steering committee.
It is composed of up to two representatives for each committee member
and each associate member, one of them being entitled to vote.
What are the different membership types
in TTA-Group?
There are three membership types: committee members, associate members
and affiliate members. Additionally academia-related institutions
can become research partners of TTA-Group.
More details can be found at Membership
Types.
What are working groups?
Working groups are made up of representatives of all committee and
associate members. These groups are responsible for technology-oriented
and application-specific developments. The chair of each working
group presents the results of the working group to the technical
committee for voting.
More details can be found at Working
Groups.
Membership
Which companies have decided to establish
TTA-Group?
Founding members are Airbus, Audi, Delphi, Honeywell, PSA Peugeot
Citroën, Renault, and TTTech.
Who are TTA-Group members?
Committee Members are Airbus,
Audi, Delphi, Honeywell, and and TTTech.
Associate Members are austriamicrosystems,
CNH, Crown, Dana, Eaton, John Deere, NEC, Ognibene, QinetiQ, Renesas,
Sauer-Danfoss, SKF, Still, United Technologies, and Visteon.
Affiliate Members are Carraro,
C&C Electronics, Dynapac, Esterel Technologies, Green Hills,
Liebherr, Lord Corporation, TÜV NORD, Volvo Wheel Loaders,
and Xilinx.
Research Partners are Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt,
SRI International, SP Swedish National Testing and Research Institute,
TÜV SÜD, University of Rostock, and Vienna University
of Technology.
How to become a member?
Apply for membership via the Application
Form or contact us directly at coordinator@ttagroup.org.
Technology
Why is an advanced electronics architecture
needed?
There has been an enormous increase of the number of electronic
control units over the past few years. New safety-critical functions
are increasing the overall complexity of the electronics and are
demanding an even higher level of dependability. In order to be
used in future applications, an advanced electronics architecture
needs to satisfy all safety, availability, and fault tolerance requirements.
Additionally, it has to support ease of system integration, component
upgrades, and the migration of existing systems. A great number
of models, platforms, and equipments has to be supported. Last not
least, such an architecture needs to meet the stringent cost constraints
imposed by the market.
What makes the Time-Triggered Architecture
an advanced electronics architecture?
A Time-Triggered Architecture (TTA) system has fault tolerance implemented
in both hardware and software. Whereas the hardware relies on redundant
nodes and duplicated communication channels, the software uses algorithms
to control basic services. Short innovation cycles allow a rapid
evolution of subsystems without taking the risk of hidden faults.
In a TTA system it is guaranteed that changed groups of components
can be easily integrated in an existing overall system. A supplier
can be sure that the timing in his subsystem is not changed by the
integration in the overall system and the testing must be done solely
on his own subsystem. A drastic time and cost reduction for testing
and system integration is guaranteed.
More details can be found at Time-Triggered
Architecture or contact us directly at info@ttagroup.org.
Why use the Time-Triggered Protocol TTP?
Time-Triggered Protocol (TTP) is a mature solution that is low-cost
and can handle safety-critical applications. It is based on over
25 years of R&D work. The main advantages of TTP are enhanced
quality, reduced costs, and high safety based on aerospace safety
requirements.
More details can be found at Time-Triggered
Protocol or contact us directly at info@ttagroup.org.
The TTP specification can be requested at Specification.
Products
What products are available today?
Chip models, a comprehensive tool chain for design, implementation
and validation as well as hardware boards and electronic control
units for prototyping are available today.
Are products available for all companies
or for members only?
All products can be purchased by any company without any restrictions.
Who can provide products for Time-Triggered
Architecture?
All interested companies can provide chips, software development
tools, prototyping hardware, engineering services, and other related
offerings.
More details can be found at Products
or contact us directly at info@ttagroup.org.
Specification
and Technical Articles
How can I access the TTP specification?
The TTP specification can be requested at Specification.
Where can I get technical articles about
Time-Triggered Architecture and TTP?
A variety of documents is freely available at Articles.
For more information or other inquiries, please contact info@ttagroup.org.
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