Feature modeling from holistic viewpoints in product line engineering

Abstract

In the field of software intensive systems, the software industry inherently requires a new method to obtain a high level of productivity by reuse of software embedded in the systems. Product line engineering is an emerging software engineering discipline with the new approach that makes it efficient to reuse embedded software by scoping a domain of systems. Features are described with terms for system requirements, which cover both functional requirements and nonfunctional requirements. Features are deployed in a tree figure, such that a general feature consists of subordinate features. The feature tree has a central role in system design and development. To construct a feature tree, the construction must be based on all fundamental design knowledge about a domain of systems such as of integrated circuits and mechanical devices as well as software entities because all design knowledge in any engineering disciplines in a domain of systems affect commonality and variability modeling in the feature tree. The feature modeling therefore needs a global systems engineering viewpoint.