Software Development in Open Source Software Era

Toward Creation of New System Software Utilizing OSS
ODAKA Toshinori

Trends in Software Development with OSS
HASEGAWA Tetsuo / NOZUE Hiroshi
As generic and basic technologies continue to grow and the size of software used in such technologies continues to expand, open source software (OSS), which is developed, improved, and maintained cooperatively in communities of users in order to share costs, has become adopted as common fundamental software.
The following features are seen in the current state of software development with OSS: (1) different types of OSS are combined to create new functions, (2) OSS is being developed globally, and (3) the quality of OSS is being maintained. Such software development with OSS is contributing to the realization of new innovations.

Activities for Improvement of Reliability and Performance of Linux and Its Application to Social Infrastructure Systems
KOBAYASHI Yoshitake
Among the characteristics required by social infrastructure systems are high reliability, operability, and quality.
Toshiba is promoting application of the Linux to social infrastructure systems. We have realized various technologies to promote application of the Linux to social infrastructure systems, including technologies to ensure (1) reliable functionality that minimizes the loss of data even in the case of power supply interruption, (2) real-time performance through stabilization of response time, and (3) verification of compatibility necessary for long-term support. The Linux has been applied to social infrastructure systems such as automatic ticket gates through these technologies. The results of these technological developments are fed back through the Linux kernel community and the Linux Foundation.

TinyBrace_TM Lightweight Database for Embedded Devices
KANEMATSU Mototaka / YAMAJI Kei
With the increasing storage capacity of mobile devices and digital consumer products, the management of various types of data has become possible and advanced functions have become available. These trends have given rise to the need for a lightweight database in order to create products with advanced functions. However, the severe hardware constraints placed on embedded devices make it difficult to operate popular databases.
Toshiba has developed TinyBrace_TM, a lightweight database that is based on an open source software database management system. TinyBrace_TM lowers product development costs and allows a data control module to be developed within a short period of time.

Web-Base GUI Development Environment Using OSS
NAKAJIMA Nobuyasu / SHIMIZU Nobuo
A graphical user interface (GUI) is closely dependent on the operating system of the device in which it is installed. Individual GUIs therefore have to be developed for different devices such as PCs and smartphones.
Toshiba has developed a Web-based GUI development environment to provide a common GUI to devices with Web browsers used in social infrastructure systems. In order to realize this environment, we have developed the following technologies utilizing open source software (OSS): (1) tools for the graphical deployment of GUI parts, and (2) modules for the creation of drawings characteristic to the social infrastructure system using HTML5 (HTML: Hypertext Markup Language). These technologies make it possible to develop Web-based GUIs using a unified routine.

Application of WebKit Web Browser Engine to Audiovisual Devices
HIRANO Yutaka / FUKAI Yusuke
Accompanying the diffusion of Web services and HTML5 (HTML: Hypertext Markup Language) with related standards, Web browsers have become able to provide greater functionality to application developers. Due to the complexity of Web browser software, however, it is difficult to install and utilize in audiovisual (AV) devices.
To overcome this issue and realize the application of Web browsers as a GUI platform for digital TVs and other devices, Toshiba is developing a Web browser that operates lightly and safely on AV devices based on the WebKit open source software for Web browser engines. We are also conducting a trial aimed at utilizing WebKit as a graphical user interface (GUI) platform for AV devices, with the goal of realizing major improvements in development efficiency and portability.

Utilization of OSS in Development of Software for Enterprise Use
TANAKA Seiichiro / IMAMURA Daisuke
Many years have passed since enterprise information systems were first built on open architecture computers. In tandem with the expanding development of enterprise information systems on open architecture computers, the development of operating systems, middleware products, application frameworks, components, and development tools in the open architecture environment has been taking place as well. As a result, open source software (OSS) is being progressively utilized in the development of software for enterprise information systems.
Toshiba Solutions Group is systematizing a set of fundamental technologies for the development of enterprise information systems called the CommonStyle_TM Toshiba Solutions Group System Development Standard, utilizing OSS for the construction of its basic software.

Toolchain for Software Development Utilizing OSS
YAMAMOTO Kazuko / YAMANAKA Miho / MORI Toshiki
The adoption of development support tools is essential in software development in order to improve quality, reduce costs, and shorten development periods. Development support tools automate the routine work of developers and visualize the project status in real time for project managers.
Toshiba has developed a toolchain consisting of open source software (OSS) and in-house-developed tools, for the processes from implementation to testing. The linkages between the tools in this toolchain realize both automation of development tasks and visualization of the project status.

Software Testing Environment Using Virtualization Technology to Eliminate Need for Actual Equipment
HARASHIMA Shuji / KAGEYAMA Yoshiteru / KAWAGOME Kazuhiro
With the progress of virtualization technology, it has become possible to emulate many types of central processing units (CPUs) and devices efficiently on a PC. QEMU is an open source software (OSS) providing modules that can emulate ARM^TM, SH-4, PowerPC^®, and other CPUs on a different CPU. In addition to emulating CPUs, QEMU provides an implementation framework for device emulators such as timers, memories, and other devices used on embedded boards. A whole control board emulator can therefore be developed in a short period of time.
Toshiba is developing a software testing environment that eliminates the need for actual equipment, using an embedded board emulator based on QEMU. The embedded board emulator allows software to be tested even before completion of the hardware on which the software is being implemented. The fault tolerance of software can also be tested by implementing hardware failure modes on a device emulator. Such tests are difficult to execute on an actual embedded board. Using the emulator, high-quality embedded software can be developed in a shorter period.

ANSI-Compliant Secure Smart Meter Incorporating AMSO_TM Unified Key Management Mechanism
TANAKA Yasuyuki / IKEDA Taizo
There is a strong need for a secure system for smart meter communications in order to protect both consumers' private information and grid management information.
Toshiba and Toshiba Toko Meter Systems Co., Ltd. have jointly developed a secure smart meter incorporating the AMSO_TM (advanced meter sign-on) unified key management mechanism for the North American market. AMSO_TM strengthens the security of smart meters by automatically supplying and updating encryption keys based on the C12.22 standard of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). This smart meter will be used in a Japan-U.S. collaborative smart grid demonstration project in New Mexico that is being implemented by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO).

Pseudo-SoC High-Density System Integration Technology for Heterogeneous Devices Using Pseudo-SoC Process
YAMADA Hiroshi / ONOZUKA Yutaka / ITAYA Kazuhiko
There is a strong need for high-density system integration technologies for heterogeneous devices to realize high-performance and small-sized electronic devices.
Toshiba has developed a "pseudo-SoC technology" as an advanced system integration technology that provides a high degree of flexibility in electronic system design. This pseudo-SoC technology performs large-scale wafer-level integration of heterogeneous known good die (KGD) devices fabricated by incompatible processes, achieving high-density system integration that overcomes the limitations of system-on-chip (SoC) and system-in-package (SiP) processes. We have successfully applied the newly developed pseudo-SoC technology to the fabrication of flexible large electronic devices incorporating heterogeneous devices; namely, microelectromechanical system (MEMS) and complementary metal-oxide semiconductor large-scale integration (CMOS-LSI) devices.

High-Quality Audio and Visual Technologies for REGZA Tablet Models
SUZUKI Shingo / SUGIURA Chikashi
With the advances in high-speed communication technologies and the rapid expansion of social networking services (SNS) in recent years, tablet computers with a touch screen interface allow users to enjoy music, movies, and e-books anywhere at any time, and are required to provide significantly higher quality sound and video.
Toshiba has developed the REGZA Tablet AT570/AT500/AT830 models powered by Android^TM and NVIDIA^® Tegra^® 3. To fulfill various users' requirements, we have improved or newly developed a number of audio and visual enhancement technologies; namely, improvement of "Resolution+" video enhancement technologies by the addition of a texture expression technology suited to individual contents and a video contents noise reduction technology based on edge direction, and development of an image quality adjustment for the organic electroluminescent (EL) display of the AT570 model, an auto volume adjustment technology, and a personal hearing control technology.

FA2100SS Model 500 Slim Type Industrial Computer Realizing High-Speed Processing of Large Amounts of Data
HIROTA Tatsuo / IZAKI Kosuke / AZUMA Takao
Computer systems in the social infrastructure field are required to provide not only high reliability, but also high environmental robustness and high maintainability. In parallel with the increased processing speeds and amounts of data being handled by consumer PCs and servers, the performance of industrial computers is also becoming higher.
Toshiba has developed the FA2100SS model 500 slim type industrial computer, which is the first model in the industry to be equipped with the 3rd-generation Intel^® Core^TM i7 processor. The processing performance of the central processing unit (CPU) is improved by about four times compared with our previous model. The FA2100SS model 500 also has the latest high-speed interfaces, including USB 3.0 and PCI Express^® 3.0, and features high-performance onboard graphics functions to realize high-speed processing of large amounts of data. Reliability and environmental robustness have been maintained and improved by our advanced design know-how. Furthermore, reliability, availability, and serviceability (RAS) functions, maintainability, and long-term support, which are critical for industrial computers, are assured as usual. This model will contribute to the stable long-term operation of systems in the social infrastructure field.

Small-Package X-Band 25 W-Class Power Amplifier Module
MORIYA Osamu / MATSUSHITA Keiichi / TAKAGI Kazutaka
Solid-state power amplifiers (SSPAs) are used in X-band (8-12 GHz) weather radar systems. Toshiba has been developing high-power discrete power amplifier devices using gallium nitride (GaN) high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) technology. A small-package power amplifier module with high gain and high efficiency has been a focus of expectations to contribute to reductions in the size of next-generation weather radar systems.
We have therefore developed a small-package 25 W-class power amplifier module containing two GaN HEMT chips in series and bias circuits within a conventional package. This module achieves satisfactory characteristics of more than 20.3 dB gain and 35.8% power-added efficiency (PAE) in the 9.3 to 10.3 GHz band.