Cloud based development framework using IOPT Petri nets for embedded systems teaching

A model-based development flow based on IOPT Petri nets models and its insertion in a digital system design course is presented. The IOPT-Tools framework is used to support a cloud enabled design automation flow, including specification of system´s behavior, state space based verification, and automatic code generation (C and VHDL) leading to implementation deployment into reconfigurable computing platforms. Teaching flow method is presented, supported by reconfigurable platforms (FPGA based boards and Arduino devices) giving adequate flexibility for exercising different implementation strategies and allowing laboratory prototyping during classes. The proposed approach was fully validated during a course on Digital Systems Design offered to Electric and Computer Engineering MSc course, and student´s assessment on usage of cloud based development IOPT-Tools framework is analyzed.