Typical device design workflow

Using blockspecs, a typical device design workflow would be as follows:

• From the product functional specification, identify sets of control functions that can logically be grouped into blocks. These sets of functions might be:
• Replicated in the device, as for example in a mixing console;
• Already existing in other products (or expected to exist in future products);
• Industry standard protocol interfaces.
• Create or find usable blockspec definitions. Such definitions might be:
• Defined in public blockspec libraries;
• Defined in private (i.e. corporate) blockspec libraries;
• Custom-built for the product being designed.
• If necessary, modify found blockspecs to fit requirements exactly.
• Create a new blockspec (root blockspec) for the device's root block that:
• Instantiates all the component blockspecs as required, and
• Defines individual control objects as needed (e.g. a power on/off control).
• Use the completed root blockspec to drive manual or automatic code generation processes to implement the device's NCA control API.