Integration of safety aspects in modeling of Networked Control Systems

Abstract

In the last decades, Networked Control Systems (NCS) has become a key aspect in different application domains of mechatronic technology (e.g. automotive, railway and industrial automation). This NCS consist of several control nodes equipped with sensors and actuators, which fulfill the specified control tasks and are interconnected by bus systems for realizing an efficient I/O communication between the end nodes and the controlling units. For some applications in these industries, where harm for human life is at risk by actions of the technical system, an architecture involving functional safety is mandatory (e.g. for certification). The development of today's mechatronic systems is widely supported by model-based engineering and design. Yet a model approach and modeling notation framework for designing the architecture of NCS in a functional safe manner is still lacking. In this paper, a notation is introduced describing the architecture, the time behavior and the safety requirements of such NCS. A Human-Robot-Collaboration system with safety aspects is proposed to evaluate the notation as a case study.