Title: A directed graph model for distributed sequential control

Authors: Szer-Ming Lee, Geok-Soon Hong, Yoke-San Wong, Chee-Meng Chew

Addresses: National University of Singapore, Department of Mechanical and Production Engineering 10, Kent Ridge Crescent, 119260, Singapore. ' National University of Singapore, Department of Mechanical and Production Engineering 10, Kent Ridge Crescent, 119260, Singapore. ' National University of Singapore, Department of Mechanical and Production Engineering 10, Kent Ridge Crescent, 119260, Singapore. ' Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, MIT, USA

Abstract: With the rapid emergence of fieldbus systems, there is a trend towards distributed control with intelligent sensors and actuators interconnected via a communication network. This paper presents a new approach of sequential control using fieldbus technology. The distributed sequential control system consists of a group of intelligent nodes of sensors and actuators communicating with one another via a network to achieve a sequence of control actions without a master controller. A directed graph model has also been developed to facilitate the configuration for the distributed control system. It translates a user-defined sequence of control actions to a Petri net model and analyses the Petri net to check feasibility of the sequence. It can also generate the necessary network data for the distributed sequential control.

Keywords: directed graphs; distributed control; sequential control; fieldbus; industrial automation; Petri nets; modelling; intelligent nodes; sensors; actuators.

DOI: 10.1504/IJCAT.1997.062260

International Journal of Computer Applications in Technology, 1997 Vol.10 No.5/6, pp.337 - 347

Published online: 02 Jun 2014 *

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