On the Performability of Hierarchical Wireless Networked Control Systems

Esraa A. Makled¹, Hassan H. Halawa¹, Ramez M. Daoud¹, Hassanein H. Amer^1*, Tarek K. Refaat²

¹Electronics and Communications Engineering Department, American University in Cairo (AUC), Cairo, Egypt.
²School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada.

DOI: 10.4236/ica.2015.62013                

Abstract

This paper investigates the performability of hierarchical Wireless Networked Control Systems (WNCS). The WNCS studied can operate in two modes: passive supervisor and active supervisor. It is first shown that the Markov models for both modes are identical. Performability models are then developed and a case study shows how to use these models to help make design decisions. More specifically, it is observed that the performability of a passive supervisor system increases in time while that of an active supervisor system decreases in time.

Keywords

Performability, CTMC, Fault-Tolerance, Wireless Networked Control Systems, Hierarchical Networks, IEEE 802.11

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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