Multi-agent communication-based train control system for Indian railways: the behavioural analysis

Abstract

Multi-agent technology has been used in many complex distributed and concurrent systems. A railway system is such a safety critical system and careful investigation of the functional components is very important. Study of the various functional components in communication-based train control (CBTC) system necessitates a good structural design followed by its validation and verification through a formal modelling technique. The work presented here is the follow up of our multi-agent-based CBTC system for Indian railway designed using the methodology for engineering system of software agents. Behavioural analysis of the designed system involves several operating scenarios that arise during train run, and helps in understanding the reaction of the system to such situations. This validation and verification are very important as it allows the system designer to critically evaluate the desired function of the system and to correct the design errors, if any, before its actual implementation. Modelling, validation and verification of the structural design through Coloured petri net (CPN) are central to this paper. Analysis of simulation results validates the efficacy of the design.