NetSimplex: Controller Fault Tolerance Architecture in Networked Control Systems

Abstract

The assurance of reliability becomes increasingly challenging as the complexity of networked control systems (NCS) rapidly increases. Simplex architecture was designed to tolerate control software design and implementation. This architecture consists of a high assurance controller (HAC) and a high performance controller (HPC). The HAC uses the linear state feedback control to create a large maximum stability region (MSR). The HPC aims at achieving a better control performance and may use any design. However, the plant's states under HPC must stay within the MSR, or the control is switched to HAC.