Miguel Segarra

Progressive domain focalization in intelligent control systems

Abstract Advanced information-processing technologies are providing advanced controllers with capabilities to tackle control problems of intrinsic complexity. Methods to cope with the difficulties of software-intensive control system development are needed, because quality issues in control software are of extreme importance. Architecture-based development provides a clear pathway to controller quality, focusing on component-based control system development. In the case of intelligent controllers, advanced control modules (expert, fuzzy, neural, etc.) can be built to be reusable. In the ideal situation, application construction would be a matter of merely plugging the controllers into an architectural framework, followed by a simple customization.

Real-time video for distributed control systems

Abstract Automation based on distributed control systems (DCS) technology enormously increases the plant supervision capability of a single human. For example, DCSs over broadband networking makes possible the integration and operation of a country-wide electricity generation and distribution system. Out-of-plant supervision is, however, more risky due to the impossibility of direct plant observation and exclusive reliance on digital data systems for decision making. This paper describes a distributed system based on CORBA technology to provide real-time visual feedback to operators of such a large supervision system.

CORBA-based substation automation systems

Describes the implementation of the emerging IEC-61850 standard for automation systems using a CORBA middleware as communication mechanism. This standard specifies communication mechanisms for automation systems in electric substations. CORBA-based implementations of control systems open new perspectives for advanced control, because they ease the development of new functionality and enhance evolvability of applications. Real-time CORBA enables the modular development of new control systems and the incorporation of advanced control technology over legacy applications.

Fuzzy agents for ICa

Fuzzy technology offers a proven way to achieve higher functionality levels by means of the seamless integration of human knowledge into high performance computational systems. Fuzzy information processing is of decisive importance to the automatic control systems domain, where fuzzy technology has had one of the main application fields. The use of fuzzy technology in complex control systems is gaining wider importance, due to an inherent robustness in the behavior of the fuzzy information processor. The ICa intelligent control architecture and methodology provides an effective way to build complex controllers for applications with special requirements, in particular in the domain of autonomous controllers. This paper presents a tool for building fuzzy agents for ICa. Using this tool and architecture, the effort needed to build an integrated fuzzy processor is greatly reduced.

ICa: middleware for intelligent control

The effective development of intelligent process controllers of high complexity relies deeply on integration issues. CORBA technology offers a good infrastructure for complex controller integration and deployment. Integrability of heterogeneous technologies (like neural networks or expert systems), distributed nature of large plant controllers, modularized designs or construction and deployment are addressed effectively by means of distributed object computing. We show our developments in this area of integration middleware for intelligent process control. They are mostly related with the developments done in the ESPRIT DIXIT Project.

Design patterns for intelligent control systems

Abstract This paper addresses the use of software design patterns and object oriented frameworks, to streamline the design and implementation of intelligent controllers for complex plants. It presents the ICa approach to intelligent control system development based on the reuse of control components over a real time integration middleware. The system described has been developed in the ESPRIT DIXIT project. This project was focused on the use of this technology in the construction of operational, tactical & strategical controllers for continuous process plants, but the ICa technology is addressed not only at this type of application, but to a broad spectrum of automated systems; from continuous process plants to autonomous vehicles or teleoperated robots.

CORBA-based interoperation in substation automation systems

Abstract Substation Automation Systems are distributed command and control systems that operate equipment in electrical substations. Traditional automation systems were built as turnkey systems based on proprietary technology but recent developments in automation and networking have created a new wave of interoperability requirements. This paper addresses some of these topics and focus on recent standardization activities in the field, in particular in relation with the incorporation of object technology in this area. In particular, it describes a real implementation of the emerging standard IEC 61850 using CORBA networking in the European R+D project DOTS.

Plantwide Risk Management Using Distributed Objects

Abstract Strategic process control is a mostly open issue due in part to the complex nature of large process plants and the lack of precise models for high level decision making in these plants. Research an development in this field has been focused on the exploitation of advanced information processing technologies (artificial intelligence, distributed object systems, advanced user interfaces, etc.) to enhance process operation in near-critical plant situations. This paper comments the objectives of the DIXIT project and specifically the RiskMan application of this technology for integral risk management in a chemical plant.

Teleoperation of a virtual robot using an industrial CORBA-based control architecture

Teleoperated systems are becoming more and more complex. The integration of simulations, operator interfaces, different control levels and hardware as well as increasing real-time requirements are challenging. This paper presents an approach to cope with these demands applying methods and paradigms of large-scale industrial control. The first part of the paper deals with the integrated control architecture (ICa), that is designed as a framework for the development of distributed control systems. Using ICa each component of the teleoperated system is implemented as an independent agent, that uses the ICa broker as an object bus to communicate with the rest of the agent community. In the second part the teleoperated system is described. It consists of a simulation of a 7 degree of freedom, anthropomorphic manipulator, a control agent and a master system to teleoperate it. Finally some experiments are carried out that demonstrate the performance and the future potential of the applied control architecture in the development of teleoperated systems.

Progressive Domain Focalization in Intelligent Control Systems

Abstract Advanced information processing technologies are providing advanced controllers with capabilities to tackle control problems of intrinsic complexity. Methods to cope with the software-intensive control system development are needed, because quality issues in control software are of extreme importance. Architecture based development provides a clear pathway to quality, focusing on component based control system development. In the case of intelligent controllers, advanced control modules (expert, fuzzy, neural, etc.) can be built to be reusable. In the ideal situation, application construction would be a matter of plugging in the controllers and then making a customization work of them.