Perceptual control architecture for cyber–physical systems in traffic incident management

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Abstract

Based on Perceptual Control Theory, we study the problem of unified modeling for incompatible approaches of Cyber–Physical Systems (CPSs). Inspired by the effective organization of living systems structure accommodating heterogeneous information processing and environmental interaction, we propose Perceptual Control Architecture of CPSs, and take Traffic Incident Management systems as the modeling research carrier. Throughout the structure of Traffic Incident Management systems, the hierarchical negative feedback is constituted by perceptual and behavioral loops to ensure a mechanism of intelligence behavior. The internal representation is categorized into two intelligent spaces: physical-reflex space and cyber-virtual space. In physical-reflex space, the sensing-actuation mapping of objective world is built, through four levels of distributed traffic infrastructure. In cyber-virtual space, subjective decision using Bayesian reasoning network is defined by three levels: principles, interrelated factors and situation assessment. Through evaluation of field operation in Dalian, the Traffic Incident Management under the developed architecture shows a considerable reduction in response time as well as assessment inaccuracy. The test results explicated the effectiveness of the architecture on integrating complex Cyber–Physical functions. Besides transportation systems, the modeling approach could be a well-defined unified architecture applied to other CPSs.

Introduction

With the technological development and reduced cost, an increasing number of context-aware devices are implanted into our physical world. This prompts artificial systems to penetrate the realms of both informational computing and entity control mutually, which, in particular, active as large-scale socio systems and exert a profound influence on human life. For example, DARPA has installed electronic equipment of vehicular sensors and cameras in some urban transportation system in US to acquire real-time traffic information, e.g. vehicles location, road terrain, and pedestrians as well as obstacles in the environment [1]; in the process of updating grid systems, in order to improve the efficiency and security, advanced Flexible AC Transmission Systems (FACTS) is gradually replacing the traditional power equipment [2]; in telemedicine, Medical Device Plug-and-Play (MD-PnP) will change the hospital-centered mode of diagnosis and Treatment [3]. The artificial systems mentioned above as transportation systems, health care systems and distributed energy systems are top three concerned applications of the Cyber–Physical Systems (CPSs) [4], [5], [6]. Generally, CPSs are considered as systems with human–machine–natural interaction, via coalescence between cyber space and physical space, and where the coordination of sensing, computation, communication and control can generate intelligent behavior. Among various aspects of the research on CPSs, the model is undoubtedly essential to help understand and analyze the systematic complexity. In recent years, a few hierarchical models of CPSs are proposed in light of functions [7] or applications [8], [9], when kinds of innovated technology already has the capability to develop high-precision embedded devices and to equip the physical world with them. However, it is the scarcity of a system-level theoretical model for presenting sensing, computation, control and seamless synergy that CPSs across the globe are still facing unprecedented challenges in the modeling theory and practice.

Transportation systems as typical CPSs, have been known and progressed rapidly in the engineering and modeling field. In traffic control systems, Transportation Incident Management (TIM) has been accepted as an effective measure integrated into Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS), to remove incidents and restore traffic capacity quickly and safely using detection, predict, plan, coordinate and response. In this present paper, we take advantage of the methodology of PCT to research system architecture of TIM. We propose the unified architecture for CPSs modeling: CPS-Perceptual Control Architecture (CPS-PCA). The unique feature of CPS-PCA is that it has two distinct and abstract spaces, the cyber-virtual space and the physical-reflex space, to support diversities of characteristics, processes, intelligence and interactions in CPSs.

The rest of this paper is organized as follows: Section 2 is devoted to literature review about CPSs modeling in recent years. Section 3 provides an introduction to CPS-PCA. In Section 4, we present a mapping between CPS-PCA and Traffic Incident Management system structure. In Section 5, reflex-computing architecture in the physical space is presented. In Section 6, intelligent reasoning architecture of cyber-space is described. In Section 7, we show results of the practical system. Finally, Section 8 is a summary.

Section snippets

Literature review

At present, the work of CPSs theoretical models is broadly categorized into two groups: characteristic description modeling and control models in the process of Cyber–Physical interaction. Characteristic description modeling strives to be close to essence of CPSs-perception, control and coordination [21]. Lee et al. integrating computation and physical processes, proposed to rebuild new computation and network abstractions [10], [11], [12]. Moura and Ilic M.D., respectively, proposed

CPSs, organized as living systems

When we are on the horns of a dilemma to comprehend complex CPSs, it is wise to get inspired from the mechanism of living control systems. Since 1970s, an innovated control theory, known as Perceptual Control Theory (PCT) is proposed to research human behavior and cognition. PCT contends that in addition to mechanism the same as servo-control systems, the living systems from up to bottom can be explained using hierarchy of closed-loop negative feedback, where behavior is under control based on

CPS-PCA representation in the Traffic Incident Management

Traffic Incident Management (TIM) [43], [44], [45] is a systematic, planned and coordinated effort, usually referring to multiple Cyber–Physical factors, like human, vehicles, road, weather, environment, communication, computing, etc. Especially, the emergency incidents like traffic accidents, vehicle breakdowns, dense fog, or blizzard are prone to unsafe driving or congestion. The aim of TIM is to remove incidents and restore efficiency of transportation network as safely and quickly as

Automatic positioning and issuing in physical-reflex space

In TIM, there are many subsystems that function with less reasoning through decision-making processes of centralized control, than reflex behavior establishing mapping relations between sensors and actuators in a style of decentralized autonomous systems to achieve the purpose of real-time processing of emergency traffic accidents, such as identifying and issuing management subsystems. In the identifying system, we show a traffic camera with automatically identifying and tracking congestion; in

Traffic situation assessment in cyber-virtual space

With the advanced technology and strategy, the traffic incident can be perceived at the local traffic environment, predicted according to the evolving situation, and real-time decision-making processes, of which characteristics determine that the management system can assess traffic situation. Traffic incidents are the integrated consequence in regard to numerous factors of human, vehicles, roads and weather. Obviously, it is a dynamic process with randomness and uncertainty when the situation

Evaluation of field operation in Dalian

In order to validate the proposal here, a systematic evaluation of the performance and effectiveness of TIM systems, is conducted in Dalian city, China. The historical records and performance investigation are provided by Dalian traffic management center (as shown in Fig. 9), where is the core of the whole systems that the data from systematic low levels of sensors is stored and analyzed there.

The investigation records for evaluating the field operation of TIRES constructed cover nine arterial

Conclusion

This paper focuses on the emerging scientific issue of future CPSs accompanied with the emergence of new paradigm and the change of models. The purpose of proposed CPS-PCA extends the PCT and provides Perceptual Control Architecture for CPSs, so that it can achieve the organic integration and intelligence emergence at all systematic scales. From the macro structure, the intelligence of CPSs architecture is divided into two parts: physical-reflex space and cyber-virtual space, which is

Acknowledgments

The authors acknowledge the financial support from the High-Tech 863 Program of China (No. 2012AA111902) and the National Key Technology R&D Program of China (No. 2011BAK02B01).

Yao-Dong Wang received the M.S. degrees in Computer Science and Technology from Dalian Maritime University, the B.S. degree in Civil and Computer Engineering from Dalian Jiaotong University, Dalian, P.R.C., in 2009 and 2007, respectively. He is currently working towards the Ph.D. degree in the Department of Computer Science and Technology at Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, P.R.C. His research interests include Vehicular Networking, Cyber–Physical Systems, mechanics, etc.

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    Yao-Dong Wang received the M.S. degrees in Computer Science and Technology from Dalian Maritime University, the B.S. degree in Civil and Computer Engineering from Dalian Jiaotong University, Dalian, P.R.C., in 2009 and 2007, respectively. He is currently working towards the Ph.D. degree in the Department of Computer Science and Technology at Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, P.R.C. His research interests include Vehicular Networking, Cyber–Physical Systems, mechanics, etc.

    Guo-Zhen Tan received the M.S. and Ph.D. degree in Computer Engineering from Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, P.R.C. and Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, P.R.C., in 1998 and 2002, respectively. He is a professor with the Department of Computer Science and Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, P.R.C. He was a visiting scholar with the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering of University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, IL, U.S., from Jan 2007 to Jan 2008. His research areas include internet of vehicles, Cyber–Physical Systems, network optimization, intelligent transportation systems, wireless sensor networks, etc.

    Yuan Wang received the B.S. degree in Computer Science and Technology from Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, P.R.C., in 2009. He is a M.S. candidate with the Department of Computer Science and Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, P.R.C. His research interests include traffic signal control, traffic simulation, system architecture, Bayesian networks, etc.

    Yong Yin received the B.S. degree in Computer Science and Information Engineering from Shandong University of Science and Technology, Shandong, P.R.C., in 2010. She is a M.S. candidate with the Department of Computer Science and Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, P.R.C. Her research interests include wireless sensor networks, telematics, etc.

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