Platform forEmulating Networked Control Systems inLaboratory Environments

tercollisions (see e.g. [1], [3]). Suchdeficiencies aredifficult fortraditional control algorithms tohandle. Often the This paperdiscusses aplatform forprototyping controlcontrol algorithms assumeconstant sampling intervals and schemes fornetworked control systems (NCS). Theplatformdonotconsider suchasynchronic systems. provides tools forsimulating various networks inconnec- Astheinterest ofautomation industry rises towards diftion withreal processes. Thepaperfocuses onanextensionferent networked systems, also wireless communication betotheMoCoNetplatform [8], whichisaunique environ-comesanoption fordata transmission innetworked control mentformonitoring andcontrolling processes overtheIn- systems. Wireless provides hugeopportunities forefficient ternet inreal-time. MoCoNetalsoprovides capability of andflexible measuring inindustrial systems, butitalso inemulating different networks vianetwork simulation. The volves somethreats that needfurther research inconnecplatform isextremely valuable forcontrol design inNCS, tion withreal process control systems. Forevaluating and because thereal processes canbefirst runoversimulatedresearching different control algorithms innetworked sysnetworks anddifferent network congestion scenarios can tems, theMoCoNetsystem [6] hasbeendeveloped. Mobeexperimented. Thispaperextends theMoCoNetsys- CoNet, abbreviated fromMonitoring andcontrolling labotembyintegrating itwiththewellknownandwidely ac- ratory process overInternet, provides aplatform toperform cepted network simulator [9], Ns2.Thepaperdiscussesnetworked control experiments with real processes. Besides various aspects ofthis novel integration ofNs2withreal- aneasy-to-use graphical userinterface theMoCoNetsystimeoperated control systems. Theextension allows users temprovides tools fordesigning andtuning controllers for oftheMoCoNetsystem totest thecontrol algorithms for real caseprocesses innetworked control system setup, runNCSwithnumerous wired/wireless technologies availablening real-time control experiments, andusing avariety of inNs2.Furthermore, thepaperdiscusses thedevelopmentnetwork simulators toexperience theeffects ofvarious netofasimple JavabasedGUIthat isusedtocreate virtualworktechnologies incontrol systems [5], [7]. Managing the networks inNs2. networks inNs2.