Conceptual Design of Advanced Condition Monitoring for a Self-Optimizing System based on its Principle Solution

The rapid development of communication and information technology opens up fascinating perspectives, which go far beyond the state of the art in mechatronics: mechatronic systems with inherent partial intelligence. These so called self-optimizing systems adapt their objectives and behavior autonomously and flexibly to changing operating conditions. On the one hand, securing the dependability of such systems is challenging due to their complexity and non-deterministic behavior. On the other hand, self-optimization can be used to increase the dependability of the system during its operation. However, it has to be ensured, that the self-optimization works dependable itself. To cope with these challenges, the multi-level dependability concept was developed. It enables predictive condition monitoring, influences the objectives of the system and determines suitable means to improve the system's dependability during its operation. In this contribution we introduce a procedure for the conceptual design of an advanced condition monitoring based on the system's principle solution. The principle solution describes the principal operation mode of the system and its desired behavior. It is modeled using the specification technique for the domain-spanning description of the principle solution of a self-optimizing system and consists of a coherent system of eight partial models (e.g. requirements, active structure, system of objectives, behavior, etc.). The partial models are analyzed separately in order to derive the components of the multi-level dependability concept. In particular, the reliability analysis of the partial model active structure is performed to identify the system elements to be monitored and parameters to be measured. The principle solution is extended accordingly: e.g. with system elements required for the realization of the dependability concept. The advantages of the method are shown on the self-optimizing guidance module of a railroad vehicle.