Device for and a Method of Designing a Sensor Arrangement for a Safe Automated System, An Automated System, a Program Element and a Computer-Readable Medium

Abstract

A device for designing a sensor arrangement for an automated system, the device comprising a first input unit for receiving a specification of a plurality of sensor measurements to be carried out by the sensor arrangement, a second input unit for receiving a specification of a confidence region together with an associated confidence level for each of the specified sensor measurements, a third input unit for receiving a specification of a target confidence level for the automated system, and a configuration unit for configuring the plurality of sensor measurements and for configuring the combination of the sensor measurements in a manner to guarantee the target confidence level for the automated system.

1 . A device for designing a sensor arrangement for an automated system, the device comprising
 a first input unit for receiving a specification of a plurality of sensor measurements to be carried out by the sensor arrangement;   a second input unit for receiving a specification of a confidence region together with an associated confidence level for each of the specified sensor measurements;   a third input unit for receiving a specification of a target confidence level for the automated system;   a configuration unit for configuring the plurality of sensor measurements and for configuring the combination of the sensor measurements in a manner to guarantee the target confidence level for the automated system.   
     
     
         2 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the first input unit is
 adapted for receiving a specification of a plurality of sensors each adapted to perform at least one of the sensor measurements.   
     
     
         3 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the first input unit is
 adapted for receiving a specification of exactly one sensor adapted to perform the plurality of sensor measurements.   
     
     
         4 . The device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the first input unit is adapted for receiving a specification of a plurality of sensor measurements to be carried out to detect at least one sensed parameter indicative of an operation state or an operation parameter of the automated system.   
     
     
         5 . The device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the second input unit is adapted for receiving the specification of the confidence region together with a lower bound on the confidence level associated to the confidence region.   
     
     
         6 . The device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the configuration unit is adapted for configuring the plurality of sensor measurements based on an evaluation whether and/or to which degree the plurality of sensor measurements are dependent or independent from one another.   
     
     
         7 . The device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the configuration unit is adapted for determining a number of sensor measurements necessary to guarantee the target confidence level.   
     
     
         8 . The device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the configuration unit is adapted for determining a chronology, particularly a time sequence or an acquisition rate, of the sensor measurements to guarantee the target confidence level.   
     
     
         9 . The device according to claim,
 wherein the configuration unit is adapted for adjusting at least one working point of at least one sensor adapted for carrying out at least one of the sensor measurements.   
     
     
         10 . The device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the configuration unit is adapted for adjusting a combination technique of combining the results of the plurality of sensor measurements to guarantee the target confidence level.   
     
     
         11 . The device according to  claim 10 ,
 wherein the combination technique is indicative of a way of combining the plurality of sensor measurements and/or the confidence levels comprising at least one of the group consisting of calculating a union, an intersection, a K-in combination, and a K-best combination.   
     
     
         12 . The device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the third input unit is adapted for receiving the specification of the target confidence level indicative of a probability that the automated system fails.   
     
     
         13 . The device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the configuration unit is adapted for reconfiguring the plurality of sensor measurements when a determined configuration of the plurality of sensor measurements yields an obtained confidence level which guarantees a safety of the automated system better than the specified target confidence level, wherein the reconfiguration is performed to obtain one or a plurality of the group consisting of an improved accuracy, a simpler sensor arrangement, and an obtained confidence level which is closer to the specified target confidence level.   
     
     
         14 . The device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the second input unit is adapted for receiving the specification of the confidence level indicative of a probability that the value of a sensed parameter detected by a respective sensor measurement deviates from the true value of the sensed parameter by less than a value indicated by the confidence region.   
     
     
         15 . The device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the second input unit is adapted for receiving the specification of a confidence interval as the confidence region in a one-dimensional scenario.   
     
     
         16 . The device according to  claim 1 ,
 adapted for designing the sensor arrangement to provide at least one of the group consisting of control information for controlling an operation of the automated system, regulation information for regulating an operation of the automated system, and monitoring information for monitoring an operation of the automated system.   
     
     
         17 . The device according to  claim 1 ,
 comprising a determining unit adapted for determining the confidence level and the confidence region for at least a part of the specified sensor measurements based on a respective preknown sensor characteristic and is adapted to supply the confidence level and the confidence region to the second input unit.   
     
     
         18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . The device according to  claim 1 ,
 adapted for designing a sensor arrangement for an automated system comprising at least one of the group consisting of an emergency shut-down system, a fire and gas system, a turbine control system, a gas burner management system, a crane automatic safe-load indicator system, a guard interlocking and emergency stopping system for machinery, a medical device, a dynamic positioning system, a fly-by-wire operation of aircraft flight control surfaces system, a railway signaling system, a variable speed motor drive system, an automobile indicator lights system, an anti-lock braking and engine-management system, a remote monitoring system, an operation or programming system for a network-enabled process plant, an anti-collision traffic system, a nuclear plant, a chemical factory, a train, and an aircraft.   
     
     
         20 . An automated system, comprising a sensor arrangement designed using a method according to  claim 21 . 
     
     
         21 . A method of designing a sensor arrangement for an automated system, the method comprising
 receiving a specification of a plurality of sensor measurements to be carried out by the sensor arrangement;   receiving a specification of a confidence region together with an associated confidence level for each of the specified sensor measurements;   receiving a specification of a target confidence level for the automated system;   configuring the plurality of sensor measurements and for configuring the combination of the sensor measurements in a manner to guarantee the target confidence level for the automated system.   
     
     
         22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . (canceled)