Robust Embedded PID Control Software Execution Based on Automatic Malfunction Profile Feedback

Abstract

As the information technology (IT) industry advances, embedded systems are being applied in various industrial sectors. With the expansion of application areas, there is a growing demand for high-precision, high-specification embedded systems, leading to the increased complexity of embedded software. Consequently, software errors can cause system malfunctions, resulting in accidents such as airplane crashes and the sudden acceleration of cars, leading to significant loss of life and property damage. Therefore, measures to ensure the safety and stability of increasing embedded systems malfunctions are necessary. This paper proposes a system that monitors the operation of target embedded systems in real-time and compares the extracted normal operation current/voltage patterns with the current/voltage data of a target embedded system (TES). It compares the operation data of the TES with automatically generated normal operation patterns by forcibly exposing them. It suggests algorithms for immediately detecting and efficiently recovering from the TES malfunctions. The proposed system applies two algorithms. (a) Monitoring TES current: When a malfunction is detected, a monitoring embedded systme (MES) resets the TES to restore normal operation. If malfunctions persist, it controls TES by using an algorithm to shut it down. Additionally, a proportional integral derivation (PID) control is applied to stabilize the current state. (b) Monitoring TES voltage: If a voltage drop occurs, the MES immediately stops the TES operation to minimize damage. The proposed algorithms were validated through experiments. For a normal TES consuming up to 95 mA, an error detection rate of 20% was applied. The TES was reset if it consumed over 114 mA. It was confirmed that the TES was stopped upon detecting the third malfunction. Regarding voltage, when the normal operating voltage of the system was around 5 V, if the TES operating voltage dropped below 4.3 V, it was detected as a malfunction, and the algorithm to stop the TES operation was validated.