DEVELOPMENT OF A STRUCTURAL PHILOSOPHY FOR AN AUTOMATIC NETWORK CONTROL SYSTEM

Control of a set of vehicles on an automated network can be divided into two parts: vehicle control, which deals with the control of an individual vehicle, and network control, which deals with the management of vehicle interaction on the network. This paper discusses a structural philosophy for network control and the development process that led to the philosophy. The process started with the development of the automated network system, which resulted in selecting a deterministic synchronous slot scheme as the fundamental control methodology, in partitioning computer control of the system into a three-level hierarchy, and in partitioning the automated network system into vehicle control and network control, or network management, subfunctions. Development of the management systems structure involved an investigation of the relation between management system structure and direct system costs, system flexibility, potential level of technology increases, and functions the system was designed to perform. The resultant structure is characterized by three primary aspects: the organization and sequencing of system tasks, the levels at which the management system perceives the real world, and the way the model set is used to respond to real-world anomalies to execute normal operational strategies related to system changes. Each task is performed by a discrete computer "job" that has an assigned priority or desired time of execution. A set of "primitive models" can be linked together to define the system or configure the system "image" or view of the real world. The system can reconfigure the image, including addition, deletion, or replacement of a model or model group. In the case of a real-world anomaly, the reconfiguration process includes detection and circumvention of any illegal real-world states that may have arisen as a result of the anomaly. /Author/

• Record URL:
  http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/sr/sr170/170-023.pdf
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/0360859X
• Supplemental Notes:
  • This paper appears in Dual Mode Transportation, which is a publication aontaining the proceedings of a conference conducted by the Transportation Research Board, May 29-31, 1974. Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved
• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board (TRB)

  Washington, DC   
• Authors:
  • Linden, Terry M
  • Thompson, James F
  • Tillotson, Frank E
• Conference:
  • Conference on Dual-Mode Transportation
  • Location: Washington District of Columbia, United States
  • Date: 1974-5-29 to 1974-5-31
• Publication Date: 1976

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures;
• Pagination: pp 71-79
• Monograph Title: Dual-mode transportation
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Board Special Report
  • Issue Number: 170
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0360-859X

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Automated vehicle control; Automatic control; Computers; Costs; Flexibility; Management; Mathematical models; Networks; Technology
• Uncontrolled Terms: Management systems; Models
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Finance; Highways; Planning and Forecasting;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00149246
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, TRB, ATRI
• Created Date: Mar 30 1977 12:00AM