Model continuity in cyber-physical systems: A control-centered methodology based on agents

A Cyber Physical System (CPS) is given by the integration of cyber and physical components, usually with feedback loops, where physical processes affect computations and vice versa. Design and implementation of complex CPSs is a multidisciplinary and demanding task. Challenges arise especially for the exploitation of heterogeneous and different models during the various phases of system life cycle. This paper proposes an agent-based and control-centric methodology which is well suited for the development of complex CPSs. The approach is novel and supports model continuity which enables the use of a unique model along all the development stages of a system ranging from analysis, by simulation, down to real-time implementation and execution. In the paper, basic concepts of the methodology are provided together with implementation details. Effectivenesses of the approach is demonstrated through a case study concerning a prototyped CPS devoted to the optimization of power consumption in a smart micro-grid automation system.