Comparison of Dynamic Software Updating Methods for IEC 61499 with Erlang

Abstract

Having to update the Control Software in a system is inevitable, due to bug fixes, upgrades, security patches, etc. Dynamic Software Updating (DSU) methods provide with ways of carrying out such reconfigurations reducing the downtime to zero, this way saving a lot in time and costs, and growing more and more crucial due to constant technology and market variations. This project aims to explore the possibilities the programming language Erlang offers for DSU, since it provides with Hot Code Loading methods, as well as with functions that alter processes on runtime. All the project is performed based on the system architecture suggested by the Industrial Automation standard IEC 61499, which although does not have a strong acceptance in industry yet, it proves a powerful tool for Control Automation. For this purpose, a set of Reconfiguration Services are implemented in Erlang according to the IEC 61499 and based on the compiler FBBeam. With those Services, different Reconfiguration Applications are designed and run in various case studies, in order to test the advantages they bring and the limitations to overcome. Finally, a comparative assessment is performed between this solution and the current DSU solution provided by FBBeam, this way trying to bring together the advantages of both methods.