Journal of Transportation Technologies, 2011, 1, 116-122
doi:10.4236/jtts.2011.14015 Published Online October 2011 (http://www.SciRP.org/journal/jtts)
Copyright © 2011 SciRes. JTTS
Error Detection and Reconfiguration
in Reliable Ethernet Train Networks
Hassanein H. Amer1, Magdi S. Moustafa2, Mai Hassan1, Ramez M. Daoud1
1Electronics Engineering Department, American University in Cairo, Egypt
2Mathemati cs an d Actuarial Sci e nce Department, American University in Cairo, Egypt
E-mail: hamer@aucegypt.edu
Received July 26, 2011; revised August 28, 2011; accepted September 15, 2011
Abstract
In this paper, a novel reconfiguration technique is developed in the context of a fault-tolerant Networked
Control System (NCS) in two train wagons. All sensors, controllers and actuators in both wagons are con-
nected on top of a single Gigabit Ethernet network. The network also carries wired and wireless entertain-
ment loads. A Markov model is used to prove that this reconfiguration technique reduces the effect of a fail-
ure in the error detection and switching mechanisms on the reliability of the control function. All calculations
are based on closed-form solutions and verified using the SHARPE software package.
Keywords: Fault-Tolerance, Gigabit Ethernet, Markov Model, Train Control Network, Reliability, Coverage,
Transportation Systems, Ethernet in Control
1. Introduction
One of the most popular wired network communication
protocols is Ethernet1. Since its first release, it has been
enhanced several times. Starting by the traditional Bus
topology and the coaxial links, now Switched Ethernet
architectures with optical links are available with speeds
reaching 10Gbps. Ethernet is based on the CSMA/CD
mechanism. This is a non-deterministic protocol. With
the introduction of switches, the non-deterministic nature
of Ethernet is partially resolved. Now, different problems
exist such as queuing delays and queue lengths. Even
though Ethernet is non-deterministic by nature, this did
not stop researchers in academia and industry from using
the Ether-Channel as a communication medium for the
most critical applications: Control Systems.
One of the most popular Networked Control Systems
(NCS) protocols is CAN [1,2]. It was developed by
BOSCH. Its function is to communicate control data
from different control nodes in order to replace the tradi-
tional point-to-point links present in the early control
systems. The automotive industry is the principal driving
force behind the development of new control schemes.
This is why CAN has a special version for automotive
on-board network implementation.
Since Ethernet appeared in the world of wired com-
munication systems, the implementation of Ethernet as a
communication medium for NCS was a must. The non-
deterministic nature of Ethernet was first thought to be
problematic because of the real-time constraints inherent
in control systems; however, research showed that
Ethernet (or IEEE Std 802.3) performed well in NCS
either by changing packet format for real-time control
messages, or by giving higher priority for these messages
[3-5]. The standardization process for the use of Ethernet
in control is also under way2. Rockwell Automation and
the ODVA also proposed the EtherNet/IP as an industrial
version of Ethernet and they have developed the CIP
[6-9]. More references on this topic can be found in [10].
In [11], a new methodology was proposed, namely the
use of Ethernet (IEEE 802.3) without any modifications
in the context of NCS. This proved to be successful not
only for pure control loads but also when mixing real-
time and non-real-time messages. In [12], fault-tolerance
was introduced on this scheme in the context of several
machines working in-line.
This new methodology was also introduced in car
networks [13]. It was shown that Gigabit Ethernet was
able to integrate real-time control functions with non-
real-time entertainment functions. More details about the
use of NCS in cars can be found in [14]. It was also
shown in [15,16] that the same principle is also applica-
1IEEE 802.3 Standard.
2IEC 61784-1,2 available at: www.iec.ch.
117
H. H. AMER ET AL.
ble for train wagon control. In [17], two train wagons
were studied; all sensors, controllers and actuators were
connected on top of Gigabit Ethernet. It was shown that
this architecture was successful in meeting the real time
delay deadlines. Furthermore, the increase in system re-
liability due to fault-tolerance was calculated.
In this paper, the fault-tolerant network described in
[17] is revisited. The effect of the efficiency of the error
detection and reconfiguration mechanisms on the reli-
ability of the control function is investigated. In order to
reduce the effect of unsuccessful reconfiguration on sys-
tem reliability, a novel scheme is developed. A Continu-
ous Time Markov Chain (CTMC) is then used to prove
that the reliability of this scheme is higher than that of a
more conventional reconfiguration scheme.
The rest of this paper is organized as follows. Section
2 summarizes some of the work done in Ethernet train
networks. Section 3 focuses on the new fault tolerant
scheme developed in this paper and presents the Markov
model that is used to calculate system reliability. In sec-
tion 4, it is proven that this new scheme increases system
reliability. Finally, section 5 concludes this research.
2. Ethernet Train Control Network
Due to the current technological advancement, enter-
tainment and multimedia are becoming a necessity on
board of moving vehicles [18]. Consequently, Ethernet
evolves as a promising technology in train control net-
works over the currently used protocols such as Local
Operating Networks (LonWorks), Train Communication
Networks (TCN) and Controller Area Network (CAN)
[19,20]. In [15], it was proven that the use of Ethernet, as
a control protocol in trains, could allow carrying an en-
tertainment load on top of the control load. This was
achieved without jeopardizing the packet end-to-end
delay requirement of the control data. A Gigabit Ethernet
network model is proposed as a control and entertain-
ment network within a one 60-seat train wagon [21]. The
network consists of 250 nodes, the maximum number of
sensors and actuators currently allowable in train stan-
dards [22]. Additionally, there are two categories of en-
tertainment traffic added to the control traffic. The first
load is in the form of video streams. The second load is a
WiFi traffic produced from mobile wireless nodes (lap-
tops).
With a packet payload of 32 bytes, the sensor to ac-
tuator packet end-to-end delay was measured using
OPNET3 simulations. This measured delay includes all
the processing, propagation, encapsulation and de-cap-
sulation delays. This architecture succeeded in meeting
required deadlines. All simulations were run for 16ms
and 1ms sampling periods. More information can be
found in [15,24].
2.1. Enhancing Train Network Reliability
In order to increase system reliability, two controllers are
used instead of one controller [16]. A Control Server
(Controller) handles the control load and an Entertain-
ment Server handles the entertainment traffic (video
streams and WiFi load). The Entertainment Server acts as
a backup for the Controller in order to enhance system
reliability. Figure 1 below shows the enhanced network
model that was successfully simulated with OPNET.
2.2. Ethernet in Two Train Wagons
In [17], the network model is upgraded to include two
wagons. The two wagon network consists of two Gigabit
optical fibre star topologies, one per each wagon. In each
wagon, the same network model proposed in [16] and
shown in Figure 1 is modelled. These two star networks
are connected to each other via a 10 Gigabit Ethernet
optical fibre cable at the main switch level. Thus, the two
wagons can exchange information.
To further increase network reliability, both Controllers
and both Entertainment Servers serve as backups in case
of a Controller failure. The worst case scenario is the one
where three out of the four Controllers/Entertainment
Servers fail; the remaining Controller/Entertainment
Server handles the control load of both wagons while the
entertainment is dropped in both wagons. Consequently,
each sensor in the system has to multicast four replicas
of its packets. These packets are sent to two Controllers
and two Entertainment Servers.
Figure 1. One Wagon Network Model
3Official site of OPNET: www.opnet.com.
Copyright © 2011 SciRes. JTTS
H. H. AMER ET AL.
118
2
E
-
In the context of two wagons, the main metric under
study is the maximum sensor-to-actuator packet end-to-
end delay. This measured delay includes all the process-
ing, propagation, encapsulation and de-capsulation de-
lays. OPNET simulations showed that this architecture,
when fault free, is successful in meeting required dead-
lines. The worst case scenario was also successfully
simulated with OPNET; one controller handled the con-
trol load of both wagons while the entertainment was
completely dropped.
3. Novel Error Detection/Reconfiguration
Scheme
The fault-tolerance mentioned above is expected to in-
crease system reliability. Let Rcontrol-FT be the reliability of
the control function of both wagons. Furthermore, as-
sume that the controllers in both wagons are identical.
The same assumption will also be valid for the Enter-
tainment Servers in both wagons. Let RK be the reliabil-
ity of any of the two controllers (K1 and K2) and RE be
the reliability of any of the two Entertainment Servers
(E1 and E2). The reliability R(t) is defined as the prob-
ability that a Controller/Entertainment Server is func-
tional at time t. Hence

2
control-FTK E
R1 1R1R  (1)
Note that (1RK) is the unreliability of a Controller
while (1RE) is the unreliability of an Entertainment
Server. (1R(t)) is the probability that the system has
failed at time t. Intuitively, the fault tolerant architecture
described in the previous section should increase the
reliability of the control function in the context of two
wagons. Without any fault tolerance, the control function
will fail as soon as either of the two Controllers fails. Let
this architecture have a reliability Rcont.
2
cont K
RR (2)
The time to failure of electronic equipment has been
historically assumed to be exponentially distributed [24,
25]. The failure rate will therefore be constant. Let λK be
the failure rate of any of the two Controllers and let λE be
the failure rate of any of the two Entertainment Servers.
The relation between the reliability and the failure rate is
as follows [24, 25]:
 
K
-λtλt
KE
Rt =e;Rt =e (3)
By comparing Rcontrol-FT and Rcont, it was shown in [17]
that fault-tolerance had increased system reliability as
expected.
This increase in reliability relies on the implicit as-
sumption that the switching tasks from a failed Control-
ler/Entertainment Server to another operational Control-
ler/Entertainment Server will always be successful. Next,
the details of this switching mechanism are explained in
the context of a K failing and E taking over its tasks. In
the fault-free situation, all packets sent from the sensors
are received by both servers: K and E. Only K responds
to these packets, calculates the necessary control packet
and sends it to the designated actuator node. A watchdog
in the form of “live” packets is continuously exchanged
between K and E. When E detects a missing watchdog
(which indicates the failure of K), it gets into the loop to
replace the inactive K and sends the control packet to the
designated actuator. The control procedure running on E
and used to backup K in case of failure, must be de-
signed to accommodate the loss of one packet. Also, the
control system must not be susceptible to the loss of one
control packet. This is to overcome the probability to
loose, at most, one packet during the switchover between
K and E. A trivial solution in this case would be the
“keep previous sample” technique. In this procedure, the
actuator applies to the plant the previous action until a
new control word is received.
This switching mechanism is susceptible to failure.
For example, if the inter-communication between K and
E fails, E will assume that K has failed and hence, will
take over its tasks. Such a conflict will cause a system
failure. More details about unsuccessful reconfiguration
can be found in [26]. Furthermore, the reconfiguration
process in control systems is covered in [27].
Since the success of the reconfiguration process is not
guaranteed, it has to be taken into account in the reliabil-
ity model. In the literature, the probability of successful
detection/reconfiguration is called coverage [24,25,28].
The coverage is a parameter determined by the user and
incorporated in reliability/availability models. It is
known that a small mistake in the calculation of the cov-
erage can lead to misleading reliability/availability esti-
mations [25]. Also, system reliability is expected to de-
crease with a decrease in coverage.
A reconfiguration scheme is described next that aims
at reducing the effect of coverage on the reliability of the
control function Rcontrol-Ft.
3.1. Details of the New Scheme
Let K1 and K2 be the Controllers in the two wagons.
Also, let E1 and E2 be the two Entertainment Servers. If
one of the two controllers K1 or K2 fails, the other con-
troller carries the control load for both wagons. Also, as
a precautionary measure, the entertainment load is shut
down as soon as one of the controllers fails. If one or
both entertainment servers fail while both controllers are
still operational, the entertainment is simply dropped
without any need for reconfiguration. This strategy is
Copyright © 2011 SciRes. JTTS
H. H. AMER ET AL.
Copyright © 2011 SciRes. JTTS
119
expected to produce a higher reliability when compared
to a conventional strategy where the failure of any con-
troller/entertainment server necessitates system recon-
figuration. A Markov model is developed next to calcu-
late system reliability based on the strategy described
above.
Figure 2 shows this Markov model. The name of any
state indicates the operational components in that state.
Remember that λE is the failure rate of the Entertainment
Server and λK is the failure rate of the Controller. The
initial state is 2C2E. This is the error-free state; both
controllers and both servers are operational. A failure of
one of the controllers takes the system to state 1C2E.
This transition will only occur if the reconfiguration is
successful and the operational controller is able to take
over the tasks of the failed controller and handle the en-
tire control function in both wagons. This is why the
transition rate from state 2C2E to state 1C2E is 2cλK. If
the reconfiguration is not successful, the control function
fails and the system moves to state F (i.e., the control
function failure state) at a rate of 2λK (1c). Also, a fail-
ure of one of the Entertainment servers moves the model
to state 2C1E. Since two servers can fail, the transition
rate from 2C2E to 2C1E is 2λE. The coverage does not
affect this transition as mentioned above.
In state 1C2E, a failure of one of the two entertain-
ment servers moves the system to state 1C1E at a rate of
2λE. The failure of the remaining operational controller
takes the system to state 2E at a rate of cλK and to state F
at a rate of (1c)λK.
In state 2C1E, the failure of C1 or C2 moves the sys-
tem to state 1C1E; the transition rate is 2cλK. If the re-
configuration is not successful, the system moves to state
F at a rate of 2λK(1c). The failure of the remaining En-
tertainment server takes the system to state 2C at a rate
of λE. Here again, the reconfiguration process is not in-
volved because the entertainment is shut off and the con-
trol function is not affected.
In state 2C, E1 and E2 have failed but the control
function has not been affected since C1 and C2 are both
operational. If either C1 or C2 fails, the model moves to
state 1C; the control of both wagons is handled by the
remaining operational controller. The coverage affects
this transition and therefore, the transition rate from 2C
to 1C is 2cλK; also, the transition from 2C to F is
2(1c)λK.
Figure 2. Markov model.
H. H. AMER ET AL.
120
 
K
E
2λ+λ2λ2λ0000021λcc 
 

t/dP dt

tP

EK
2λ+λ
et
P

E
λt
1 e
K
2λt


EK EK
1C1E λ+2λt2λ+λt
ee









EK EKK
EKE KK
EKE KK
KK
EKE KK
EE
KK
EE
0λ2λ0λ2λ00021λ
002λλ 02λλ001λ
0002λ002λ021λ
T= 0000λλ 0λλ1λ
000002λ02λ21 λ
000000λ0λ
0000000λλ
000000000
cc
cc
cc
cc
cc
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
In state 2E, both Controllers have already failed and one
the Entertainment Servers is controlling both wagons. If
either E1 or E2 fails, the control function is switched to
the remaining operational server. Here again, the coverage
is involved in the transition as shown in Figure 2.
In state 1C1E, the situation is more complex. One En-
tertainment Server has already failed as well as one of the
Controllers. The remaining Controller is in charge of the
control function of both wagons and the entertainment is
turned off in both wagons. The remaining server acts as a
hot stand-by for the remaining Controller. If the Enter-
tainment Server fails, the system moves to state 1C
without affecting the control function; consequently, the
transition rate from 1C1E to 1C is λE. However, if the
Controller fails, the control function is switched to the
Entertainment Server and the coverage affects the transi-
tion; the transition rate from state 1C1E to state 1E is cλK
and the one from 1C1E to F is (1c)λK. Finally, in state
1E, the failure of the remaining entertainment server
causes a system failure at a rate of λE. The same argu-
ment applies for state 1C where the failure of the re-
maining Controller causes a system failure at a rate of λk.
The system can be described by the Chapman-Kol-
mogorov equations. The row vectors and
are obvious and the transition matrix T is as
shown above.
Given that the system starts in state 2C2E, these dif-
ferential equations can be solved and the probabilities of
being in each of the model states can be obtained in
closed form. System reliability is the probability of not
being in state F.
2C2E

EK
λ+2λt
2C1E =2eP
(4)
(5)

2
1C2E 21
EK K
tt
Pce e


(6)
 
EK EK
2λ+λt2λ+λt
2C =e2e +eP
(7)

EK EK
2λ+λtλ+λt
e+e
4Pc

(8)
EKK
2λt2λtλt
2
2E =e20.5ee +1Pc



(9)







KEK E
KE K
2λ+λtλ+2λt
2λ+2λt2λt
=4 e+2 e
2e2e
Pc c
cc


1C





KE K
λ+λtλt
4e+2ecc
(10)








 

EKE K
EK EK
EE
2λ+λt2λ+2λt
1E
λ+2λtλ+λt
2λtλt
3
=eX eY
+e2e4c
e2+eW
P
c
c



22




(11)
where:
23
KE
KE
4λ+4 λ
Xλ+λ
cc
,
23
KE
KE
4λ+2 λ
Y2λ+λ
cc


22
E
23
KE
22λ+λ4λ+λ
W=2+2 +2λ+
cc cc
cc KE K
KE
λλ+λ
 
 
 
 
4. Efficiency of the New Scheme
In this section, it is proved that the novel reconfiguration
scheme described above, increases system reliability
(Rcontrol-FT). Conventionally, the entire system undergoes
reconfiguration in the event of a controller/Entertainment
Server failure. Such a system would be modeled by the
CTMC depicted in Figure 3. In this model, it is assumed,
for simplicity, that λK = λE = λ. Consequently, the failure
of any of the four controllers/servers may cause a system
failure with a probability (1c), where c is the coverage
parameter discussed above. Any state in Figure 3 indi-
cates the number of operational components in that state.
A component can be a controller or an entertainment
server. This is why the initial state is called “4” and the
final (absorbing) state is called “0”. Moving from state
“i” to state “i1” (for i = 2 to 4) occurs when one of the
operational components fails and the recovery is suc-
cessful (with a probability c). Rcontrol-FT for this conven-
Copyright © 2011 SciRes. JTTS
121
H. H. AMER ET AL.
tional scheme is the probability of not being in state “0”.
To prove that the new fault-tolerant scheme presented in
this research increases Rcontrol-FT, both Markov models
(the model for the new scheme in Figure 2 and the
model for the conventional scheme in Figure 3) are
solved and Rcontrol-FT is obtained. For simplicity, it is as-
sumed that λK = λE = λ = 1/month. Figure 4 compares
Rcontrol-FT for the two schemes. Two values of the cover-
age parameter are used: c=0.95 and c=0.9. For both val-
ues, the reliability is higher for the novel scheme sug-
gested in this research. Note that the difference between
control-FT =0.9
Rc for the novel scheme model and
control-FT=0.95
c for the conventional scheme, is very
small. All calculations were verified using the SHARPE
program4.
R
5. Conclusions
The use of Ethernet in Railway Networked Control Sys-
tems at the sensor/actuator level is a relatively new research
Figure 3. Markov model for the conventional scheme.
Figure 4. Effect of coverage.
area. Despite the fact that Ethernet is a non-determinis-
tic protocol, it was proven that it would not violate re-
quired real-time delays. This concept has been applied in
industrial automation as well as in automotive environ-
ments before its use in trains.
This paper focuses on the fault-tolerant aspect of a
Networked Control System (NCS) in two train wagons.
All sensors, controllers and actuators are connected on
top of a single Gigabit Ethernet network. Furthermore,
wired and wireless entertainment loads are carried on top
of the same control network. Reliability is expected to
increase because controller failures do not necessarily
cause system failure. However, error detection and sys-
tem reconfiguration need to be successful in order to
improve reliability. The coverage parameter quantita-
tively describes the probability of successful error detec-
tion and reconfiguration.
A novel fault-tolerant scheme is developed. This
scheme aims at increasing the reliability of the control
function in the presence of the coverage parameter. A
Markov model is then used to calculate system reliability.
This reliability is then compared to that of a conventional
fault-tolerant scheme with coverage. It is proven that the
proposed scheme has a higher reliability. All results were
compared to estimates produced by the SHARPE soft-
ware package and were found to be identical.
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