The SOPHY framework: simulation, observation and planning in hybrid systems

The goal of the SOPHY framework (Simulation, Observation and Planning in Hybrid Systems) is to implement a multi-level framework for description, simulation, observation, fault detection and recovery, diagnosis and autonomous planning in distributed embedded hybrid systems. A Java-based distributed, hybrid simulator is implemented to demonstrate the virtues of SOPHY. The simulator is set up using subsystem models described in human readable XML combined with a composition structure allowing virtual interconnection of subsystems in a simulation scenario. The performance of the simulator has shown to be very dependent on the way its distributability is utilised revealing both the limitations and strengths introduced by delegating computation tasks in a distributed architecture.