Industrial functional safety assessment for WSN using QoS metrics

Abstract

Wireless Sensor Networks are increasingly getting deployed for the safety use cases in industrial applications. While several research papers discuss about the Quality & Reliability improvement techniques in WSN systems to achieve minimal delay, higher node life, optimal routing etc., very limited work is witnessed on assessment of safety integrity levels of WSN systems. In this paper we tried to bridge this gap by bringing out a QoS metric-based safety integrity assessment for the end-to-end industrial Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) system. To identify relevant QoS metrics for monitoring the safety integrity levels, we also bring out a 4-step mapping methodology to link the QoS metrics and communication defenses/safety mechanisms. This mapping approach is expected to serve the network safety design engineers. Finally, a simulation case example is discussed to illustrate safety integrity assessment and we conclude by bringing out future research opportunities to improve safety integrity levels of industrial WSN systems.

Keywords

• Industrial functional safety
• Message defenses
• Message threats
• QoS metrics
• QoS guarantees
• Safety integrity level