Towards a Unified Security/Safety Framework - A Design Approach to Embedded System Applications

Embedded software, security, safety

This paper presents a safety and security-based approach to networked embedded system design that offers reusable design patterns for various domain-dedicated applications. After introducing proper terminology, it deals with industrial, sensor-based applications development support aiming at distributed components interconnected by wired Internet and/or wireless sensor networks. The paper presents a dependability-driven approach to embedded networks design for a class of Internet-based applications. It discusses an abstract framework stemming from embedded system networking technologies using wired and wireless LANs, and from the IEEE 1451.1 smart transducer interface standard supporting client-server and publish-subscribe communication patterns with group messaging based on IP multicast that mediate safe and secure access to smart sensors through Internet and Zigbee. The case study demonstrates how clients can access groups of wireless smart pressure and temperature sensors and safety valves through Internet effectively using developed system architecture, which respects prescribed requirements for application dependent safety and security.