Design and Verification of Cyber-Physical Systems Specified by Petri Nets—A Case Study of a Direct Matrix Converter

Abstract

The paper proposes a novel design technique of cyber-physical systems (CPSs). The system is specified by a Petri net, and further modelled in a hardware description language (HDL) towards final implementation in a programmable device. Contrary to the traditional design methods, the proposed solution is highly focused on the verification aspects. The system is checked three times before the final implementation in hardware. Initially, the Petri-net based specification is formally verified by the application of the model-checking technique. Secondly, software verification of the modelled system is performed. Finally, the hardware verification of the already implemented system is executed. The proposed method is explained by an example of a direct matrix converter (MC) with transistor commutation and space vector modulation (SVM). The main benefits, as well as the limitations, of the proposed solution are discussed and analysed.