Online testing of real-time performance in high-speed train control system

Abstract

As the high-speed train control system is a typical real-time system, it should not only guaranty its functional logic correctness, but also satisfy certain time delay constraints. The traditional offline testing method, which used to be widely used in train control system's functional conformance testing, however, is no longer suitable. Especially with the increasing system complexity and more information interaction to its outer environment, the offline testing is apparently insufficient to describe the non-deterministic latency restrictions. In this paper, the authors proposed an online testing method, which is suitable for generating and executing test case together and solves the problem of real-time performance testing. Firstly, the authors used timed automata theory to model a typical scenario of Radio Block Center (RBC) handover process. Secondly, the above-mentioned TA network is divided by observable message channels into two parts, the environment model part and the equipment model part, which both work as the testing specifications of real implement. Thirdly, the authors used black-box conformance testing tool UPPAAL-TRON to generate and execute “online” test cases automatically. Specifically, this paper studied the case of RBC handover scenario, and concentrated on non-deterministic time delay performance of crossing interlock messages and wireless messages. Finally we analyzed the inconsistencies between the actual system design and its requirement specification, which could be provided as a reference for CTCS-3 train control norm-setting and system development.