Safety of Computer Control Systems

Safety of Computer Control Systems is a collection of papers from the Proceedings of the IFAC Workshop, held in Stuttgart, Germany on May 16-18, 1979. This book discusses the inherent problems in the hardware and software application of computerized control to automated systems safeguarding human life, property, and the environment. The papers discuss more specific concerns, such as railway systems, aircraft landing systems, nuclear power stations, chemical reactors, elevators, and cranes. The book also describes the safety and reliability of complex industrial computer systems together with an example showing the application of computers in power plants. One paper presents guidelines in documenting safety related computer systems that will help various parties who are involved in their purchase and operation. Another paper discusses how to detect failures in microcomputer systems such as memory violations and invalid operation code detectors. This book then concludes by discussing the necessity of inspecting process computers used in nuclear power plants, especially when computers are used in reactor protection, control rod, and authentication of log-in systems. This collection can be of interest for students of programming, process-computer analysts, heads of computer technology departments and institutions, and lecturers in industrial computer programming and design.