(A) testing technique on function block diagram

Abstract

Software testing is an important activity for assuring the software quality. Since software testing is known to account for approximately 50 percent of the development cost, how to reduce its cost and improve its quality has always been a challenge to the software engineers. Function Block Diagram is widely used in industries, i.e. traffic controls, chemical processing plants, and nuclear power plants, to solve the real-time safety critical problems. However it is known to there is no systematic testing technique on Function Block Diagram. This thesis presents the testing technique on Function Block Diagram. This thesis proposes Function-based coverage and Function Block-based coverage. Function-based coverage considers only a cycle of Function Block Diagram because it has same behavior during the cycle for using only Function of Function Block Diagram. Function-based coverage is not enough to test timing aspect of systems. So in this case, Function Block-based coverage is needed for several cycles. And this thesis presents the experimental results that show the performance advantages in terms of fault detection ability using a partial part of Korean nuclear power plant RPS(Reactor Protection System) example.