Concepts for the handling of complexity in information processing in mechatronic systems

With the continuing growth of computing and transmission capacity of processor and communication systems, the number of functions and the number of information processing components in mechatronic systems are increasing. The associated increase in complexity provides developers with great challenges. In an environment of homogeneous architecture these challenges are met with standards for a uniform, cross-device design. Many applications of mechatronics are based on components of heterogeneous architecture for which these standards are not applicable. In these cases, constructive and analytic measures can be applied. An analytic measure is the Advanced Functional Description which is illustrated by an example.