Flexible Comparator Reconfiguration for Device Failure Recovery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional comparator configurations become unusable upon failure of a device, leading to limited operational flexibility and performance, especially in safety-critical applications like automotive systems.
Innovation Solution
A dynamic comparator reconfiguration system that utilizes an array of multiplexers, data latch buffers, configurable delay gates, and a comparator configuration controller to reroute and reconfigure comparator inputs, allowing for flexible reuse of comparators even after device failure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional dedicated comparator configuration is used, then comparator is initially available for specific device pair comparison, but comparator becomes unusable upon failure of either device
Solution Approach 1:
The comparator is designed to perform multiple functions by being able to compare data from different device pairs. Through the multiplexer system, a single comparator can be dynamically assigned to compare any pair of devices in the array, making it universal rather than dedicated to a specific device pair. This resolves the contradiction by enabling the comparator to serve different purposes based on system needs.
Solution Approach 2:
The comparator configuration is made dynamic through the use of multiplexers and control logic that can reassign comparator inputs in real-time. When a device fails, the system dynamically reconfigures which devices are connected to the comparator inputs, allowing the comparator to continue operating with different device pairs rather than becoming permanently inoperative.
2Reliability
If software-based failure recovery methods are used, then system can resume limited operation, but performance is significantly degraded
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces software-based failure recovery with a hardware-based automatic reconfiguration system. The multiplexer array and control logic automatically detect device failures and reassign comparators through hardware switching mechanisms, eliminating the need for slow software intervention. This maintains both system continuity and high performance by handling recovery in hardware at minimal speed penalty.
3Ease of manufacture
If dedicated data comparators are assigned to specific device pairs, then initial configuration is simple, but flexibility for other functionality is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the comparator input connections from the comparator core itself. Multiplexers are placed between the devices and the comparator inputs, creating independent controllable segments. This allows the comparator core to remain simple while the connection segments provide flexibility, resolving the contradiction between manufacturing simplicity and functional adaptability.
Data Source
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AI summary
A processing system (100) including multiple devices (104) each providing a data set, multiple comparators (CMP1-CMPN) each operative to compare a selected pair of data sets, multiple multiplexers (MUX1-MUXN) each for selecting from among coupled data sets and providing selected data sets to inputs of corresponding comparators (CMP1-CMPN), and a comparator configuration controller (118) that controls each the multiplexers to select pairs of data sets provided to the corresponding comparators. The multiplexers provide flexible comparator reconfiguration for improved comparator availability. In the event of failure of a device (104: D1-DM) using a comparator, the controller (118) reconfigures the corresponding multiplexer to re-use the comparator for a similar or different comparison configuration. Data latch buffers (110) and configurable delay gates (112) may be provided between the multiplexers (MUX1-MUXN) and the comparators (CMP1-CMPN). The buffers (110) may have ports available to be loaded by software. Clock multiplexers (116) may be provided to select a clock signal (CC1-CCN) for each comparator (CMP1-CMPN) based on usage.