Distributed Control Timing Uncertainty in Surrogate Simulation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Distributed control systems, such as those used in vehicle platooning, are inadequately simulated using deterministic methods that fail to account for stochastic uncertain timing effects like jitter and dead time, leading to inefficiencies and potential safety risks.

Innovation Solution

A method employing an Uncertainty Quantification (UQ) approach, specifically the Intrusive Chaos Polynomial Method (IPC), to stochastically represent time-variant jitter and dead times in simulations, allowing for robust controller design and adaptation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If deterministic simulation methods are used for distributed control systems, then the simulation is simple and fast, but it fails to account for stochastic uncertain timing effects like jitter and dead time, leading to inadequate representation of real-world behavior

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccuracy of simulation in representing real-world behaviorVSAvoidcomplexity of simulation method
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces traditional deterministic numerical simulation methods with a stochastic simulation approach that incorporates uncertainty quantification. This substitution introduces probabilistic models for timing effects (jitter and dead time) into the simulation framework, allowing it to capture real-world stochastic behavior while maintaining computational efficiency through analytical solutions of the underlying stochastic differential equations

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transforms fixed deterministic parameters into stochastic parameters with defined probability distributions. Specifically, timing parameters such as sampling intervals and communication delays are modeled as random variables with specified mean values and standard deviations, enabling the simulation to represent the inherent uncertainty in distributed control systems

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If extensive simulations are performed to account for uncertain timing effects, then the representation of stochastic effects improves, but the computational time and resources increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverepresentation of uncertain timing effectsVSAvoidcomputational time for simulation
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary analytical work by deriving closed-form solutions for the stochastic behavior of the distributed control system. By pre-characterizing the system's response to jitter and dead time effects through analytical methods, the simulation avoids the need for extensive repeated numerical experiments, significantly reducing computational time while maintaining accuracy in representing uncertain timing effects

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates simplified analytical models that replicate the essential stochastic behavior of the complex distributed control system. These surrogate models capture the key timing effects and system dynamics in a computationally efficient form, allowing rapid evaluation of system performance under uncertainty without requiring full-scale detailed simulations

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Data Source

PatentEP4607297A1Considering uncertain timing effects in distributed control systems
Publication Date: 2025.08.27 ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
  • EP4607297A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4607297A1 patent drawingFigure 2a~2b
  • EP4607297A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Disclosed is a computer-implemented method for evaluating uncertain timing effects in a control of distributed systems on one or more control variables, comprising calculating a next time step in a simulation of an intrusive surrogate model for a mean value of a dynamic model, wherein a mean value of an output of the dynamic model is calculated, wherein the dynamic model is configured to calculate the one or more control variables as the output; and calculating the next time step in a simulation of an intrusive surrogate model for a deviation, in particular a variance, of the dynamic model from the mean value of the dynamic model, wherein a deviation, in particular the variance, of the output of the dynamic model is calculated; wherein the control of the distributed systems depends on at least one first uncertain timing effect, which is represented in the dynamic model by a first uncertain parameter.