Controller Sensor Data Distribution for Redundant Vehicle Operation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for sharing sensor data between multiple controllers in autonomous vehicles are costly and inefficient, requiring multiple physical links and additional electronic circuitry, which increases the complexity and cost of vehicle systems while compromising on redundancy and failover support.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a sensor data distributor with converters, serializers, and deserializers to aggregate and transmit sensor data between controllers using a separate data interface suited for longer distances, reducing the number of physical links and enhancing redundancy by allowing data to be shared between multiple controllers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple physical links and additional electronic circuitry are used to share sensor data between controllers, then redundancy and failover support are improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple sensor data transmission functions into a single communication link. The first controller receives sensor data and transmits it to the second controller through a shared communication interface, eliminating the need for separate physical links between each sensor and each controller. This merging approach maintains redundancy while reducing the number of cables and electronic components required.
Solution Approach 2:
The communication link between controllers is designed to serve multiple functions: it transmits sensor data bidirectionally, supports failover operations, and enables both controllers to access the same sensor information. This multi-functional design replaces what would traditionally require multiple dedicated links, reducing system complexity while maintaining reliability.
2Reliability
If multiple physical links are used to connect sensors to multiple controllers, then data redundancy is improved, but the number of cables and installation complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple data transmission paths into a single communication link between controllers. Instead of running separate cables from each sensor to both controllers, the system uses one controller to receive sensor data and forward it to the other controller through a shared communication interface, significantly reducing cable quantity and installation complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The first controller acts as an intermediary that receives sensor data and redistributes it to the second controller. This mediator approach eliminates the need for direct physical connections from sensors to multiple controllers, simplifying the physical layout and reducing installation complexity while maintaining data redundancy.
3Reliability
If sensors include additional electronic circuitry for multiple outputs, then sensor data sharing between controllers is improved, but sensor cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses the first controller's existing processing capabilities to perform the data distribution function. Instead of adding circuitry to sensors, the controller that receives sensor data independently handles the redistribution to the second controller, utilizing existing computational resources to avoid additional sensor costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The first controller serves as an intermediary that performs the data sharing function centrally. This approach moves the complexity from the sensor level to the controller level, where processing capabilities already exist, thereby avoiding the need for additional electronic circuitry in the sensors themselves.
Data Source
AI summary
This disclosure presents an assisted driving vehicle system, including autonomous, semi-autonomous, and technology assisted vehicles, that can share sensor data among two or more controllers. A sensor can have one communication channel to a controller, thereby saving cabling and circuitry costs. The data from the sensor can be sent from one controller to another controller to enable redundancy and backup in case of a system failure. Sensor data from more than one sensor can be aggregated at one controller prior to the aggregated sensor data being communicated to another controller thereby saving bandwidth and reducing transmission times. The sharing of sensor data can be enabled through the use of a sensor data distributor, such as a converter, repeater, or a serializer/deserializer set located as part of the controller and communicatively coupled to another such device in another controller using a data interface communication channel.