Cross-Core Safety Variable Comparison for ECU Fault Diagnostics
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The proliferation of Electronic Control Units (ECUs) in automotive and industrial systems raises concerns about maintaining vehicle control and safety, as traditional computing platforms lack built-in error diagnostics and fault correction capabilities necessary for functional safety standards like IEC-61508 and ISO-26262.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of On-Demand Cross Comparison (ODCC), a logic-based redundancy technique that executes safety workloads on two independent processor cores and compares safety variables using a third core, enhancing diagnostic coverage and enabling functional safety without modifying CPU designs or requiring specialized tools.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional computing platforms are used without modifications, then device complexity is low, but diagnostic coverage and fault detection capabilities are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements functional redundancy by executing the same safety workload on multiple independent processor cores and comparing the results. This copying approach enables fault detection without requiring fundamentally new hardware architectures, achieving enhanced diagnostic coverage through software-based redundancy on existing platforms
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes existing processor cores perform multiple functions: normal workload execution and safety-critical workload execution with cross-core comparison. This multi-functionality approach allows standard processors to provide both computational performance and safety diagnostics without requiring specialized safety hardware
2Reliability
If specialized safety tools and CPU design modifications are implemented, then functional safety capabilities are improved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables existing processor cores to perform safety diagnostics autonomously by executing safety workloads and performing self-validation through cross-core comparison. This self-service mechanism eliminates the need for external specialized safety tools or hardware modifications, reducing manufacturing complexity while maintaining functional safety
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements safety functionality through software layers on top of existing hardware rather than modifying the CPU design itself. This partial action approach applies safety mechanisms only where needed through software abstraction, avoiding the complexity of hardware modifications while achieving the required functional safety standards
3Reliability
If cross-core comparison mechanism is added, then diagnostic coverage is enhanced, but processing time and system overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic execution of safety workloads on multiple cores with systematic comparison at defined intervals. This periodic approach balances fault detection capability with processing time by comparing results at regular intervals rather than continuously, reducing overhead while maintaining safety within required time bounds
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the safety workload execution and comparison functions into an integrated process where multiple cores execute identical workloads simultaneously and results are compared in a unified manner. This merging reduces overall processing time by eliminating sequential execution overhead and enables parallel fault detection across all safety-critical operations
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and apparatus relating to enhancing diagnostic capabilities of computing systems by combining variable patrolling Application Program Interface (API) and comparison mechanism of variables are described. In one embodiment, a first processor core executes a first instance of a workload to generate a first set of safety variables. A second processor core executes a second instance of the workload to generate a second set of safety variables. A third processor core generates a signal in response to comparison of the first set of safety variables and the second set of safety variables. Other embodiments are also disclosed and claimed.