DC-DC Converter Diagnostic System Using Hamming Distance Fault Flags
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing diagnostic systems for DC-DC voltage converters face memory overwrite errors due to similar fault and non-fault values, which are not effectively distinguished, leading to operational issues in both buck and boost modes.
Innovation Solution
A diagnostic system that utilizes fault values with a Hamming distance of at least four from one another to differentiate status flags, ensuring accurate identification and transition of switches in both buck and boost operational modes, preventing memory overwrite errors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If similar fault and non-fault values are used in status flags, then the diagnostic system can operate in both buck and boost modes, but memory overwrite errors occur due to inability to effectively distinguish between fault and non-fault states
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter values used in status flags from similar values to distinct values with Hamming distance of at least four. Specifically, fault values are changed to be significantly different from non-fault values, ensuring that even if memory bits are overwritten or corrupted, the diagnostic system can reliably distinguish between fault and non-fault states. This parameter change resolves the contradiction by maintaining versatility across buck and boost modes while eliminating memory overwrite errors through improved value differentiation.
2Reliability
If fault values with Hamming distance of at least four are used, then memory overwrite errors are eliminated, but the complexity of the diagnostic system increases due to multiple monitoring and diagnostic handler applications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the diagnostic system into multiple monitoring applications and diagnostic handler applications, each responsible for specific fault detection and handling tasks. This segmentation allows the system to implement complex fault value verification with Hamming distance checking in a modular manner, where each monitoring application handles specific voltage conditions and each diagnostic handler processes specific fault types. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by distributing the complexity across multiple specialized components rather than requiring a single monolithic complex system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces diagnostic handler applications as intermediary components between the monitoring applications and the switch control logic. These handlers act as mediators that receive status flag values from monitoring applications, perform Hamming distance verification, and then appropriately transition switches based on verified fault conditions. This intermediary layer simplifies the overall system architecture by centralizing the complex verification logic in dedicated handler components, making the system more manageable despite the increased reliability requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
A diagnostic system for a DC-DC voltage converter is provided. An analog to digital converter measures a first low voltage level at a low voltage terminal of a DC-DC voltage converter and generates a first low voltage value based on the first low voltage level. A first buck mode monitoring application sets a first buck mode status flag equal to a first fault value when the first low voltage value is greater than a first maximum voltage value. A first buck mode diagnostic handler application transitions each of the high voltage switch and the low voltage switch to an open operational state when the first buck mode status flag is equal to the first fault value.