Diagnostic Data Capture Using Ring Buffer and Trigger Events

Solution Overview

Problem

Modern electronic systems face challenges in efficiently capturing and storing diagnostic data due to the vast amount of data generated, especially when dealing with intermittent or condition-dependent faults, where only a subset of data is relevant for fault diagnosis and reproduction.

Innovation Solution

A data capture system comprising a processor, volatile memory, and non-volatile memory, where configuration data defines trigger events and data identifiers, utilizing a ring buffer in volatile memory to store data continuously until a trigger event occurs, and then transferring the data to non-volatile memory for analysis.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If diagnostic data is captured at very high periodic rates, then the completeness of fault diagnosis is improved, but the data storage capacity and communication bandwidth are exceeded

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefault diagnosis completenessVSAvoiddata volume

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the relevant diagnostic data elements that are necessary for fault analysis by using configuration data to identify specific data identifiers. Instead of storing all captured data, the system selectively stores only the subset of data elements that are relevant for fault diagnosis, thereby reducing data volume while maintaining diagnostic completeness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary action by capturing and storing data in volatile memory before the actual fault occurs. The configuration data is pre-loaded with trigger event definitions and data identifiers, allowing the system to prepare and store relevant diagnostic data in advance, ensuring that when a fault occurs, the necessary data is already captured and can be immediately transferred to non-volatile memory.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Loss of information

If all captured diagnostic data is stored locally, then the availability of data for analysis is improved, but the storage capacity is exceeded

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata availability for analysisVSAvoidstorage capacity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the relevant diagnostic data elements that are necessary for fault analysis by using configuration data to identify specific data identifiers. Instead of storing all captured data, the system selectively stores only the subset of data elements that are relevant for fault diagnosis, thereby reducing data volume while maintaining diagnostic completeness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The system segments data storage into two parts: volatile memory for temporary storage of relevant data elements and non-volatile memory for permanent storage. This segmentation allows the system to manage storage capacity efficiently by using volatile memory as a buffer for data that needs to be transferred, while maintaining long-term storage capability through non-volatile memory.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Measurement precision

If data is stored continuously, then the ability to reconstruct fault context is improved, but the memory bandwidth and processing resources are consumed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefault context reconstruction capabilityVSAvoidmemory bandwidth consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses periodic action by transferring data from volatile memory to non-volatile memory at specific intervals or when trigger events occur. Instead of continuous transfer, the system periodically snapshots the relevant diagnostic data, reducing memory bandwidth consumption while maintaining the ability to reconstruct fault context when needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary action by capturing and storing data in volatile memory before the actual fault occurs. The configuration data is pre-loaded with trigger event definitions and data identifiers, allowing the system to prepare and store relevant diagnostic data in advance, ensuring that when a fault occurs, the necessary data is already captured and can be immediately transferred to non-volatile memory.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS9213626B2Configuration data based diagnostic data capture

Publication Date: 2015.12.15 HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORP

AI summary

A data capture system includes a processor instructed by configuration data that indicates a trigger event and data identifiers, a volatile memory that stores data based upon the data identifiers, and a non-volatile memory that stores contents of the volatile memory based upon detection of the trigger event by the processor. The data identifiers indicate data elements to be stored.