Distributed Bus Guardian for Ring Network Fault Tolerance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Distributed, fault-tolerant communication systems in safety-critical applications face challenges due to single points of failure in bus guardian configurations, which can lead to increased costs and reduced reliability, especially in aerospace vehicle monitoring and management systems.
Innovation Solution
A communication network architecture where each node is connected to two neighbor nodes in both clockwise and counter-clockwise directions, with a centralized bus guardian for each channel, allowing for data relaying and policy compliance checking, and implementing TDMA media access schemes to ensure data integrity and fault tolerance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a centralized bus guardian is used for each channel in a star topology, then the system structure is simplified, but a single point of failure is created that reduces reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the centralized bus guardian function into distributed bus guardian capabilities at each node in the ring topology. Each node independently performs bus guardian functions for its adjacent channels, eliminating the single point of failure while maintaining the simplified structure through uniform node design.
Solution Approach 2:
The ring topology itself acts as an intermediary structure that distributes the bus guardian function across multiple nodes. Data packets are relayed through intermediate nodes that each perform policy compliance checking, thereby distributing the protective function rather than concentrating it in a single centralized guardian.
2Reliability
If multiple independent bus guardians are provided within each node, then fault tolerance is improved, but the cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
Each node in the ring topology is designed with universal multi-functionality, performing both data routing and bus guardian functions. Each node serves multiple roles: as an endpoint, as a relay for clockwise and counter-clockwise directions, and as a distributed bus guardian for adjacent channels, eliminating the need for multiple specialized components per node.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the bus guardian function with the standard node functionality in the ring topology. Instead of adding separate bus guardian components to each node, the bus guardian capabilities are integrated into the existing node structure, combining data transmission and integrity checking functions in a single unified design.
3Speed
If data is relayed without policy compliance checking, then transmission speed is maintained, but data integrity is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
Policy compliance checking is performed preliminarily at each relay node before data is forwarded to the next node. Each node checks the policy compliance of incoming data packets from both clockwise and counter-clockwise directions before relaying, ensuring integrity is verified in advance rather than at the destination, thereby maintaining transmission speed while ensuring data integrity.
Data Source
AI summary
In one embodiment, a node comprises an interface to communicatively couple the node to a channel. The channel communicatively couples the node to a first neighbor node in a first direction and to a second neighbor node in a second direction. When the first neighbor node is scheduled to transmit and the node receives data from the first neighbor node via the channel, the node determines if the transmission of the data complies with a policy. When the transmission of the data does not comply with the policy, the node does at least one of: blocks the data from being relayed along the channel and relays the data along the channel with information indicating that the transmission of the data does not comply with the policy.