Fail Operational Power System with Isolator Switch
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Solution Overview
Problem
Autonomous driving systems face challenges in maintaining uninterrupted power supply to critical electrical loads during electrical faults, as existing solutions like additional batteries or ultra-capacitors increase mass, cost, and do not support the entire electrical system.
Innovation Solution
A fail operational power system with two parallel power distribution paths, each powered by an independent source, using an isolator switch to connect or disconnect the paths based on voltage monitoring, ensuring continuous power to critical loads during faults for at least 5 seconds.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If additional batteries or ultra-capacitors are used for each FOS load, then power supply reliability is improved, but mass and package size increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple FOS load power supplies into a single shared battery system. Instead of having separate batteries for each FOS load, the invention uses one battery that can supply power to multiple FOS loads through a power distribution network, thereby reducing total mass while maintaining reliability through intelligent power management and switching control.
Solution Approach 2:
The single battery is designed to serve multiple FOS loads simultaneously, making it a universal power source. The power management system enables this battery to dynamically allocate power to different FOS loads based on system needs, replacing what would traditionally require multiple dedicated batteries.
2Reliability
If additional batteries or ultra-capacitors are used for each FOS load, then power supply reliability is improved, but cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
By merging multiple individual battery systems into a single shared battery, the invention reduces component count, assembly complexity, and overall system cost. The power management control unit adds minimal cost compared to the savings from eliminating multiple batteries and their associated mounting, wiring, and control systems.
3Reliability
If additional batteries or ultra-capacitors are used for each FOS load, then power supply reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The single battery system with power management control provides a simplified architecture compared to multiple distributed batteries. The power management control unit handles all power distribution decisions centrally, reducing the complexity of having multiple independent battery systems while maintaining the ability to support all FOS loads.
Data Source
AI summary
Method for operating a fail operational power system for a vehicle includes monitoring a first voltage on a first power distribution path and a second voltage on a second power distribution path. An isolator switch controllably operative between open and closed states is monitored. The closed state connects the first and second power distribution paths and the open state opens the connection between the first and second power distribution paths. Each of the monitored first and second voltages is compared to a reference voltage. When a predetermined operating mode requiring fail operational power is enabled, the isolator switch is controlled to the open state when at least one of the monitored first and second voltages violates the reference voltage and the isolator switch is controlled to the closed state when neither one of the monitored first and second voltages violates the reference voltage.