FPGA Diagnostic Interface for Embedded Motor Controller Failures
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle systems, particularly in spacecraft, face challenges in diagnosing embedded motor failures due to limited access and high system constraints, which hinder real-time data collection and detailed analysis, leading to costly and time-consuming disassembly for troubleshooting.
Innovation Solution
A FPGA-based diagnostic interface utilizing VHDL for performance modeling of controllers, allowing external access to operational parameters and rapid data collection, enabling failure diagnosis without disassembly by ascertaining whether the controller is the source of the failure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If motor controllers are deeply embedded within vehicle assemblies to save space, then system compactness is improved, but accessibility for diagnosis and maintenance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary diagnostic interface that couples to the controller through existing system interfaces (UART, SPI, I2C, or direct memory access). This intermediary provides external access to real-time controller data without requiring physical access to the embedded controller or disassembly of the vehicle assembly, thus resolving the contradiction between compactness and diagnostic accessibility.
2Reliability
If motor controllers are hardened for radiation environments, then reliability in space is improved, but diagnostic capability deteriorates due to limited interface options
Solution Approach 1:
The diagnostic interface is designed to work with multiple existing communication protocols (UART, SPI, I2C) and direct memory access methods, making it universally applicable to different controller types while maintaining radiation hardness. This multi-functional approach enables comprehensive diagnostics without compromising the radiation-hardened nature of the controller.
3Measurement precision
If real-time motor parameter data is collected at high rates for detailed analysis, then diagnostic precision is improved, but system bandwidth consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the specific real-time data needed for diagnostic purposes from the controller and transmits it through available communication interfaces. By selectively extracting necessary parameters rather than transmitting all controller data, the system achieves high diagnostic precision while minimizing bandwidth consumption and avoiding interference with normal system operations.
4Ease of operation
If vehicle assembly is disassembled to access controller for testing, then direct access to controller is improved, but production time and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The diagnostic interface is configured and ready for use before any disassembly would be required. By establishing the diagnostic capability through existing interfaces while the system is still assembled, the need for time-consuming disassembly and reassembly for testing is eliminated, thus resolving the contradiction between direct access and production efficiency.
Data Source
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AI summary
Diagnosing whether controllers of internal vehicle systems are the source of failures detected by a system control managing a vehicle such as a spacecraft (100). Highspeed data is received via at a field programmable gate array (FPGA) (210) embedded in an assembly of the vehicle. The FPGA includes a controller (132) and a digital diagnostic interface (228). In one embodiment, the diagnostic interface utilizes Very Highspeed Integrated Circuit (VHSIC) Hardware Description Language (VHDL) for performance modeling of a controller configured to control at least one internal system within the vehicle. The VHDL performance models the controller. Upon receiving an indication of a failure, the performance modeling of the controller is used to ascertain whether or not the controller is the source of the failure. Disassembly of the assembly housing the internal system is not required in order to ascertain whether or not the controller is the source of the failure.