Incremental Function Booting for Safe Autonomous Vehicle Startup
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Solution Overview
Problem
Designing a system to drive a vehicle semi-autonomously or autonomously without compromising safety is challenging, as interference during resource allocation can affect safety-critical functions, leading to potential risks.
Innovation Solution
Implementing incremental booting of functions using multiple operating phases, where non-safety related and failsafe functions are made available during initialization, while safety-critical functions are delayed until resource allocation is complete, ensuring safety is maintained.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If all functions are made available only after resource allocation is complete, then safety is maintained, but function availability time is delayed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments functions into three categories based on safety criticality: safety-critical functions, failsafe functions, and non-safety related functions. This segmentation allows differential availability strategies where non-safety and failsafe functions can be made available during initialization while safety-critical functions wait for complete resource allocation, thus resolving the contradiction between safety and availability time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by making only certain functions (non-safety and failsafe) available during the initialization phase before complete resource allocation, rather than waiting for all functions to be ready. This partial availability reduces user waiting time while maintaining safety through the selective activation of less critical functions.
2Loss of time
If non-safety functions are made available during resource allocation, then user access time is reduced, but interference with safety-critical functions may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by assigning different availability characteristics to different function categories. Non-safety and failsafe functions have higher availability priority and can be accessed during initialization, while safety-critical functions have stricter availability requirements and wait for complete resource allocation. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction by allowing early access for non-critical functions without compromising safety-critical operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent permits partial action by allowing non-safety functions to be made available during the resource allocation process, even though complete allocation hasn't occurred. This partial availability provides earlier user access for non-critical functions while the system continues allocating resources for safety-critical functions in the background.
3Reliability
If safety-critical functions are delayed until resource allocation is complete, then interference is prevented, but overall system readiness time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the function initialization process into parallel tracks: non-safety and failsafe functions are initialized and made available during the resource allocation phase, while safety-critical functions are initialized after resource allocation completes. This segmentation allows the system to provide partial functionality earlier without delaying safety-critical function initialization, thus resolving the contradiction between safety and overall readiness time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent maintains continuity of useful action by keeping the system in a partially operational state during resource allocation. Non-safety and failsafe functions continue to provide useful functionality while resources are being allocated, rather than keeping the entire system idle until all resources are allocated and all functions are ready.
Data Source
AI summary
In various examples, incremental booting of functions for autonomous systems and applications is described herein. Systems and methods are disclosed that boot functions of a machine using different phases in order to more quickly provide at least a portion of the functions without compromising the safety of the machine. For example, during a first phase, resources associated with the machine may be allocated while the functions are initialized. Additionally, at least a first portion of the functions, such as functions that do not compromise the safety of the machine if errors occur, may be made available for use by one or more users of the machine. Next, during a second phase, at least a second portion of the functions, such as functions that may compromise the safety of the machine if errors occur, may be made available for use by the user(s) of the machine.