Isolation Control Circuit for Fault-Tolerant Board Modules
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
In board-level designs, when the control unit becomes abnormal, it leads to product function loss, necessitating improved product reliability.
Innovation Solution
A control system with a first isolation unit that receives signals from both the control unit and a controlled unit, allowing it to continue outputting control signals even if the control unit fails, using logical operation circuits and switches to maintain functionality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single control unit is used to manage board-level modules, then device complexity is reduced, but reliability deteriorates because the system fails when the control unit is abnormal
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the control function into two independent parts: a control unit and a controlled unit, each with separate control capabilities. The controlled unit can independently generate control signals for the isolation unit when the control unit fails, effectively segmenting the control functionality to maintain system operation and improve reliability without significantly increasing overall complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operational state parameter of the isolation unit by introducing a switch that can be controlled by either the control unit or the controlled unit. When the control unit is normal, it controls the switch; when abnormal, the controlled unit takes over. This parameter change enables flexible control transition and maintains system reliability
2Reliability
If fault isolation capability is added to improve reliability, then system reliability improves, but device complexity increases due to additional isolation units and control paths
Solution Approach 1:
The isolation unit is designed with multi-functionality: it can isolate faults between control units and controlled units, it can be controlled by either the control unit or the controlled unit through a switch, and it maintains system operation during faults. This universal design provides fault isolation capability while avoiding the need for completely separate redundant control paths, thus limiting the increase in complexity
Data Source
AI summary
A control system, where a first isolation unit in a control system can receive a first level signal output by a first control unit and a second level signal output by a first controlled unit, and can output a first control signal to the first controlled unit. The first controlled unit can output the second level signal to the first isolation unit under an action of the first control signal. Based on this, even if the first control unit is faulty, the first isolation unit can continue to output the first control signal to the first controlled unit based on the second level signal output by the first controlled unit. This implements isolation of a fault of the first control unit.