Microcontroller Soft Reset Memory Segmentation

Solution Overview

Problem

Microcontrollers experience temporary loss of control function during soft resets, leading to safety issues in critical applications like vehicle control systems, as calibration data and communication settings are initialized, disrupting communication connections and calibration functions.

Innovation Solution

A microcontroller design that maintains communication connections and calibration data by storing communication setting information in non-volatile memory and re-establishing states post-reset, while excluding the working page area from initialization, ensuring continuous control function and data integrity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a soft reset is performed to initialize memory, then system reliability is improved, but control function is lost temporarily due to initialization of calibration data and communication settings

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem reliabilityVSAvoidtemporary loss of control function

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The memory is segmented into different regions: a first memory region that stores critical calibration data and communication connection data, and a second memory region for other data. During soft reset, only the second region is initialized while the first region remains preserved, allowing the control function to be maintained without complete memory reinitialization.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The critical data in the first memory region is prepared and protected in advance before the soft reset occurs. By pre-identifying and protecting this essential data, the system ensures that when reset is needed, the control function can continue without interruption while still achieving memory initialization for other purposes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If a soft reset is performed to initialize memory, then system reliability is improved, but communication connection is disrupted

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem reliabilityVSAvoidcommunication connection data

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The memory is segmented into different regions: a first memory region that stores critical calibration data and communication connection data, and a second memory region for other data. During soft reset, only the second region is initialized while the first region remains preserved, allowing the control function to be maintained without complete memory reinitialization.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different parts of the memory have different properties during reset: the first memory region is protected from initialization to maintain communication settings, while the second memory region undergoes initialization. This local differentiation allows selective preservation of critical communication data while still achieving system reset objectives.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Reliability

If a soft reset is performed to initialize memory, then system reliability is improved, but calibration function is lost

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem reliabilityVSAvoidcalibration data

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The memory is segmented into different regions: a first memory region that stores critical calibration data and communication connection data, and a second memory region for other data. During soft reset, only the second region is initialized while the first region remains preserved, allowing the control function to be maintained without complete memory reinitialization.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The critical data in the first memory region is prepared and protected in advance before the soft reset occurs. By pre-identifying and protecting this essential data, the system ensures that when reset is needed, the control function can continue without interruption while still achieving memory initialization for other purposes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS20240211273A1Microcontroller that maintains control function even after soft-reset and a controlling method thereof

Publication Date: 2024.06.27 HYUNDAI AUTOEVER

AI summary

A microcontroller performs a control function. The microcontroller comprises: a memory management unit (MMU) performing a soft reset process by initializing remaining areas excluding a working page area of a memory managed by the memory management unit of the microcontroller; a communication module maintaining a communication connection prior to the soft reset process as it is even after the soft reset process; and a microprocessor initialized according to the soft reset process.