Monitoring Device for Distributed Communication Node Fault Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current solutions for error detection in distributed communication systems, such as those using the FlexRay protocol, are either overly complex or rely on information from the communication controller, leading to potential failures and network disruptions due to faulty nodes or hosts.
Innovation Solution
A monitoring device is introduced, which analyzes input and output lines, internal states, and information from the communication controller to detect and signal faulty behavior, reducing complexity and preventing network failures by allowing the host to take corrective actions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a bus guardian is added in parallel to each communication controller to prevent failures, then system reliability is improved, but device complexity increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a monitoring device as an intermediary component that supervises the communication controller's behavior. This monitoring device acts as a mediator between the communication controller and the host, detecting errors in the controller's behavior without requiring a full bus guardian architecture. The monitoring device reduces complexity by providing focused supervision rather than complete redundancy.
Solution Approach 2:
The monitoring device creates a simplified copy or model of the communication controller's expected behavior. By comparing the actual controller behavior against this model, the system can detect deviations and potential failures without implementing a complete duplicate controller structure, thus reducing complexity while maintaining reliability.
2Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If the host monitors information provided by the communication controller to detect failures, then error detection capability is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to reliance on potentially faulty controller information
Solution Approach 1:
The monitoring device serves as an independent intermediary that directly observes the communication controller's behavior rather than relying on information provided by the controller itself. This independent observation mechanism allows the host to detect errors without trusting the controller's self-reported status, resolving the contradiction between detection capability and reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The monitoring device provides feedback about the communication controller's actual behavior to the host. This feedback mechanism enables the host to make informed decisions about system state without relying on potentially faulty information from the controller, thereby maintaining both detection capability and reliability.
3Measurement precision
If the bus guardian forms its own opinion on node state and medium state, then error detection is improved, but device complexity increases as it requires same complexity as communication controller
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential monitoring functions from the full bus guardian concept. Instead of implementing a complete bus guardian with full controller complexity, the monitoring device extracts and implements only the specific functions needed to detect controller behavior errors, thereby reducing complexity while maintaining detection precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The monitoring device applies local quality by focusing its monitoring capabilities specifically on detecting controller behavior errors rather than providing comprehensive system supervision. This specialized approach allows for high detection precision in the critical area of controller behavior while avoiding the complexity of a full-featured bus guardian.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a node in distributed communication system operating under a time triggered protocol, further it relates to distributed communication system and to a monitoring device coupled to such node of a communication system. To provide a node in a distributed communication system, a distributed communication system and a monitoring device increasing the error detection and reducing complexity for providing a high availability for systems which require a non 100% fail safe solution a node is proposed comprising: a communication controller (15) coupled to a receiving and a transmission path, a host (13) for performing an application, and a monitoring device (16) coupled at least to one of a transmission path of the communication controller (15), an interface (91) between communication controller (15) and the host (13), and to internal lines of the communication controller (15), wherein the monitoring device (16) is provided for evaluating information provided by the communication controller (15) to monitor at least one state of the communication controller (15), wherein in case of detecting a non-defined state the host (13) is informed for performing predetermined actions in respect to the state of the communication controller (15). Thereby, an easy cost reduced solution is provided adapted to detect a predetermined number of faults in a distributed communication system.