Mower Control Network Redundancy for Bus Failure Recovery

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing communication systems in mowers and all-terrain vehicles often fail due to wire harness or bus communication failures, making it difficult to determine the cause of the failure and affecting normal operation of functional devices.

Innovation Solution

Implement a communication system with a first channel for normal operation and a second channel for redundancy, allowing re-routing of communication paths when the first channel fails, and include control modules to diagnose and locate failures.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a single communication channel is used to connect control modules, then the device complexity is reduced, but the reliability deteriorates because wire harness or bus communication failures cause complete communication breakdown

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication reliabilityVSAvoidcommunication system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple communication channels (first communication channel and second communication channel) into a unified communication system. When the first communication channel fails, the system automatically switches to the second communication channel, ensuring continuous communication between control modules without complete system failure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements a backup communication channel (second communication channel) in advance before the primary channel (first communication channel) fails. This redundant channel is prepared beforehand to cushion against communication failures, allowing the system to maintain operation even when the primary communication path is disrupted.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

2Reliability

If a redundant communication channel is added to improve reliability, then the reliability improves, but the device complexity increases due to additional channels and fault detection mechanisms

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication reliabilityVSAvoidcommunication system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a feedback mechanism where control modules send detection instructions through the first communication channel and receive feedback signals through the second communication channel. This feedback system automatically detects communication failures and triggers switching to the backup channel, managing the complexity of the redundant system through automated monitoring and response.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The communication system performs self-diagnosis and automatic failure detection without external intervention. Control modules autonomously monitor communication status by exchanging detection instructions and feedback signals, and automatically switch between communication channels when failures are detected, reducing the need for external complex control systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Ease of repair

If communication failure occurs in a bus communication process, then the reliability deteriorates, but it is difficult to determine the cause of the failure due to lack of diagnostic capability

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefailure diagnosis capabilityVSAvoidfailure location information
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of repairVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses feedback signals transmitted through the second communication channel to diagnose failures in the first communication channel. When a control module sends a detection instruction through the first channel and does not receive the expected feedback through the second channel, it can determine that a failure has occurred in the first channel, enabling localized fault diagnosis.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The second communication channel serves as an intermediary for fault diagnosis. It carries detection instructions and feedback signals that allow control modules to indirectly assess the status of the first communication channel, enabling failure location determination without directly monitoring the potentially failed channel.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP4668568A1Lawn mower and all-terrain vehicle
Publication Date: 2025.12.24 NANJING CHERVON IND
  • EP4668568A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4668568A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4668568A1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

Provided are a mower and an all-terrain vehicle. The mower includes: a vehicle frame and multiple functional devices. The multiple functional devices include at least: a traveling assembly including traveling wheels for driving the mower to travel on the ground and a traveling motor for driving the traveling wheels; an operation assembly configured to be operated by a user to control the mower; and a power supply assembly configured to supply energy to the traveling assembly. The mower further includes a communication system, where the communication system includes control modules connected to the multiple functional devices, and the multiple control modules are capable of communicating with each other through a first channel. The communication system further includes a second channel, and the second channel is configured to transmit communication information between at least two control modules. With the preceding technical solutions, the mower with the communication link self-recovery function and the fault self-diagnosis function can be provided, and when communication between some functional devices of the mower is abnormal, a communication link between the other functional devices can still be established through the second channel.