Multi-core Safety Processor for Drive Systems
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current safety systems for passenger conveyance systems, such as escalators and moving sidewalks, face challenges in achieving high safety integrity levels while being cost-effective and easy to implement, as they often rely on single-core processors and lack redundancy in signal processing.
Innovation Solution
A safety system utilizing a multi-core processor with dual-channel configurations on the same integrated circuit die, processing redundant sensor signals in parallel to determine the safety state of the system, and controlling drive and brake units based on safety chain signals to ensure safe operation, with an emergency brake unit for added safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a single-core processor is used for safety signal processing, then the device complexity is reduced, but the safety integrity level is insufficient due to lack of redundancy
Solution Approach 1:
The processor is segmented into multiple independent processing cores (first processing core and second processing core) that operate in parallel. Each core independently processes safety signals from sensors, enabling redundant computation paths that enhance safety integrity while maintaining a relatively simple overall device architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the processor (different cores) are assigned specialized functions for specific safety parameter monitoring. The first processing core handles specific safety signals while the second processing core handles other safety signals, with each core optimized for its local processing task while contributing to the global safety system.
2Reliability
If multiple independent microprocessors are used for redundant signal processing, then the safety integrity level is improved, but the implementation cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple processing cores are merged into a single integrated circuit die, combining the benefits of multiple independent processors (redundancy, parallel processing) while eliminating the costs and complexities of manufacturing, testing, and assembling multiple separate microprocessor components. This integration reduces implementation cost while maintaining high safety integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The multi-core processor provides universal safety signal processing capability that can handle multiple types of safety parameters (speed, position, temperature, etc.) through different cores, replacing the need for multiple specialized microprocessors and reducing overall system cost and complexity.
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
A safety system for use in a drive system includes first and second safety sensors that provide respective first and second sensor signals indicative of a safety condition of the drive system. The safety system includes a safety device that processes the first and second sensor signals to determine a safety state of the drive system, and that controls a unit of the drive system based on the safety state. The safety device includes a multi-core processor having first and second processing cores. In some embodiments, the first and second processing cores receive and process the respective first and second sensor signals in parallel to determine the safety state. In other embodiments, each of the first and second processing cores receive both the first and second sensor signals, and each of the first and second processing cores process both the first and second sensor signals to determine the safety state.