Relay State Retention Through Processor Reset in Multi-Relay Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for a relay control system that can maintain a relay in a closed state even when a system error occurs, particularly in vehicles, to prevent accidents and conserve energy.
Innovation Solution
A relay control apparatus comprising a processor, a monitoring unit, and a relay state determining unit that outputs control signals to maintain the operation states of relays based on the processor's state, ensuring the relays remain closed during system errors and allow normal operation upon recovery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a processor reset mechanism is implemented to handle system errors, then system reliability is improved, but the relay operation state cannot be retained and circuit complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent stores the initial relay operation states (closed/open) in a memory unit before processor reset occurs. This preliminary action preserves the relay states so they can be restored after reset, preventing the need for complex real-time monitoring circuits during reset operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a memory unit as an intermediary between the processor and relay control system. This memory unit acts as a buffer that holds relay state information during processor reset, simplifying the overall control logic by decoupling the relay state retention from the processor operation.
2Reliability
If relay states are retained during processor reset, then safety is improved, but energy consumption increases due to prolonged relay operation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the processor continuously monitors its own operational status. When the processor detects it is in a reset state, it uses the stored initial relay states from memory to control relay operations, ensuring safety while allowing controlled energy management.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the control parameter from continuous real-time monitoring to using stored initial states during reset. By switching to a different control mode (using pre-stored states rather than live processor signals), the system maintains safety requirements while reducing unnecessary energy consumption during reset periods.
Data Source
AI summary
A relay control apparatus and method for retaining a relay in a closed state even though a system error occurs to reset the processor. Therefore, the relay control apparatus and method prevents an accident caused by the reset of the processor since the operation state of a plurality of relays is maintained even when the processor is reset. In addition, if the operation state of the processor is a reset state even after a predetermined time passes, the operation state of the plurality of relays is changed to a turn-off state, and system resources and energy are prevented from being wasted. In addition, when the operation state of the processor is recovered, the operation state of the plurality of relays may be controlled by the processor.