Redundant Signal Processing in Microcontroller Peripheral Modules
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing safety-relevant motor vehicle control systems, such as ABS and EBS, face increased complexity and malfunction risks due to redundant microcontroller designs, leading to higher production costs and potential errors from system design or production flaws.
Innovation Solution
A redundant signal processing system that uses two independent sensors and a microcontroller with distinct peripheral modules to detect errors, where one input signal is converted into a test signal for independent processing, allowing for comparison and error detection, thereby ensuring system reliability and safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If two identical microcontrollers are used for redundant signal processing, then system reliability is improved, but device complexity and production cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the microcontroller into two independent functional paths: a first processing path and a second processing path. Each path processes sensor signals independently through separate peripheral modules, allowing redundancy without requiring two complete microcontrollers. This segmentation maintains reliability while reducing overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
A single microcontroller is designed to perform multiple functions through its different peripheral modules. The microcontroller universally handles both redundant signal processing tasks using different peripheral modules (e.g., first peripheral module and second peripheral module), eliminating the need for separate dedicated microcontrollers while maintaining safety requirements.
2Reliability
If two identical microcontrollers are used for redundant signal processing, then error detection capability is improved, but production cost doubles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the functionality of two separate microcontrollers into a single microcontroller by implementing two independent processing paths within one device. The first peripheral module and second peripheral module both reside in the same microcontroller, sharing common resources while maintaining independent signal processing capabilities. This combining approach maintains error detection capability while significantly reducing production cost by eliminating the need for two separate microcontroller units.
3Device complexity
If the same peripheral module processes both input signals, then device complexity is reduced, but error detection capability is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the signal processing function into distinct peripheral modules within the microcontroller. The first input signal is processed by a first peripheral module while the second input signal is processed by a second peripheral module. This segmentation ensures that errors in one module do not propagate to the other, maintaining error detection capability while keeping the overall device complexity manageable through integration in a single microcontroller.
Data Source
AI summary
To effect redundant signal processing of a safety-relevant application, such as for a safety control unit of a motor vehicle, at least two redundant signals are fed from at least one sensor to an electronic circuit assembly as input signals for processing. At least one input signal is converted into a different test signal. In the electronic circuit assembly, the input signals are fed to a first peripheral module of a microcontroller, and the test signal is fed to an additional peripheral module. The sensor information of the input signals and of the test signal are thus redundantly processed independently of each other in a respective peripheral module of the microcontroller.