Safety Controller Redundancy for Corrupted Command Blocking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Autonomous vehicles are susceptible to data corruption due to noise, cross talk, and other sources of errors, which can lead to inadequate obstacle and hazard recognition and avoidance, potentially resulting in accidents.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a safety controller with triple redundancy, where a memory device and a controller exchange data, and a safety controller compares the data to identify corruption, preventing execution of commands based on corrupted data.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If autonomous vehicles use sensors and cameras to determine speed, steering, and obstacle avoidance, then the vehicle can operate autonomously, but data corruption from noise and cross talk may cause inadequate hazard recognition and potential accidents
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements triple redundancy by creating three copies of critical data paths: (1) direct path from memory to application controller, (2) reverse path from memory through multiplexer to application controller, and (3) path through safety controller. This copying approach ensures that if one path experiences data corruption, the other copies can be compared to identify and correct the corrupted data, thereby maintaining reliability while enabling autonomous operation
Solution Approach 2:
The safety controller acts as an intermediary that receives and compares data from multiple sources (direct path and reverse path). It mediates between the memory device and application controller by validating data integrity through comparison operations and preventing corrupted data from reaching the application controller, thus resolving the contradiction between automation and reliability
2Reliability
If triple redundancy is implemented with safety controller comparing data from multiple paths, then data integrity is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control system is segmented into distinct functional modules: memory device, application controller, safety controller, and multiplexer. Each segment performs a specific function (data storage, command generation, data validation, signal routing), which simplifies the overall complexity by organizing the redundant system into manageable, modular components with clear interfaces between them
Solution Approach 2:
The multiplexer serves multiple functions: it routes signals from the memory device to either the application controller or the safety controller based on operational mode, and it can also route corrected data back to the application controller. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated components for each function, thereby managing device complexity while maintaining triple redundancy
Data Source
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AI summary
An example apparatus comprises a memory resource configured to store data and transmit data. The apparatus may further include a safety controller coupled to the memory resource configured to receive the data from the memory resource, receive latched data from an application controller, and determine whether to allow an output of commands from the application controller in response to a comparison of the data from the memory resource and the latched data from the application controller.