Time Triggered Switch Schedule Consistency via Sparse Time Base

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Solution Overview

Problem

In distributed real-time systems like smart grids, existing methods fail to ensure consistent schedule switching, leading to potential errors and quality issues due to phase jumps during schedule changes, which are critical for maintaining power quality and data transmission efficiency.

Innovation Solution

A method where at least one active schedule and one new schedule are stored in a switch using a sparse time base, allowing the switch to deactivate the active schedule and activate the new one within the active interval, ensuring consistent switching by synchronizing with a global time base and using cryptographic protocols for authenticity and integrity, while preventing phase jumps and ensuring safety-critical message compliance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a new schedule is activated to replace the active schedule for closer observation of a subsystem, then the ability to monitor and analyze anomalies is improved, but phase jumps occur in periodic messages causing errors and reducing application quality

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveschedule switching capabilityVSAvoidapplication quality
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent prepares multiple schedules (active schedule and at least one new schedule) in advance within the switch, so that when an anomaly occurs, a pre-prepared schedule can be activated immediately without causing phase jumps. The schedules are stored with their respective time bases ready for activation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a sparse time base as an intermediary mechanism to coordinate the switching between active and new schedules. By deactivating the active schedule and activating the new schedule within the active interval of the sparse time base, the system ensures consistent timing and prevents phase jumps in periodic messages.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Speed

If schedule switching is performed frequently to respond to anomalies, then the responsiveness of the system is improved, but the complexity of managing multiple schedules and ensuring consistency increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveschedule switching speedVSAvoidschedule management complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple schedules are pre-configured and stored in the switch before switching is needed. This allows rapid switching to occur without the complexity of real-time schedule generation or validation during the switching event itself.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The sparse time base acts as a mediator that simplifies the switching process by providing a standardized interval framework. All schedule activations occur within defined active intervals of the sparse time base, which regularizes the switching operation and reduces management complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Stability of the object's composition

If the active schedule is deactivated and a new schedule is activated within the active interval of the sparse time base, then consistent switching is achieved without phase jumps, but the timing constraints and synchronization requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveschedule consistencyVSAvoidtiming precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The sparse time base serves as a precise timing intermediary that defines exact active intervals for schedule switching. By confining all deactivations and activations to these predefined intervals, the system achieves consistent switching without phase jumps while maintaining manageable timing precision through the structured time base framework.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP2801174B1Method and device for consistent changing the schedules in a time triggered switch
Publication Date: 2016.04.06 FTS - COMPUTERTECHNIK GES MBH
  • EP2801174B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2

AI summary

The invention relates to a method for dynamic modification of the schedules in a time-controlled switch for relaying time-controlled messages in a real-time computer system, wherein at least one active schedule and at least one new schedule are stored at a point in time in a switch, wherein, at a specified changeover time in the active interval of a sparse time base, the active schedule is deactivated and a new schedule is activated.