Unmanned System Power Module Fault Isolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Unmanned systems face challenges in reducing size, weight, and cost while maintaining reliability, as existing architectures often require multiple redundant components to ensure functionality in the event of failures.
Innovation Solution
The proposed architecture utilizes a single physical computer with hypervisor-based software to instantiate multiple virtual machines, separating networks by criticality and using power domains to isolate faults, allowing for efficient resource allocation and fault prevention across different tiers of communication and power systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple redundant components are used to ensure reliability, then system reliability is improved, but system size, weight, and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple virtual computers are merged into a single physical computer platform. The patent describes a unified hardware platform that hosts multiple virtualized computing environments, each performing different functions (mission computer, payload computer, flight management computer). This consolidation eliminates the need for separate physical redundant systems while maintaining functional reliability through virtualization and fault isolation mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The single physical computer is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously through virtualization. The same hardware platform can instantiate different virtual computers for mission control, payload management, flight management, and other functions. This multi-functionality approach allows one physical system to replace what would traditionally require multiple specialized physical systems.
2Reliability
If multiple redundant components are used to ensure reliability, then system reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent consolidates multiple computing functions into a single physical platform with unified hardware resources. Instead of managing multiple separate physical computers and their interconnections, the system uses one integrated platform that hosts multiple virtualized environments, significantly reducing hardware complexity and interconnection requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
A virtualization layer acts as an intermediary between the physical hardware and multiple virtual computers. This virtualization software manages resource allocation, isolation, and fault containment, simplifying the overall system architecture by abstracting complex hardware management tasks and providing standardized interfaces for different virtual computing environments.
3Reliability
If multiple redundant components are used to ensure reliability, then system reliability is improved, but cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple computing functions into a single physical computer platform, reducing the total number of hardware components that need to be manufactured, tested, and integrated. This consolidation directly reduces material costs, assembly costs, and testing expenses while maintaining reliability through virtualization-based fault isolation.
Solution Approach 2:
By designing a universal physical platform that can perform multiple computing functions through virtualization, the system eliminates the need for multiple specialized hardware systems. This multi-functionality approach reduces development costs, manufacturing complexity, and overall system procurement costs while achieving the same reliability objectives.
Data Source
AI summary
Apparatus and methods for controlling unmanned systems (UMSs), such as unmanned aircraft, are provided. A UMS can be provided that includes core systems, auxiliary systems, a payload, and a power system. The power system can provide uninterruptible power for a first power domain that includes the core systems. The power system can provide interruptible power for each of a second power domain and a third power domain. The second power domain can include the auxiliary systems, and the third power domain can include the payload. First circuitry of the power system can prevent a single overcurrent fault in the third power domain from causing an electrical fault in either the first power domain or the second power domain. Second circuitry of the power system can prevent a single overcurrent fault in the second power domain from causing an electrical fault in the first power domain.