Unmanned System Architecture Virtualization 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, which increases complexity and resource consumption.
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 reusable power modules and input/output nodes, allowing for efficient communication and power management across multiple tiers, thereby reducing redundant components and enhancing scalability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple redundant physical components are used to ensure reliability, then system reliability is improved, but system size, weight, and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple virtual computer systems onto a single physical computer platform. The physical computer runs multiple isolated virtual machines (e.g., flight management virtual computer, payload virtual computer) that would traditionally require separate physical hardware. This consolidation reduces the number of physical components, thereby reducing weight while maintaining functional separation and reliability through virtualization isolation.
Solution Approach 2:
The single physical computer is designed to perform multiple functions by hosting different virtual machines for different criticality levels. The same physical hardware infrastructure supports flight management, payload control, and auxiliary systems, making the system more versatile and reducing the need for dedicated hardware for each function.
2Reliability
If multiple redundant physical components are used to ensure reliability, then system reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
By consolidating multiple virtual computers onto a single physical platform, the patent reduces the number of physical connections, interfaces, and hardware interfaces that would otherwise be required. This simplifies the overall system architecture while maintaining the functional separation needed for reliability through virtualization.
3Reliability
If multiple redundant physical components are used to ensure reliability, then system reliability is improved, but cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent reduces the bill of materials by requiring only one physical computer platform instead of multiple separate physical systems. This consolidation directly reduces component costs, assembly costs, and testing costs while maintaining reliability through virtualization-based isolation.
4Device complexity
If virtual machines are consolidated on a single physical computer, then size and cost are reduced, but fault isolation becomes more challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the physical computer into multiple isolated virtual machines, each handling different criticality levels. This virtual segmentation creates logical firewalls that prevent faults from propagating between systems, maintaining reliability while using shared physical hardware.
Solution Approach 2:
The virtualization layer acts as an intermediary between the physical hardware and the various computer systems. This intermediary layer provides isolation and protection, ensuring that faults in one virtual machine cannot directly affect other virtual machines or the underlying hardware, thereby maintaining fault isolation.
Data Source
AI summary
Apparatus and methods for controlling unmanned systems (UMSs), such as unmanned aircraft, are provided. A UMS can include core systems, auxiliary systems, a payload, a physical computer, a network, and a power system. The network can enable the physical computer to communicate with the auxiliary systems using a second communications tier and with the payload using a third communications tier. The network and the physical computer can logically separate the second and third communications tiers. The power system can provide a first, second, and third power domains respectively for the core systems, the auxiliary systems, and for the payload. The power system can include circuitry that inhibits an overcurrent fault in the third power domain from causing an electrical fault in the first and second power domains and that inhibits an overcurrent fault in the second power domain from causing an electrical fault in the first power domain.