USB Error Management via Peripheral Supervisors
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Solution Overview
Problem
USB communication systems lack effective error management, leading to communication failures due to physical faults like vibrations or shocks, resulting in disrupted data transmission and requiring manual disconnection and reconnection of devices.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a host controller with a finite state machine that associates each peripheral with a supervisor to detect and signal communication faults, allowing for communication reinitialization and enabling a degraded mode to maintain connectivity during faults, while disabling the USB port in case of all-peripheral failures for power savings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If USB communication continues in nominal mode, then data transmission speed is maintained, but communication reliability deteriorates when physical faults occur
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically switches between nominal and degraded communication modes based on fault conditions. The finite state machine transitions between states (nominal, degraded, error) depending on peripheral supervisor feedback, allowing the communication parameters to adapt to changing physical conditions while maintaining reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes communication parameters (bit rate, timing) when transitioning from nominal to degraded mode. In degraded mode, the system uses reduced bit rate and adjusted timing parameters to ensure reliable communication under adverse physical conditions such as vibrations or shocks
2Reliability
If manual disconnection and reconnection is required to reset communication, then communication reliability is restored, but user operation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-diagnosis and self-recovery through the finite state machine and peripheral supervisors. When communication faults are detected, the system automatically transitions to degraded mode or reinitializes the port without requiring user intervention, thereby restoring reliability while maintaining operational simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
Peripheral supervisors continuously monitor communication status and provide feedback to the finite state machine. This feedback mechanism enables automatic detection of communication faults and triggers appropriate recovery actions (mode switching or port reinitialization) without user involvement
3Reliability
If USB port remains active during communication faults, then connectivity is maintained, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts port state based on communication health. The finite state machine transitions to error state when all peripherals indicate faults, triggering port deactivation to save power while maintaining the capability to reactivate when needed
Solution Approach 2:
The system automatically manages power consumption by monitoring peripheral supervisors and making autonomous decisions about port activation. When communication faults are detected across all peripherals, the port is automatically deactivated to reduce power usage without manual intervention
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
The invention relates to electronic equipment comprising a host controller able to control at least one serial universal communication port, able to be connected to a plurality of peripherals, characterized in that each of the peripherals connected to said port is associated with a peripheral supervisor (27), said peripheral supervisor (27) being able to determine and to signal a communication defect between the port and the peripheral with which it is associated and in that the host controller comprises means for re-initializing the communication port when all the peripheral supervisors signal an operating defect.