Vehicle Controller Request Handling for Timing Synchronization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Complex vehicle electrical systems face challenges in synchronizing timing constraints between sub-controllers, leading to errors and system instability during development and operation, especially when assembling systems from incompatible sub-systems with unknown timing constraints.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that allow a first control means to communicate a request to a second control means, with the second control means indicating if it cannot currently satisfy the request without immediately reporting an error, allowing it to continue attempting the operation for a predetermined period, thereby reducing timing requirements and improving tolerance for unsupported operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the system controller synchronizes timing of requests to sub-controllers to avoid errors, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Each sub-controller independently monitors its own operational status and autonomously determines whether it can satisfy incoming requests based on its current state. This self-service approach eliminates the need for the system controller to externally synchronize timing with each sub-controller, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining reliability through decentralized status awareness.
2Reliability
If the second control means immediately reports an error when a request cannot be satisfied, then reliability is improved, but productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The error reporting mechanism is made dynamic by allowing the second control means to adapt its response based on current operational conditions. Instead of immediately reporting all unsatisfied requests as errors, the system dynamically evaluates whether the request can be fulfilled at a later time based on changing operational status, thereby improving productivity while maintaining reliable error detection for actual failures.
3Reliability
If the system controller is made aware of timing constraints of all sub-controllers to synchronize requests, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The timing constraint awareness is segmented and distributed to individual sub-controllers rather than centralized in the system controller. Each sub-controller independently tracks its own timing constraints and operational status, eliminating the need for the system controller to maintain awareness of all sub-controller timing requirements, thereby reducing device complexity while preserving synchronization reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
An illustrative example embodiment of a method of communicating between controllers on a vehicle includes communicating a first operation request from a first controller to a second controller. The first operation request is indicative of the second controller performing a first operation. The second controller attempts to perform the first operation at a time when it cannot be performed, determines that the first operation cannot be performed, and communicates an indication that the first operation request cannot currently be satisfied. The second controller continues to attempt to perform the first operation at a subsequent time.