Vehicle Mode Transition Timing with Independent Signal Comparison
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional clock timers and time sources are inadequate for safety-related applications due to potential errors, incorrect settings, and insufficient accuracy, especially in systems requiring absolute time values, which are prone to undetected errors and security threats.
Innovation Solution
A method utilizing two independent time sources, such as UTC time from a cloud server via Wi-Fi and GPS time from a satellite receiver, is employed to generate a reliable absolute time signal by comparing and harmonizing these signals using an observer and comparator function, with error detection and reaction mechanisms to ensure accuracy and integrity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional clock timers and time sources are used, then the system is simple and easy to operate, but the reliability and accuracy of the time signal are insufficient for safety-related applications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple independent time sources (GPS receiver, cloud server, radio clock receiver) into a unified time signal provision system. The control unit integrates signals from these diverse sources and uses comparison logic to determine a reliable time signal, thereby achieving high reliability through combination rather than relying on a single source.
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit continuously compares time signals from different sources and uses the comparison results to feedback-controlled selection of the reliable time signal. The system monitors deviations between sources and adjusts its selection accordingly, ensuring that the output time signal maintains high reliability even when individual sources fail or deviate.
2Reliability
If a single time source is used, then the device complexity is low, but the system is vulnerable to undetected errors and security threats
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the time source architecture into multiple independent components (GPS receiver, cloud server interface, radio clock receiver, control unit). Each component operates independently and contributes to the overall time signal provision. This segmentation allows the system to detect errors by comparing outputs from different segments without requiring complex error detection circuits within each individual source.
3Measurement precision
If multiple independent time sources are compared and harmonized, then the accuracy and integrity of the time signal are ensured, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit acts as an intermediary between multiple time sources and the output interface. It receives raw time signals from diverse sources (GPS, cloud server, radio clock), harmonizes them through comparison and evaluation, and outputs a single reliable time signal. This intermediary approach simplifies the overall architecture by centralizing the complex signal processing logic in one component rather than requiring complex interaction mechanisms between all sources.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for providing a reliable time signal. In the method, a first time signal from a first time source and a second time signal from a second time source are received and evaluated by an arrangement, the first time source and the second time source being independent of each other, the arrangement including a first unit in the arrangement which fulfills an observer and comparator function, the two time signals are compared with each other and a detected deviation between the two time signals is evaluated, and the reliable time signal is output on the basis of this evaluation.