U.S. patent application number 15/682717 was filed with the patent office on 2017-12-07 for multi-channel control switchover logic.
The applicant listed for this patent is Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation. Invention is credited to Richard L. Bue, James A. Gosse, Joseph T. Gostkowski, Mark A. Johnston, Jeffry K. Kamenetz, James Peter Wivell.
Application Number | 20170351233 15/682717 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 50828664 |
Filed Date | 2017-12-07 |
United States Patent
Application |
20170351233 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kamenetz; Jeffry K. ; et
al. |
December 7, 2017 |
MULTI-CHANNEL CONTROL SWITCHOVER LOGIC
Abstract
A multi-channel control system includes at least a primary
control microprocessor and a back-up control microprocessor
operable to control a device. The primary control microprocessor
and the back-up control microprocessor assert control over a
controlled device according to a locally stored method of
controlling a back-up microprocessor assumption of control of a
device.
Inventors: |
Kamenetz; Jeffry K.;
(Windsor, CT) ; Gosse; James A.; (Storrs, CT)
; Gostkowski; Joseph T.; (Cromwell, CT) ; Bue;
Richard L.; (West Hartford, CT) ; Johnston; Mark
A.; (Windsor, CT) ; Wivell; James Peter;
(Southington, CT) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation |
Charlotte |
NC |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
50828664 |
Appl. No.: |
15/682717 |
Filed: |
August 22, 2017 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
13887561 |
May 6, 2013 |
9772615 |
|
|
15682717 |
|
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|
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G05B 19/0421 20130101;
G06F 11/16 20130101; G05B 9/03 20130101; G05B 15/02 20130101; G05B
2219/14014 20130101; G06F 11/202 20130101 |
International
Class: |
G05B 15/02 20060101
G05B015/02; G05B 19/042 20060101 G05B019/042 |
Claims
1. A method of controlling a primary microprocessor assumption of
control of a device in a multi-channel control device comprising
the steps of: entering a control process in one of two possible
control states, wherein said two possible control states are a
primary microprocessor in-control state and a primary
microprocessor not in-control state; evaluating a plurality of
conditions dependent upon which of said possible control states is
true; entering one of a plurality of actions based on said
evaluating of said plurality of conditions, wherein said plurality
of actions includes an is channel-in-control output signal
wrap-around false check, a take/keep control action, and a give-up
control action; and performing an action in response to entering
said one of said plurality of actions.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of evaluating a
plurality of conditions dependent upon which of said possible
control states is true further comprises evaluating a first set of
conditions when said control process is in a first control state
and a second set of conditions when said control process is in a
second control state.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein said first set of conditions
includes at least three conditions and corresponds to the primary
microprocessor in-control state and wherein said three conditions
are the back-up microprocessor is in-control, multiple channels are
in-control or the primary microprocessor controller is healthier
than the remote primary microprocessor controller, and all other
states; said back-up microprocessor is in-control condition is the
highest priority condition; said multiple channels are in-control
condition or the primary microprocessor controller is healthier
compared to remote primary microprocessor controller is a middle
priority condition; and said all other states condition is a lowest
priority condition.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein said method enters the is
channel-in-control output signal false check when said back-up
microprocessor is in-control condition is true or both the local
and the remote channels are in control and the local channel is a
predefined channel or the local primary microprocessor controller
has a higher health than a latest determined remote primary
microprocessor health; and said method enters the give-up control
action when said all other states condition is true, said back-up
microprocessor is in-control condition is false and said multiple
channels are in-control condition is false.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein said method enters a set
channel-in-control wrap-around fault flag action when the
channel-in-control wrap-around indicates that the
channel-in-control is false and wherein said method enters the
take/keep control action when the channel-in-control wrap-around
indicates that the channel-in-control is true,
6. A method of controlling a back-up microprocessor assumption of
control of a device in a multi-channel control device comprising
the steps of: entering a control process in one of two possible
control states, wherein said two possible control states are a
back-up microprocessor in-control state and a back-up
microprocessor not in-control state; evaluating a plurality of
conditions dependent upon which of said possible control states is
true; entering one of a plurality of actions based on said
evaluating of said plurality of conditions, wherein said plurality
of actions includes a take/keep control action and a give-up
control action; and performing an action in response to entering
said one of said plurality of actions.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein said step of evaluating a
plurality of conditions dependent upon which of said possible
control states is true further comprises evaluating a first set of
conditions when said control process is in said back-up
microprocessor in-control state and a second set of conditions when
said control process is in said back-up microprocessor not
in-control state.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein said first set of conditions
includes at least three conditions and wherein; a highest priority
condition of said at least three conditions is met when a local
hardware wrap-around fault exists within a local channel or when
the back-up microprocessor does not meet a minimum health
requirement; a second highest priority condition of said at least
three conditions is met when multiple remote channels are
channel-in-control and the local channel is a predefined channel,
or a remote channel is not in-control and when both channels are
unhealthy or the back-up microprocessor has been in-control since
an initial power up of the control system; and a lowest priority
condition of said at least three conditions is met when none of the
highest, or second highest priority conditions are met.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein the method enters the give-up
control action when the highest priority conditions are met, and
when the lowest priority condition is met simultaneous with the
second highest priority condition not being met; and the method
enters the take/keep control action when the highest and third
highest priority conditions are not met and the second highest
priority condition is met.
10. The method of claim 7, wherein said second set of conditions
includes at least two conditions and wherein said at least two
conditions include: a highest priority condition, said highest
priority condition being met at least when a remote channel is not
in-control, the remote channel's primary microprocessor controller
is not healthy, a local channel's primary microprocessor controller
is not healthy, there is no critical fault in the back-up
microprocessor, the back-up microprocessor is not disabled, a time
since power-up exceeds a set time period, and the back-up
microprocessor has not been in-control within a set time period;
and a lowest priority condition, said lowest priority condition
being met when said highest priority condition is not met.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein the method enters a take/keep
control action when the highest priority condition is met and the
method enters a give up control action when the lowest priority
condition is met.
12. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of performing an action
in response to entering said one of said plurality of actions
further comprises said method controlling a controlled device using
a back-up microprocessor in response to the method entering the
take/keep control action.
13. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of performing an action
in response to entering said one of said plurality of actions
further comprises said method disabling back-up controls to a
controlled device in response to entering the give-up control
action.
14. An electrical control configuration comprising: at least a
first primary control microprocessor and a first back-up control
microprocessor operable to control a device, said first primary
control microprocessor and said first back-up microprocessor being
located in a first control channel; a second control channel
including at least one control microprocessor operable to control
the device; and each of said first primary control microprocessors
and said first back-up control microprocessors being arranged as an
independent equivalent control channel.
15. The electrical control configuration of claim 14, wherein said
first control channel includes a hardware lock operable to prevent
said back-up control microprocessor from asserting control when
said primary microprocessor is in-control of the device and
operable to prevent said primary control microprocessor from
asserting control when said back-up microprocessor is in-control of
the device.
16. The electrical control configuration of claim 14, wherein said
first primary control microprocessor and said first back-up
microprocessor are electrically isolated from each other.
17. The electrical control configuration of claim 16, wherein said
electrical isolation is a resistive barrier.
18. The electrical control configuration of claim 14, wherein said
at first control channel includes a redundant primary control
microprocessor in-control logic circuit, a redundant back-up
control microprocessor in-control logic circuit and a redundant
channel-in-control microprocessor circuit.
19. The electrical control configuration of claim 18, wherein said
redundant channel-in-control microprocessor is operable to output
an channel-in-control signal when at least one fault is present in
the redundant primary control microprocessor in-control logic
circuit, the redundant back-up control microprocessor in-control
logic circuit and the redundant channel-in-control microprocessor
circuit.
20. The electrical control configuration of claim 14, wherein said
second channel mirrors said first channel.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present disclosure relates to electrical controllers,
and more particularly to an electronic control architecture
integrating multiple control channels.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0002] The present disclosure is a continuation of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 13/887561, filed May 6, 2013.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Existing electronic controls systems typically utilize
multi-channel primary controllers, and a back-up controller to
control a device. Under normal fault-free conditions, the primary
control controls the plant. The back-up controller assumes control
when the primary controllers experience some threshold degree of
damage or error that the primary controllers cannot recover from.
For example, when both channels have a failure of their primary
controllers. Another example is a channel-wide failure such as
power supply failure in one channel simultaneous with the other
channel's primary controller failing.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] Disclosed is a method of controlling a primary
microprocessor assumption of control of a device in a multi-channel
control device including the steps of entering a control process in
one of two possible control states, wherein the two possible
control states are a primary microprocessor in-control state and a
primary microprocessor not in-control state, evaluating a plurality
of conditions dependent upon which of the possible control states
is true, entering one of a plurality of actions based on the
evaluating of the plurality of conditions, wherein the plurality of
actions includes an is channel-in-control output signal false
action, a take/keep control action, and a give-up control action,
and performing an action in response to entering the one of the
plurality of actions.
[0005] Also disclosed is a method of controlling a back-up
microprocessor assumption of control of a device in a multi-channel
control device including the steps of entering a control process in
one of two possible control states, wherein the two possible
control states are a back-up microprocessor in-control state and a
back-up microprocessor not in-control state, evaluating a plurality
of conditions dependent upon which of the possible control states
is true, entering one of a plurality of actions based on the
evaluating of the plurality of conditions, wherein the plurality of
actions includes a take/keep control action and a give-up control
action, and performing an action in response to entering the one of
the plurality of actions.
[0006] Also disclosed is an electronic control configuration
including at least a first primary control microprocessor and a
first back-up control microprocessor operable to control a device,
the first primary control microprocessor and the first back-up
microprocessor being located in a first control channel, a second
control channel including at least one control microprocessor
operable to control the device, and each of the first primary
control microprocessors and the first back-up control
microprocessors being arranged as an independent equivalent control
channel.
[0007] These and other features of the present invention can be
best understood from the following specification and drawings, the
following of which is a brief description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] FIG. 1 illustrates an example multi-channel controller.
[0009] FIG. 2 illustrates a primary control microprocessor and a
back-up control microprocessor in a single channel of the example
multi-channel controller of FIG. 1.
[0010] FIG. 3 illustrates a logic block for producing a
channel-in-control signal.
[0011] FIG. 4 illustrates an example primary control microprocessor
and a back-up control microprocessor including a hardware lock
logic system in a single channel of the example multi-channel
controller of FIG. 1.
[0012] FIG. 5 illustrates the example primary control
microprocessor and a back-up control microprocessor of FIG. 4
including a redundant channel-in-control logic system.
[0013] FIG. 6 illustrates a first redundant microprocessor
in-control logic block for use in the example primary control
microprocessor and back-up control microprocessor of FIG. 5.
[0014] FIG. 7 illustrates a second redundant channel-in-control
logic block for use in the example primary control microprocessor
and back-up microprocessor of FIG. 5.
[0015] FIG. 8 illustrates an assumption of control logic state
chart for a primary microprocessor controller.
[0016] FIG. 9 illustrates an assumption of control logic state
chart for a back-up microprocessor controller.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT
[0017] FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a multi-channel controller
10. The multi-channel controller 10 includes two primary control
microprocessors A1, B1 and two back-up control microprocessors A2,
B2. Each of the primary control microprocessors A1, B1 shares a
mount 12 with a corresponding local secondary control
microprocessor A2, B2. Each of the mounts 12 is considered a
control channel. Alternate embodiments could use four identical
control microprocessors A1, B1, A2, B2 or could locate each of the
four control microprocessors A1, B1, A2, B2 on separate mounts 12.
Each of the primary control microprocessors A1, B1 is connected to
the other primary control microprocessor A1, B1 via a cross-channel
data communications link and a channel-in-control signal 30. The
channel-in-control signal 30 informs the other primary control
microprocessor A1, B1 of the operational status of the primary
control microprocessor A1, B1 and the corresponding secondary
control microprocessor A2, B2. The channel-in-control signal 30
informs the other control microprocessors A1, B1, A2, B2 that the
control microprocessor A1, B1 originating the channel-in-control
signal is currently controlling the dual channel controlled device
20. The operational status of any of the control microprocessors
A1, B1, A2, B2 is referred to as the control microprocessor's
health, and when the control microprocessor ceases function, the
control microprocessor is referred to as being in a failure state,
or unhealthy.
[0018] Each of the primary control microprocessors A1, B1 also
includes a channel health signal 42, 44 (alternately referred to as
a Channel Good Remote signal) connecting the primary control
microprocessor A1, B1 to a remote secondary control microprocessor
A2, B2, with the secondary control microprocessor B2 being remote
to the primary control microprocessor A1 and the secondary control
microprocessor A2 being remote to the primary control
microprocessor B1. A local channel health signal 60 (alternately
referred to as a Channel Good Local signal) connects each of the
primary control microprocessors A1, B1 with the corresponding local
secondary control microprocessor A2, B2 and performs the same
function as the remote channel health signals 42, 44. Each of the
two groupings of control microprocessors A1, B1, A2, B2 is
connected to the controlled device 20 via a device control signal
70. It is understood that each of the signal lines 30, 42, 44, 60,
70 illustrated in FIG. 1 can represent multiple physical signals
connected to the control microprocessors A1, B1, A2, B2.
[0019] FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary control channel with control
microprocessors A1 and A2, logic block 320, and the latching
Boolean gate 321 in a control input configuration 300. Each of the
control microprocessors A1, A2 has a control in-control request
output 330, 331 that is passed to a standard latching Boolean gate
321 in each of the channels. Each of the latching Boolean gates 321
generates outputs referred to as control microprocessor in-control
outputs. The control microprocessor in-control outputs serve as
inputs to an OR gate 390. The output of the OR gate 390 provides a
general channel-in-control output 333 that is passed to the other
channel (not illustrated). Each logic block 320 has a clear latch
output 334, 336 that resets latching Boolean gate 321 output to
false.
[0020] The control input configuration 300 also includes a control
microprocessor in-control logic block 320 that combines a control
microprocessor A1 in-control output 360 or a control microprocessor
A2 in-control output 361 of the current channel and a general
channel-in-control output 332 of the other channel (not
illustrated) into a clear latch output 334, 336. The control
circuit corresponding to secondary control microprocessor A2
further includes an OR gate 350 that includes inputs of a local
channel health signal 337 indicating the health of the primary
control microprocessor A1 in the local channel A and a remote
health signal 339 indicating the health of the primary control
microprocessor B1 in the remote channel B. The OR gate 350 then
outputs a high signal indicating that the secondary control
microprocessor A2 should not exert control when at least one of the
two control microprocessor health inputs 337,339 indicates a
healthy local/remote primary control microprocessor or the remote
channel-in-control signal 332 indicates that one of the remote
control microprocessors B1, B2 is in-control of the controlled
device 20. The control microprocessor in-control logic block 320
then uses a logic circuit (illustrated in FIG. 3) to determine if
the corresponding control microprocessor A1, A2 should exert
control or should be prohibited from exerting control of the
controlled device.
[0021] For redundancy, to prevent the primary control
microprocessor A1, B1 and the secondary control microprocessor A2
B2 within the same control channel from attempting to be in-control
simultaneously, key signals from the switchover logic are
wrapped-around to both control microprocessors A1, A2. These
include but are not limited to the outputs of latching Boolean gate
321 (A1 control microprocessor in-control 360 and A2 control
microprocessor in-control 361), the channel-in-control signal 333
and the remote channel-in-control 332. In addition, these
wraparound signals provide fault detection capability.
[0022] FIG. 3 illustrates the logic circuit of logic block 320 in
greater detail. The logic circuit 320 includes an AND gate 354 and
an OR gate 352. The AND gate 354 accepts an input 332 corresponding
to either the remote channel-in-control signal 332 for the logic
block 320 corresponding to the primary control microprocessor A1,
or an input 370 corresponding to the output of the OR gate 350
(illustrated in FIG. 2) for the back-up control microprocessor A2.
The AND gate 354 also accepts, and inverts, an input 360, 361 from
the A1 or A2 latching Boolean gate 321, which disables the clear
latch output when control microprocessor A1 or A2 is already
in-control. Thus, the AND gate 354 outputs a signal indicating that
the corresponding control microprocessor A1, A2 is not allowed to
take control of the controlled device 20 when input 370 indicates
that a remote channel control microprocessor B1, B2 is in-control
of the controlled device. Conversely, if a local control
microprocessor A1, A2 is already in-control, the remote channel
control microprocessor B1, B2 cannot take control away from the
local control microprocessor A1, A2.
[0023] The output of the AND gate 354 is passed to an OR gate 352
that additionally accepts an inverted input 362, 363 corresponding
to a health of the control microprocessor A1 or A2. The input 362,
363 can either originate from the control microprocessor A1, A2 or
from independent health logic. If the input 362, 363 indicates that
the control microprocessor A1, A2 is not healthy, the enable is set
false and control is taken away from the control microprocessor A1,
A2. Specifically, the OR gate combines the output of the AND gate
354 and the input 362 to generate a clear latch output that is
capable of deactivating the A1 control microprocessor in-control or
the A2 control microprocessor in-control outputs from logic block
321.
[0024] FIG. 4 illustrates the exemplary control channel with
control microprocessors A1 and A2, logic block 320, and the
latching Boolean gate 321 in a control input configuration 300 with
the addition of an OR gate 380 and an AND gate 391. Each of the OR
gate 380 and the AND gate 391 function together to create a
hardware lock that locks out the primary control microprocessor A1
when the back-up control microprocessor A2 is in-control and locks
out the back-up control microprocessor A2 when the primary control
microprocessor A1 is in-control.
[0025] The OR gate 380 connects to an input of the logic block 320
corresponding to the primary control microprocessor A1, and
provides an OR operation on the control microprocessor A2
in-control output 361 input and the general channel-in-control
output 332 of the other channel B, with one input to the logic
block 382 being the output of the OR gate 380 operation. In the
illustrated example of FIG. 4, the OR gate output 382 replaces the
direct input of the general channel-in-control output 332 to the
logic block 320 corresponding to the primary control microprocessor
A1.
[0026] The AND gate 391 receives a general channel-in-control
signal 333 that is passed from the illustrated channel A to the
other channel B as a first input, and an inverted control
microprocessor A2 in-control output 361 as a second input. When the
general channel-in-control signal 333 is true and the control
microprocessor A2 in-control output 361 is false, the AND gate 391
outputs true on an AND gate output 392. The AND gate output 392
provides an additional input to the OR gate 350, which in turn
provides the input 370 of the logic gate 320 corresponding to the
back-up control microprocessor A2.
[0027] The additional input of the AND gate 391 alters the OR gate
350 output to be high when at least one of the two control
microprocessor health inputs indicates a healthy control
microprocessor, or the remote channel-in-control signal 332
indicates that one of the remote control microprocessors B1, B2 is
in-control of the controlled device 20 or the general
channel-in-control signal 333 indicates that the illustrated
channel is in-control and the control microprocessor A2 in-control
output 361 of the current channel indicates that the back-up
control microprocessor A2 is not in-control. That is, the primary
control microprocessor A1, is in-control while the back-up control
microprocessor A2 is not in-control.
[0028] As described above the combined effect of the additional OR
gate 380 and the additional AND gate 391 logic is to provide a
hardware lockout that prevents the primary control microprocessor
A1 of the illustrated channel from taking control when the back-up
control microprocessor A2 of the illustrated channel is in-control
and vice versa.
[0029] FIG. 5 illustrates the exemplary control channel A of FIG.
4, with the further addition of a primary back-up control
redundancy system that protects the channel-in-control circuit 300
from a single point failure that could inadvertently allow the
back-up control microprocessor A2 to take control when it is not
supposed to.
[0030] The illustrated control circuit 300 of FIG. 5 includes the
addition of a redundant control microprocessor A2 in-control output
logic block 394 and a redundant control microprocessor A1
in-control output logic block 395. Each of the redundant control
microprocessor in-control logic blocks 394, 395 includes two
redundant microprocessor in-control outputs 360a, 360b, 361a, 361b,
with the outputs 360a, 360b, 361a, 361b being provided to a
redundant channel-in-control logic block 396. Each of the redundant
logic blocks 394, 395, 396 imparts a redundancy on the logical
operations, thereby ensuring that any single element failing within
the logic circuitry does not lead to the back-up microprocessor A2
asserting control when the back-up microprocessor A2 is not
supposed to take control.
[0031] In the example of FIG. 5, the input 361 to the AND gate 391
of FIG. 4, is replaced with both of the redundant outputs 361a,
361b of the logic block 394 illustrated in FIG. 5.
[0032] FIG. 6 illustrates a detailed example redundant control
microprocessor A2, A1 in-control output logic block 394/395. The
example logic block 394/395 accepts a drive enabled signal from the
corresponding microprocessor A1, A2 as an input 311/313. The drive
enabled signals 311/313 indicate as true when the corresponding
microprocessor is enabled and is in-control. Similarly, the drive
enabled signals 311/313 indicate as false, when the corresponding
microprocessor is not enabled. The logic block 394/395 also accepts
the control microprocessor A1, A2 in-control output 360/361 of the
corresponding microprocessor A1, A2 as an input. The inputs
311/313, 360/361 are passed to a pair of redundantly arranged AND
gates 510, 512 each of which outputs as true when both inputs
indicate as true. The resulting output of the logic block 394/395
is a pair of redundant outputs 360a/361a, 360b/361b.
[0033] FIG. 7, illustrates the redundant channel-in-control logic
block 396 of FIG. 5 in greater detail. The redundant
channel-in-control logic block 396 includes a first OR gate 710 and
a second OR gate 712, each of which outputs into an input of an AND
gate 720. The first OR gate 710 receives a first pair of redundant
microprocessor in-control signals 360b, 361b from the redundant
control microprocessor in-control logic blocks 394, 395. Similarly,
the second OR gate receives a second pair of redundant
microprocessor in-control signals 360a, 360b, from the redundant
microprocessor in-control logic blocks 394, 395. Each of the OR
gates, 710, 712 outputs as true when either of the inputs
360a/361a, 360b/361b to the OR gate 710, 712 indicates that the
corresponding microprocessor A1, A2 is in-control. The AND gate
720, then combines the outputs of each of the OR gates 710, 712 and
outputs a channel-in-control signal 333, when both the OR gates
710, 712 output as true.
[0034] By combining the redundant microprocessor in-control logic
blocks 394/395 and the redundant channel-in-control logic block
396, the redundant channel-in-control logic block 396 outputs a
signal indicating that the illustrated channel is in-control even
if one of the logic elements in the redundancy includes a fault
such that one of the four signals (360a, 360b, 361a, 361b) is
failed True. In this way, the back-up microprocessor A2 is
prevented from taking control in a situation where the
microprocessors A1, A2 are functioning properly and a fault has
occurred within the microprocessor in-control signal logic.
[0035] Referring again to FIGS. 1-5, some example embodiments
include a resistive barrier between the microprocessors A1, A2, B1,
B2 within a single channel. The resistive barrier electrically
isolates the channel-in-control circuitry of the back-up
microprocessor A2, B2 from the primary microprocessors A1, B1 and
prevents a fault in the back-up controller A2, B2 from propagating
upwards into the primary controller A1, A2 of the same channel.
[0036] FIG. 8 illustrates a state transition chart for a primary
microprocessor A1 control assumption process 800 in either of the
examples of FIGS. 4 and 5 where the controlled device is an
H-bridge stepper motor. The state transition chart describes a
software process for determining if the primary microprocessor A1
in the local channel should take control, and implementing the
assumption of control. At start of the program, the microprocessor
A1 can be in either one of two states: An A1 in-control state 810
or an A1 not in-control state 820. If the microprocessor A1 is in
the A1 in-control state 810, then the microprocessor A1 will check
the microprocessor A2 in-control wraparound signals 361a, 361b and
set a fault flag if True. The next action depends on a set of
prioritized conditions 812, 814, 816.
[0037] The highest priority condition 812 is when local channel
primary control microprocessor A1 is healthier than a remote
channel primary control microprocessor B1, then the software
proceeds to a control action 830. If the cross-channel data link is
not valid, the local channel primary control microprocessor A1 uses
the last health value received from B1. If the highest priority
condition is not met, then the software checks condition 814 as the
second highest priority condition. The second highest priority
condition 814 is met when both channels A and B (See FIG. 1) are
in-control and the local channel is A. Although both channels A, B
are not designed to take control simultaneously, it can happen due
to unforeseen circumstances such as hardware faults. In this event,
channel A is a preferred channel for breaking the conflict. The
second highest priority condition 814 is also met when the local
primary microprocessor controller has a better health than the
latest determined remote primary microprocessor controller health.
If the cross-channel data link is not valid, A1 uses the last
health value received from B1. When the second highest priority
condition 814 is met, the software proceeds to control action 830.
At control action 830, Al evaluates 333, the channel-in-control
output to the remote channel and checks for a True condition. If
True, the software proceeds to Take/Keep Control Action 840. When
neither of the higher priority conditions 812, 814 are met, the
lowest priority condition 816 is met and the software moves to a
give-up control action 850.
[0038] Beginning in the A1 not in-control state 820 leads to four
possible conditions 822, 824, 826, 828. The highest priority
condition, 822 is met when the remote channel B is in-control as
indicated by an in-control from remote signal 332 or a flag from
the remote channel B via a cross channel data link indicating the
remote channel is in-control. The highest priority condition 822 is
also met if the local primary microprocessor A1 has had control
within a set time period. In one example the set time period is 48
milliseconds. When the highest priority condition 822 is met, the
software proceeds to the give-up control action 850. If the highest
priority condition 822 is not met, the software checks the second
highest priority condition 824. The second highest priority
condition 824 is met when the back-up microprocessor A2 is
in-control, and the remote channel B is not in-control. When the
second highest priority condition 824 is met, and the highest
priority condition 822 is not met, the software proceeds to the
give-up control action 850. When neither the first highest, nor the
second highest, priority conditions 822, 824 are met, the software
checks the third highest condition 826. The third highest condition
826 is met when the local primary microprocessor controller has a
better health than the latest determined remote primary
microprocessor controller health. If the cross-channel data link is
not valid, A1 uses the last health value received from B1. When
this condition 826 is met, the software proceeds to a delay action
860, where further action is delayed for a set period of time.
After the delay, the software proceeds to the second take/keep
control action 840. In one example the delay time period is 10
microseconds.
[0039] The lowest priority condition 928 is met when none of the
higher priority conditions 822, 824 and 826 are met. When the
lowest priority condition 928 is met, the software proceeds to the
give-up control action 850.
[0040] Once in the first take/keep control action 840, the software
proceeds to set a wrap around in-control flag as false. Once in the
second take/keep control action 840, the software proceeds to set
the primary microprocessor Al as in-control in a set primary
microprocessor as in-control action 890.
[0041] Once in the give-up control action 850, the software
proceeds to disable the corresponding stepper motor H-bridge and
set the primary controller as not in-control in the set primary
microprocessor A1 as not in-control action 880.
[0042] Returning back to control action 830, A1 evaluates the
channel-in-control output to the remote channel and checks for a
False condition. If False, the software proceeds to set
Channel-In-control Wraparound Fault Flag to True. The software then
disables a corresponding stepper motor H-bridge and sets the
primary controller A1 as not in-control in a set primary
microprocessor A1 as not in-control action 880. If True, the
software proceed to the take/keep control action 840.
[0043] From both the set primary microprocessor A1 as not
in-control action 880 and the set primary microprocessor as
in-control action 890 the control assumption software process
ends.
[0044] FIG. 9 illustrates a state transition chart 900 for a
back-up microprocessor A1 control assumption process in either of
the examples of FIGS. 4 and 5 where the controlled device is an
H-bridge stepper motor. The microprocessor software begins in one
of two possible states: Either the microprocessor A2 is in a
Back-up microprocessor in-control state 910 or the microprocessor
A2 is in a back-up microprocessor not in-control state 920. From
the back-up microprocessor in-control state 910, the software
evaluates whether three possible conditions 914, 916, 918 are met,
and evaluates how to proceed based on those possible
conditions.
[0045] The highest priority condition 914 is met when either the
back-up microprocessor A2 is not healthy enough to control or a
local hardware wraparound fault exists within the local channel A
such that a wraparound indicates that A2 is not in-control or
should not be in-control. When the highest priority condition 914
is met the software proceeds to the give-up control action 940.
When the highest priority condition 914 is not met, the software
evaluates the second highest priority condition 916.
[0046] The second highest priority condition 916 is met when either
both channels are in-control and the channel designation is A, or
the remote channel is not in-control. When the second highest
priority condition 916 is met and the first highest priority
condition 914 is not met, the software proceeds to a take/keep
control action 930.
[0047] The lowest priority condition 918 is met when none of the
higher priority conditions 914, 916 are met. When the lowest
priority condition 918 is met, the software proceeds to the give-up
control action 940.
[0048] If the software begins in the back-up microprocessor is
in-control state 920 there exist two possible conditions 922, 924.
The highest priority condition 922 is met when all the following
are True: the remote channel B is not channel-in-control, the
Remote Channel Good signal is False (the remote primary
microprocessor control B1 in channel B is not healthy), the Local
Channel Good signal is False (the local primary microprocessor
control A1 in channel A is not healthy), there is no critical fault
in the back-up microprocessor A2, the back-up microprocessor A2 is
not disabled, the time since power-up is greater than a startup
period and the back-up microprocessor has not been in-control for a
set time period. In one example the startup period is two seconds.
The startup period allows the primary microprocessors A1, B1 a
chance to take control before the back-up microprocessors A2, B2 do
so. That is, on power-up, the preferred controls are the primary as
opposed to the back-up microprocessor controls assuming the primary
microprocessor controls are healthy. In another example the set
time period is 48 milliseconds. The set time periods gives the
remote back-up microprocessor control B2 an opportunity to take
control. If the remote back-up microprocessor B2 does not take
control within the set time period, the remote primary
microprocessor B1 has the option to take back control if it is
healthy enough to do so. When the highest priority condition 922 is
met, the software proceeds to the take/keep control action 930.
[0049] When the highest priority condition 922 is not met, the
software proceeds to the give-up control action 940.
[0050] From the take/keep control action 930, the software runs the
stepper motor H-bridges normally, controlled by the back-up
microprocessor A2 in a run stepper motor H-bridges normally action
950. Similarly, from the give-up control action 940, the software
disables the back-up microprocessor A2 H-bridge controls in a
disable stepper motor H-bridges action 960.
[0051] From either the run stepper motor H-bridges normally action
950 or the disable stepper motor H-bridges action 960, the back-up
microprocessor A1 control assumption process ends.
[0052] While each of the above control assumption processes 800,
900 are illustrated with regards to a primary Channel A, and a
secondary channel B, it is understood that they could be adapted
according to known methods to incorporate additional channels
beyond two channels or to identify any channel as the
channel-in-control channel. Furthermore, while the above described
control assumption processes 800, 900 are described in terms of a
software control scheme, it is understood that they could similarly
be implemented using hardware logic.
[0053] Although an embodiment of this invention has been disclosed,
a worker of ordinary skill in this art would recognize that certain
modifications would come within the scope of this invention. For
that reason, the following claims should be studied to determine
the true scope and content of this invention.
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