Multi-stage voting control
First Claim
1. A control system comprising:
- an actuator device responsive to a voted command, wherein the control system is in communication with the actuator device, and comprising a multi-stage voting system, configured to determine the voted command for the actuator device;
a set of controllers providing a set of commands to the multi-stage voting system;
a monitor controller providing a monitor command to the multi-stage voting system;
wherein the multi-stage voting system comprises logic in the control system with a first stage that compares the set of commands to each other, and a second stage that compares at least one of the set of commands to the monitor command; and
wherein the multi-stage voting system delivers the voted command to the actuator device based on the comparisons made in the first and second stages, the actuator device effecting an operation in response to the voted command.
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Abstract
Systems and methods are provided for effecting control through multi-stage voting. A control system may be in communication with an actuator device responsive to a voted command. A multi-stage voting system may be configured to determine the voted command. A set of controllers and a monitor controller may provide commands to the multi-stage voting system. The multi-stage voting system includes logic with a first stage that compares the commands of the set of controllers to each other, and a second stage that compares at least one of those commands to the monitor command. The multi-stage voting system delivers the voted command to the actuator device based on the comparisons made in the first and second stages. The actuator device effects an operation in response to the voted command.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A control system comprising:
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an actuator device responsive to a voted command, wherein the control system is in communication with the actuator device, and comprising a multi-stage voting system, configured to determine the voted command for the actuator device; a set of controllers providing a set of commands to the multi-stage voting system; a monitor controller providing a monitor command to the multi-stage voting system; wherein the multi-stage voting system comprises logic in the control system with a first stage that compares the set of commands to each other, and a second stage that compares at least one of the set of commands to the monitor command; and wherein the multi-stage voting system delivers the voted command to the actuator device based on the comparisons made in the first and second stages, the actuator device effecting an operation in response to the voted command. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of operating a control system to issue a voted command to an actuator device comprising:
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providing a first controller, a second controller and a monitor controller wherein the second controller is substantially identical to the first controller; receiving a first signal from the first controller wherein the first signal represents a first command; receiving a second signal from the second controller, wherein the second signal represents a second command; receiving a monitor signal from the monitor controller, wherein the monitor controller is configured different from the first and second controllers, wherein the monitor signal represents a third command; processing, by a processor, the first and second signals using a multi-stage voting system, wherein the multi-stage voting system includes a first stage and a second stage; comparing, by the processor in the first stage, the first signal to the second signal; comparing, by the processor in the second stage, the monitor signal to at least one of the first signal or the second signal; and issuing, when the monitor signal agrees with the first or second signal, a command signal as the voted command from the multi-stage voting system to the actuator device, wherein the command signal corresponds to at least one of the first or second signals. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A control system with multi-stage voting for an autonomous vehicle comprising:
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a vehicle system operating at least one function of the autonomous vehicle; an actuator device communicating with the vehicle system to actuate the vehicle system; wherein the control system is in communication with the actuator device, and comprising a multi-stage voting system configured to determine a voted command for the actuator device, the voted command established for control of the autonomous vehicle; a set of controllers receiving first inputs from the autonomous vehicle and providing a set of command signals to the multi-stage voting system, wherein the controllers in the set of controllers are substantially identical; a monitor controller receiving second inputs from the autonomous vehicle and providing a monitor signal to the multi-stage voting system; wherein the multi-stage voting system comprises logic in the control system that has a first stage that compares the set of command signals to each other, and a second stage that compares at least one command signal in the set of command signals to the monitor signal; and wherein the multi-stage voting system delivers the voted command to the actuator device based on the comparisons made in the first and second stages.
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Specification