METHOD FOR CONTROLLING AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE

• US 20090207003A1
• Filed: 07/24/2006
• Published: 08/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Energy AS
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Horten, Vegard, Steigen, Vidar, Brekke, Endre
• Granted Patent: US 8,537,027 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/310.110
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0757 by exceeding a time limit, i.e. time-out, e.g. watchdogs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/30181 Instruction operation extension or modification

Abstract

In a method for controlling an electronic device (1) with a programmable component and an independent microcontroller (10) and in such an electronic device (1), by the microcontroller (10), the component is monitored, a malfunction of the component is identified and the component is reprogrammed.

Claims

1. A modem for subsea power line communication comprising a programmable component and an independent microcontroller dedicated for monitoring said component, wherein said microcontroller is operable to identify a malfunction of said component whereupon said microcontroller is operable to autonomously reprograms said component and autonomously restarts said component or said modem after reprogramming said component.

2. The modem according to claim 1, wherein said modem comprises at least one other programmable component monitored by the microcontroller.

3. The modem according to claim 1, wherein said component is a digital signal processor Operable to execute multiple software-subsystems, said digital signal processor being operable to sum up checksum values output by several of its software-subsystems to a total checksum.

4. The modem according to claim 3, wherein said digital signal processor is operable to compare said total checksum to a predefined reference value.

5. The modem according to claim 4, wherein said digital signal processor is operable to send a watchdog message to said microcontroller only if said total checksum and said reference value match.

6. The modem according to claim 5, wherein said microcontroller is operable to identify said malfunction if it receives no watchdog messages for a predefined period of time.

7. The modem according to one claim 1, wherein the microcontroller is operable to detect a type of said malfunction and, depending on this type, to select an instruction set for said reprogramming from multiple instruction sets stored in said electronic device.

8. The modem according to claim 7, wherein said multiple instruction sets differ in their level of fail-safety.

9. The modem according to claim 7, wherein said instruction sets are stored in an independent flash memory.

10. The modem according to claim 1, comprising an external port for a permanent data connection.

11. A method for operating a modem for subsea power line communication comprising a programmable component and an independent microcontroller dedicated for monitoring said component, the method comprising the step of:

identifying a malfunction of said component whereupon said microcontroller autonomously reprograms said component and autonomously restarts said component or said modem after reprogramming said component.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein said modem comprises at least one other programmable component monitored by the microcontroller.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein said component is a digital signal processor executing multiple software-subsystems, and the method comprises the step of summing up checksum values output by software-subsystems of the digital signal processor to a total checksum.

14. The method according to claim 13, comprising the step of comparing said total checksum by said digital signal processor to a predefined reference value.

15. The method according to claim 14, comprising the step of sending a watchdog message by said digital signal processor to said microcontroller only if said total checksum and said reference value match.

16. The method according to claim 15, comprising the step of identifying said malfunction by said microcontroller if it receives no watchdog messages for a predefined period of time.

17. The method according to claim 11, comprising the step of detecting by the microcontroller a type of said malfunction and, depending on this type, selecting an instruction set for said reprogramming from multiple instruction sets stored in said electronic device.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein said multiple instruction sets differ in their level of fail-safety.

19. The method according to claim 17, wherein said instruction sets are stored in an independent flash memory.

20. The method according to claim 11, comprising an external port for a permanent data connection.