Electronic system with component redundancy, and control chain for a motor implementing such system

• US 20100168877A1
• Filed: 12/15/2009
• Published: 07/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Converteam Technology Ltd. (GE Vernova, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Converteam Ltd (General Electric Company)
• Inventors: Begey, Michel, Misson, Jean-Luc
• Granted Patent: US 8,290,602 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/82
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/24187 Redundant processors run identical programs
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 9/03 with multiple-channel loop, i.e. redundant control systems

Abstract

An electronic system with component redundancy includes a first processing unit, connected to a first board, and a second processing unit redundant with respect to the first unit, and connected to a second board redundant with respect to the first board. Each processing unit and each board include a first communication port, the first communication ports of the first unit and of the first board, and, respectively, of the second unit and of the second board, being interconnected by a wired communication link. Each processing unit and each board include a second communication port, the second port of the first board being connected to the second port of the second unit by a wired communication link, and the second port of the second board being connected to the second port of the first unit by a wired communication link, each communication port able to be activated or deactivated by a corresponding software command.

Claims

1. An electronic system with component redundancy, comprising:

a first processing unit, able to implement algorithms, connected to a first board for acquiring input signals that are capable of being delivered by at least one sensor, and/or for generating output signals that are capable of controlling at least one actuator,

a second processing unit able to implement the same algorithms as those implemented by the first unit, and which is connected to a second board for acquiring the same input signals that are capable of being delivered by the sensor as those received by the first board and/or for generating the same output signals that are capable of controlling the actuator as those generated by the first board,

each processing unit and each board including a first communication port, the first communication ports of the first unit and of the first board, and, respectively, of the second unit and of the second board, being interconnected by a wired communication link,

wherein in that each processing unit and each board include a second communication port, in that the second port of the first board is connected to the second port of the second unit by a wired communication link, in that the second port of the second board is connected to the second port of the first unit by a wired communication link, wherein each communication port can be activated by a software activation command, and wherein each communication port can be deactivated by a software deactivation command.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein it includes a plurality of first boards and of second boards, the first boards being connected in series with one another so as to form a first chain of first boards, the first board arranged at the beginning of the first chain being connected to the first processing unit, and the first board arranged at the end of the first chain being connected to the second processing unit, in that the second boards are connected in series with one another so as to form a second chain of second boards, the second board arranged at the beginning of the second chain being connected to the second processing unit, and the second board located at the end of the second chain being connected to the first processing unit, and in that each second board is able to acquire the same input signals as a respective first board, the input signals being capable of being delivered by at least one sensor, and able to generate the same output signals as the respective first board, the output signals being capable of controlling at least one actuator.

3. A system according to claim 2, wherein the first and the second boards are arranged in the same place in the first chain and in the second chain respectively.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein each processing unit is capable of being driven remotely via an asynchronous serial link.

5. A system according to claim 1, wherein each communication port is a bidirectional data port.

6. A system according to claim 1, wherein the first and the second units are not directly interconnected by a wired communication link.

7. A system according to claim 1, wherein a wired communication link is electronically disabled when a communication port connected to one of the ends of this wired link is deactivated by the software deactivation command.

8. A system according to claim 1, wherein a communication bus includes a single processing unit and at least one board, the processing unit and the or each board being connected in series, the bus being controlled by a single master.

9. A system according to claim 8, wherein the master of the bus is a processing unit, and wherein the bus topology can be configured using the software activation and deactivation commands.

10. A system according to claim 1, wherein each wired communication link is an EtherCAT link.

11. A drive chain, comprising an electric motor and a system for checking that the motor is operating correctly, wherein the system is in accordance with claim 1.