Fault tolerant connection system for transiently connectable modular elements
First Claim
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1. A method for dynamically reconfiguring switched connection paths between multiple electronic modules, each electronic module having N connections, the method comprising the steps of:
- determining a single root switch for each electronic module, with a remaining N−
1 connections in each electronic module tagged as branch switches, and maintaining a continuous switched connection path through multiple electronic modules, with a first set of N≧
1 branch switches in each electronic module connecting to the single root switch of another connected electronic module, and a second set of N≧
0 branch switches being inactivated to prevent branch switch to branch switch connections between electronic modules.
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Abstract
A system and method for transiently connecting modular elements of a self movable robot. The self movable robot is known as metamorphosing robots, polymorphic robots, shape changing robots, or morphable structures. The modular elements can act together to build a structure to perform a given task. Each modular robotic module contains a mechanism allowing for communication and transfer of power between adjacent modules, and defining a robot whole to be all the modules in one connected component.
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Citations
10 Claims
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1. A method for dynamically reconfiguring switched connection paths between multiple electronic modules, each electronic module having N connections, the method comprising the steps of:
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determining a single root switch for each electronic module, with a remaining N−
1 connections in each electronic module tagged as branch switches, andmaintaining a continuous switched connection path through multiple electronic modules, with a first set of N≧
1 branch switches in each electronic module connecting to the single root switch of another connected electronic module, and a second set of N≧
0 branch switches being inactivated to prevent branch switch to branch switch connections between electronic modules.- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method for dynamically reconfiguring switched connection paths between self movable robotic modules, each self movable robotic module having N connections, the method comprising the steps of:
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determining a single root switch for each robotic module, with a remaining N−
1 connections in each robotic module tagged as branch switches,moving a robotic module from a first connection site to a second connection site, and remapping the switched connection path to maintain a continuous switched connection path through multiple robotic modules, with a first set of N≧
1 branch switches connecting to the single root switch of each connected electronic module, and a second set of N≧
0 branch switches being inactivated to prevent branch switch to branch switch connections between robotic modules.
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8. An apparatus for dynamically reconfiguring switched connection paths between multiple electronic modules, each electronic module having N connections, the apparatus comprising:
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a determinable root switch for each electronic module, with other N−
1 connections in each electronic module tagged as branch switches, anda switched power path maintaining a continuous switched connection between a tagged branch switch and a root switch of another connected electronic module, and preventing connection between other tagged N−
1 branch switchs and branch switches of other connected electronic modules.- View Dependent Claims (9, 10)
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Specification