Vehicle control system and method
First Claim
1. An interface module for a power distribution and control system for a vehicle, comprisingat least one first link configured to receive an input from input devices on the vehicle;
- at least one second link configured to control output devices on the vehicle;
at least one third link configured to communicate with a communication network; and
control logic configured to store a record of output devices associated with the interface module and to process a configuration file to determine whether any of the output devices have been designated as controlling a mission critical functions, wherein the control logic is configured to control the output devices based on signals received from the third link and wherein the control logic is configured to detect a failure condition in which signals are not being received by the interface module over the third link and to place output devices that have not been designated as mission critical in a default operating state.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An interface module for a power distribution and control system for a vehicle is described. The interface module includes at least one first link configured to receive an input from input devices on the vehicle, at least one second link configured to control output devices on the vehicle, at least one third link configured to communicate with a communication network. The module further includes control logic configured to store a record of output devices associated with the interface module and to process a configuration file to determine whether any of the output devices have been designated as controlling a mission critical function.
238 Citations
36 Claims
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1. An interface module for a power distribution and control system for a vehicle, comprising
at least one first link configured to receive an input from input devices on the vehicle; -
at least one second link configured to control output devices on the vehicle;
at least one third link configured to communicate with a communication network; and
control logic configured to store a record of output devices associated with the interface module and to process a configuration file to determine whether any of the output devices have been designated as controlling a mission critical functions, wherein the control logic is configured to control the output devices based on signals received from the third link and wherein the control logic is configured to detect a failure condition in which signals are not being received by the interface module over the third link and to place output devices that have not been designated as mission critical in a default operating state. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A control method for a vehicle, comprising:
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determining that a failure has occurred in a power distribution and control system having a plurality of interface modules that control output devices located on a vehicle and are coupled to a communication network in which signals are not being received by the interface module over the communication network;
determining whether any output devices controlled by one of the plurality of interface modules have been designated as controlling a mission critical function;
placing output devices that have not been designated as mission critical in a default operating state; and
controlling at least one output device in accordance with the last known state of the output device based on the determination that a failure has occurred and the determination that the output device has been designated as controlling a mission critical function. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10)
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11. A vehicle, comprising:
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a power distribution and control system, the power distribution and control system further including (A) a plurality of input devices;
(B) a plurality of output devices;
(C) a communication network;
(D) a plurality of microprocessor-based interface modules, the plurality of interface modules being coupled to the plurality of input devices and to the plurality of output devices by way of respective dedicated communication links; and
(E) a microprocessor-based control unit, the control unit being coupled to the plurality of interface modules by way of the communication network, the control unit including a control program that is executable by a microprocessor of the control unit to control the plurality of output devices based on input status information from the plurality of input devices, wherein at least one of the plurality of interface modules is configured to control an output device designated as controlling a mission critical function, such that the output device will function according to its last known state prior to a failure, wherein the control logic is configured to control the output devices based on signals received from the communication network, and wherein the control logic is configured to detect a failure condition in which signals are not being received by the interface module over the communication network and to place output devices that have not been designated as mission critical in a default operating state. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A control method for a vehicle, comprising:
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(A) providing a vehicle power distribution and control system, (1) wherein the vehicle power distribution and control system comprises (a) plurality of input devices, (b) a plurality of output devices, (c) a central control unit, and (d) a plurality of interface modules, (2) wherein the central control unit is connected to the plurality of interface modules by way of a communication network, (3) wherein the plurality of interface modules collect data from the plurality of input devices and distribute power to the plurality of output devices;
(B) performing the following steps at the central control unit during initialization of the vehicle distribution and control system, including (1) accessing a configuration file associated with the central control unit, wherein the configuration file designates at least one of the plurality of output devices as controlling a mission critical function, (2) transmitting the configuration file or a portion thereof to each of the plurality of interface modules, wherein each interface module is configured to recognize whether an associated output device has been designated as controlling a mission critical function; and
(C) repetitively performing the following steps at the interface modules during operation of the vehicle distribution and control system, including (1) receiving control information at each interface module from the central control unit to control the operation of the output devices associated with that interface module, and (2) detecting at each interface module whether communication is not being received from the central control unit, wherein a communication failure occurs in which communication is not received from the central control unit, the interface module enters a mission critical mode of operation, including determining whether any output device associated with the interface module has been designated as controlling a mission critical function, and if it is determined that an output device has been designated as controlling a mission critical function, maintaining the state of that output device according to the control information last received from the central control unit prior to the communication failure. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26)
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27. A control method for a vehicle, comprising:
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(A) providing a vehicle power distribution and control system, (1) wherein the vehicle power distribution and control system comprises (a) plurality of input devices, (b) a plurality of output devices, (c) a central control unit, and (d) a plurality of interface modules, (2) wherein the central control unit is connected to the plurality of interface modules by way of a communication network, (3) wherein the plurality of interface modules collect data from the plurality of input devices and distribute power to the plurality of output devices;
(B) performing the following steps at the central control unit during initialization of the vehicle distribution and control system, including (1) accessing a configuration file stored in a memory associated with the central control unit, wherein the configuration file designates at least one of the plurality of output devices as controlling a mission critical function, (2) transmitting the configuration file or a portion thereof to each of the plurality of interface modules, wherein each interface module is configured to recognize whether an associated output device has been designated as controlling a mission critical function; and
(C) repetitively performing the following steps at the central control unit during operation of the vehicle distribution and control system, including (1) receiving input status information at the central control unit from each interface module to control the operation of the output devices associated with that interface module, and (2) detecting at the central control unit whether communication is not being received from an interface module, wherein if a communication failure occurs in which communication is not being received from the interface module, the central control unit enter a missions critical mode of operation, including determining whether any input device associated with the interface module that is no longer communicating with the central control unit is an input device associated with an output device that has been designated as controlling a mission critical function, and if it is determined that the interface module that is no longer communicating provided input status information associated with an output device that has been designated as controlling a mission critical function, maintaining the state of that output device according to the input status information last received from the interface module prior to the communication failure. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A vehicle control system, comprising:
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(A) a plurality of input devices;
(B) a plurality of output devices;
(C) a communication network;
(D) a plurality of microprocessor-based interface modules, the plurality of interface modules being coupled to the plurality of input devices and to the plurality of output devices by way of respective dedicated communication links;
(E) a microprocessor-based central control unit, the central control unit being coupled to the plurality of interface modules by way of the communication network, the control unit including a control program that is executable by a microprocessor of the control unit to control the plurality of output devices based on input status information from the plurality of input devices; and
wherein the vehicle control system is capable of being placed into a first configuration during a normal mode of operation and into a second configuration during a fault mode of operation;
wherein the first configuration is a master-slave control configuration in which the central control unit operates as a master controller and the interface modules operate as slave modules under the control of the central control unit; and
wherein the second configuration is a distributed control configuration in which the interface modules operate based on commands received from the central control unit prior to reset of the central control unit. - View Dependent Claims (34)
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35. A vehicle control system, comprising:
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(A) a plurality of input devices;
(B) a plurality of output devices;
(C) a communication network;
(D) a plurality of microprocessor-based interface modules, the plurality of interface modules being coupled to the plurality of input devices and to the plurality of output devices;
(E) a microprocessor-based central control unit, the central control unit being coupled to the plurality of interface modules by way of the communication network, the control unit including a control program that is executable by a microprocessor of the control unit to control the plurality of output devices based on input status information from the plurality of input devices; and
wherein, during normal operation, the control system has a master-slave configuration in which the central control unit operates as a master controller and the interface modules operate as slave modules under the control of the central control unit;
wherein, if the central control unit is reset due to a fault condition, the interface modules are programmed to enter an autonomous mode of operation in which each respective interface module controls at least some of the plurality of output devices to which the respective interface is connected based on commands received from the central control unit prior to reset of the central control unit. - View Dependent Claims (36)
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Specification