Method and system for controlling command execution

• US 7,577,870 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2005
• Issued: 08/18/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Combs, William E.
• Primary Examiner(s): McCarthy; Christopher S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lottich; Joshua P
• Application Number:
  US11/313,453
• Publication Number:
  US 20080155306A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,336 Days
• Field of Search: 714/3, 714/11, 714/13, 718/104
• US Class Current: 714/13
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/24183 If error, spare unit takes over, message to master, confirm new configuration
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/24197 Dual analog output ports, second takes over if first fails
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1489 through recovery blocks

Abstract

Method and system for performing a task in a control system is provided. The method includes, transmitting a command to a governing agent; re-transmitting the command from the governing agent to a primary, a secondary and an observer agent; validating the task information; and performing the task wherein, the task is executed by the primary agent while the secondary agent monitors task execution and if the primary agent fails to execute the task and/or a threshold value is exceeded, the secondary agent performs the task to the extent the secondary agent perceives that the task is not being performed and to the extent that it has sufficient capacity. The system includes an input module that transmits commands for executing a task to the governing agent that is operationally coupled to a processing unit.

Claims

1. A method for performing a task in a control system, comprising:

transmitting a command for executing the task to a governing agent;

re-transmitting the command from the governing agent to a primary agent, a secondary agent and an observer agent;

validating task information by a primary agent with a secondary agent and a observer agent prior to execution; and

performing the task after validating, wherein the task is performed by the primary agent while the secondary agent monitors task execution and if the primary agent fails to execute the task and/or a threshold value is exceeded, the secondary agent performs the task.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of validating the task prior to execution comprising:

checking an equivalence of the command received by the primary agent with the secondary agent and the observer agent;

checking an equivalence of the command received by the secondary, agent with the primary agent and the observer agent; and

checking an equivalence of the command received by the observer agent with the primary agent and the secondary agent.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the observer agent validates task information prior to execution.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the command is executed continuously by the primary agent or the secondary agent.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the command is executed without adding component redundancy.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the threshold value is preset for a task.

7. The method of claim 1, further including configuring the primary agent to perform the task using a first set of resources and configuring the secondary agent to perform the task using a second set of resources wherein the first set of resources perform the task differently than the second set of resources.

8. A system for controlling and performing a task, comprising:

an input module that transmits commands for executing a task to a governing agent that is operationally coupled to a processing unit, wherein the governing agent transmits the command to a primary agent, a secondary agent and an observer agent, and the task is validated by the primary agent with the secondary agent and the observer agent prior to execution and the task is executed by the primary agent while the secondary agent monitors task execution and if the primary agent fails to execute the task and/or a threshold value is exceeded, the secondary, agent performs the task.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the task is validated prior to execution by checking an equivalence of the command received by the primary agent with the secondary agent and the observer agents;

checking an equivalence of the command received by the secondary agent with the primary, agent and the observer agent; and

the equivalence of the command receive by the observer agent with the primary agent and the secondary agent.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the observer agent validates task information prior to execution.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the command is executed continuously by the primary agent and the secondary agent.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the command is executed without adding component redundancy.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the primary agent and the secondary agent operate in relative isolation.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the primary agent is configured to perform the task using a first set of resources and the secondary agent is configured to perform the task using a second set of resources wherein the first set of resources perform the task differently than the second set of resources.

15. The system of claim 8, wherein the task is performed in an aerial vehicle and commands are transmitted from the input module remote from the aerial vehicle.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein one of the commands is a maneuvering command.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the maneuvering command is received by the governing a gent and retransmitted to the primary agent, the secondary agent and the observer agent.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the task of the maneuvering command is validated by the primary agent, the secondary agent and the observer agent prior to execution.

19. The system of claim 15,wherein the primary agent is configured to perform the task using a first set of resources and the secondary agent is configured to perform the task using a second set of resources wherein the first set of resources perform the task differently than the second set of resources.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the primer agent uses one or more of a rudder, ailerons, elevators and engine as the first set of resources to perform the task and the secondary agent uses one or more of a rudder, ailerons, elevators and engine that is not used by the primary agent as the second set of resources to perform the task.