Method for operating at least two data processing units with high availability, in particular in a vehicle, and device for operating a machine

• US 9,891,688 B2
• Filed: 12/10/2012
• Issued: 02/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Armbruster, Michael, Fehling, Marcus, Fiege, Ludger, Freitag, Gunter, Klein, Cornel
• Primary Examiner(s): Chu, Gabriel
• Application Number:
  US14/373,441
• Publication Number:
  US 20150033054A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,891 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0098 Details of control systems ensuring comfort, safety or stability not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/023 Avoiding failures by using redundant parts
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3234 Power saving characterised by the action undertaken
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3287 by switching off individual functional units in the computer system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2038 with a single idle spare processing component
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

A method for operating at least two data processing units with high availability, in particular in a vehicle, is provided. A first data processing unit and a second data processing unit can each provide the same function to an extent of at least 60 percent or at least 90 percent. The second data processing unit removes automatically at least one entry for a process to be executed from a memory unit or automatically places itself into a standby mode.

Claims

1. A method for operating at least two data processing units with high availability, in a vehicle,

in which, a first data processing unit and a second data processing unit can each provide the same function to an extent of at least 60% or at least 90%,

in which, the second data processing unit removes automatically at least one entry for a process to be executed from a memory unit of the second processing data unit to selectively reduce a redundant processing of a function of the vehicle, wherein an entry for a process to be executed from a memory unit of the first data processing unit to perform the function of the vehicle is still present on the first data processing unit,

wherein the removal of the at least one entry occurs based on a detection of an operating state of the vehicle for an operation of which the first data processing unit and the second data processing unit are used;

wherein;

in a traveling operating state of the vehicle, the first data processing unit is switched on, the second data processing unit is switched on, a first steering control unit is switched on, and a second steering control unit is switched on,

in a stopped operating state of the vehicle, the first data processing unit is switched on, the second data processing unit is switched off, the first steering control unit is switched on, and the second steering control unit is switched off.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the vehicle is a transport vehicle.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the detection of the operating state is based on a state of stopping, charging of a battery, or traveling.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the operating state is detected with the aid of at least one sensor unit, the at least one sensor unit being at least one of a motion sensor, a speed sensor, and a tachometer.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first data processing unit and the second data processing unit are operated on a data transmission network using a data transmission protocol which enables processors or network units to be switched on.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the data transmission network is an Ethernet.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one entry removed is entered again automatically by the second data processing unit, depending on a current operating state of the vehicle.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein each data processing unit of the first data processing unit and the second data processing unit contains at least two processors.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first data processing unit and the second data processing unit are connected in each case to two redundant data transmission links or data processing networks.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first data processing unit and the second data processing unit provide at least one core function for controlling the vehicle.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first data processing unit and the second data processing unit provide at least one function in at least one peripheral sub system of the vehicle.

12. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first data processing unit is higher ranking than the second data processing unit.

13. A device for operating a vehicle comprising:

a first data processing unit; and

a second data processing unit, wherein the first data processing unit and the second data processing unit provide the same functions to an extent of at least 60 percent or to an extent of at least 90 percent; and

a control unit in the second data processing unit, wherein the control unit removes at least one entry for a process to be executed from a memory unit of the second processing data unit to selectively reduce a redundant processing of a function of the vehicle, wherein an entry for a process to be executed from a memory unit of the first data processing unit to perform the function of the vehicle is still present on the first data processing unit; and

wherein the first data processing unit is higher-ranking than the second data processing unit with respect to providing functions or with respect to the redundancy, as entered in the memory unit of the first data processing unit;

wherein the removal of the at least one entry occurs based on a detection of an operating state of the vehicle for an operation of which the first data processing unit and the second data processing unit are used;

wherein;

in a traveling operating state of the vehicle, the first data processing unit is switched on, the second data processing unit is switched on, a first steering control unit is switched on, and a second steering control unit is switched on,

in a stopped operating state of the vehicle, the first data processing unit is switched on, the second data processing unit is switched off, the first steering control unit is switched on, and the second steering control unit is switched off.

14. The device as claimed in claim 13, with a first data transmission link or a first data processing network and with a second data transmission link or a second data transmission network, at which the first data processing unit and the second data processing unit are connected,

wherein at least 60 percent of the data to be transmitted or at least 90 percent of the data to be transmitted are transmitted via both data transmission links or via both data transmission networks.

15. The device as claimed in claim 13, wherein the operating state is detected with the aid of at least one sensor unit, the at least one sensor unit being at least one of a motion sensor, a speed sensor, and a tachometer.