Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090041040 | HYBRID TIME TRIGGERED ARCHITECTURE FOR DUAL LANE CONTROL SYSTEMS - A network for a dual lane control system is provided. The network comprises at least one hub for a first channel and at least one hub for a second channel. A first plurality of end nodes is in a first lane. Each of the first plurality of end nodes is coupled to the first and second channels by being in communication with the hubs for the first and second channels. A second plurality of end nodes in a second lane are each redundant with a respective end node in the first lane. Each of the second plurality of end nodes is coupled to the first and second channels by being in communication with the hubs for the first and second channels. | 02-12-2009 |
20090086653 | HIGH-INTEGRITY SELF-TEST IN A NETWORK HAVING A BRAIDED-RING TOPOLOGY - In one embodiment, a node comprises an interface to communicatively couple the node to a plurality of independent communication links. The node changes the mode in which the node operates when the node receives an indicator on a plurality of the independent communication links. | 04-02-2009 |
20090116502 | EFFICIENT TRIPLE MODULAR REDUNDANCY ON A BRAIDED RING - One embodiment comprises a network that includes a plurality of bi-directional links and a plurality of nodes. Each node is communicatively coupled to two neighbor nodes and to two skip nodes using the plurality of bi-directional links. Three neighboring nodes of the plurality of nodes form a triple modular redundant (TMR) set having a first end node, a second end node, and a center node, the first end node configured to transmit output data in a first direction and the second end node configured to transmit output data in a second direction. At least one of the plurality of nodes that is not in the redundant set determines the integrity of data received from the redundant set based on at least: (i) a comparison of data received on a first logical communication channel from a respective first neighbor node with data received on the first logical communication channel from a respective first skip node; (ii) a comparison of data received on a second logical communication channel from a respective second neighbor node with data received on the second logical communication channel from a respective second skip node; and (iii) a comparison of data received on the first logical communication channel from one of the respective first neighbor node and the respective first skip node with data received on the second logical communication channel from one of the respective second neighbor node and the respective second skip node. | 05-07-2009 |
20090122812 | SAFE START-UP OF A NETWORK - A method for start-up of a network, including a number of nodes, which are connected via channels. The nodes exchange information in the form of messages via the channels. The transition phase of a synchronizing node from its initial phase to a synchronized phase is separated in a first integration phase and a second subsequent cold-start phase. A synchronizing node in the integration phase listens to messages being sent from nodes in the synchronized phase and only reacts to an integration message (i-frame) if the integration message is a valid message. Furthermore, a synchronizing node, wherein integration of the synchronizing node to a set of already synchronized nodes was not successful after a specifiable period, changes into the cold-start phase, in which a cold-start procedure of the node is extracted, wherein in the cold-start phase the node does not react to integration messages of a node in the synchronized phase. | 05-14-2009 |
20090141744 | AUTOCRATIC LOW COMPLEXITY GATEWAY/ GUARDIAN STRATEGY AND/OR SIMPLE LOCAL GUARDIAN STRATEGY FOR FlexRay OR OTHER DISTRIBUTED TIME-TRIGGERED PROTOCOL - A special node is used in a distributed time-triggered cluster. The special node comprises protocol functionality to establish a time base to use in communicating with a plurality of end nodes and to source timing-related frames to the plurality of end nodes in accordance with the distributed time-triggered communication protocol. The protocol functionality establishes the time base without regard to any timing-related frame sourced from any of the plurality of end nodes. In one embodiment, the protocol functionality of the special node is implemented in a low complexity manner. In one embodiment, the cluster comprises a star topology and the special node performs at least one of semantic filtering and rate enforcement. In another embodiment, the cluster comprises a bus or peer-to-peer topology and each end node is coupled to the communication channel using a low-complexity special local bus guardian. | 06-04-2009 |
20090312892 | DISTRIBUTED ENGINE CONTROL SYSTEM - A distributed engine control system is provided. The engine control system includes first and second engine data concentrators. Each of the first and second engine data concentrators include a processor module, a signal conditioning module coupled to the processor module, a data transfer module coupled to the processor module, and a data bus coupled between the first and second engine data concentrators and a hydro-mechanical unit (HMU). | 12-17-2009 |
20090323704 | HYBRID TOPOLOGY ETHERNET ARCHITECTURE - A distributed control system comprises a first network section comprising one or more control nodes containing control logic operable to perform control function computations; a second network section, wherein the second network section comprises; a plurality of additional nodes responsive to the one or more control nodes in the first network section, each of the plurality of additional nodes communicatively coupled to two neighbor nodes and to two skip nodes using a plurality of links; first and second gateway interfaces each coupled to the first and second network sections and each operable to interface the first network section to the second network section; wherein the first network section is operable to communicate signals using a first communication protocol; and wherein the plurality of nodes in the second network section are operable to communicate signals over the plurality of links using a second communication protocol that is different from the first communication protocol. | 12-31-2009 |
20100281130 | COMMUNICATION METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE EFFICIENT AND RELIABLE TRANSMISSION OF TT ETHERNET MESSAGES - The goal of the present invention is to improve the useful data efficiency and reliability in the use of commercially available ETHERNET controllers, in a distributed real time computer system, by a number of node computers communicating via one or more communication channels by means of TT ETHERNET messages. To achieve this goal, a distinction is made between the node computer send time (KNSZPKT) and the network send time (NWSZPKT) of a message. The KNSZPKT must wait for the NWSZPKT, so that under all circumstances, the start of the message has arrived in the TT star coupler at the NWSZPKT, interpreted by the clock in the TT star coupler. The TT star coupler is modified, so that a message arriving from a node computer is delayed in an intelligent port of the TT star coupler until the NWSZPKT can send it precisely at the NWSZPKT into the TT network. | 11-04-2010 |
20100284301 | DYNAMIC FAULT-TOLERANT CONFIGURATION SUPPORT AND RE-CONFIGURATION OF A BRAIDED RING NETWORK - A method of configuring a node comprises receiving a first message having a count field value from a first direct link; receiving a second message having a count field value from a first skip link; adjusting the count field value in the first message by a first adjustment amount; adjusting the count field value in the second message by a second adjustment amount; comparing the adjusted count field value in the first message with the adjusted count field value in the second message; if the adjusted count field value in the first message matches the adjusted count field value in the second message, using the adjusted count field value in the first message to determine a node identity for the node; and processing subsequent messages based on the node identity. | 11-11-2010 |
20110103390 | SERIALIZED ENFORCED AUTHENTICATED CONTROLLER AREA NETWORK - A system comprises a plurality of nodes; and a hub that is communicatively coupled to each of the plurality of nodes via a plurality of point-to-point links, wherein a priority-based arbitration scheme is used by the plurality of nodes and the hub to communicate over each of the plurality of point-to-point links. When the hub determines that one or more of the plurality of nodes is each transmitting a message having an identification field comprising a first sub-field and a second sub-field, the hub uses the first sub-field to select which node's message should be forwarded to the other nodes based, at least in part, on the priority-based arbitration scheme and forwards the selected node's message as it is received to the other nodes, continuing with the second sub-field of the selected node's message. | 05-05-2011 |
20110138080 | METHOD FOR SYNCHRONIZING LOCAL CLOCKS IN A DISTRIBUTED COMPUTER NETWORK - The invention relates to a method for synchronizing local clocks in a distributed computer network, where said computer network consists of a number of components that are connected to each other via bi-directional communication links, characterized in that an a priori configured set of components of the network generates synchronization messages and sends these synchronization messages to the network. An a priori configured set of components consumes the generated synchronization messages. One or more message-relaying components in between a component that generates a synchronization message and the component that consumes the synchronization message will add a delay value to the synchronization message reflecting the delay imposed by the message-relaying component. A component that is configured to consume a synchronization message will delay a received synchronization message upon reception for a duration that is calculated by an a priori configured value for the maximum transmission delay minus the value of the sum of all delay values added to the received message before further usage of the message in the synchronization process of said component. | 06-09-2011 |
20110173347 | METHOD FOR SYNCHRONIZING LOCAL CLOCKS IN A DISTRIBUTED COMPUTER NETWORK - The invention relates to a method for synchronizing local clocks in a distributed computer network, where said computer network consists of a number of end systems and at least two switches. Each end system is connected to at least two switches via bi-directional communication links. A configured subset of end systems and switches executes the method in form of a synchronization state machine. The state machine uses at least three different frame types. The states in the state machine are either said to belong to an unsynchronized set of states or belong to a synchronized set of states. All end systems that are configured as Synchronization Master periodically send coldstart frames in one of the unsynchronized states and react to the reception of a coldstart frame by sending a coldstart acknowledgment frame a configurable first timeout after the reception of the coldstart frame on all replicated communication channels, provided that the end system is in a state in which the synchronization state machine defines a transition for coldstart frames, and where said first timeout is reset when a consecutive coldstart frame is received before the coldstart acknowledge is sent. All end systems that are configured as Synchronization Master react to the reception of a coldstart acknowledgment frame by starting a configurable second timeout, provided that they are not already executing said first timeout, and entering a synchronized state when said second timeout expires. | 07-14-2011 |
20120250572 | VERSATILE SOURCE PORT ENFORCEMENT FOR DATA NETWORKS - A communication switch comprises a plurality of ports and a processing unit configured to identify source ports and destination ports from the plurality of ports on a per virtual link basis. Each virtual link comprises one or more source ports via which frames are received from one or more source nodes and one or more destination ports via which received frames are forwarded to one or more destination nodes. For at least one virtual link, the processing unit is configured to accept more than one of the plurality of ports as source ports. | 10-04-2012 |
20120250694 | CENTRALIZED TRAFFIC SHAPING FOR DATA NETWORKS - A communication system comprises a plurality of nodes and a switch having a plurality of ports, each port coupled to one of the plurality of nodes. At least one of the plurality of nodes is configured to transmit a first unregulated flow of frames associated with a first virtual link to a first port of the plurality of ports of the switch. The switch is configured to regulate the first unregulated flow of frames by buffering frames of the first unregulated flow in a first input queue associated with the first virtual link, applying traffic shaping parameters associated with the first virtual link to the frames in the first input queue associated with the first virtual link, and outputting the first regulated flow of frames to one or more output queues associated with one or more output ports based on the first virtual link. | 10-04-2012 |
20120300794 | GUARDIAN SCRUBBING STRATEGY FOR DISTRIBUTED TIME-TRIGGERED PROTOCOLS - A cluster comprises a plurality of end nodes that communicate with one another over at least one communication channel. Each end node is assigned a time slot for transmission of frames; wherein each node comprises a local guardian configured to prevent transmission of timing-related frames sourced from the respective end node. The cluster also comprises a special node that communicates with the plurality of end nodes, wherein the special node establishes a time base and sources timing-related frames to the plurality of end nodes. The transmission schedule includes at least one common scrubbing time slot during which each of the plurality of end nodes is configured to generate a timing-related frame. The special node is configured to determine if the local guardian in any of the plurality of nodes failed to prevent transmission of the respective generated timing-related frame during the common scrubbing time slot. | 11-29-2012 |
20130058217 | TIME TRIGGERED ETHERNET SYSTEM TESTING MEANS AND METHOD - Methods and apparatus are provided for evaluating the performance of a Time Triggered Ethernet (TTE) system employing Time Triggered (TT) communication. A real TTE system under test (SUT) having real input elements communicating using TT messages with output elements via one or more first TTE switches during a first time interval schedule established for the SUT. A simulation system is also provided having input simulators that communicate using TT messages via one or more second TTE switches with the same output elements during a second time interval schedule established for the simulation system. The first and second time interval schedules are off-set slightly so that messages from the input simulators, when present, arrive at the output elements prior to messages from the analogous real inputs, thereby having priority over messages from the real inputs and causing the system to operate based on the simulated inputs when present. | 03-07-2013 |
20130142204 | COMMUNICATION METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE EFFICIENT AND RELIABLE TRANSMISSION OF TT ETHERNET MESSAGES - The goal of the present invention is to improve the useful data efficiency and reliability in the use of commercially available ETHERNET controllers, in a distributed real time computer system, by a number of node computers communicating via one or more communication channels by means of TT ETHERNET messages. To achieve this goal, a distinction is made between the node computer send time (KNSZPKT) and the network send time (NWSZPKT) of a message. The KNSZPKT must wait for the NWSZPKT, so that under all circumstances, the start of the message has arrived in the TT star coupler at the NWSZPKT, interpreted by the clock in the TT star coupler. The TT star coupler is modified, so that a message arriving from a node computer is delayed in an intelligent port of the TT star coupler until the NWSZPKT can send it precisely at the NWSZPKT into the TT network. | 06-06-2013 |
20130182552 | VIRTUAL PAIRING FOR CONSISTENT DATA BROADCAST - A network comprises a plurality of nodes; and a plurality of links communicatively coupling each of the plurality of nodes to at least one respective adjacent node of the plurality of nodes via a first communication channel and to another respective adjacent node of the plurality of nodes via a second communication channel. At least one of the plurality of nodes is a source node configured to source data. The source node is configured to form a virtual self-checking pair with one of the respective adjacent node on the first communication channel or the respective adjacent node on the second communication channel to achieve a consistent broadcast of data on the first and second communication channels. Data exchanged between the source node and the respective adjacent node in the virtual self-checking pair is only sourced by the source node. | 07-18-2013 |
20130215905 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR OUT-OF-BAND SIGNALING - A communication network comprises a communication medium and a plurality of nodes. Each node is configured to communicate with the other nodes using a protocol that has at least one of an idle period or a preamble period. The at least one node of the plurality of nodes is configured to transmit an out-of-band signal during at least one of the idle period or the preamble period and is configured to modify at least a portion of the out-of-band signal to communicate data to at least one other node. The at least one other node is configured to interpret the modified portion of the out-of-band signal to identify the data communicated in the modified out-of-band signal. The modified out-of-band signal complies with the protocol's encoding rules such that any node not configured to interpret the modified portion of the out-of-band signal processes the modified out-of-band signal according to the protocol. | 08-22-2013 |
20130219491 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR INTEGRITY RECONSTITUTION - A method of communicating data in a network comprises receiving a copy of a message on a first channel via at least one of a first port and a second port, the first port coupled to a first neighbor node and the second port coupled to a first neighbor's neighbor node; and selecting either the copy of the message received via the first port or the copy of the message received via the second port if a copy of the message is received via both the first port and the second port. If a copy of the message is only received via one of the first port or the second port, the received copy of the message is selected. The selected copy of the message is forwarded on the first channel to a second neighbor node via a third port and to a second neighbor's neighbor node via a fourth port; and the integrity of the selected copy of the message is determined based on supplemental integrity data received from another node, wherein the supplemental integrity data is exclusive of a copy of the message communicated on a second channel. | 08-22-2013 |
20140036735 | DISJOINT DATA PATH ROUTING FOR INTEGRITY AND AVAILABILITY AUGMENTATION - A method comprises transmitting a plurality of copies of a message from each of a first transmission node and a second transmission node, each copy having a respective identification and forwarding each of the plurality of copies of the message among other nodes in the network based, at least in part, on the respective identification of each copy such that each copy of the message traverses a predetermined communication path among the other nodes. A respective first received copy is compared to a respective second received copy at each of the other nodes. The integrity of the respective first and second copies is validated at each of the other nodes if the copies match and the copies traversed disjoint communication paths. | 02-06-2014 |