Patent Application

App. No. 11/692,959

Abstract

Claims (80)

1 . A method of validating variable data transmitted in a vehicle having at least one primary processor and at least one secondary processor, the method comprising the steps of:

generating a control copy and a redundant copy of the variable data in the at least one primary processor;

providing the redundant copy of the variable data to the at least one secondary processor over a period of time;

calculating one or more average values for the redundant copy of the variable data over the period of time in the at least one secondary processor;

generating a transmittal message using the control copy of the data in the at least one primary processor during the period of time;

providing the transmittal message to the at least one secondary processor; and

comparing the transmittal message with the one or more calculated average values for the redundant copy of the variable data in the at least one secondary processor.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle also has a transceiver configured to transmit the transmittal message within the vehicle, and wherein the method further comprises the steps of:

determining whether the transmittal message and the one or more calculated average values for the redundant copy of the variable data meet a predetermined security tolerance; and

at least partially disabling the transceiver, if it is determined that the transmittal message and the one or more calculated average values for the redundant copy of the variable data do not meet the predetermined security tolerance.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the variable data includes values from at least a first source of values and a second source of values for a particular variable, and wherein the method further comprises the steps of:

comparing the values from the first source of values and the second source of values for the particular variable;

determining whether the values from the first source of values and the second source of values meet a predetermined security tolerance; and

providing an indicator to the transceiver, if it is determined that the values from the first source of values and the second source of values do not meet the predetermined security tolerance.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of calculating one or more average values for the redundant copy of the variable data over the period of time in the at least one secondary processor comprises:

calculating one or more arithmetic means for the values of the redundant copy of the variable data over the period of time in the at least one secondary processor.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of calculating one or more average values for the redundant copy of the variable data over the period of time in the at least one secondary processor comprises:

calculating one or more rolling averages for the values of the redundant copy of the variable data over the period of time in the at least one secondary processor.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the variable data includes values for a first yaw sensor, a second yaw sensor, a first lateral acceleration sensor, a second lateral acceleration sensor, and a longitudinal acceleration sensor, and wherein the step of generating a control copy and a redundant copy of the variable data in the at least one primary processor comprises:

generating a control copy of the values for the first yaw sensor in the at least one primary processor;

generating a control copy of the values for the second yaw sensor in the at least one primary processor;

generating a control copy of the values for the first lateral acceleration sensor in the at least one primary processor;

generating a control copy of the values for the second lateral acceleration sensor in the at least one primary processor;

generating a control copy of the values for the longitudinal acceleration sensor in the at least one primary processor;

generating a redundant copy of the values for the first yaw sensor in the at least one primary processor;

generating a redundant copy of the values for the first lateral acceleration sensor in the at least one primary processor; and

generating a redundant copy of the values for the longitudinal acceleration sensor in the at least one primary processor.

7 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising the steps of:

comparing the control copy of the values for the first yaw sensor with the control copy of the values for the second yaw sensor; and

comparing the control copy of the values for the first lateral acceleration sensor with the control copy of the values for the second lateral acceleration sensor.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the variable data also includes values for a second longitudinal acceleration sensor, and wherein the method further comprises the steps of:

generating a control copy of the values for the second longitudinal acceleration sensor in the at least one primary processor; and

comparing the control copy of the values for the longitudinal acceleration sensor with the control copy of the values for the second longitudinal acceleration sensor.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle includes a plurality of different functional based systems, and wherein:

the step of generating a control copy and a redundant copy of the variable data is conducted in different primary processors corresponding with different functional based systems;

the steps of providing the redundant copy of the variable data to the at least one secondary processor over a period of time and providing the transmittal message to the at least one secondary processor comprise providing such redundant copy and transmittal message to a single secondary processor; and

the steps of calculating one or more average values for the redundant copy of the variable data over the period of time and comparing the transmittal message with the one or more calculated average values for the redundant copy of the variable data are conducted in a single secondary processor.

10 . A method of validating variable data including at least a yaw variable, a lateral acceleration variable, and a longitudinal acceleration variable, for transmittal in a system comprising at least one primary processor, at least one secondary processor, a first yaw sensor and a second yaw sensor for measuring values for the yaw variable, a first lateral acceleration sensor and a second lateral acceleration sensor for measuring values for the lateral acceleration variable, and a longitudinal acceleration sensor for measuring values for the longitudinal acceleration variable, the method comprising the steps of:

generating a control copy of values for the first yaw sensor in the at least one primary processor;

generating a control copy of values for the second yaw sensor in the at least one primary processor;

generating a control copy of values for the first lateral acceleration sensor in the at least one primary processor;

generating a control copy of values for the second lateral acceleration sensor in the at least one primary processor;

generating a control copy of values for the longitudinal acceleration sensor in the at least one primary processor;

generating a redundant copy of the values for the first yaw sensor in the at least one primary processor;

generating a redundant copy of the values for the first lateral acceleration sensor in the at least one primary processor;

generating a redundant copy of the values for the longitudinal acceleration sensor in the at least one primary processor;

providing the redundant copies of the values for the first yaw sensor, the first lateral acceleration sensor, and the longitudinal acceleration sensor to the at least one secondary processor over a period of time;

calculating one or more average values for the redundant copies of the values for the first yaw sensor, the first lateral acceleration sensor, and the longitudinal acceleration sensor over the period of time in the at least one secondary processor;

comparing the control copy of the values for the first yaw sensor with the control copy of the values for the second yaw sensor;

comparing the control copy of the values for the first lateral acceleration sensor with the control copy of the values for the second lateral acceleration sensor;

generating a transmittal message using the control copies of the values for the first yaw sensor, the first lateral acceleration sensor, and the longitudinal acceleration sensor in the at least one primary processor during the period of time;

providing the transmittal message to the at least one secondary processor; and

comparing the transmittal message with the one or more calculated average values for the redundant copies of the values for the first yaw sensor, the first lateral acceleration sensor, and the longitudinal acceleration sensor in the at least one secondary processor.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the vehicle also has a transceiver configured to transmit the transmittal message within the vehicle, and wherein the method further comprises the steps of:

determining whether the transmittal message and the one or more calculated average values for the redundant copies meet a predetermined security tolerance; and

at least partially disabling the transceiver, if it is determined that the transmittal message and the one or more calculated average values for the redundant copies do not meet the predetermined security tolerance.

12 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising the steps of:

determining whether the control copies of the values for the first yaw sensor and the second yaw sensor meet a predetermined security tolerance;

determining whether the control copies of the values for the first lateral acceleration sensor and the second lateral acceleration sensor meet the predetermined security tolerance; and

providing an indicator to the transceiver, if it is determined that any of the control copies of the values for the first yaw sensor and the second yaw sensor, or the first lateral acceleration sensor and the second lateral acceleration sensor, do not meet the predetermined security tolerance.

13 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the variable data also includes values for a second longitudinal acceleration sensor, and wherein the method further comprises the steps of:

generating a control copy of the values for the second longitudinal acceleration sensor in the at least one primary processor;

comparing the control copy of the values for the longitudinal acceleration sensor with the control copy of the values for the second longitudinal acceleration sensor;

determining whether the control copies of the values for the longitudinal acceleration sensor and the second longitudinal acceleration sensor meet a predetermined security tolerance; and

providing an indicator to the transceiver, if it is determined that the control copies of the values for the longitudinal acceleration sensor and the second longitudinal acceleration sensor do not meet the predetermined security tolerance.

14 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the step of calculating one or more average values for the redundant copies of the values for the first yaw sensor, the first lateral acceleration sensor, and the longitudinal acceleration sensor over the period of time in the at least one secondary processor comprises:

calculating one or more arithmetic means for the values of the redundant copies of the values for the first yaw sensor, the first lateral acceleration sensor, and the longitudinal acceleration sensor over the period of time in the at least one secondary processor.

15 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the vehicle includes a plurality of different functional based systems, and wherein:

the steps of generating a control copy of values for the first yaw sensor, generating a control copy of values for the second yaw sensor, generating a control copy of values for the first lateral acceleration sensor, generating a control copy of values for the second lateral acceleration sensor, generating a control copy of values for the longitudinal acceleration sensor, generating a redundant copy of the values for the first yaw sensor, generating a redundant copy of the values for the first lateral acceleration sensor, and generating a redundant copy of the values for the longitudinal acceleration sensor are conducted in different primary processors corresponding with different functional based systems;

the steps of providing the redundant copies of the values for the first yaw sensor, the first lateral acceleration sensor, and the longitudinal acceleration sensor to the at least one secondary processor over a period of time and providing the transmittal message to the at least one secondary processor comprise providing such redundant copies and transmittal message to a single secondary processor; and

the steps of calculating one or more average values for the redundant copies of the values for the first yaw sensor, the first lateral acceleration sensor, and the longitudinal acceleration sensor over the period of time, and comparing the transmittal message with the one or more calculated average values for the redundant copies of the values for the first yaw sensor, the first lateral acceleration sensor, and the longitudinal acceleration sensor are conducted in a single secondary processor.

16 . An apparatus for validating variable data transmitted in a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:

at least one primary processor configured to generate a control copy and a redundant copy of the variable data, and to generate a transmittal message using the control copy of the data during a period of time; and

at least one secondary processor configured to receive the redundant copy of the variable data from the at least one primary processor over the period of time, to receive the transmittal message from the at least one primary processor, to calculate one or more average values for the redundant copy of the variable data over the period of time, and to compare the transmittal message with the one or more calculated average values for the redundant copy of the variable data.

17 . The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the vehicle also has a transceiver, and wherein the at least one secondary processor is further configured to determine whether the transmittal message and the one or more calculated average values for the redundant copy of the variable data meet a predetermined security tolerance, and to disable the transceiver if it is determined that the transmittal message and the one or more calculated average values for the redundant copy of the variable data do not meet the predetermined security tolerance.

18 . The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the variable data includes at least values from a first source of values and a second source of values for a particular variable, and wherein the at least one primary processor or the at least one secondary processor is further configured to compare the values from the first source of values and the second source of values.

19 . The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the vehicle includes a plurality of different functional based systems, and wherein:

the at least one primary processor comprises a plurality of different primary processors corresponding with the different functional based systems; and

the at least one secondary processor comprises a single processor.

20 . The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein each of the plurality of different primary processors are configured to receive variable data from a specified number of sensors, and have at least a processor speed or memory size that is customizable at least in part based on the predetermined number of sensors.

Assignments (11)