Loosely-coupled lock-step chaining

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018349214-A1
Application number	US-201715610139-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 31, 2017
Priority date	May 31, 2017
Publication date	Dec 6, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A system and method enables loosely-coupled lock-step computing including sensors that detect or measure a physical property and server groups. Each server group is serially linked to another server group and includes server instances operating in virtual synchrony. Virtual synchrony middleware receives outputs from multiple server instances and renders a single reply based on the outputs from the multiple server instances. The virtual synchrony middleware replicates and orders incoming requests to the server groups to ensure each of the server instances of that server group receives the same incoming requests in the same order.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A loosely-coupled lock-step computing system comprising:
a plurality of sensors that detect or measure a physical property; a plurality of server groups communicatively coupled to the plurality of sensors, wherein each server group is serially linked to another server group and comprises a plurality of server instances operating in virtual synchrony; a virtual synchrony middleware communicatively coupled to each of the server groups, wherein the virtual synchrony middleware receives a plurality of outputs from the plurality of server instances when operating with one of the server groups and renders a single reply based on the plurality of outputs; and wherein the virtual synchrony middleware replicates and orders incoming requests to the server groups to ensure that each of the server instances of that server group receives the same incoming requests in the same order.

2 . The system of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of actuators responsible for actuating a mechanical device in response to the single reply.

3 . The system of claim 1 further comprising a computation trigger that renders a clock signal that synchronizes the loosely-coupled lock-step computing system to a periodic interval.

4 . The system of claim 3 wherein each of the server groups is configured to process messages in response to a request from a recipient node and the clock signal.

5 . The system of claim 3 wherein a server group comprises an intelligent agent and the server group is configured to transmit a reply in response to the clock signal when the intelligent agent determines that the server group has content to transmit to a recipient node.

6 . The system of claim 1 wherein a server group comprises an intelligent agent and the server group is configured to transmit a reply in response to a clock signal and an intelligent agent's determination that the server group has content to transmit to a recipient node.

7 . The system of claim 1 wherein each of the server groups transmits replies unrelated to and not based on a clock signal.

8 . The system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of server groups renders driving models and motion plans.

9 . A machine-readable medium encoded with machine-executable instructions, wherein execution of the machine-executable instructions is for:
detecting or measuring a physical property; processing the detection or measurement of the physical property through a plurality of server groups, wherein each server group is serially linked to another server group and comprises a plurality of server instances operating in virtual synchrony; executing a virtual synchrony middleware that receives a plurality of outputs from the plurality of server instances when operating with one of the server groups and renders a single reply based on the plurality of outputs; and wherein the virtual synchrony middleware replicates and orders incoming requests to the server groups to ensure that each of the server instances of that server group receives the same incoming requests in the same order.

10 . The machine-readable medium of claim 9 further comprising a machine-readable medium encoded with machine-executable instructions for generating a plurality of actuators responsible for actuating a mechanical device in response to the single reply.

11 . The machine-readable medium of claim 9 further comprising machine-readable medium encoded with machine-executable instructions for generating a computation trigger that renders a clock signal that synchronizes a loosely-coupled lock-step computing to a periodic interval.

12 . The machine-readable medium of claim 11 wherein each of the server groups is configured to process messages in response to a request from a recipient node and the clock signal.

13 . The machine-readable medium of claim 11 wherein a server group comprises an intelligent agent and the server group is configured to transmit a reply in response to a clock signal when the intelligent agent determines that the server group has content to transmit to a recipient node.

14 . The machine-readable medium of claim 9 wherein a server group comprises an intelligent agent and the server group is configured to transmit a reply in response to a clock signal and an intelligent agent's determination that the server group has content to transmit to a recipient node.

15 . The machine-readable medium of claim 9 wherein each of the server groups transmits replies unrelated to and not based on a clock signal.

16 . The machine-readable medium of claim 9 wherein the plurality of server groups renders driving models and motion plans.

17 . A method of processing in a loosely-coupled lock-step computing comprising:
detecting or measuring a physical property; processing the detection or measurement of the physical property through a plurality of server groups, wherein each server group is serially linked to another server group and comprises a plurality of server instances operating in virtual synchrony; executing a virtual synchrony middleware that receives a plurality of outputs from the plurality of server instances when operating with one of the server groups and renders a single reply based on the plurality of outputs; and wherein the virtual synchrony middleware replicates and orders incoming requests to the server groups to ensure that each of the server instances of that server group receives the same incoming requests in the same order.

18 . The method of claim 17 further comprising generating a plurality of actuators responsible for actuating a mechanical device in response to the single reply.

19 . The method of claim 17 further comprising generating a computation trigger that renders a clock signal that synchronizes the loosely-coupled lock-step computing architecture to a periodic interval.

20 . The method of claim of claim 19 wherein each of the server groups is configured to process messages in response to a request from a recipient node and the clock signal.

21 . The method of claim of claim 19 wherein a server group comprises an intelligent agent and the server group is configured to transmit a reply in response to a clock signal when the intelligent agent determines that the server group has content to transmit to a recipient node.

22 . The method of claim 17 wherein a server group comprises an intelligent agent and the server group is configured to transmit a reply in response to a clock signal and an intelligent agent's determination that the server group has content to transmit to a recipient node.

23 . The method of claim 17 wherein each of the server groups transmits replies unrelated to and not based on a clock signal.

24 . The method of claim 17 wherein the plurality of server groups renders driving models and motion plans.

24 . A vehicle comprising:
a plurality of sensors that detect or measure a vehicle state; a plurality of actuators that activate or control another mechanism in the vehicle; a plurality of server groups communicatively coupled to the plurality of sensors and the plurality of actuators, wherein each server group is serially linked to another server group and comprises a plurality of server instances operating in virtual synchrony; a virtual synchrony middleware communicatively coupled to each of the server groups, the virtual synchrony middleware receives a plurality of outputs from the plurality of

Assignees

• Ontario Inc 2236008

Inventors

• Johnson Kerry Wayne
• Hobbs Christopher William Lewis
• Shook Peter

Classifications

• G06F11/1482

  using middleware or operating system [OS] functionalities · CPC title

• G06F11/1695

  which are operating with time diversity · CPC title

• G06F9/546 Primary

  Message passing systems or structures, e.g. queues · CPC title

• G06F11/1629

  Error detection by comparing the output of redundant processing systems · CPC title

• G06F9/54 Primary

  Interprogram communication · CPC title