Showing papers on "Sensor hub published in 2004"

Systems and methods for enhancing performance of a coprocessor

Abstract: Techniques for minimizing coprocessor "starvation," and for effectively scheduling processing in a coprocessor for greater efficiency and power. A run list is provided allowing a coprocessor to switch from one task to the next, without waiting for CPU intervention. A method called "surface faulting" allows a coprocessor to fault at the beginning of a large task rather than somewhere in the middle of the task. DMA control instructions, namely a "fence," a "trap" and a "enable/disable context switching," can be inserted into a processing stream to cause a coprocessor to perform tasks that enhance coprocessor efficiency and power. These instructions can also be used to build high-level synchronization objects. Finally, a "flip" technique is described that can switch a base reference for a display from one location to another, thereby changing the entire display surface.

Dependable microcontroller, method for designing a dependable microcontroller and computer program product therefor

Abstract: A microcontroller comprising a central processing unit and a further fault processing unit suitable for performing validation of operations of said central processing unit. The further fault processing unit is external and different with respect to said central processing unit and said further fault processing unit comprises at least a module for performing validation of operations of said central processing unit and one or more modules suitable for performing validation of operations of other functional parts of said microcontroller. Validation of operations of said central processing unit is performed by using one or more of the following fault tolerance techniques: data shadowing; codef data processing legality check; addressing legality check; ALU concurrent integrity checking; concurrent mode/interrupt check. The proposed microcontroller is particularly suitable for application in System On Chip (SoC) and was developed by paying specific attention to the possible use in automotive System On Chip. The invention also includes a method for designing and verify such fault-robust system on chip, and a fault-injection technique based on e-language.

A bluetooth based sensor network for civil infrastructure health monitoring

Abstract: Communicating with sensors has long been limited either to wired connections or to proprietary wireless communication protocols. Using a ubiquitous and inexpensive wireless communication technology to create Sensor Area Networks (SANs) will accelerate the extensive deployment of sensor technology. Bluetooth, an emerging, worldwide standard for inexpensive, local wireless communication is a viable choice for SANs because of its inherent support for some of the important requirements-low power, small form factor, low cost and sufficient communication range. In this paper we outline an approach, centered on the Bluetooth technology, to support a sensor network composed of fixed wireless sensors for health monitoring of highways, bridges and other civil infrastructures. We present a topology formation scheme that not only takes into account the traffic generated by different sensors but also the associated link strengths, buffer capacities and energy availability. The algorithm makes no particular assumptions as to the placement of nodes, and not all nodes need to be in radio proximity of each other. The output is a tree shaped scatternet rooted at the sensor hub (data logger) that is balanced in terms of traffic carried on each of the links. We also analyze the scheduling, routing and healing aspects of the resulting sensor-net topology.

Dependable microcontroller, method for detecting fault in microcontroller, method for designing fault permission system for dependable microcontroller, and computer program product therefor

Abstract: PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain perfect reliability by optimizing computer resources and a circuit size SOLUTION: This dependable microcontroller comprises a central processing unit (50, 51) and a further fault processing unit (11) suitable for performing the validation of the operation of the central processing unit (50, 51) The further fault processing unit (11) is externally located and different with respect to the central processing unit (51) The further fault processing unit (11) comprises at least a module for performing the validation of the operation of the central processing unit and one or more modules suitable for performing the validation of operations of other functional parts of the microcontroller (10) COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI