System and Method for Network Communication Within a Hyperloop Bogie During a Critical Period of Time

Abstract

A system and method are disclosed herein and relate to a communication network within a hyperloop bogie, wherein the communication network logically connects a plurality of power electronic units. A first power electronic unit may generate a network packet to be sent to a second power electronic unit. The first and second power electronic units may perform a vote to determine a voting result. The first and second power electronic units may substantially independently perform further action based on the voting result. The first and second power electronic units may determine the voting result prior to the conclusion of a critical timeframe beginning with the transmittal of the network packet and ending with the voting result being stored.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for a plurality of power electronic units to transfer data within a communication network, the method comprising:
 generating, at a first power electronic unit, a network packet, the generating occurring during a critical time period;   transmitting, from the first power electronic unit, the network packet, the transmitting occurring during the critical time period;   receiving, at a second power electronic unit, the network packet, the receiving occurring during the critical time period; and   determining, at the second power electronic unit, a first voting result, the first voting result being based on data within the network packet, the determining occurring during the critical time period.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , the method further comprising:
 performing, at the second power electronic unit, a first action based on the first voting result, the performing occurring after the critical time period.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , the method further comprising:
 logging, at the first power electronic unit and after the critical time period, an event associated with the network packet, the first voting result, the first action, or a combination thereof.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , the method further comprising:
 determining, at the first power electronic unit, a second voting result, the second voting result being based on data within the network packet, the determining occurring during the critical time period, the second voting result being substantially similar to the first voting result.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the communication network is a bus network logically connecting the first power electronic unit to the second power electronic unit. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , the method further comprising:
 transmitting, from the second power electronic unit, the network packet via the bus network to the first power electronic unit, the transmitting occurring during the critical time period; and   receiving, at the first power electronic unit, the network packet transmitted via the bus network, the receiving occurring during the critical time period.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the critical time period comprises a safety margin. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the network packet comprises a header, a payload, a reserved space, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the header comprises source information and destination information, the source information comprising a first unique identifier, the first unique identifier being associated with the first power electronic unit, the destination information comprising a second unique identifier, the second unique identifier being associated with the second power electronic unit. 
     
     
         10 . A communication network configured to transfer data between power electronic units, the communication network comprising:
 a first power electronic unit, the first power electronic unit being configured to generate a network packet during a critical time period, the first power electronic unit being further configured to transmit the network packet during the critical time period; and   a second power electronic unit being configured to receive the network packet during the critical time period, the second power electronic unit being further configured to determine a first voting result during the critical time period, the first voting result being based on data within the network packet.   
     
     
         11 . The communication network of  claim 10 , the second power electronic unit being further configured to perform a first action based on the first voting result, the performing occurring after the critical time period. 
     
     
         12 . The communication network of  claim 11 , the first power electronic unit being further configured to log, after the critical time period, an event associated with the network packet, the first voting result, the first action, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The communication network of  claim 10 , the first power electronic unit being further configured to determine a second voting result, the second voting result being based on data within the network packet, the determining occurring during the critical time period, the second voting result being substantially similar to the first voting result. 
     
     
         14 . The communication network of  claim 10 , wherein the communication network is a bus network logically connecting the first power electronic unit to the second power electronic unit. 
     
     
         15 . The communication network of  claim 14 , the second power electronic unit being further configured to transmit the network packet via the bus network to the first power electronic unit, the transmitting occurring during the critical time period, the first power electronic unit being configured to receive the network packet during the critical time period. 
     
     
         16 . The communication network of  claim 10 , wherein the critical period comprises a safety margin. 
     
     
         17 . The communication network of  claim 10 , wherein the network packet comprises a header, a payload, a reserved space, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         18 . The communication network of  claim 17 , wherein the header comprises source information and destination information, the source information comprising a first unique identifier, the first unique identifier being associated with the first power electronic unit, the destination information comprising a second unique identifier, the second unique identifier being associated with the second power electronic unit. 
     
     
         19 . A computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:
 generate, at a first power electronic unit, a network packet, the generating occurring during a critical time period;   transmit, from the first power electronic unit, the network packet, the transmitting occurring during the critical time period;   receive, at a second power electronic unit, the network packet, the receiving occurring during the critical time period; and   determine, at the second power electronic unit, a first voting result, the first voting result being based on data within the network packet, the determining occurring during the critical time period.   
     
     
         20 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 19 , the instructions further causing the computer to:
 perform, at the second power electronic unit, a first action based on the first voting result, the performing occurring after the critical time period.