Patent ID: 8099179

Claim:
Fault-tolerant control system for a vehicle utilizing a plurality of propulsion systems, comprising: a front propulsion system providing propelling force to said vehicle; a rear propulsion system providing propelling force to said vehicle; a first communication bus; a second communication bus; a first controller controlling operation of said front propulsion system by providing a first output signal to said front propulsion system and monitoring a second output signal from a second controller via said first communication bus; and said second controller controlling operation of said rear propulsion system by providing said second output signal to said rear propulsion system and monitoring the first output signal from said first controller via said second communication bus; wherein each of said first and second controllers identifies faults within itself through a built-in test; wherein each of said first and second controllers identifies faults within the other of said first and second controllers through said built-in tests based upon its respectively monitored one of said first and second output signals; and wherein said first and second controllers utilize said built-in tests to maintain one of said propelling forces to said vehicle despite a single fault in any of said front propulsion system, said rear propulsion system, said first communication bus, said second communication bus, said first controller, and said second controller.