Method of improving system performance and survivability through self-sacrifice
AssigneeU.S.A. as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
InventorsMICHAEL G. HINCHEY, EMIL I. VASSEV
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Abstract
A biologically-inspired system and method is provided for self-adapting behavior of swarm-based exploration missions, whereby individual components, for example, spacecraft, in the system can sacrifice themselves for the greater good of the entire system. The swarm-based system can exhibit emergent self-adapting behavior. Each component can be configured to exhibit self-sacrifice behavior based on Autonomic System Specification Language (ASSL).
Claims20
An autonomic system comprising:
- a plurality of autonomic components, comprising a coordinating autonomic component, a messenger autonomic component, and a plurality of autonomic worker components, each autonomic component of the plurality of autonomic components being programmed to (i) generate signals indicative of one or more triggering events, (ii) send the signals to the coordinating autonomic component, and (iii) self-sacrifice voluntarily based on the occurrence of at least one of the one or more triggering events, wherein
- the coordinating autonomic component is programmed to assign programmed tasks and issue instructions to each of the plurality of autonomic worker components,
- the messenger autonomic component is configured to facilitate communication between the coordinating autonomic component and the plurality of autonomic worker components,
- each of the autonomic worker components comprises a scientific instrument and is configured to operate the respective scientific instrument, and
- at least one of the autonomic components of the plurality of autonomic components is configured to self-sacrifice voluntarily by transformation or self-destruction upon occurrence of at least one of the one or more triggering events.
A method for managing an autonomic system comprising a plurality of autonomic components, the method comprising:
- generating a signal indicative of a triggering event pertaining to one or more faulty autonomic components of the plurality of autonomic components;
- and
- causing each of the one or more faulty autonomic components to undertake a voluntary self-sacrifice operation comprising at least one of a transformation operation and a self-destruction operation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.