SC3 Automation

Sensor Fusion and Artificial Intelligence Safety Controller

NVIDIA JAXi Safety Carrier Board

DOWNLOAD SENFAI DATASHEET

SC3 Automation and NVIDIA partner to enable the Jetson AGX Xavier Industrial safety capability. Autonomous machines, Industrial and Rail application can leverage the power of the JAXi for intensive data processing functions such as Sensor Fusion and Artificial Intelligence in combination with SC3 Automation's proven Safety MCU and IO boards.

SC3 Automation SENFAI Safety Controller for the Jetson AGX Xavier Industrial (JAXi) SOM

The SENFAI is a modular safety-related controller board combining a safety MCU, a communication 
co-processor, and designed to host the safety-capable NVIDIA Jetson JAXi Industrial SOM (SENFAI will support Jetson once released). The safety MCU processor is used to implement safety functions.

Safety-related Functions

When combined with a safety IO board or remote sensors and actuators, the SENFAI safety contoller can perform safety functions. The safety performance level of the safety functions combining the use of the JAXi depends on the application and the features used.

Network of Safety Controllers

Set two SENFAI safety controllers in a network such that the two safety MCUs meet SIL 4 according to EN 50129. The SENFAI can also be placed in a network with SC3 Automations SC3Node (SIL 3/ASIL-D) and/or SC4Node (SIL 4 according to EN 50129) controllers.

Safety System

The SENFAI controller is designed to support safety functions with SIL 3 according to IEC 61508:2010, Ple cat. 4 according to ISO 13849, and ASIL-D according to  ISO 26262. The SENFAI is designed to be used in various markets. It is compliant to Railway, Automotive and Industrial markets.

The SENFAI controller is available in various hardware configurations with or without IO boards. The available types of IO boards are the SC3 Automation Universal Digital IO, Universal Digital IO Double-cut, Universal Analog IO and the specialized transportation/rotating machinery Relay IO (with Quadrature encoders/pulse counters).

The SENFAI controller supports CAN, RS-232, RS-422, and RS-485 half-duplex and full-duplex communication. Industrial communication ports enable the use of the Ethernet protocols such as EtherCAT®, and Ethernet/IP™, ProfiNet™. The SENFAI controller includes temperature monitoring that detects an under temperature and triggers a heater circuit, an over temperature that initiates a system safe state.

The SENFAI has one SIL 3 Master Disconnect Output to signal the safe state when there are no IO boards. From a laptop, access the SENFAI embedded web server to configure the required parameters and set the real-time clock. Also, monitor and access application data, update the application, and access the system log.

Integration of the JAXi (and Jetson ORIN Industrial) on the SENFAI Board

The Jetson AGX Xavier Industrial (JAXi) system on module coupled with the Jetson Safety Extension Package (JSEP) provides the foundation for fault avoidance, detection, and control in safety-related systems. The hardware infrastructure for fault detection and control is implemented in the Xavier SOC on the JAXi module. NVIDIA JSEP software running on top of the NVIDIA JetPack™ SDK exposes that infrastructure for use in customer-defined systems.

The SENFAI implements the safety MCU Interfaces as described in the JAXi documentation. JAXi uses some of the existing signals to interface with a safety MCU if, implemented in a design. This includes: 

  • SPI2
  • EQOS and RGMII (Ethernet)
  • GPIO31 (SAFESTATE)
  • GPIO12 (BOOT_CHAIN_SELECT strap)

In addition, several other interface pins that were not supported on JAX or JAX 64GB are available to interface with the safety MCU including:

  • VM_I2C (Voltage Monitor I2C)
  • VM_INT_N (Voltage Monitor Interrupt)
  • NC_O3 (TEMP_THERM_OUT)

NVIDIA Jetson AGX Xavier Industrial module includes the Xavier SOC which is TÜV SUD assessed for meeting all applicable requirements for ISO 26262. The module also includes various built-in safety extensions:

  • Safety Cluster Engine (SCE), a dedicated ARM Cortex R5F lock-step subsystem for integrated fault detection
  • In-System-Test (IST), LBIST (Logic Built In Self Test), and MBIST (Memory Built In Self Test) for detecting permanent and latent failures
  • Hardware Safety Manager (HSM) and Error Collator (EC) for monitoring and reporting error signals
  • Support for adding external safety MCU
  • DRAM and GPU ECC (Error-Correcting Code)*
  • SEC (Single Error Correction), DED(Double Error Detection), and Parity protection for each IP*
  • ARM CCPLEX RAS (Reliability, Availability and Serviceability)*
  • Temperature, clock, and voltage monitoring*
    *Feature is enabled by Jetson Linux and does not require JSEP.

JSEP and Support of 3LSS Monitoring and Error Reporting

The SENFAI supports the JSEP including the 3LSS mechanism to perform monitor and error reporting from JAXi. The Jetson Safety Extension Package provides error diagnostic and error reporting framework for implementing safety functions and concepts to achieve functional safety standard compliance. Features:

  • Enables safety extensions built-in the Jetson AGX Xavier Industrial module

  • Diagnostic monitoring including Safe state and FuSa state monitoring and heartbeat mechanism at various layers

  • Safe communication using L3SS component

  • Error reporting of hardware and software errors

The safety performance level achievable for an application implemented on the JAXi depends on a number of factors including the selected architecture, the operating system, and the components used. Each application requirement needs to be reviewed. SC3 Automation can assist customers to determine the appropriate safety strategy for a given application.

Reference Design and Customization

The SENFAI offers a rich set of features and is ready to use. SC3 Automation’s mission is to provide customers with safety controllers that meet their exact requirements. Customization of the SENFAI including the number of peripherals, the type of connectors, the type of enclosure is performed to fit the exact needs of the application. The SENFAI extended design has a variety of connections to various peripherals. The image below shows the front and back view of the different connectors.