System and method for managing components of vehicle system

Abstract

The invention provides a system and a method for managing components of a vehicle system. The method may include: receiving, from a first user, a first user input associated with at least one of a selection of a single vehicle model, a selection of a single deformable body of a single vehicle model, a selection of a plurality of vehicle models, a selection of a single deformable body of a plurality of vehicle models, and a selection of a plurality of deformable bodies of a plurality of vehicle models; receiving, from the first user, a second user input associated with a composition of the simulated environment; determining a plurality of hardware components and a plurality of software components based on the first user input and the second user input; constructing a virtual vehicle network by connecting the plurality of hardware components and the plurality of software components to each other; and performing a first action in the virtual vehicle network to manage a first portion of the hardware component and the software component.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Systems and methods consistent with exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure relate to vehicle systems, and more particularly, to managing components of a vehicle system. Background Art

[0002] As the number of vehicle models and vehicle variants within each model is increasing, the automotive industry is facing problems related to the management of components. As a result, the management of components, including the development and testing of software components, requires significant amounts of time, cost, and resources.

[0003] First, in the related art, the design of physical hardware components of a vehicle and the design of software components are carried out separately, and the design of these components is not embedded in the vehicle development process and is only used as reference material. Moreover, in the vehicle development process, software components are built in specific hardware components. Thus, it is difficult to separately test or pre-test the software components before the hardware components can be utilized.

[0004] Moreover, in the related art, the software development process includes physically interfacing with physical hardware components (e.g., the built vehicle or prototype), which can be costly and time-consuming. For example, a vendor or supplier needs to physically access a vehicle manufacturer's test facility and deploy prototypes, production hardware, infrastructure systems, and the like there. In most cases, this includes traveling to different locations and scheduling time to use the test facility. Also, the number of resources within the test facility is sometimes limited, so the number of processes that can be carried out simultaneously in the test facility is sometimes limited.

[0005] In addition, in the related art, variants of hardware components and software components may also be limited to a single vehicle model and / or vehicle variant. In this regard, multiple vehicle manufacturers have a significant number of vehicle models and multiple vehicle variants for each vehicle model. Before deploying software to a vehicle, these vehicle models and variants require software development, testing, and updating. Thus, the production, testing, and updating of software are complex, time-consuming, and costly.

[0006] Moreover, in the related art, it is difficult to manage (e.g., produce, test, deploy, etc.) software components wirelessly (OTA: Over-the-Air) across multiple vehicle models and vehicle variants. This is because, for OTA management, a vehicle manufacturer needs to have accurate copies of all vehicle models and variants.

[0007] In view of the above, in order to develop, test, and update the components in a vehicle system, a more efficient and cost-effective method is needed. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure provide methods, systems, and devices for effectively and efficiently managing one or more components in one or more vehicle systems.

[0009] According to an embodiment, a method for managing components of a vehicle system is provided. The method may be implemented by at least one processor of the system and may include: receiving, from a first user, a first user input associated with at least one selection among a selection of a single vehicle model, a selection of a single variant of a single vehicle model, a selection of multiple vehicle models, a selection of a single variant of multiple vehicle models, and a selection of multiple variants of multiple vehicle models; receiving, from the first user, a second user input associated with the configuration of a simulation environment; determining, based on the first user input and the second user input, a plurality of hardware components and a plurality of software components associated with the first user input and the second user input; constructing a virtual vehicle network by interconnecting the plurality of hardware components and the plurality of software components, wherein the virtual vehicle network has the interconnection of the components of the vehicle system; receiving, from the first user, a third user input associated with a first action, wherein the first action is an action of managing a first part of the hardware components and the software components in the virtual vehicle network; and performing, based on the third user input, the first action in the virtual vehicle network to manage the first part of the hardware components and the software components.

[0010] According to an embodiment, the method may further include: receiving, from a second user, a fourth user input for selecting the virtual vehicle network; receiving, from the second user, a fifth user input associated with a second action, wherein the second action is an action of managing a second part of the hardware components and the software components in the virtual vehicle network; and performing, based on the fifth user input, the second action in the virtual vehicle network to manage the second part of the hardware components and the software components. The second action may be different from the first action, and the second part may be different from the first part.

[0011] According to an embodiment, at least a part of a plurality of hardware components, a plurality of software components, or a combination of a plurality of hardware components and a plurality of software components may be located at different geographical locations. Further or alternatively, at least a part of a plurality of hardware components, a plurality of software components, or a combination of a plurality of hardware components and a plurality of software components may be associated with a user different from the first user. The plurality of hardware components may include a plurality of production hardwares, a plurality of prototype hardwares, or a combination of a plurality of production hardwares and a plurality of prototype hardwares. The plurality of software components may include a plurality of production softwares, a plurality of prototype softwares, a plurality of virtual hardwares, or a combination of a plurality of production softwares, a plurality of prototype softwares, and a plurality of virtual hardwares.

[0012] According to an embodiment, at least a part of a plurality of hardware components and at least a part of a plurality of software components may be located at different geographical locations, and the construction of a virtual vehicle network may include: constructing at least one virtual vehicle copy based on the plurality of hardware components and the plurality of software components located at different geographical locations; constructing at least one simulation model; and connecting at least one virtual vehicle copy with at least one simulation model to construct a virtual vehicle network.

[0013] According to an embodiment, the construction of at least one virtual vehicle copy may include: obtaining connection composition information; making a virtual network based on the connection composition information; and connecting the plurality of hardware components and the plurality of software components located at different geographical locations with the virtual network. The connection between the plurality of hardware components and the plurality of software components may include: deploying the plurality of software components in one or more devices communicatively connected to the system; ensuring the plurality of hardware components; and connecting one or more devices with the ensured hardware components.

[0014] According to an embodiment, the construction of at least one simulation model may include: obtaining at least one motion model and at least one state model based on a second user input; and connecting at least one motion model with at least one state model to construct at least one simulation model. At least one motion model may contain information that determines vehicle dynamics, vehicle kinematics, and vehicle control. At least one state model may contain information that determines road conditions, weather conditions, traffic conditions, and events.

[0015] According to an embodiment, performing one or more behaviors may include performing at least one of the following actions: sharing at least a part of the virtual vehicle network with one or more users different from the first user; designing a vehicle by arranging at least one virtual vehicle copy; designing a test scenario by arranging at least one simulation model; and testing software components in the virtual vehicle network.

[0016] According to an embodiment, a system for managing components of a vehicle system is provided. The system may include: a storage memory that stores computer-executable instructions; and at least one processor communicatively coupled to the storage memory. The at least one processor may be configured to execute the instructions to perform the following operations: receive a first user input from a first user that is associated with at least one selection among a selection of a single vehicle model, a selection of a single variant of a single vehicle model, a selection of multiple vehicle models, a selection of a single variant of multiple vehicle models, and a selection of multiple variants of multiple vehicle models; receive a second user input from the first user that is associated with the configuration of a simulation environment; based on the first user input and the second user input, determine a plurality of hardware components and a plurality of software components that are associated with the first user input and the second user input; construct a virtual vehicle network by interconnecting the plurality of hardware components and the plurality of software components, wherein the virtual vehicle network may include the interconnection of components of the vehicle system; receive a third user input from the first user that is associated with a first operation, wherein the first operation is an operation of managing a first portion of the hardware components and the software components in the virtual vehicle network; and based on the third user input, perform the first operation in the virtual vehicle network to manage the first portion of the hardware components and the software components.

[0017] According to an embodiment, the at least one processor may further be configured to execute the instructions to: receive a fourth user input from a second user to select the virtual vehicle network; receive a fifth user input from the second user that is associated with a second operation, wherein the second operation is an operation of managing a second portion of the hardware components and the software components in the virtual vehicle network; and based on the fifth user input, perform the second operation in the virtual vehicle network to manage the second portion of the hardware components and the software components. The second operation may be different from the first operation, and the second portion may be different from the first portion.

[0018] According to an embodiment, at least a portion of the plurality of hardware components, the plurality of software components, or a combination of the plurality of hardware components and the plurality of software components may be located at different geographical locations. Further or alternatively, at least a portion of the plurality of hardware components, the plurality of software components, or a combination of the plurality of hardware components and the plurality of software components may be associated with a user different from the first user. The plurality of hardware components may include a plurality of production hardwares, a plurality of prototype hardwares, or a combination of the plurality of production hardwares and the plurality of prototype hardwares. The plurality of software components may include a plurality of production softwares, a plurality of prototype softwares, a plurality of virtual hardwares, or a combination of the plurality of production softwares, the plurality of prototype softwares, and the plurality of virtual hardwares.

[0019] According to an embodiment, at least a part of the plurality of hardware components and at least a part of the plurality of software components may be located in different geographical locations, and at least one processor may be configured to execute instructions so as to: build at least one virtual vehicle copy based on the plurality of hardware components and the plurality of software components located in different geographical locations; build at least one simulation model; and connect at least one virtual vehicle copy with at least one simulation model to build a virtual vehicle network, thereby building a virtual vehicle network. At least one processor may be configured to execute instructions so as to: obtain connection configuration information; make a virtual network based on the connection configuration information; and connect the plurality of hardware components and the plurality of software components located in different geographical locations with the virtual network, thereby building at least one virtual vehicle copy. At least one processor may be configured to execute instructions so as to: deploy the plurality of software components in one or more devices communicatively connected to the system; ensure the plurality of hardware components; and connect one or more devices with the ensured hardware components, thereby connecting the plurality of hardware components with the plurality of software components.

[0020] According to an embodiment, at least one processor may be configured to execute instructions so as to: obtain at least one motion model and at least one state model based on a second user input; and connect at least one motion model with at least one state model to build at least one simulation model, thereby building at least one simulation model. At least one motion model may include information that determines vehicle dynamics, vehicle kinematics, and vehicle control. At least one state model may include information that determines road conditions, weather conditions, traffic conditions, and events.

[0021] According to an embodiment, at least one processor may be configured to execute instructions so as to perform at least one of the following actions: share at least a part of the virtual vehicle network with one or more users different from a first user; design a vehicle by arranging at least one virtual vehicle copy; design a test scenario by arranging at least one simulation model; and test software components in the virtual vehicle network, thereby performing one or more actions.

[0022] Additional aspects will be described in part in the following description, may be partially apparent from the description, or may be realized by the implementation of the presented embodiments of the present disclosure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] Hereinafter, features, advantages, and importance of preferred embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings, in which like reference numerals denote like elements.

[0024] Figure 1 A block diagram of an exemplary system architecture for managing components of a vehicle system representing more than one embodiment.

[0025] Figure 2 A block diagram of exemplary components of a component management system representing more than one embodiment.

[0026] Figure 3 A flowchart of an exemplary method for managing components of a vehicle system representing more than one embodiment.

[0027] Figure 4 An exemplary system architecture including a virtual vehicle network representing more than one embodiment. Detailed Description

[0028] The following detailed description of the preferred embodiments will refer to the accompanying drawings. The above disclosure provides examples and explanations, but is not intended to be exhaustive nor to limit the implementation to the exact forms disclosed. Modifications and variations can be obtained in view of the above disclosure or can be obtained according to the implementation of the solution. Also, one or more features or components of one embodiment can be incorporated into another embodiment (or one or more features of another embodiment) or can be combined with it. Moreover, it can be understood that in the flowcharts and descriptions of the actions provided below, one or more actions can be omitted, one or more actions can be added, one or more actions can be (at least partially) implemented simultaneously, or the order of one or more actions can be switched.

[0029] Even if a particular combination of features is recited in the claims and / or disclosed in the present specification, such combination is not intended to limit the disclosure of possible implementations. In fact, many of these features can be combined in ways not specifically recited in the claims and / or not disclosed in the present specification. Each of the dependent claims listed below can only directly depend on one claim, but the disclosure of possible implementations includes each dependent claim combined with all other claims within the set of claims.

[0030] Unless otherwise expressly stated, elements, acts, or instructions used in this specification should not be construed as critical or essential. In addition, the articles "a" and "an" used in this specification are intended to include more than one item and may be used interchangeably with "more than one". In cases where only one item is meant, terms such as "one" or equivalent terms are used. In addition, the terms "has", "have", "having", "include", "including", or similar terms used in this specification are meant to be open-ended terms. Moreover, unless otherwise expressly stated, the phrase "based on..." means "at least partially based on...". Also, expressions such as "at least one of [A] and [B]" or "at least one of [A] or [B]" should be understood to include only A, only B, or both A and B.

[0031] References throughout this specification to "one embodiment", "an embodiment", "a non-limiting preferred embodiment", or similar terms mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the solution. Thus, the phrases "in one embodiment", "in an embodiment", "in a non-limiting preferred one embodiment", and similar terms throughout this specification may all refer to the same embodiment, but not necessarily so.

[0032] Moreover, the features, advantages, and characteristics of the present disclosure described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. In light of the description of this specification, those skilled in the art should recognize that the present disclosure may be practiced without one or more of the specific features or advantages of a particular embodiment. In other instances, additional features and advantages may be recognized in a particular embodiment that may not necessarily be present in all embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0033] In addition, the term "vehicle" or similar terms used in this specification may refer to any powered and / or mechanical machine capable of transporting or transferring people and / or goods, e.g., passenger cars, trucks, motorcycles, buses, bicycles, mobility scooters, and the like.

[0034] Hereinafter, an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure will be provided.

[0035] Figure 1Block diagram of an exemplary system architecture 100 for managing components of a vehicle system representing more than one embodiment. As Figure 1 shown, the system architecture 100 may include a software abstraction layer 110 that communicatively connects a plurality of components 120 to a plurality of user equipment (UE) 130. Generally, a plurality of users associated with the plurality of UEs 130 may use the plurality of UEs 130 to manage the plurality of components 120 via the software abstraction layer 110.

[0036] The software abstraction layer may bridge or interconnect components located in different geographical locations and / or associated with different users, thereby providing centralized management of components related to multiple locations and / or associated with multiple users via a single abstraction layer. By effectively utilizing the software abstraction layer, exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure do not require users to have expertise related to all components of the vehicle system, enabling multiple users to effectively and efficiently manage the components of the vehicle system, thereby alleviating the requirement to physically move to the location where the components are deployed.

[0037] Moreover, by effectively utilizing the software abstraction layer, exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure can achieve component replacement while maintaining the integrity of the component management process. Moreover, exemplary embodiments can make the underlying components elements at a variable level of abstraction. Ultimately, exemplary embodiments can provide a hybrid vehicle network system that effectively utilizes the advantages of high fidelity of physical hardware components and the cost-effectiveness of virtual software components.

[0038] As Figure 1 shown, the software abstraction layer 110 may include a component management system 110-1 and at least one database 110-2. Hereinafter, with reference to Figure 2 , descriptions of components that may be included in the component management system 110-1 are provided. Moreover, hereinafter, with reference to Figure 3 and Figure 4 , descriptions of actions that may be performed by the component management system 110-1 and exemplary use cases associated therewith are provided.

[0039] The database 110-2 may include one or more of a server, a repository, or any suitable device, where the any suitable device may be configured to store and provide data or information. According to an embodiment, when storing and supplying data and information, the database 110-2 may effectively utilize the indexing and querying functions of a database (e.g., SQL (Structured Query Language), Scalable Graph Database, etc.). According to an embodiment, the database 110-2 may be configured to store and provide data or information in real time or substantially in real time.

[0040] The information that can be stored and provided by the database 110-2 may include information related to hardware components, software components, vehicle models, vehicle variants, virtual vehicle networks, and any other suitable data or information (but not limited thereto).

[0041] In this regard, the "hardware components" described in this specification may refer to fully developed physical components, partially developed physical components, and / or prototype physical components in a vehicle. For example, it may refer to a physical electronic control unit (ECU), a transmission control unit (TCU), an actuator in a vehicle, a sensor in a vehicle, a vehicle engine, a vehicle seat, a vehicle gear, a vehicle telematics device, and similar components (but not limited thereto). In this regard, the information associated with the hardware components may include the functions of each hardware component, the types of each hardware component, the locations where each hardware component is deployed, the users associated with each hardware component, the availability of each hardware component, information about the software associated with each hardware component (if any), the vehicle models and vehicle variants including each hardware component, and similar information (but not limited thereto).

[0042] The "software components" described in this specification may refer to fully developed virtual components, partially developed virtual components, and / or prototype virtual components related to a vehicle. For example, it may refer to software application programs such as the operating system (OS: Operating System) of a system in a vehicle (e.g., an infotainment system, a driving assistance system, etc.), virtual ECUs and / or emulated ECUs, simulated hardware, and similar components (however, not limited thereto). In addition, the "software components" described in this specification may also refer to computer-executable software models. For example, it may refer to an action model that simulates the action state of a vehicle and a state model that simulates the environmental state of a vehicle. In this regard, the information associated with the software components may include the functions of each software component, the types of each software component, the versions of each software component, information about the storage that stores or hosts each software component, the programming code or algorithm of the software component, information about the hardware associated with each software component (if any), the resource requirements for deploying each software, the vehicle models and vehicle variants that include each software component, information about the virtual vehicle network that includes each software component, and similar information (however, not limited thereto).

[0043] The "vehicle model" described in this specification may refer to a specific lineup, version, and / or type of vehicle produced by a vehicle manufacturer. Each vehicle model may be characterized by an inherent set of features, technical specifications, design elements, and similar elements that distinguish it from other models within the same / different vehicle manufacturers. Moreover, vehicle models can be designed according to the purpose of use (e.g., sedan, truck, sports car, electric vehicle, etc.) and can be identified by a specific name / title that clearly represents or can be recognized. In this regard, the information associated with the vehicle model may include information about the users (e.g., vendors, suppliers, etc.) associated with the components included in each vehicle model, the features / technical specifications of each vehicle model, information about the vehicle variants associated with each vehicle model, the purpose of use of each vehicle model, the name / title of each vehicle model, information about the hardware components included in each vehicle model, information about the software components included in each vehicle model, information about vehicle technical specifications or vehicle manuals, and similar information (however, not limited thereto).

[0044] The term "vehicle variant" as described in this specification may refer to the trim level or different versions of a specific vehicle model, which can respectively provide various combinations of hardware components and software components, and provide different features and technical specifications while maintaining the main design of the specific vehicle model. As an example, vehicle variants can be classified according to the type of vehicle propulsion system (e.g., pure gasoline, diesel, hybrid, pure electric, etc.), the type of vehicle transmission system (e.g., front-wheel drive (FWD), rear-wheel drive (RWD), four-wheel drive (4WD), etc.), vehicle trim level (e.g., base, standard, sport, premium), and the like. In this regard, the information associated with vehicle variants may include information on the characteristics of each vehicle variant, information on the hardware components and software components associated with each vehicle variant, information on the vehicle model associated with each vehicle variant, the name / title of each vehicle variant, information on the configuration (which may be referred to as "connection configuration" in this specification) that connects the hardware components and software components in each vehicle variant, and the like (however, it is not limited thereto).

[0045] The term "virtual vehicle network" as described in this specification may refer to an expression related to the interconnection and relationship between the components of a vehicle system intended by a user. In other words, a virtual vehicle network can define a high-fidelity and dynamically customizable communication infrastructure, where the communication infrastructure represents the connection between multiple hardware components and multiple software components related to the vehicle model (and vehicle variants, if any) intended by the user and the simulation environment configuration determined by the user. As will be referred to below Figure 3 and Figure 4As further described, a virtual vehicle network may be composed of at least one virtual vehicle copy and at least one simulation model. In this regard, the term "virtual vehicle copy" described in this specification may refer to an expression related to the interconnection and relationship between the hardware components and software components of the vehicle model (and vehicle variants, if any) intended by the user. On the other hand, the term "simulation model" described in this specification may refer to a combination of software models that determine a virtual environment capable of simulating a virtual vehicle copy. Specifically, the simulation model may determine the environmental composition for simulating one or more states and scenarios intended by the user. According to an embodiment, the simulation model may include one or more motion models and one or more state models. One or more motion models may contain information that defines motion components. For example, it may contain vehicle dynamics information for simulating forces acting on vehicle components (such as the chassis, suspension system, tires, powertrain, etc.) (such as aerodynamic forces, tire forces, gravity, inertial forces, etc.), vehicle kinematic information for simulating the motion and geometric relationships between vehicle components (such as position, velocity, wheel motion, steering angle, etc.), vehicle control information for simulating control algorithms or actions when managing vehicle functions (such as stability control, anti-lock braking (ABS) control, electronic stability control (ESC), etc.) and similar information. One or more state models may contain information that defines environmental states. For example, it may contain road conditions, weather conditions, traffic conditions, events, and similar information. Hereinafter, with reference to Figure 3 and Figure 4 , further descriptions of the virtual vehicle network, virtual vehicle copy, and simulation model are provided.

[0046] In this regard, the information associated with the virtual vehicle network may include information on the hardware components and software components that make up the virtual vehicle copy in the virtual vehicle network. For example, the connection composition of the hardware components and software components in the virtual vehicle copy, the connection composition between the virtual vehicle copy and the simulation model, the users associated with the virtual vehicle network (such as producers, editors, managers, etc.), the sharing settings of the virtual vehicle network, the log of historical actions contained in the virtual vehicle network, and similar information (however, it is not limited to this). According to an embodiment, the information of the virtual vehicle network may be stored in a configuration file that can be shared and executed across multiple systems and multiple user devices.

[0047] Still referring to Figure 1, the plurality of components 120 may include a plurality of hardware components 120-1, a plurality of software components 120-2, and any other suitable components that make up the vehicle system. Since the descriptions associating with "hardware components" and "software components" are provided with reference to the database 110-2 above, for the sake of brevity, redundant descriptions associating therewith may be omitted hereinafter.

[0048] According to an embodiment, at least a part of the components 120 may be located in different geographical locations. For example, a part of the hardware components 120-1 may be located in a first location, and another part of the hardware components 120-1 may be located in a second location, where the first location is different from the second location. Similarly, a part of the software components 120-2 may also be located / deployed in different geographical locations from another part of the software components 120-2, and a part of the hardware components 120-1 may also be located in different geographical locations from a part of the software components 120-2, and similar operations may be performed.

[0049] On the other hand, the plurality of UEs 130-1 to 130-N may include one or more systems, devices, and any other suitable devices that can be used by one or more users associated with one or more of the components 120. The one or more users may include, but are not limited to, software developers who develop software components, managers from one or more of the components 120, vehicle manufacturers, vendors, suppliers, and similar users. The one or more users may be located in different geographical locations.

[0050] In order to access the component management system 110-1 and utilize the component management system 110-1, the plurality of UEs 130-1 to 130-N may be used by one or more associated users. Specifically, a user may access the component management system 110-1 via the associated UE to manage one or more components. For example, a user may perform: constructing a virtual vehicle network by using the component management system 110-1 via the associated UE; sharing at least a part of the constructed virtual vehicle network with one or more hardware components and / or one or more software components; designing a vehicle by using the constructed virtual vehicle network; designing a test scenario by using the constructed virtual vehicle network; testing the software components in the virtual vehicle network; and similar operations. According to an embodiment, a plurality of users may use the associated UEs to simultaneously access the component management system 110-1, so as to perform one or more operations of managing the components of the vehicle system simultaneously or continuously.

[0051] According to an embodiment, one or more of the plurality of UEs 130-1 to 130-N may include a computing device (e.g., a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a handheld computer, a smart speaker, a server, etc.), a mobile device (e.g., a smartphone, etc.), a wearable device (e.g., a pair of smart glasses or a smart watch), a SIM (Subscriber Identity Module)-based device, or any other suitable device capable of establishing an association with one or more users. Moreover, the plurality of UEs 130-1 to 130-N may include, for example, a workstation, a test system associated with one or more test environments, a software development system, and the like.

[0052] According to an embodiment, at least a portion of the plurality of UEs 130-1 to 130-N may be located at different geographical locations. For example, a first portion of the plurality of UEs 130-1 to 130-N may be utilized by a first user (e.g., a developer of software components, etc.), and the first user and the associated UE may be located at a first location. On the other hand, a second portion of the plurality of UEs 130-1 to 130-N may be utilized by a second user (e.g., a manager of hardware components, etc.), and the second user and the associated UE may be located at a second location different from the first location.

[0053] According to an embodiment, one or more components of the system architecture 100 may be implemented in a cloud environment. For example, at least a portion of the software component 120-2 may be determined in a computer-executable instance and hosted in a plurality of cloud servers (e.g., a public cloud, a private cloud, a hybrid cloud, etc.). As another example, one or more operations of the component management system 110-1 may be determined in computer-executable instructions and hosted in a plurality of cloud servers.

[0054] According to an embodiment, the components of the system architecture 100 can be communicatively connected to each other via one or more networks (e.g., a wireless network, a wired network, or a combination thereof). For example, one or more networks can include a cellular network (e.g., a fifth-generation (5G) network, a long-term evolution (LTE) network, a third-generation (3G) network, a code division multiple access (CDMA) network, etc.), a public land mobile network (PLMN), a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), a metropolitan area network (MAN), a telephone network (e.g., a public switched telephone network (PSTN)), a private network, an ad-hoc network, an intranet, the Internet, a fiber-based network, or the like and / or a combination of these types or other types of networks. Further or alternatively, one or more networks can include a virtual network, which can include one or more physical network components (e.g., an Ethernet, a WiFi (Wireless Fidelity) module, a telecommunication network hardware, etc.) that implement one or more virtualized network functions (e.g., a controller area network (CAN) bus, etc.). According to an embodiment, the communication and interaction between the software abstraction layer 110 (or one or more components included therein), the component 120, and the UE 130 can be performed via wireless (OTA).

[0055] In view of the above, an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure provides a system (and a method of using the system) that enables multiple users to design or create a desired virtual vehicle network and a simulation environment, where the simulation environment is an environment for managing (e.g., developing, sharing, testing, evaluating, etc.) the components of the virtual vehicle network in a desired manner.

[0056] Figure 2 A block diagram showing exemplary components of a component management system 200 representing one or more embodiments. The component management system 200 can be associated with reference to Figure 1The above-described component management system 110-1 corresponds. Therefore, unless otherwise specifically stated, the features described in this specification with reference to the component management system 110-1 and the component management system 200 can be applied to each other.

[0057] As Figure 2 shown, the component management system 200 may include at least one communication interface 210, at least one memory 220, and at least one processor 230. However, it should be understood that without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, the component management system 200 may include more components than those shown, fewer components than those shown, and / or the components included therein may be configured in any different manner from those shown.

[0058] The communication interface 210 may include components such as a transceiver (e.g., a transceiver, an independent receiver, and a transmitter, etc.) that enable the component management system 200 (or one or more components included therein) to communicate with one or more components located outside the component management system 200 via a wired connection, a wireless connection, or a combination of a wired connection and a wireless connection.

[0059] For example, the communication interface 210 may connect the component management system 200 (or one or more components included therein) to a plurality of components (e.g., Figure 1 components 120-1 to 120-N, etc.) and a plurality of devices (e.g., UE130-1 to UE130-N, etc.), thereby enabling them to communicate with each other and operate with each other. As another example, the communication interface 210 may enable the components of the component management system 200 to communicate with each other. For example, the communication interface 210 may connect the memory 220 to the processor 230, thereby enabling them to communicate with each other and operate with each other.

[0060] According to an embodiment, the communication interface 210 may include a hardware-based interface, such as may include a bus interface, an Ethernet interface, an optical interface, a coaxial interface, an infrared interface, a radio frequency (RF) interface, a universal serial bus (USB) interface, a Wi-Fi interface, a cellular network interface, a software interface, or the like. According to an embodiment, the communication interface 210 may include at least one controller area network (CAN) bus. Further or alternatively, the communication interface 210 may include a software-based interface, such as may include an application programming interface (API), a virtualized network interface (such as a virtualized CAN bus, etc.), a programming interface, or the like. In some implementation scenarios, the communication interface 210 may function as a bus construction tool configured to connect components (e.g., component 120) of a vehicle system in a vehicle configuration specified by a user to each other using one or more APIs.

[0061] According to an embodiment, the communication interface 210 may be configured to receive information from one or more components external to the component management system 200, provide the information to the processor 230 for further processing and / or provide the information to the storage 220 for storage. For example, the communication interface 210 may fetch the real-time or substantially real-time status of a task, obtain logs associated with the task, monitor the health status of a virtual vehicle (to be further described below), enable one or more interactions between one or more users and the virtual vehicle and the test environment, and may perform similar actions.

[0062] At least one storage 220 may include one or more storage media suitable for storing data, information, and / or computer-readable instructions / computer-executable instructions internally. For example, the storage 220 may store computer-readable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors (e.g., processor 230), cause the one or more processors to perform one or more actions or operations described in this specification. According to an embodiment, the storage 220 may include a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), and / or another type of dynamic storage device or static storage device (such as flash memory, magnetic memory, and / or optical memory) for storing information and / or instructions for use by the processor 230.

[0063] Further or alternatively, the memory 220 may include a corresponding driver and include a hard disk (e.g., a magnetic disk, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, and / or a solid state drive), a compact disc (CD), a digital versatile disc (DVD), a floppy disk, a cartridge, a magnetic tape, and / or another type of non-transitory computer-readable medium.

[0064] The at least one processor 230 may include more than one processor, and the more than one processor may be programmed to perform functions or operations for managing components of the vehicle system. For example, the processor 230 may be configured to execute computer-readable instructions stored in a storage medium (e.g., the memory 220, etc.), thereby performing one or more actions or operations described in this specification.

[0065] According to an embodiment, the processor 230 may be configured to receive one or more signals that have determined one or more instructions to perform one or more actions (e.g., via the communication interface 210, etc.). Moreover, the processor 230 may be implemented by hardware, firmware, or a combination of hardware and software. The processor 230 may include a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), an accelerated processing unit (APU), a microprocessor, a microcontroller, a digital signal processor (DSP), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), and / or another type of processing component or computing component.

[0066] Figure 3 A flowchart of an exemplary method 300 for managing components of a vehicle system representing one or more embodiments. One or more actions of the method 300 may be performed by at least one processor (e.g., the processor 230) of the component management system of an exemplary embodiment.

[0067] Generally, at least one user can use at least one UE to access the component management system, (optionally with / without a vehicle variant) select the intended vehicle model, and select the intended action to manage the components of the intended vehicle model. Therefore, the component management system can be configured to: construct a virtual vehicle network representing the user's intended vehicle model (and the user's intended vehicle variant, if any) and the user's intended simulated environment composition, and based on this, perform the user's intended action to manage the user's intended components. The component management system can generate more than one graphical user interface (GUI: Graphical User Interface) and present it to at least one user, thereby interacting with at least one user in more than one action. Hereinafter, a further description of exemplary actions is provided.

[0068] As Figure 3 shown, in action S310, at least one processor of the component management system can be configured to receive a first user input associated with vehicle selection from at least one user.

[0069] Specifically, at least one processor can receive from the user (via the UE associated with the user) a first user input associated with the selection of a single vehicle model, the selection of a single variant of a single vehicle model, the selection of multiple vehicle models, the selection of a single variant of multiple vehicle models, the selection of multiple variants of multiple vehicle models, or a combination thereof. According to an embodiment, at least one processor can be configured to generate at least one GUI and present it to the user, and can receive the first user input by determining more than one user interaction with the GUI. For example, when the access of the user (or the associated UE) is determined, at least one processor can collect information on available vehicle models and vehicle variants, and can include this information in the GUI for the user to select. Therefore, the user can interact with more than one interaction element (e.g., interactive text, list of options, button, etc.) to select the intended vehicle model and / or the intended vehicle variant.

[0070] In action S320, at least one processor of the component management system can be configured to receive a second user input associated with the composition of the simulated environment from the user (via the associated UE).

[0071] For example, at least one processor may receive a user selection or user definition or selection for more than one action model and / or more than one state model. For example, it may receive user input for more than one vehicle dynamics parameter, user input for more than one vehicle kinematics parameter, user input for more than one vehicle control parameter, user input for more than one road condition, user input for more than one weather condition, user input for more than one traffic condition, user input for more than one event parameter, and user input of the like. According to an embodiment, at least one processor may generate at least one GUI and present it to the user, and may receive a second user input by determining more than one user interaction with the GUI in the same manner as the reception of the first user input (described above with reference to action S310).

[0072] It can be understood that actions S310 and S320 described above in this specification may be performed in any suitable manner. For example, action S310 may be performed before action S320, action S310 may also be performed after action S320, actions S310 and S320 may also be performed simultaneously, or actions of the same type may be performed.

[0073] Still referring to Figure 3 , when a first user input for the intended vehicle model / vehicle variant is received (in action S310) and a second user input for the intended simulation environment configuration is received (in action S320), method 300 may proceed to action S330, in which at least one processor of the component management system may be configured to determine a plurality of hardware components and a plurality of software components associated with the user input based on the first user input and the second user input.

[0074] For example, at least one processor may, based on the first user input, obtain from more than one storage medium (e.g., database 110-2, memory 220, etc.) information (which may be referred to as "vehicle information" in this specification) associated with the vehicle model (and the variant selected by the user, if any) selected by the user, such as vehicle technical specifications, vehicle design information, and information of the like. Similarly, at least one processor may, based on the second user input, obtain from more than one storage medium information associated with the simulation environment configuration selected or defined by the user, such as the action model selected or defined by the user, the state model selected or defined by the user, and information of the like.

[0075] Accordingly, at least one processor may determine, based on the obtained vehicle information, a plurality of hardware components and a plurality of software components associated with the vehicle model selected by the user (and the variant selected by the user, if any). As an example, it may be that, based on the determination that the user has selected a vehicle model of "Model A" and a vehicle variant of "Variant B", at least one processor determines the hardware component information associated with the specific combination of "Variant B of Model A", such as determining the type of the hardware component (e.g., engine, sensor, actuator, physical ECU, etc.), the version / serial number of the hardware component, the vendor / supplier of the hardware component, and the like information.

[0076] According to an embodiment, at least one processor may first determine the hardware component information of the vehicle model selected by the user, and then may remove the information that is not associated with the vehicle variant selected by the user. In some implementations, it may be that, based on the determination that the user has not selected a vehicle variant, at least one processor automatically selects a default variant associated with the vehicle model selected by the user (e.g., the most general variant, the variant with basic necessary features, the variant associated with the user). In other implementations, it may be that, based on the determination that the user has not selected a vehicle variant, at least one processor only obtains and maintains all the hardware component information associated with the vehicle model selected by the user (including the hardware component information of all variants related to the vehicle model selected by the user).

[0077] It can be understood that, similar to the above regarding the exemplary actions associated with obtaining hardware component information, at least one processor may determine software component information based on the first user input and / or the second user input, such as determining the type of the software component (e.g., OS, virtualized ECU, simulation ECU, motion model, state model, etc.), the ID of the software component, the user / user group of the software component (e.g., developer team, vendor, supplier, etc.), the information of the hardware or device hosting the software component, the programming code or algorithm of the software component, and the like information.

[0078] Still referring to Figure 3 , when, in operation S330, the hardware components and software components associated with the user input are determined (e.g., the vehicle model / vehicle variant selected by the user, the user-defined simulation environment components, etc.), method 300 may proceed to operation S340, in which at least one processor of the component management system may be configured to construct at least one virtual vehicle network based on the plurality of hardware components and the plurality of software components.

[0079] According to an embodiment, at least one processor may be configured to build a virtual vehicle network by interconnecting a plurality of hardware components and a plurality of software components.

[0080] In some implementations, at least one processor may build at least one virtual vehicle replica, may build at least one simulation model, and may interconnect at least one virtual vehicle replica and at least one simulation model, thereby building a virtual vehicle network.

[0081] According to an embodiment, at least one processor may build at least one simulation model by the following operations: based on a second user input (received in operation S320), obtain at least one motion model and at least one state model, and interconnect at least one motion model and at least one state model, thereby building at least one simulation model. At least one simulation model determines the composition of the simulation environment intended by the user.

[0082] According to an embodiment, at least one processor may be configured to build a virtual vehicle replica by interconnecting a hardware component and a software component. Specifically, at least one processor may obtain connection composition information (determined by vehicle technical specifications or vehicle manuals, etc.) of a vehicle model selected by the user (and a vehicle variant selected by the user, if any), and may create a virtual network based on the connection composition information. In the context of a virtual vehicle replica, the term "virtual network" may refer to a virtual representation of the connection between the software components and the hardware components of the vehicle model selected by the user (and the vehicle variant selected by the user, if any) as if they were communicating between actual vehicles according to the connection composition information. When the virtual network is created, at least one processor may interconnect a plurality of hardware components and a plurality of software components with the virtual network, thereby creating a virtual vehicle replica.

[0083] According to an embodiment, at least one processor may acquire software components and may deploy the software components in a suitable device or devices. For example, software components (e.g., virtual ECU, simulation ECU, OS, operation model, state model, etc.) may be determined in the form of one or more containers, and at least one processor acquires the one or more containers and deploys the one or more containers in one or more devices, configuring the one or more devices to execute instances of the one or more containers. According to an embodiment, at least one processor may determine one or more resource requirements for deploying one or more software components, may determine one or more devices that satisfy the one or more resource requirements from among a plurality of devices communicatively connected to a component management system, and may deploy the one or more software components in the one or more determined devices. Thus, at least one processor may dynamically deploy software components in any device having available resources for executing the software components, regardless of the geographical location of the device in which the software components are to be deployed.

[0084] According to an embodiment, at least one processor may determine whether a hardware component is available from among a plurality of hardware components communicatively connected to a component management system, and may secure the hardware component based on the determination that the hardware component is available. Thus, at least one processor may dynamically secure any hardware component that satisfies the requirements, regardless of the geographical location of the device in which the hardware component is to be deployed. Accordingly, at least one processor can interconnect the device in which the software components are deployed with the secured hardware components (such as a virtual network, etc.), thereby constructing a virtual vehicle network.

[0085] According to an embodiment, based on the determination that a certain software component among the required software components and / or a certain hardware component among the required hardware components is not available, at least one processor may determine whether a replacement component is available and may utilize the replacement component if available.

[0086] For example, based on the determination that a software component is unavailable (e.g., due to software errors, software maintenance, missing software files, etc.), at least one processor may obtain the last identified version of the software component (e.g., a backup version, etc.), may obtain another software component associated therewith (e.g., a software component having the same function, a software component from the same user / user group, etc.), and / or may obtain a replacement component by any other suitable method, and may then deploy the replacement component to the device initially determined to deploy the unavailable software component. Alternatively or additionally, at least one processor may determine whether a hardware component associated with the unavailable software component is available from among a plurality of hardware components communicatively connected to the component management system, and may, if available, use the hardware component as a replacement component. For example, based on the determination that a virtual ECU is unavailable, at least one processor may determine whether a hardware ECU having the same function / characteristics as the virtual ECU is available, and may, if available, use the hardware ECU as a replacement component.

[0087] Similarly, based on the situation that a hardware component is unavailable (the hardware component has been fully secured, the hardware component is a resource insufficient for normal operation, etc.), at least one processor may determine whether a software component associated with the unavailable hardware component is available from among a plurality of software components stored in one or more storage media, and may, if available, use the software component as a replacement component. Alternatively or additionally, at least one processor may determine and secure another hardware component associated with the unavailable hardware component (e.g., a hardware component having the same function, a hardware component from the same user / user group, etc.) as a replacement component.

[0088] According to an embodiment, based on the determination that a software component and / or a hardware component is unavailable, and based on the determination that there is no available replacement component, at least one processor may be configured to generate a temporary software model that simulates the basic necessary functions of the unavailable software component and / or the unavailable hardware component.

[0089] For this purpose, in operation S340, at least one processor may construct a virtual vehicle network that meets the composition intended by the user and represents the vehicle system intended by the user. When the virtual vehicle network is constructed, the user may perform one or more actions for managing one or more components of the virtual vehicle network.

[0090] Specifically, in operation S350, at least one processor of the component management system may be configured to receive from a user a third user input associated with at least one action for managing at least a part of hardware components and software components in a virtual vehicle network. The third user input may be received by at least one processor via at least one GUI in the same manner as the reception of the first user input (in operation S310) and the reception of the second user input (in operation S320).

[0091] Accordingly, in operation S360, at least one processor of the component management system may be configured to perform at least one action for managing a part of hardware components and software components based on the third user input. Hereinafter, with reference to Figure 4 exemplary use cases in, descriptions of exemplary actions for managing at least a part of hardware components and / or software components in a virtual vehicle network are provided.

[0092] Figure 4 An exemplary system architecture 400 including a virtual vehicle network 420 representing more than one embodiment. Figure 4 The component management system 410, UE430-1, and database 440 in may be the same as the component management system 110-1, UE130, and database 110-2 in Figure 1 respectively. Therefore, for the sake of brevity, redundant descriptions associated therewith may be omitted hereinafter.

[0093] As Figure 4 shown, the virtual vehicle network 420 may include at least one virtual vehicle copy 420-1 and at least one simulation model 420-2. The virtual vehicle network 420 may be generated by the component management system 410 (or at least one processor associated therewith) in the same manner as the method described above with reference to Figure 3 .

[0094] At least a part of the hardware components and / or software components of the virtual vehicle network 420 may be located in different geographical locations, and / or may be associated with different users. For example, a part of the hardware components of the virtual vehicle copy 420-1 may also be located in a different location from the device where a part of the software components of the virtual vehicle copy 420-1 is deployed, and the device where a part of the software components of the virtual vehicle copy 420-1 is deployed may also be located in a different location from the device where a part of the simulation model 420-2 is deployed. A part of the hardware components may also be managed by multiple users and may perform the same type of actions.

[0095] Moreover, the multiple hardware components in the virtual vehicle network 420 may include multiple produced hardware components (which may be referred to as "production hardware" in this specification), multiple prototype hardware components, or a combination thereof. Similarly, the multiple software components include multiple produced software components (which may be referred to as "production software" in this specification), multiple prototype software components, multiple virtual hardware components, or a combination thereof. Since examples of the hardware components and software components are provided in the foregoing, for the sake of brevity, redundant descriptions associated therewith may be omitted hereinafter. Figures 1 to 3 Since descriptions of examples of the hardware components and software components are provided above, redundant descriptions associated therewith may be omitted hereinafter for the sake of brevity.

[0096] Moreover, in Figure 4 it is shown that the virtual vehicle network 420 includes one virtual vehicle copy and one simulation model. However, it can be understood that, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, at least one processor of the component management system 410 may be configured to generate multiple virtual vehicle copies and / or multiple simulation models in one virtual vehicle network. For example, at least one processor may generate a virtual vehicle network including multiple virtual vehicle copies based on a decision that the user has selected multiple vehicle models and / or multiple vehicle variants, and the multiple virtual vehicle copies are respectively associated with each of the multiple vehicle models and / or multiple vehicle variants.

[0097] When the virtual vehicle network 420 is constructed, at least one processor of the component management system 410 may assign a unique ID to the virtual vehicle network 420 and store the composition of the virtual vehicle network 420 together with the assigned ID in the database 440. According to an embodiment, the virtual vehicle network 420 may be stored in the form of a composition file, where the composition file includes composition information of the virtual vehicle network, such as information on the associated hardware components, information on the associated software components, information determining the interconnections and relationships between the hardware components and the software components, and the like.

[0098] For this purpose, the user may use the component management system 410 to perform more than one action of managing the components of the virtual vehicle network 420. The more than one action may include: sharing at least a part of the virtual vehicle network 420; designing a vehicle by arranging the components of the virtual vehicle copy 420-1; designing a test scenario by arranging the components of the simulation model 420-2; and testing software components in the virtual vehicle network. One or more of the above actions may be performed via OTA.

[0099] According to an embodiment, a user (who may be referred to as the "first user" in this specification) who constructs a virtual vehicle network can use the component management system 410 to share the constructed virtual vehicle network (or one or more components included therein) with another user (who may be referred to as the "second user" in this specification). The first user and the second user may be located in different geographical locations, and / or may be people from different backgrounds (for example, the first user may be a person from a developer team, the second user may be a person from a test team, the first user may be a person from a vehicle manufacturer, the second user may be a person from a vendor / supplier, etc.).

[0100] For example, when the virtual vehicle network 420 is constructed, at least one processor can receive a user input (such as the third user input described above with reference to operation S350) from the first user that specifies a sharing setting for the constructed virtual vehicle network. The sharing setting may include the user / user group with whom the virtual vehicle network (or components therein) should be shared, the components of the virtual vehicle network to be shared (such as the entire virtual vehicle network, only virtual vehicle replicas, a part of the simulation model, etc.), the type of sharing (such as temporarily, permanently, etc.), the permissions for the shared components (such as only view, view and edit, copy and share, all permissions, etc.), and the like. Accordingly, at least one processor can obtain the configuration file of the virtual vehicle network, update the configuration file to include the user-specified sharing setting, and store the updated configuration file in the database 440.

[0101] Accordingly, the second user can use the component management system 410 to perform one or more actions for managing one or more components associated with the virtual vehicle network 420. For example, when it is assumed that the first user specifies a sharing setting in such a way that the entire virtual vehicle network 420 is shared with all permissions to the second user, whenever the second user accesses the component management system 410, the GUI generated and presented by at least one processor of the component management system 410 may include the virtual vehicle network 420 as a selectable option for management. Accordingly, the second user can interact with the GUI to select the virtual vehicle network (or one or more components included therein) related to management.

[0102] According to an embodiment, the first user and the second user can access the component management system 410 simultaneously and can manage the components of the virtual vehicle network 420 respectively. For example, the first user wants to create a new software function for the virtual vehicle copy 420-1, while the second user wants to perform tests on the software components of the virtual vehicle 420-1. The first user and the second user can perform their respective operations without interfering with each other. Specifically, when the first user and the second user want to perform management operations, at any time, the user can select the desired virtual vehicle network and can choose to perform management operations independently (for example, select the "Manage Independently" checkbox in the presented GUI, etc.).

[0103] Therefore, the component management system 410 can only obtain the component files of the selected virtual vehicle network and can construct the virtual vehicle network for the first user and the second user by connecting the mutually separated hardware components and software components to each other. For example, the hardware components of the virtual vehicle network managed by the first user can be located in different places from the hardware components of the virtual vehicle network managed by the second user and can also perform similar operations. In this way, multiple users can manage the same virtual vehicle network independently and simultaneously without interfering with each other. For this purpose, multiple users do not need to identify the exact location where the components are deployed and only need to interact with the abstract level information (for example, the composition of the virtual vehicle network, the components of the virtual vehicle copy, etc.).

[0104] According to an embodiment, the first user and the second user can access the component management system 410 simultaneously and can manage the components of the virtual vehicle network 420 collaboratively. For example, the first user wants to test the newly developed software components (such as virtual ECUs, etc.) of the virtual vehicle copy 420-1, while the second user wants to monitor the test process and adjust the simulation model 420-2 throughout the test process to construct a simulation model suitable for the virtual vehicle copy 420-1 using the newly developed software components embedded therein.

[0105] In this exemplary use case, the first user can provide the newly developed software components to the component management system 410 (via at least one GUI provided by the component management system 410, etc.) and specify the composition of the newly developed software components (which hardware components / software components, etc. it should be connected to). At least one processor of the component management system 410 can update the component file of the virtual vehicle copy 420-1 in a manner that includes the composition of the newly developed software components, and at the same time, can store the newly developed software components (such as programming code, algorithms, containers, etc.) in the database 440.

[0106] Therefore, when a trigger for testing newly developed software components is received (e.g., when a user interaction with a specific interaction element such as a "test start" button in at least one presented GUI is determined, when it is determined that the current time is within a certain period from the planned test time, etc.), at least one processor can obtain an updated configuration file of the virtual vehicle network from the database 440 and can build the virtual vehicle network based on the updated configuration file.

[0107] After that, at least one processor can determine one or more test environments associated with the test intended by the user (e.g., a Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) test environment, a Software-in-the-Loop (SIL) test environment, etc.) and can test the virtual vehicle network 420 based on this. For example, at least one processor can test the hardware components of the virtual vehicle replica 420-1 in one or more HIL test environments based on the simulation model 420-2 to obtain the first part of the test results, can test the software components of the virtual vehicle replica 420-1 in one or more SIL test environments based on the simulation model 420-2 to obtain the second part of the test results, and can combine the first part and the second part of the test results to form a complete test result, which as a whole represents the test result of the virtual vehicle replica in the simulation environment constituted by the simulation model 420-2.

[0108] When the test results are obtained, at least one processor can store the test results in the database 440 and can update the GUI presented to the second user to present the test results in real time or almost real time. Therefore, the second user can adjust the components of the simulation model 420-2 based on the test results. At least one processor of the component management system 410 can update the configuration file of the virtual vehicle network 420 in a manner that includes information on the adjusted simulation model 420-2. In this regard, while the test operation performed by the first user is still ongoing, at least one processor can update the virtual vehicle network 420 in a manner that includes the latest configuration of the simulation model 420-2 based on the updated configuration file. Therefore, the test operation being performed by the first user can continue based on the latest configuration of the simulation model 420-2 provided by the second user.

[0109] In view of the above, in order to enable information synchronization, exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure receive the latest information from multiple users simultaneously and store / update the latest information in the database 440. Accordingly, multiple users can manage the components of the virtual vehicle network simultaneously and collaboratively in an effective and efficient manner.

[0110] According to another embodiment, multiple users can access the component management system 410 simultaneously, and on the other hand, the management operations are performed in a sequential manner. For example, at least one processor of the component management system can receive requests for performing management operations in the virtual vehicle network from multiple UEs simultaneously. In this regard, at least one processor can be configured to queue or assign priorities to the requests based on execution time, cost, efficiency, complexity, user priority, impact level, and urgency level, for example.

[0111] It can be understood that the above exemplary embodiments are only a part of the possible use cases, and the scope of the present disclosure should not be limited thereto. For example, the component management system of the exemplary embodiments can be appropriately used to manage any appropriate components of any appropriate vehicle system in any appropriate manner without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. For example, according to an embodiment, the component management system of the exemplary embodiments can be implemented by a system having one or more machine learning (ML) algorithms or artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms for component management, or can be configured to operate interactively with such a system.

[0112] For this purpose, exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure provide a component management system that can be used to construct a virtual vehicle network, where the virtual vehicle network can be remotely accessed by multiple users from multiple locations via a software abstraction layer for one or more vehicle models and / or one or more vehicle variants to perform management of components such as software component development, testing, verification, and homologation management. Multiple users can effectively and efficiently manage the components by interacting with the virtual vehicle network regardless of the exact underlying hardware components and devices on which the software components are deployed. Accordingly, exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure eliminate the need for expertise in the field related to the underlying components.

[0113] Moreover, the virtual vehicle network constructed and managed by the component management system of the exemplary embodiments can provide a high-fidelity communication infrastructure between the hardware components and the software components. For example, the virtual vehicle network is composed of variable components such as produced hardware components and software components, prototype hardware components and software components, and virtual hardware components and software components. This takes advantage of the cost performance of high-fidelity production hardware and simulation software components or virtualized software components in a single hybrid environment.

[0114] Moreover, for security, royalty accounting, charge management, and like factors, the management processes (e.g., development processes, test processes, etc.) and the components (e.g., software code, etc.) contained therein can be traced throughout the process and can be effectively shared among multiple users.

[0115] Ultimately, the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure can achieve efficient and effective management of the components of the vehicle system, thereby addressing the problems in the related art as described above.

[0116] The features, advantages, and importance of the exemplary embodiments described above in this specification are only a part of the present disclosure, are not intended to be exhaustive, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. Moreover, it can be understood that the specific order or hierarchy of the functional blocks in the processes / flowcharts disclosed in this specification is an example of the exemplary methods. It can be understood that based on design preferences, the specific order or hierarchy of the functional blocks in the processes / flowcharts can be reconfigured. Moreover, some functional blocks can be combined or some functional blocks can be omitted. The appended method claims present the elements of the various functional blocks in a exemplary order and are not intended to be limited to the specific order or hierarchy presented.

[0117] In some embodiments, it may relate to systems, methods, and / or computer-readable media at any possible technical detail level of integration. Moreover, in this specification, as described above, one or more of the above components can be implemented as instructions (and / or include at least one processor) stored in a computer-readable medium and executable by at least one processor. The computer-readable medium can include a computer-readable non-transitory storage medium (or media) having computer-readable program instructions for causing the processor to perform actions.

[0118] A computer-readable storage medium can be a tangible device that can hold and store instructions for use by an instruction execution device. A computer-readable storage medium can be, for example, an electronic storage device, a magnetic storage device, an optical storage device, an electromagnetic storage device, a semiconductor storage device, or any suitable combination of the above, but is not limited to these. A non-exhaustive list of more specific examples of computer-readable storage media includes the following, namely, a portable computer disk, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM (Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory) or flash memory), a static random access memory (SRAM), a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM: Compact Disc Read Only Memory), a digital versatile disc (DVD), a memory stick, a floppy disk, a mechanically encoded device such as a punched card or a raised structure in a groove that records instructions, and any suitable combination of the above. The computer-readable storage media used in this specification should not be construed as transient signals themselves, such as radio waves or other freely propagating electromagnetic waves, electromagnetic waves propagating through waveguides or other transmission media (for example, light pulses passing through an optical fiber cable), or electrical signals transmitted through wires.

[0119] The computer-readable program instructions described in this specification can be downloaded from a computer-readable storage medium to various computing / processing devices, or can be downloaded to an external computer or an external storage device via a network, such as the Internet, a local area network, a wide area network, and / or a wireless network. The network can include copper transmission cables, optical transmission fibers, wireless transmission, routers, firewalls, switches, gateway computers, and / or edge servers. A network adapter or network interface in each computing / processing device receives the computer-readable program instructions from the network and transmits the computer-readable program instructions for storage in the computer-readable storage medium in each computing / processing device.

[0120] The computer-readable program code / instruction for performing an action can be any one of assembly instructions, instruction-set-architecture (ISA) instructions, machine instructions, machine-dependent instructions, microcode, firmware instructions, state-setting data, configuration data for an integrated circuit, or source code or object code written in any combination of one or more programming languages, which includes object-oriented programming languages such as Smalltalk, C++, or the like, and procedural programming languages such as the "C" programming language or the like. The computer-readable program instructions can be executed entirely on the user's computer, can be partially executed on the user's computer, can be executed as an independent software package, can be partially executed on the user's computer and partially on a remote computer, or can be executed entirely on a remote computer or server. In the latter scenario, the remote computer can be connected to the user's computer via any type of network including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or can be connected to an external computer (for example, by using an Internet service provider to connect via the Internet). In some embodiments, in order to perform a solution or an action, an electronic circuit such as a programmable logic circuit, a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), or a programmable logic array (PLA) can use the status information of the computer-readable program instructions to individualize the electronic circuit, thereby executing the computer-readable program instructions.

[0121] The computer-readable program instructions can be provided to a processor of a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, or other programmable data processing device for generating a machine, and as a result, the instructions executed via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing device generate components that implement the functions / behavior specified in the function box or function boxes in the flowchart and / or block diagram. The computer-readable program instructions can also be stored in a computer-readable storage medium, which can direct a computer, a programmable data processing device, and / or other devices to function in a specific manner, and as a result, the computer-readable storage medium storing the instructions internally has an article of manufacture that includes instructions for a solution implementing the functions / behavior specified in the function box or function boxes in the flowchart and / or block diagram.

[0122] Computer-readable program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other devices to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer, other programmable apparatus, or other devices to produce a computer-implemented process, such that the instructions which execute on the computer, other programmable apparatus, or other devices implement the functions / acts specified in the flowchart and / or block diagram block or blocks.

[0123] The flowcharts and block diagrams in the figures illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods, and computer-readable media according to various embodiments. In this regard, each functional block in the flowchart or block diagram may represent a module, segment, or portion of code that comprises one or more executable instructions to implement the specified logical function. The methods, systems, and computer-readable media may include additional functional blocks, fewer functional blocks, different functional blocks, or differently arranged functional blocks than those depicted in the figures. In some alternative implementations, the functions noted in the blocks may occur out of the order noted in the figures. For example, two blocks shown in succession may in fact be executed substantially concurrently or the blocks may be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality associated with them. It should also be noted that each block of the block diagrams and / or flowchart illustrations, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and / or flowchart illustrations, can be implemented by special purpose hardware-based systems that perform the specified functions or acts, or combinations of special purpose hardware and computer instructions.

[0124] It will be apparent that the systems and / or methods described in this specification can be implemented in various forms of hardware, firmware, or a combination of hardware and software. The actual special control hardware or software code used to implement the systems and / or methods is not limited by the implementation. Thus, it is understood that the operations and behaviors of the systems and / or methods are described in this specification without reference to specific software code, and that software and hardware can be designed to implement the systems and / or methods based on the description in this specification.

Claims

1. A method for managing components of a vehicle system, wherein, The method is implemented by at least one processor of a system, and the method includes: Receiving, from a first user, a first user input associated with at least one of a selection of a single vehicle model, a selection of a single variant of the single vehicle model, a selection of multiple vehicle models, a selection of a single variant of the multiple vehicle models, and a selection of multiple variants of the multiple vehicle models; Receiving, from the first user, a second user input associated with the configuration of a simulation environment; Based on the first user input and the second user input, determining multiple hardware components and multiple software components associated with the first user input and the second user input; Constructing a virtual vehicle network by interconnecting the multiple hardware components and the multiple software components, wherein the virtual vehicle network has the interconnection of the components of the vehicle system; Receiving, from the first user, a third user input associated with a first action, wherein the first action is an action of managing a first part of the hardware components and the software components in the virtual vehicle network; and Based on the third user input, performing the first action in the virtual vehicle network to manage the first part of the hardware components and the software components.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein, Further includes: Receiving, from a second user, a fourth user input for selecting the virtual vehicle network; Receiving, from the second user, a fifth user input associated with a second action, wherein the second action is an action of managing a second part of the hardware components and the software components in the virtual vehicle network; And Based on the fifth user input, performing the second action in the virtual vehicle network to manage the second part of the hardware components and the software components, wherein the second action is different from the first action, and the second part is different from the first part.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, At least a part of the multiple hardware components, the multiple software components, or a combination of the multiple hardware components and the multiple software components is located at different geographical locations.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, At least a part of the multiple hardware components, the multiple software components, or a combination of the multiple hardware components and the multiple software components is associated with a user different from the first user.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein, The multiple hardware components include multiple production hardwares, multiple prototype hardwares, or a combination of the multiple production hardwares and the multiple prototype hardwares, and the multiple software components include multiple production softwares, multiple prototype softwares, multiple virtual hardwares, or a combination of the multiple production softwares, the multiple prototype softwares, and the multiple virtual hardwares.

6. The method according to claim 3, wherein, At least a part of the plurality of hardware components and at least a part of the plurality of software components are located at different geographical locations. The construction of the virtual vehicle network includes: Based on the plurality of hardware components and the plurality of software components located at different geographical locations, constructing at least one virtual vehicle copy; Constructing at least one simulation model; and Mutually connecting the at least one virtual vehicle copy and the at least one simulation model to construct the virtual vehicle network.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein The construction of the at least one virtual vehicle copy includes: Obtaining connection composition information; Based on the connection composition information, making a virtual network; and Mutually connecting the plurality of hardware components and the plurality of software components located at different geographical locations with the virtual network.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein The mutual connection of the plurality of hardware components and the plurality of software components includes: Deploying the plurality of software components in one or more devices communicatively connected to the system; Ensuring the plurality of hardware components; and Mutually connecting the one or more devices with the ensured hardware components.

9. The method according to any one of claims 6 to 8, wherein The construction of the at least one simulation model includes: Based on the second user input, obtaining at least one action model and at least one state model; and Mutually connecting the at least one action model and the at least one state model to construct the at least one simulation model, The at least one action model has information that determines vehicle dynamics, vehicle kinematics, and vehicle control, and the at least one state model has information that determines road conditions, weather conditions, traffic conditions, and events.

10. The method according to any one of claims 6 to 9, wherein Performing one or more actions includes performing at least one of the following actions: Sharing at least a part of the virtual vehicle network with one or more users different from the first user; Designing a vehicle by arranging the at least one virtual vehicle copy; Designing a test scenario by arranging the at least one simulation model; And Testing software components in the virtual vehicle network.

11. A system for managing components of a vehicle system, wherein, The system includes: A storage memory that stores computer-executable instructions; and At least one processor communicatively connected to the storage memory, The at least one processor is configured to execute the instructions to perform the following actions: Receiving from a first user a first user input associated with at least one of a selection of a single vehicle model, a selection of a single variant of the single vehicle model, a selection of multiple vehicle models, a selection of a single variant of the multiple vehicle models, and a selection of multiple variants of the multiple vehicle models; Receiving from the first user a second user input associated with the composition of a simulation environment; Based on the first user input and the second user input, determine a plurality of hardware components and a plurality of software components associated with the first user input and the second user input; Construct a virtual vehicle network by interconnecting the plurality of hardware components and the plurality of software components, wherein the virtual vehicle network has the interconnection of the components of the vehicle system; Receive a third user input from the first user associated with a first action, wherein the first action is an action of managing a first part of the hardware components and the software components in the virtual vehicle network; and Based on the third user input, perform the first action in the virtual vehicle network to manage the first part of the hardware components and the software components.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein, The at least one processor is further configured to execute the instructions so that: Receive a fourth user input from a second user selecting the virtual vehicle network; Receive a fifth user input from the second user associated with a second action, wherein the second action is an action of managing a second part of the hardware components and the software components in the virtual vehicle network; and Based on the fifth user input, perform the second action in the virtual vehicle network to manage the second part of the hardware components and the software components, The second action is different from the first action, and the second part is different from the first part.

13. The system according to claim 11 or 12, wherein, At least a part of the plurality of hardware components, the plurality of software components, or a combination of the plurality of hardware components and the plurality of software components is located in different geographical locations.

14. The system according to any one of claims 11 to 13, wherein, At least a part of the plurality of hardware components, the plurality of software components, or a combination of the plurality of hardware components and the plurality of software components is associated with a user different from the first user.

15. The system according to any one of claims 11 to 14, wherein, The plurality of hardware components include a plurality of production hardwares, a plurality of prototype hardwares, or a combination of the plurality of production hardwares and the plurality of prototype hardwares, and the plurality of software components include a plurality of production softwares, a plurality of prototype softwares, a plurality of virtual hardwares, or a combination of the plurality of production softwares, the plurality of prototype softwares, and the plurality of virtual hardwares.

16. The system according to claim 13, wherein, At least a part of the plurality of hardware components and at least a part of the plurality of software components are located in different geographical locations, The at least one processor is configured to execute the instructions so that: Based on the plurality of hardware components and the plurality of software components located in different geographical locations, construct at least one virtual vehicle copy; Construct at least one simulation model; and Connect the at least one virtual vehicle copy to the at least one simulation model to construct the virtual vehicle network, Thereby constructing the virtual vehicle network.

17. The system according to claim 16, wherein, The at least one processor is configured to execute the instructions so as to: Obtain connection composition information; Based on the connection composition information, create a virtual network; And Connect the multiple hardware components and the multiple software components located at different geographical locations to the virtual network, Thereby constructing the at least one virtual vehicle copy.

18. The system according to claim 17, wherein, The at least one processor is configured to execute the instructions so as to: Deploy the multiple software components in one or more devices communicatively connected to the system; Ensure the multiple hardware components; And Connect the one or more devices to the ensured hardware components, Thereby connecting the multiple hardware components to the multiple software components.

19. The system according to any one of claims 16 to 18, wherein, The at least one processor is configured to execute the instructions so as to: Based on the second user input, obtain at least one action model and at least one state model; and Connect the at least one action model to the at least one state model to construct the at least one simulation model, Thereby constructing the at least one simulation model, The at least one action model has information determining vehicle dynamics, vehicle kinematics, and vehicle control, and the at least one state model has information determining road conditions, weather conditions, traffic conditions, and events.

20. The system according to any one of claims 16 to 19, wherein, The at least one processor is configured to execute the instructions to perform at least one of the following actions: Share at least a part of the virtual vehicle network with one or more users different from the first user; Design a vehicle by sorting out the at least one virtual vehicle copy; Design a test scenario by sorting out the at least one simulation model; And Test software components in the virtual vehicle network, Thereby performing one or more actions.

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