AV Communication Gateway QoS Prioritization and State-Based Continuity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current autonomous vehicle technologies face challenges in improving Quality of Service (QoS) for network traffic, reducing network congestion, and prioritizing time-sensitive data communications, which are essential for safe and efficient navigation.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of an Autonomous Vehicle Communication Gateway (AVCG) manager that utilizes finite state machine (FSM) states and trigger events to manage network traffic, prioritizing high-priority data flows and ensuring continuous communication even when the vehicle's engine is off, by transitioning through states such as initiation, active, timed-active, and shutdown, and utilizing battery power when necessary.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If network traffic is managed without priority-based QoS, then network resource allocation is simple, but network congestion increases and latency rises for time-sensitive communications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments network traffic into different priority levels (high-priority time-sensitive traffic and low-priority non-time-sensitive traffic) and applies separate QoS handling for each segment. This allows critical communications to receive guaranteed network resources while non-critical traffic uses remaining capacity, resolving the contradiction between reliability and complexity by organizing traffic management into manageable segments.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent dynamically changes network traffic parameters by adjusting QoS settings based on traffic priority and vehicle operational states. The system modifies bandwidth allocation, latency thresholds, and packet handling parameters according to real-time conditions, enabling adaptive QoS management that improves reliability without requiring permanently complex infrastructure.
2Reliability
If the vehicle communication system shuts down completely when the engine is off, then energy consumption is minimized, but communication continuity is lost in critical situations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic communication system that adapts its operational state based on vehicle conditions. The communication gateway transitions between shutdown, timed-active, and active states depending on whether the engine is running and how long it has been off. This dynamic behavior ensures communication continuity is maintained only when necessary (improving reliability) while allowing complete shutdown during normal operation (minimizing energy consumption).
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by establishing communication protocols and maintaining gateway functionality in advance of potential critical situations. When the engine shuts down, the system proactively enters a timed-active state that preserves communication capabilities for a predetermined period, ensuring readiness for emergency communications before fully powering down to conserve energy.
3Speed
If all network traffic is treated equally, then network management is simple, but time-sensitive data experiences delays and network congestion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by assigning different QoS characteristics to different types of network traffic based on their specific requirements. High-priority time-sensitive traffic receives optimized handling with lower latency thresholds and higher bandwidth allocation, while low-priority traffic uses standard handling. This localized differentiation improves transmission speed for critical data without requiring complete system redesign.
4Reliability
If the communication gateway remains active indefinitely after engine shutdown, then communication availability is maximized, but battery power is depleted rapidly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic action through the timed-active state, where the communication gateway operates at reduced functionality for a predetermined time period after engine shutdown. This periodic operation maintains essential communication capabilities long enough to handle immediate post-shutdown scenarios while automatically transitioning to full shutdown to preserve battery power for extended durations.
Data Source
AI summary
A system accesses Autonomous Vehicle Communication Gateway (AVCG) information that comprises information associated with an AVCG manager. The AVCG manager is a software resource configured to transition among states in which the autonomous vehicle operates in response to detecting a respective trigger event. The system determines an autonomy status associated with the autonomous vehicle. The system detects a change in the autonomy status by accessing historical records of event, tracking back through the historical records of events, and tracking back through the AVCG information. The system determines one or more particular events from among one or both of the historical records of events and the AVCG information that led to the change in the autonomy status. The system outputs the cause of the change in the autonomy status.