Vehicle Bus Impedance Detection for ECU Identification and Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Integrating autonomous capabilities into mainstream consumer vehicles is challenging due to proprietary technologies and limited documentation, making it costly and time-consuming for third-parties to interface with existing systems.
Innovation Solution
An autonomous vehicle interface (AVI) system that identifies and controls electronic control units (ECUs) by measuring bus impedance over a shared bus, such as a CAN bus, to determine which ECU is transmitting, enabling effective communication and control of vehicle systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If third-parties interface with proprietary vehicle systems using traditional methods, then they can achieve vehicle control functionality, but the integration cost and time consumption increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables autonomous vehicles to automatically identify and interface with proprietary vehicle systems without requiring extensive manual configuration or documentation from third-parties. The autonomous vehicle interface autonomously queries the bus impedance, receives identification information, and configures itself to communicate with ECUs, thereby eliminating the need for time-consuming manual integration processes and reducing both cost and time.
2Reliability
If proprietary technologies are used in vehicle systems, then system functionality is maintained, but documentation and information availability are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The autonomous vehicle interface acts as an intermediary between third-party autonomous control systems and proprietary vehicle ECUs. It queries the bus impedance to obtain identification information about connected ECUs, then uses this information to establish appropriate communication protocols and interfaces. This intermediary approach allows the system to work with proprietary technologies without requiring full documentation, as the impedance-based identification automatically reveals the necessary system characteristics.
3Device complexity
If multiple ECUs are connected to a shared bus, then system complexity is reduced, but identification of transmitting ECUs becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses bus impedance as a measurable parameter to identify which ECU is transmitting on the shared bus. By monitoring changes in bus impedance that occur when different ECUs transmit signals, the autonomous vehicle interface can determine the identity of the transmitting ECU without requiring complex identification protocols or modifying the existing bus architecture. This parameter-based identification method maintains system simplicity while solving the identification problem.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Facilitates efficient identification and control of vehicle systems, reducing integration costs and time by providing a standardized method to interface with proprietary systems, enabling autonomous operation and diagnostics.
Implementation Method 1
An autonomous vehicle interface (AVI) system that identifies and controls electronic control units (ECUs) by measuring bus impedance over a shared bus, such as a CAN bus
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods that facilitate identifying and controlling the systems and subsystems in a vehicle to enable autonomous operation of the vehicle are disclosed. An autonomous vehicle interface (AVI) (the “AVI control system”) can interface with and control the system of the vehicle, thereby enabling control of the vehicle as a whole. Electronic control units may be associated with each of the systems and subsystems in the vehicle, and the AVI may interface with and control these electronic control units over a shared data bus. In order to control particular electronic control units, the systems and methods provide for sampling data packets transmitted by the electronic control units on the shared data bus, measuring the impedance of the shared data bus when data packets are being transmitted, and identifying particular electronic control units based on the measured impedance.