EV Charging Station OTA Updates Without In-Vehicle Client Load

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vehicle software update methods, such as wired connections at dealerships and OTA updates, are inconvenient, costly, and inefficient due to vehicle downtime, unreliable wireless connections, and high processing demands, leading to infrequent software updates.

Innovation Solution

Implementing an OTA-integrated charging station that communicates with the vehicle and OEM system to retrieve and install software updates, reducing the need for vehicle monitoring and ensuring timely updates without reliance on reliable wireless connections.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If OTA updates are performed via wireless connection, then convenience is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to unreliable WiFi or cellular connections

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconvenience of software updateVSAvoidreliability of wireless connection

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The charging station serves as an intermediary device between the OEM server and the vehicle. It establishes a reliable wired connection to the vehicle during charging and downloads software updates through this stable connection, eliminating dependence on unreliable wireless connections while maintaining OTA convenience.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If wired connection updates are performed at dealership, then reliability is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to vehicle downtime and travel requirements

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereliability of software updateVSAvoidconvenience of software update

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The charging station automatically performs software updates for vehicles during charging sessions without requiring driver intervention. The system autonomously communicates with the OEM server, downloads updates, and installs them, making the vehicle maintenance process self-service and eliminating the need for dealership visits.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

Software updates are performed during charging sessions, which are routine maintenance activities. By combining software updates with regular charging operations, the system ensures updates happen proactively before issues arise, rather than waiting for problems to occur.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Adaptability or versatility

If pre-integrating OTA clients on vehicle models is performed, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity increases due to large processing power and storage requirements

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveOTA update capabilityVSAvoidprocessing power and storage requirements

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The OTA client functionality is extracted from the vehicle and relocated to the charging station. This eliminates the need for complex processing power and storage requirements in the vehicle, while still enabling OTA update capabilities through the charging station's infrastructure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentUS20250298599A1Methods and systems for client-less vehicle software updates

Publication Date: 2025.09.25 RED BEND LTD

AI summary

Systems and methods for vehicle software updates via over-the-air (OTA) integrated charging stations is herein provided. In one example, a method of an OTA integrated charging station comprises establishing communication between a computing system of the OTA integrated charging station and a vehicle computing system of an electric vehicle; determining one or more vehicle specifics of the electric vehicle from the vehicle computing system; establishing communication between the computing system and an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) system; retrieving a software update from the OEM system based on the one or more vehicle specifics; and the update to the vehicle computing system via a software installer thereof.