Motor Vehicle Control Unit Bus Port Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for communicating with motor vehicle control units require multiple access types and additional hardware, leading to complexity, increased weight, and the need for galvanic isolation, as well as necessitating the disconnection of the vehicle bus during data transmission and updating processes.
Innovation Solution
A control unit configuration that logically connects a bus port and an application tool port, allowing high-performance communication via a single access type, eliminating the need for additional interfaces and galvanic isolation, and enabling seamless updating without disconnecting the vehicle bus.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple access types (vehicle bus port and emulator probe port) are provided for communicating with control unit, then communication functionality and performance capability are improved, but device complexity and hardware requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the vehicle bus port and emulator probe port into a single integrated interface. The emulator probe port is configured to communicate via the vehicle bus, eliminating the need for separate physical connections. This consolidation maintains both diagnostic functionality and high-performance data access while reducing hardware complexity and wiring requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The single interface serves multiple functions: it provides vehicle bus communication for diagnostic operations and emulator probe access for high-performance data transmission and updating. The interface can operate in different modes depending on whether it is communicating with other control units via the vehicle bus or with the emulator probe for application development tasks.
2Adaptability or versatility
If additional interface (gateway module) is added for vehicle bus connection, then diagnostic functionality is improved, but device complexity and wiring complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the gateway module functionality with the existing vehicle bus port. The gateway module is integrated into the control unit's vehicle bus interface, eliminating the need for separate gateway hardware and reducing wiring complexity. This maintains full diagnostic functionality including fault memory erasing and diagnostic services while simplifying the overall system architecture.
3Speed
If vehicle bus is disconnected for emulator probe access, then high-performance data transmission is achieved, but communication availability and system reliability decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic switching capability in the single interface. The interface can dynamically transition between two operational states: connected to the vehicle bus for diagnostic communication and connected to the emulator probe for high-performance data access. This dynamic reconfiguration allows the system to maintain both communication availability and transmission performance without requiring physical disconnection of the vehicle bus.
4Reliability
If updating control unit requires deactivating driving function, then safe updating is achieved, but system functionality and operational continuity decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses the emulator probe interface as an intermediary for control unit updating. The emulator probe provides a dedicated update path that does not require deactivating the driving function. The interface can transmit update data to the control unit's memory while the control unit continues to operate, enabling safe updating without interrupting system functionality or requiring gateway module intervention.
Data Source
AI summary
A control unit for controlling or regulating a component, including a processing arrangement for controlling or regulating the component for connecting the control unit to a bus for communicating with a further control unit; an application tool port for connecting the control unit to an application tool for communicating with the control unit; and a connecting arrangement for connecting the application tool port and the bus port so that the application tool is able to communicate via the bus port, and a bus, a motor vehicle, a method, an application tool, and computer program products.