Controller-Based Latency Measurement for Vehicle Communication

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current latency measurement systems for vehicle electrical systems are inadequate for accurately measuring communication latency between devices, particularly when controllers are centralized, leading to unexpected behaviors and difficult fault diagnosis.

Innovation Solution

A latency measurement system and method utilizing a controller with input ports to receive start and stop trigger signals, record timestamps, perform error checking, and calculate latency measurements, which can be transmitted to a data acquisition system for visualization.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a centralized controller is used in vehicle electrical systems, then device integration is improved, but communication latency measurement accuracy deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice integrationVSAvoidcommunication latency measurement accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the latency measurement function by providing separate input ports (first input port for start trigger, second input port for stop trigger) that can be independently connected to different devices under test. This segmentation allows precise measurement of communication latency between specific device pairs while maintaining centralized controller architecture.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The controller acts as an intermediary measurement device that receives trigger signals from devices under test through dedicated input ports. It performs the measurement function by recording timestamps of start and stop triggers and calculating latency, serving as a mediator between the communicating devices and the measurement system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If trigger signal edges are flexibly selected, then measurement versatility is improved, but signal detection complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemeasurement versatilityVSAvoidsignal detection complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adapts to different trigger signal types by detecting whether the incoming signal uses rising edge or falling edge transitions. The controller is configured to recognize and process both edge types, allowing flexible measurement setup without increasing internal detection complexity through standardized edge recognition logic.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS12506672B2Latency measurement system and method

Publication Date: 2025.12.23 GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC

AI summary

A latency measurement system includes a controller having a first input port and a second input port. The controller is programmed to receive a start trigger signal using the first input port. The controller is further programmed to perform a first action in response to receiving the start trigger signal. The controller is further programmed to receive a stop trigger signal using the second input port. The controller is further programmed to perform a second action in response to receiving the stop trigger signal. The controller is further programmed to determine a latency measurement based at least in part on the first action and the second action.