Dynamic Vehicle Bus Subscription via Central Gateway Module
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle electronic control units (ECUs) have fixed permissions that cannot be dynamically changed after manufacturing, limiting the ability to adapt to changing vehicle functions or permissions without replacing the entire database of ECU identities and permissions.
Innovation Solution
A central gateway module (CGM) is used to store and manage ECU identities and permissions, allowing wireless receipt of instructions to change message permissions individually, enabling dynamic control of access to information on a vehicle bus without replacing the entire database, and allowing temporal changes to permissions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the database is stored at the vehicle when manufactured with fixed permissions, then the manufacturing process is simple and reliable, but the permissions cannot be changed after manufacturing
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the permission management by separating the database storage (in CGM) from the permission enforcement (at each ECU). The database is divided into individual ECU identity records, each with its own permission set that can be independently modified. This allows selective updates of specific ECU permissions without replacing the entire database.
Solution Approach 2:
The Central Gateway Module (CGM) acts as an intermediary between the external authorization server and the ECUs. It stores the database of ECU identities and permissions, and manages the update process by receiving authorization data from the server and distributing relevant permission changes to specific ECUs, thereby enabling flexible permission management without direct ECU-server communication.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the entire database is replaced to change permissions, then permission updates are achieved, but the process is time-consuming and costly
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts only the necessary permission data from the centralized database when updates are needed. Instead of replacing the entire database, the CGM receives authorization data from the server, processes it to identify which ECU permissions need changing, and sends only those specific updates to the relevant ECUs. This selective extraction dramatically reduces update time and data transmission requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The ECU identities and their associated permissions are pre-stored in the CGM during vehicle manufacturing. This preliminary setup creates a ready-to-update local database that can quickly receive and apply permission changes without needing to download or process entire database files during updates, thereby reducing update time.
3Ease of manufacture
If fixed permissions are used at manufacturing, then the system is simple to manufacture, but it lacks the ability to dynamically control access
Solution Approach 1:
The Central Gateway Module (CGM) is designed as a multi-functional component that serves both as a standard database storage unit during manufacturing and as a dynamic permission management system during operation. It can store ECU identities and permissions, receive updates from external servers, process authorization data, and distribute updates to ECUs - thereby providing both manufacturing simplicity and operational flexibility through a single universal module.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of controlling access at a vehicle to information communicated over a vehicle bus includes: storing one or more electronic control unit (ECU) identities in a central gateway module (CGM) that is communicatively linked with a vehicle bus; associating one or more message permissions for receiving messages via the vehicle bus with one of the ECU identities in the CGM that represents an ECU communicatively linked with the vehicle bus; wirelessly receiving a computer-readable instruction at the vehicle directing the CGM to change one or more message permissions associated with the ECU identity; and storing the changed message permissions in the CGM.