Automotive ECU Co-processor Security and Fault Tolerance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Modern automobiles face challenges in securing and ensuring the dependability of electronic control units (ECUs) due to stringent real-time performance requirements, harsh operational environments, and increasing security vulnerabilities from external networks and evolving cyber-attacks, which existing non-fault-tolerant and inflexible security solutions struggle to address effectively.
Innovation Solution
The integration of an automotive ECU with an application processor and co-processors configured for data encryption, fault detection, and secure data communication, utilizing redundant encryption and message authentication schemes, and fault-tolerant architectures such as dual modular redundancy and dynamic partial reconfiguration to enhance security and dependability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If dedicated security solutions with secure hardware extension and hardware security modules are implemented, then security mechanisms are strengthened, but device complexity increases and adaptability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a software-based security solution that can be deployed across multiple ECU types and platforms without requiring dedicated hardware security modules. The security primitives are implemented as software components that can run on general-purpose processors, making the security system universal and adaptable to different automotive applications without increasing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs dynamic security updates and configuration capabilities, allowing the security system to adapt to new threats and requirements without hardware changes. The software-based approach enables runtime reconfiguration and updates of security mechanisms, providing dynamic adaptability that static hardware solutions cannot achieve.
2Reliability
If multiple redundant security modules are implemented for fault tolerance, then reliability improves, but use of energy increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements lightweight redundancy through software copying and verification mechanisms rather than full hardware redundancy. Security-critical operations are replicated through software instances that can be verified without duplicating entire hardware modules, significantly reducing energy consumption while maintaining fault tolerance capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent dynamically adjusts the level of redundancy and verification intensity based on operational context and security requirements. Rather than maintaining constant maximum redundancy, the system adapts verification parameters to match actual risk levels, reducing energy overhead during low-risk operations while maintaining high reliability when needed.
3Reliability
If comprehensive security primitives are integrated into ECUs, then security against cyber-attacks improves, but device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex hardware security mechanisms with software-based implementations. Instead of integrating physical security modules during manufacturing, the system uses software security primitives that can be deployed and updated through standard software distribution channels, dramatically simplifying the manufacturing process while maintaining comprehensive security capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The software-based security architecture can be deployed across different ECU types using the same implementation approach, eliminating the need for specialized manufacturing processes for each security configuration. This universal approach standardizes production and reduces manufacturing complexity.
4Reliability
If existing security solutions are used in harsh automotive environments, then security mechanisms are provided, but vulnerability to transient faults and radiation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements error detection and correction mechanisms that anticipate and compensate for radiation-induced faults before they compromise security. Checksum verification, parity bits, and redundant computation are built into the security primitives to cushion against transient faults caused by radiation and electrical noise in harsh automotive environments.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses redundant software copies and verification mechanisms to detect and correct transient faults. By maintaining multiple independent computational paths and verifying results through copying and comparison, the system can identify and correct radiation-induced errors without compromising security.
Data Source
AI summary
One aspect of the invention provides an automotive electronic control unit (ECU) including: an application processor; and one or more co-processors communicatively coupled to the application processor. The one or more co-processors are configured to: receive data from the application processor; encrypt the data received from the application processor; process the encrypted data to detect faults and generate secure data that is encrypted and free from faults; and communicate the secure data to the application processor.