Vehicle ECU Debugging via Aggregated Diagnostic Data
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge in the automotive industry is the complexity of electronic control units (ECUs) requiring extensive processing power and memory, varying development standards across regions, and the difficulty in identifying and resolving failures due to limited physical access and communication issues, especially with the increasing use of AUTOSAR platforms.
Innovation Solution
An integrated control apparatus for vehicles that includes a software component and an aggregator to collect and analyze diagnostic data, generate error information using a predefined decoding table, and transmit it to an external debugging apparatus, enabling quick error identification and debugging without removing the ECU, with security features to prevent unauthorized access.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If ECU functions are integrated to provide extensive processing power and memory capacity, then automotive performance and fuel efficiency are improved, but device complexity increases making failure identification and debugging difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an external debugging apparatus as an intermediary device that connects to the ECU through a communication bus. This external apparatus provides additional processing power and debugging capabilities without increasing the internal complexity of the ECU itself. The debugging apparatus acts as a mediator that can intercept, analyze, and debug communication data between ECUs, thereby solving the contradiction between needing extensive processing power and maintaining manageable device complexity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple ECUs communicate through AUTOSAR standard with increased data volume, then automotive functionality is improved, but communication issues and failure resolution difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the external debugging apparatus continuously monitors and intercepts communication data on the AUTOSAR bus. When errors or failures occur in the increased data communication between multiple ECUs, the debugging apparatus provides immediate feedback by identifying and reporting the specific failure points. This feedback loop enables rapid detection and resolution of communication issues, solving the contradiction between enhanced automotive functionality and difficulty in detecting failures.
3Reliability
If physical access to ECU is limited and communication channels are blocked for cyber-security reasons, then security is improved, but debugging access and failure resolution are hindered
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs the external debugging apparatus as a secure intermediary that communicates with the ECU through the existing AUTOSAR communication bus. Instead of requiring physical access or blocking communication channels, the debugging apparatus intercepts and analyzes data traffic through legitimate communication protocols. This approach maintains cyber-security by not compromising the ECU's physical or communication security measures, while still enabling effective debugging and failure resolution through the intermediary's ability to monitor and analyze communication data.
Data Source
AI summary
An integrated control apparatus for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a software component mapped onto each of a plurality of electronic control units (ECUs) for vehicle control and processing data of a corresponding ECU, and an aggregator that collects and analyzes diagnostic data regarding the ECU from the software component, generates error information about the corresponding ECU based on a predefined decoding table when an error occurs in the ECU, and transmits the error information to an external debugging apparatus.