ECU Flash Write Limits Using Shared and Dedicated Storage Areas

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing electronic control units (ECUs) face challenges in extending the lifetime of storage devices like NAND and NOR flash memories, as they reach their data writing limit, without requiring additional storage or cloud uploads.

Innovation Solution

An ECU with a storage system that includes a shared area for multiple applications and a dedicated area for specific applications, where lifetime consumption information is used to set write limits for each area, notifying applications of storage use limits.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If data is continuously written to flash memory storage, then storage capacity is utilized, but storage device lifetime is reduced due to reaching write limit

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestorage write capacityVSAvoidstorage device lifetime

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDuration of action of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The storage is divided into shared area and dedicated area with different write limit policies. The shared area has write limits enforced to extend overall storage lifetime, while the dedicated area maintains higher priority access for critical applications, resolving the contradiction between utilization and longevity through spatial segmentation of write permissions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The write limit settings are dynamically adjusted based on lifetime consumption information. When lifetime consumption reaches the first threshold, shared area write limits are set; when it reaches the second threshold, dedicated area write limits are set. This dynamic adjustment allows the system to adapt between maximizing write capacity and preserving storage lifetime based on current wear state

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Duration of action of stationary object

If write limits are set on shared area, then storage lifetime is extended, but application access flexibility is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestorage lifetimeVSAvoidapplication access flexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Duration of action of stationary objectVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

Different write limit policies are applied to different areas of the storage. The shared area has write limits enforced to extend lifetime, while the dedicated area maintains higher priority access for critical applications. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction by applying quality control only where needed rather than uniformly across all storage

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Duration of action of stationary object

If write limits are set on dedicated area, then storage lifetime is further extended, but application performance is impacted

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestorage lifetimeVSAvoidapplication performance

Core Design Contradiction:

Duration of action of stationary objectVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

Write limits are set in advance on the dedicated area when lifetime consumption reaches the second threshold, preventing excessive writes before they occur. This preliminary protective action extends storage lifetime by proactively constraining write operations to critical areas when wear reaches critical levels

Inventive Principle:

Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Data Source

PatentUS12253939B2Electronic control unit, method, and storage medium of setting shared/dedicated area write limit based on life time consumption information

Publication Date: 2025.03.18 DENSO CORP

AI summary

By an electronic control unit including a storage that has a shared area shared by a plurality of unspecified applications and a dedicated area used by a predetermined specific application, a use limit notification method performed in the electronic control unit, a use limit notification method, life time consumption information related to life time consumption of the storage is acquired. a shared area write limit and a dedicated area write limit are set, and an application using the storage is notified of a use limit of the storage.