Vehicle ECU Management Add-on Device Using Existing Interface
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing diagnostic tools for vehicles are bulky, expensive, and require external devices for user interaction, making them cumbersome and costly to manufacture and maintain, while also limiting their usability due to complex electronic components and circuitry.
Innovation Solution
An add-on device for managing a vehicle's electronic control unit (ECU) that integrates a transceiver and controller to communicate with the vehicle's communication network, using existing user interface components like display screens and buttons within the vehicle, eliminating the need for external equipment and allowing direct user interaction and command execution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If external handheld diagnostic devices are used to interface with vehicle ECUs, then diagnostic functionality is achieved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase due to elaborate electronic components and circuitry
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the user interface components (display, buttons, keyboard) from the diagnostic device and relocates them to the vehicle's existing infrastructure (instrument panel, head unit). This leaves the diagnostic device with only the essential transceiver and controller components, dramatically reducing its complexity and manufacturing cost while maintaining full diagnostic functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention makes the vehicle's existing user interface components serve dual purposes: their original functions plus diagnostic control and display functions. The instrument panel display and controls become part of the diagnostic system, eliminating the need for separate external interface hardware and reducing overall system complexity.
2Ease of operation
If external handheld devices with display screens and buttons are used for user interaction, then user interface functionality is provided, but manufacturing and maintenance costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention leverages the vehicle's existing user interface components to serve the diagnostic device's interface needs. The vehicle's display, buttons, and keyboard are reused for diagnostic control and output, eliminating the need to manufacture and maintain separate interface hardware in the diagnostic device.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges the diagnostic device's user interface requirements with the vehicle's existing interface components. By combining these functions into a single shared interface system, the invention eliminates duplicate hardware and reduces both manufacturing and maintenance costs.
3Reliability
If handheld external devices are used for diagnostic operations, then diagnostic access is enabled, but ease of use deteriorates due to awkward handling from the driver's position
Solution Approach 1:
The vehicle's existing user interface components act as an intermediary between the driver and the diagnostic device. Since these components are already integrated into the vehicle's control environment and are easily accessible from the driver's position, they mediate the interaction in a way that is both convenient and reliable.
4Reliability
If complete external diagnostic devices with all necessary components are used, then full diagnostic capability is achieved, but portability and simplicity are reduced due to bulk and additional equipment requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts only the essential diagnostic functions (transceiver and controller) from the complete diagnostic system, leaving the interface components in the vehicle. This minimalistic approach maintains full diagnostic capability while eliminating unnecessary hardware, cables, and power supply requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The vehicle's existing infrastructure (communication network, display, controls) is made multi-functional by enabling it to serve both its original purposes and diagnostic functions. This eliminates the need for separate dedicated hardware and simplifies the overall system.
Data Source
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AI summary
An add-on device and method for managing an electronic control unit (ECU) of a vehicle is disclosed. The add-on device includes a transceiver adapted for communicating with the communication network of a vehicle. The add-on device further includes a controller being communicatively connected to the transceiver, and adapted to generate a user-interface control signal addressed to the user interface of the vehicle, in order to manipulate the user interface of the vehicle and to present thereon command options prompting a user to enter a command selection in response to the command options presented. The controller is further adapted to receive the command selection from the user interface, and to generate in response thereto, an ECU control signal to be sent to the communication network for executing an operation with respect to a targeted ECU, in order to manage the targeted ECU from the user interface of the vehicle.