Vehicle ECU OTA Update Activation With Proximity and Safe-State Checks

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for over-the-air updates of electronic control units (ECUs) in vehicles lack efficiency and safety, particularly in determining the proximity of an operator terminal to the vehicle and ensuring optimal conditions for firmware updates, which can lead to unsafe or incomplete updates.

Innovation Solution

A method and system that utilize an over-the-air (OTA) server to determine the proximity of an operator terminal to a vehicle, request confirmation for firmware updates, and send firmware activation commands only when the vehicle is in a safe state, ensuring adequate satellite and cellular coverage and specific operating conditions are met.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If firmware updates are performed without verifying operator proximity and vehicle conditions, then update speed and efficiency are improved, but safety and reliability deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveupdate speedVSAvoidupdate safety

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary verification of operator proximity through NFC tap detection and GPS location comparison before initiating firmware updates. Vehicle operating conditions such as engine status, battery voltage, and motion state are checked in advance to ensure safe update execution, preventing unsafe updates while maintaining efficient update processes

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If multiple verification steps are implemented for operator proximity and vehicle conditions, then update safety is improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveupdate safetyVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The verification system is divided into independent modules: NFC proximity verification module, GPS location verification module, vehicle condition checking module (engine status, battery voltage, motion state), and update execution module. Each module operates independently with defined interfaces, making the complex verification process manageable and maintainable while ensuring comprehensive safety checks

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Productivity

If firmware updates are performed without checking vehicle operating conditions, then update efficiency is improved, but harmful effects increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveupdate efficiencyVSAvoidupdate disruptions

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system proactively prevents harmful update disruptions by checking vehicle operating conditions before update execution. The engine must be running, battery voltage must be sufficient (above 12V), and the vehicle must be stationary. These preliminary anti-actions block unsafe updates before they can cause harm, while allowing safe updates to proceed efficiently

Inventive Principle:

Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Data Source

PatentUS12182565B2Systems and methods for safe over-the-air update of electronic control units in vehicles

Publication Date: 2024.12.31 GEOTAB INC

AI summary

Systems and method for safe over-the-air (OTA) update of electronic control units in vehicles are provided. The OTA server determines whether an operator terminal is close to a vehicle and if so, sends a request to the operator terminal requesting confirmation for proceeding with completing a firmware update for an electronic control unit in the vehicle. In response to receiving the confirmation, the OTA server sends a request to a telematics device coupled to the vehicle to complete the firmware update.