Edge-Cached Vehicle Software Deployment for Low-Connectivity Updates
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vehicles with limited network connectivity face challenges in software updates due to insufficient remote connectivity, leading to extended service times and network congestion, as they require physical access and storage of numerous software modules for various configurations, which is impractical for edge devices.
Innovation Solution
A cloud-based vehicle software deployment management system generates a modifiable deployment plan and stores associated software modules ahead of time at edge devices, allowing for updates when the vehicle is connected, reducing download times and network congestion by pre-fetching and caching necessary files.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If software modules are downloaded and deployed remotely over the network, then service time is reduced, but network congestion increases and reliability deteriorates when network connectivity is limited or insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-fetches and caches software modules at edge devices located at vehicle activity sites before the vehicle arrives. This preliminary action ensures that when the vehicle is serviced, the software modules are already available locally, eliminating the need for remote downloads during the service appointment and thus reducing service time while avoiding network congestion.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces edge devices as intermediary components between the cloud-based deployment system and the vehicle. These edge devices cache software modules locally and serve them during vehicle servicing, acting as a mediator that reduces direct network traffic between the cloud and vehicle while ensuring reliable software delivery even when network connectivity is limited.
2Adaptability or versatility
If all possible software modules for various vehicle configurations are stored at edge devices, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity and storage requirements increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the software module storage and management across multiple edge devices located at different vehicle activity sites. Instead of requiring a single edge device to store all possible software modules for all vehicle configurations, the load is distributed across the network, reducing the complexity and storage requirements of any individual edge device while maintaining overall system adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The cloud-based deployment system provides a universal platform that manages software modules across multiple edge devices. The system can dynamically allocate and manage software modules across the network, allowing any edge device to serve multiple vehicle configurations through coordinated access to the distributed software repository, reducing the need for each device to independently store all possible configurations.
3Manufacturing precision
If software updates are performed with strict certification sequences, then manufacturing precision is improved, but productivity decreases due to extended service times
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary validation and preparation of software modules at the edge device before vehicle arrival. By pre-validating software compatibility and preparing deployment configurations in advance, the system ensures that when deployment occurs, the certified sequence can be executed efficiently without extended service times, thus maintaining manufacturing precision while improving productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The deployment orchestrator at the edge device autonomously manages the software deployment process, including automatic validation of certification sequences and coordination of module installation. This self-service capability ensures precise deployment according to certification requirements while minimizing manual intervention and reducing overall service time, thereby improving productivity.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle software deployment management system generates a modifiable deployment plan and one or more associated vehicle software modules that is sent to an edge device at a vehicle activity site. The edge device stores the modifiable deployment plan and the one or more vehicle software modules for updating a given vehicle at a future time. In some embodiments, the vehicle may have insufficient network connectivity to perform the update remotely from the vehicle activity site. In some embodiments, the modifiable deployment plan may be modified by the edge device at the future time when the vehicle is present at the vehicle activity site, based on vehicle information obtained by the edge device and based on vehicle user/technician input obtained by the edge device.