External Electronic Control Unit for Vehicle Communication

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional vehicle control systems require new electronic control devices to be installed or replaced in vehicles for additional control functions and lack precision in considering road and traffic conditions, limiting their ability to provide comprehensive and autonomous vehicle control.

Innovation Solution

A vehicle control system that utilizes an external electronic control unit, which communicates with sensors and actuators within the vehicle to receive and transmit control signals, enabling the application of new control functions and precise vehicle control through communication with a user's terminal, such as a smartphone or tablet, and includes a domain control unit to process sensor data and send control signals to actuators.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If new electronic control devices are installed or replaced in vehicles for additional control functions, then vehicle control functionality is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevehicle control functionVSAvoidelectronic control device
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an external electronic control unit as an intermediary device that communicates with the vehicle's existing electronic control devices through a communication interface. This external unit can provide additional control functions without requiring physical installation or replacement of devices inside the vehicle, thereby resolving the contradiction between functionality and complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The control system is divided into two segments: the vehicle's existing electronic control devices and an external electronic control unit. This segmentation allows the vehicle to gain additional control functions through the external unit while keeping the internal device structure simple and unchanged

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Measurement precision

If conventional electronic control devices are used for vehicle control, then device simplicity is maintained, but measurement precision and control accuracy deteriorate due to inability to comprehensively consider road and traffic conditions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevehicle control precisionVSAvoidcontrol system
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The external electronic control unit acts as a mediator that receives and processes additional information about road and traffic conditions, then transmits processed control signals to the vehicle's existing devices. This intermediary approach enables higher measurement precision without requiring complete redesign of the internal control system

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The external electronic control unit is designed to perform multiple functions: receiving vehicle information, processing additional environmental data, making control decisions, and communicating with various vehicle systems. This multi-functionality improves control precision while avoiding the need to add multiple separate devices

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP3556625B1Vehicle control system, external electronic control unit, vehicle control method, and application
Publication Date: 2023.07.19 HL KLEMOVE CORP
  • EP3556625B1 patent drawingFigure 1A
  • EP3556625B1 patent drawingFigure 1B
  • EP3556625B1 patent drawingFigure 1C

AI summary

Exemplary embodiments relate to a vehicle control system, an external electronic control unit, a vehicle control method, and an application, and more particularly, to a vehicle communication system installed in a vehicle and an external electronic control unit capable of performing vehicle control by transmitting, to the vehicle communication system, a vehicle control signal for controlling behavior of the vehicle on the basis of vehicle information received from the vehicle communication system. According to exemplary embodiments, it is possible to easily add or update a vehicle control function, to perform precise vehicle control, and also to perform autonomous traveling control with a user's terminal.