High-Voltage FOTA Scheduling to Block EV Wakeup Interruptions

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional firmware over-the-air (FOTA) flash updates in electrified vehicles can be interrupted or take too long due to high voltage system wakeups, potentially causing damage and failing to meet customer expectations.

Innovation Solution

A high voltage management system with a FOTA supervisor module and supervisory controller that allows customers to choose when to perform updates and ignores or rejects non-critical high voltage system wakeups during the update process.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of time

If the FOTA flash update is performed immediately upon receiving a FOTA broadcast, then the update speed is improved, but the risk of high voltage system interruption and damage increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveFOTA update timeVSAvoidhigh voltage system reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of timeVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by receiving the FOTA broadcast and storing it for later execution. The FOTA supervisor module saves the update package and schedules it for execution at a predetermined time when the vehicle is parked, preventing immediate execution that could interrupt high voltage operations. This preliminary storage and scheduling mechanism resolves the contradiction by decoupling reception from execution.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adjusts the FOTA execution timing based on vehicle state and customer preferences. The supervisory controller monitors high voltage system status and can delay FOTA execution until appropriate conditions are met. The system adapts between immediate execution mode and delayed execution mode, allowing flexible timing that protects high voltage reliability while ultimately completing updates.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Speed

If the high voltage system responds to wakeup requests during FOTA flash update, then the system responsiveness is improved, but the FOTA flash update is interrupted and may fail

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem responsivenessVSAvoidFOTA update reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies preliminary anti-action by having the supervisory controller reject or ignore wakeup requests during FOTA execution. When a FOTA flash update is in progress, the supervisory controller is configured to ignore valid high voltage wakeup requests that would otherwise interrupt the update. This preemptive blocking of wakeup signals prevents interruptions while maintaining the ability to respond to wakeups after the update completes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

3Reliability

If the FOTA flash update is delayed to a scheduled time, then the high voltage system safety is improved, but the update duration and customer waiting time increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehigh voltage system safetyVSAvoidcustomer waiting time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by pre-receiving and storing FOTA updates, then executing them at scheduled times when the vehicle is parked. This approach separates the reception phase from the execution phase, allowing customers to receive updates during normal use while execution occurs during parked periods when high voltage system interruptions are safer. The predetermined execution time is set to balance safety with minimizing customer-perceived waiting.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

4Adaptability or versatility

If multiple FOTA updates are received and stored, then the update availability is improved, but the storage requirements and system complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveupdate availabilityVSAvoidFOTA management complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary storage of FOTA update packages in non-transitory memory. The FOTA supervisor module is configured to receive and store multiple update packages sequentially, then execute them in order at predetermined times. This preliminary storage capability allows the system to accumulate updates without immediate execution, managing multiple updates through a structured receive-store-execute sequence that maintains simplicity while improving availability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS20250304084A1Techniques for managing high voltage systems for electrified vehicles with firmware over the air features

Publication Date: 2025.10.02 FCA US LLC

AI summary

A high voltage management system for an electrified vehicle having firmware over-the-air (FOTA) capability receives, via a wireless communication medium, a FOTA flash update for a set of components of the electrified vehicle, receives, from a customer, a customer input indicating a desired time to perform the FOTA flash update, coordinates the FOTA flash update of a set of components based on the customer input, controls an electrified powertrain, including a high voltage system, of the electrified vehicle, and ignores or rejects a plurality of valid high voltage wakeup requests for the high voltage system to prevent interruption of the FOTA flash update of the set of components.