Marine ECU Data Replication via Virtual Storage Backbone
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing data management systems for marine vessel electronic control units (ECUs) face challenges such as reliance on unreliable internet connections, inefficient data transfer, network congestion, and lack of centralized control, leading to delayed and error-prone updates that compromise vessel performance and safety.
Innovation Solution
A computer system that centrally manages data replication among ECUs via a local backbone network, using a first ECU to update a virtual data storage accessible to others, ensuring only necessary updates are identified and transferred, reducing redundancy and congestion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If cloud-based data distribution is used for ECU updates, then centralized control is achieved, but transmission reliability deteriorates due to internet connectivity issues in marine environments
Solution Approach 1:
A local server is introduced as an intermediary component within the marine vessel's network, receiving update data via satellite connection and distributing it to multiple ECUs locally. This mediator enables centralized update management while eliminating direct dependency on internet connectivity during the distribution phase, thereby resolving the contradiction between centralized control and transmission reliability.
2Ease of operation
If direct cloud-to-node data transfer is used, then update simplicity is maintained, but data transfer speed deteriorates due to limited satellite bandwidth
Solution Approach 1:
Update data is downloaded to the local server in advance when satellite connectivity is available, before being distributed to ECUs. This preliminary action separates the slow cloud-to-server transfer from the fast server-to-ECU distribution, improving overall update speed while maintaining operational simplicity through automated scheduling.
Solution Approach 2:
The data transfer process is segmented into two distinct phases: (1) cloud-to-server transfer via satellite connection, and (2) server-to-ECU distribution via local network. This segmentation allows each phase to use the most appropriate communication channel, optimizing both speed and simplicity.
3Manufacturing precision
If individual ECU updates are performed separately, then each ECU receives targeted updates, but network congestion increases due to redundant data transfers
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple ECU updates are merged into a single centralized distribution process from the local server. Instead of each ECU independently downloading updates from the cloud, all ECUs receive their updates from the same local source simultaneously, eliminating redundant satellite transfers and reducing network congestion while maintaining precise targeted updates.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
A computer system (100; 400) for replicating data among a plurality of electronic control units, ECUs (10) connected to the same backbone network (20) of a marine vessel (1), the computer system (100; 400) comprising processing circuitry (102; 402) configured to control a first ECU (10-1) to update a virtual data storage (22) based on configuration data (40) from a data carrier device (30), the virtual data storage (22) being locally accessible by one or more other ECUs via the backbone network (20); and control said other ECUs (10-n) to identify data parts (42) of the configuration data (40) that would cause one or more updates to data stored by said other ECUs (10-n), and obtain said one or more data parts (42) of the configuration data (40) responsive to a successful access request between said other ECUs (10-n) and the virtual data storage (22).