Vehicle Odometer Verification Using Component-Stored Epoch Values

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Solution Overview

Problem

Odometer fraud, including disconnection, resetting, or alteration of a vehicle's odometer to manipulate mileage readings, is a challenge that existing systems struggle to address effectively.

Innovation Solution

A method involving the use of epoch values stored on multiple components within a vehicle, such as ECUs, to verify odometer readings by comparing these values across different systems, rejecting fraudulent updates, and maintaining a decentralized ledger system to ensure authenticity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If epoch values are stored on multiple components for cross-verification, then odometer fraud detection capability is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveodometer fraud detection capabilityVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system divides the fraud detection function across multiple independent components (ECUs, odometer, ledger system) rather than relying on a single centralized system. Each component maintains its own epoch value, creating distributed verification points that collectively enhance detection capability while keeping individual component complexity manageable.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system pre-establishes a decentralized ledger and distributes epoch values to multiple components before fraud can occur. This preliminary setup creates a baseline for verification, allowing the system to detect anomalies by comparing current readings against pre-stored values across the network.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If decentralized ledger system is implemented for odometer verification, then data integrity is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata integrityVSAvoidoperational simplicity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The decentralized ledger system operates autonomously, with components automatically verifying epoch values against the ledger without requiring manual intervention. The system self-manages the verification process, comparing current odometer readings with pre-stored epoch values and automatically detecting discrepancies, thereby maintaining data integrity while minimizing operational complexity for users.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Reliability

If epoch values are transmitted to multiple components, then fraud detection reliability is improved, but use of energy increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefraud detection reliabilityVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

Epoch values are transmitted to multiple components in advance and stored in the decentralized ledger before fraud detection is needed. This preliminary distribution eliminates the need for continuous real-time communication, as components can perform local verification against pre-stored values, thereby enhancing detection reliability while minimizing ongoing energy consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS12417304B2Odometer fraud detection via data storage on components

Publication Date: 2025.09.16 TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA INC

AI summary

An example operation includes one or more of incrementing an epoch value related to a transport event, transmitting the incremented epoch value to at least one component on the transport, receiving an odometer reading comprising the epoch value and comparing the epoch value of the odometer reading and the incremented epoch value to determine whether the odometer reading is valid.