Peer-to-Peer Vehicle Update Distribution via Chunked Seeding
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for updating vehicle software, such as over-the-air updates, are costly and inefficient for distributing updates to a large number of vehicles, especially for non-critical updates and large fleets, due to the high data transfer requirements and limited utilization.
Innovation Solution
A peer-to-peer distribution system that breaks update files into chunks and uses strategically selected seed vehicles to distribute these chunks, allowing vehicles to share missing pieces with each other, thereby reducing data transfer costs and improving distribution efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If over-the-air updates are used to distribute software updates to a large number of vehicles, then update distribution is enabled, but data transfer costs and expenses increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The update file is divided into multiple chunks that are distributed to different seed vehicles. Each seed vehicle holds a portion of the update data, and other vehicles can obtain the needed chunks from multiple sources through peer-to-peer communication, reducing the total data transfer burden on any single transmission channel.
Solution Approach 2:
Vehicles are enabled to obtain update chunks autonomously by communicating with seed vehicles and other peer vehicles themselves, rather than requiring centralized over-the-air distribution to every vehicle. The system self-organizes the distribution network dynamically.
2Ease of operation
If over-the-air updates are used for large fleet distribution, then updates can be delivered, but the solution becomes expensive and utilization is limited
Solution Approach 1:
Seed vehicles act as intermediaries between the update source and the broader vehicle fleet. Instead of direct over-the-air communication with every vehicle, update data flows through selected seed vehicles that then distribute chunks to other vehicles, reducing overall data transfer expenses.
Solution Approach 2:
The distribution architecture transitions from a single-dimensional centralized over-the-air model to a multi-dimensional peer-to-peer network where vehicles communicate horizontally with each other in addition to vertical communication with seed vehicles, enabling more efficient utilization.
3Reliability
If manual update methods are used, then large file transfer and error checking are enabled, but user convenience is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically performs error checking and update confirmation through the peer-to-peer distribution mechanism without requiring user intervention. Vehicles autonomously verify received chunks and confirm successful updates, maintaining reliability while improving convenience.
Data Source
AI summary
A system includes a processor configured to receive a plurality of reports identifying file-chunk distribution among reporting vehicles. The processor is also configured to determine reseeding file chunks to improve distribution characteristics, responsive to the reports. The processor is further configured to determine a plurality of candidate delivery vehicles and responsive to determining that a distribution threshold has passed, send the reseeding file chunks to the determined delivery vehicles.