Prime Label Fault Detection in Vehicle Control Systems

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Solution Overview

Problem

Modern vehicle control systems, comprising numerous interconnected subsystems and electronic control units, face challenges in efficiently detecting and locating faults, which increases production costs and reduces vehicle reliability.

Innovation Solution

A method and system that assign unique prime number labels to functional units, using a traversal value and unique prime factorization algorithm to detect faults by comparing the product of these labels with an expected value, identifying faulty units through a prime factorization process.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional fault detection methods are used in vehicle control systems, then the system can identify faults, but the complexity of locating specific faulty functional units increases and detection efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefault detection capabilityVSAvoidfault location complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the vehicle control system into multiple functional units, each assigned a unique prime number label. This segmentation allows individual identification and isolation of faulty units through mathematical operations on their labels, simplifying the complexity of fault location in interconnected systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the parameter representation of functional units by assigning unique prime number labels instead of traditional identifiers. By using the fundamental theorem of arithmetic (unique prime factorization), the system transforms fault location into a mathematical problem where the product of prime labels uniquely identifies the set of faulty units, enabling efficient detection and localization.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If comprehensive testing of all functional units is performed, then fault detection coverage is improved, but production time and costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefault detection coverageVSAvoidproduction efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary assignment of unique prime number labels to all functional units during system configuration. This preliminary action enables rapid fault detection during production by simply multiplying the labels of called functional units and comparing against expected products, eliminating the need for complex real-time diagnostic procedures and significantly improving production efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system creates a mathematical model (product of prime labels) that represents the expected state of functional units. By comparing the actual product against this pre-calculated expected product, the system efficiently detects faults without requiring physical inspection or complex testing of each unit, thus maintaining high detection coverage while improving productivity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

3Measurement precision

If the system calls and updates traversal values through multiple functional units, then fault detection accuracy is improved, but the time required for detection increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefault detection accuracyVSAvoiddetection time
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses periodic multiplication of prime labels during the traversal of functional units. This periodic mathematical operation maintains accuracy by ensuring that each functional unit's contribution is systematically recorded in the traversal value product, while the efficiency of multiplication operations keeps detection time minimal compared to more complex measurement methods.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The system replaces complex mechanical or logical fault detection mechanisms with mathematical operations (multiplication and prime factorization). This substitution maintains high detection accuracy through the unique properties of prime numbers while dramatically reducing detection time, as mathematical operations are computationally efficient and can be performed rapidly by processors.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentEP3261891B1Method and apparatuses for detecting faults in vehicle control systems
Publication Date: 2020.04.29 NINGBO GEELY AUTOMOBILE RES & DEV CO LTD
  • EP3261891B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3261891B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP3261891B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

A method for detecting faults in a vehicle control system comprising functional units having an associated unique prime number label is provided. The method comprises calling each of the functional units, the call comprising a readable and updateable integer traversal value, and in case the functional unit is operating correctly, updating the traversal value to be the product of the value in the call and the label of the currently called functional unit, and in the case of a fault, not updating the traversal value. Further, the method comprises determining from the traversal value if any functional units are faulty by a comparison with an expected traversal value, and, in the case that the traversal value is not equivalent to the expected traversal value, determining which functional units are faulty by a unique prime factorization algorithm.