Hardware QoS Policy Enforcement Coprocessor for Automotive ECU

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Solution Overview

Problem

The increasing complexity of network data traffic in automotive communication systems requires more efficient handling and prioritization, which existing technologies struggle to manage effectively, leading to increased processing demands on CPUs and higher manufacturing costs for ECUs.

Innovation Solution

A hardware device is implemented to determine and enforce Quality of Service (QoS) policies, using programmable registers and coprocessors to control prioritization and arbitration of network data traffic frames, allowing for efficient handling and reduced CPU processing, enabling the use of less powerful and cheaper CPUs in ECUs.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If QoS policies are managed by CPU software, then system flexibility is maintained, but processing overhead increases and manufacturing costs rise

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing costVSAvoidprocessing overhead

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

A hardware device is introduced as an intermediary component between the CPU and network data traffic. This hardware device includes programmable registers for configuring QoS policies and coprocessors for executing prioritization and arbitration, thereby offloading processing tasks from the CPU while maintaining system flexibility through programmability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces software-based QoS management on the CPU with a dedicated hardware implementation. The hardware device uses programmable registers and hardware coprocessors to perform prioritization and arbitration of network frames, substituting the mechanical/software processing approach with a hardware-based solution that reduces CPU overhead and manufacturing costs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Productivity

If more powerful CPUs are used to handle increased network data traffic, then processing capability improves, but manufacturing costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprocessing capabilityVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the QoS management functionality into a separate hardware device with dedicated coprocessors and programmable registers. This segmentation allows the CPU to focus on higher-level tasks while the hardware device handles frame prioritization and arbitration, improving overall processing capability without requiring a more powerful CPU, thus reducing manufacturing costs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The hardware device acts as an intermediary that enhances processing capability for network data traffic without requiring an upgrade to the main CPU. The coprocessors within the hardware device specifically handle QoS-related processing, providing improved productivity while keeping the CPU configuration cost-effective.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Speed

If QoS policies are enforced in hardware, then enforcement speed improves, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenforcement speedVSAvoidhardware complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The hardware device is designed with multi-functionality to manage various QoS policies through a unified architecture. The programmable registers can be configured to enforce different QoS policies (prioritization, arbitration, latency constraints), and the coprocessors can handle multiple types of network frames, thereby achieving fast enforcement without excessive complexity through standardized handling of diverse QoS requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The hardware device serves as an intermediary layer between the network interface and the CPU, providing fast QoS policy enforcement through dedicated coprocessors and programmable registers. This intermediary approach enables rapid frame prioritization and arbitration in hardware while maintaining manageable complexity through a modular design that interfaces with existing system components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS20250007846A1Hardware device for automatic detection and deployment of QOS policies

Publication Date: 2025.01.02 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD

AI summary

Disclosed is a hardware device for a communication system comprising a processor configured to determine a set of quality of service (QoS) policies based on network data traffic between one or more communication system participants, and a set of programmable registers configured to be programmed with a set of values. The set of values defines at least one of: one or more QoS policies of the set of QoS policies that are to be enforced; an order in which the one or more QoS policies of the set of QoS policies are to be enforced; and/or a set of thresholds for enforcing the one or more QoS policies. The processor is further configured to control, based on the determined set of QoS policies and the set of values, a prioritization and/or an arbitration of frames of the network data traffic, to enforce the one or more QoS policies.