Remote Vehicle Function Control Using Indexed External Computing

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for remotely controlling a motor vehicle using external electronic units face challenges due to limited computing power and communication bandwidth, which affect the accuracy and reliability of operations.

Innovation Solution

A method where an index list is stored in the control unit, with only the index transmitted to the external electronic unit to perform operations, reducing computational load and bandwidth requirements, and including an expected result for verification, allowing efficient monitoring of the external unit's functionality.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the vehicle control unit transmits all input variables to the consumer device for remote control operations, then the accuracy and reliability of operations are improved, but the communication bandwidth requirement increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoperation accuracyVSAvoidcommunication bandwidth
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the essential index information from the complete input variables and transmits only this condensed data to the consumer device. The consumer device then uses this index to retrieve the corresponding input variables from its locally stored look-up table, significantly reducing communication bandwidth while maintaining operational accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The consumer device performs preliminary action by storing a comprehensive look-up table containing all possible input variable combinations and their corresponding indices before remote control operations begin. This pre-stored data allows the device to efficiently retrieve necessary information using only the transmitted index, eliminating the need for continuous large-data transmission.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If the vehicle control unit performs all computations for generating input variables and verifying results, then the reliability of remote control is improved, but the computing power requirement of the control unit increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefunctionality verificationVSAvoidcomputing power
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSPower

Solution Approach 1:

The consumer device serves itself by performing the computational tasks locally using its own processor. The device receives only a compact index from the vehicle control unit, uses this index to retrieve input variables from its local look-up table, performs the remote control operation computations, and verifies results independently, significantly reducing the computing burden on the vehicle control unit.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The index acts as an intermediary between the vehicle control unit and the consumer device. Instead of transmitting complex input variables or requiring the control unit to perform all computations, the simplified index mediates the communication, allowing the consumer device to efficiently retrieve necessary data and perform computations with minimal involvement from the vehicle control unit.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Measurement precision

If a comprehensive look-up table with all input variables is stored in the vehicle control unit, then the accuracy of remote control operations is improved, but the memory requirement of the control unit increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoperation precisionVSAvoidmemory size
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the large look-up table data by storing it in the consumer device's memory rather than the vehicle control unit's memory. The control unit only needs to transmit small index values (e.g., 2 bytes) instead of complete input variable data, significantly reducing its memory requirements while the consumer device handles the storage of comprehensive data for accurate operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP3158539B1Method for the remote control of a function of a motor vehicle using an electronic unit outside the vehicle, and a motor vehicle
Publication Date: 2023.09.13 VALEO SCHALTER & SENSOREN GMBH
  • EP3158539B1 patent drawingFigure 1

AI summary

The invention relates to a method for the remote control of a function of a motor vehicle using an electronic unit outside the vehicle. The electronic unit (7) outside the vehicle is checked while the motor vehicle (1) is traveling, wherein the electronic unit (7) outside the vehicle solves an operation, the result of which is checked for correctness by a controller (3) of the motor vehicle (1). During the method, in which the computation power of the controller as well as the bandwidth of the communication between the electronic unit outside the vehicle and the controller are reduced, an index list is stored in the controller (3). In order to solve an operation, an index is transmitted from the controller (3) to the electronic unit (7) outside the vehicle, and the electronic unit (7) outside the vehicle determines input variables using the index, said input variables being stored in the electronic unit (7) outside the vehicle depending on the index and being used to carry out the operation.