Selective Hardware Initialization for In-Vehicle OS Boot

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Solution Overview

Problem

In-vehicle computing devices face delays in initialization due to the loading of unnecessary services, resources, and hardware instances, which can impact the timely availability of critical functionalities such as navigation and audio controls, especially in stringent environments like vehicles.

Innovation Solution

A method and system for selectively initializing hardware instances by prioritizing and staging the loading of drivers and associated hardware instances based on their criticality and usage, allowing only essential components to be initialized early in the boot process, while non-essential ones are loaded later.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If all hardware instances are initialized during boot process, then complete functionality is available, but initialization time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefunctionality availabilityVSAvoidinitialization time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments hardware instances into multiple stages (first stage and second stage) based on their initialization priority and criticality. Critical hardware instances required for basic functionality are initialized in the first stage, while non-critical instances are deferred to the second stage. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by ensuring essential functionality is available quickly while maintaining the option to load additional functionality subsequently.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent performs preliminary identification and classification of hardware instances into different initialization stages before the actual initialization process. By pre-categorizing hardware instances based on their criticality and required timing, the system prepares the initialization sequence in advance, allowing critical components to be ready immediately while non-critical components are scheduled for later initialization without delaying startup.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

If critical hardware instances are prioritized for early initialization, then startup time is reduced, but non-critical functionality may be delayed

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestartup speedVSAvoidfunctionality availability time
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDuration of action of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides hardware instance initialization into distinct temporal stages, with critical instances processed in the first stage and non-critical instances processed in the second stage. This segmentation enables the system to achieve fast startup by immediately initializing essential components while systematically handling non-critical components in subsequent stages, thus resolving the trade-off between startup speed and complete functionality availability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements periodic initialization stages where critical hardware instances are initialized in the first period (early boot), and non-critical instances are initialized in subsequent periods (later boot). This periodic approach ensures that productivity is improved through rapid initial startup while all functionality eventually becomes available through structured phased initialization.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

Data Source

PatentEP3167360B1Operating system startup acceleration
Publication Date: 2022.02.09 HARMAN INT IND INC
  • EP3167360B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3167360B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3167360B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Embodiments are disclosed for methods and systems for selectively initializing elements of an operating system of a computing device. In some embodiments, a method of selectively loading hardware instances for a computing device includes receiving a notification identifying a driver for a hardware instance, initializing the driver identified in the notification, and for each hardware instance supported by the driver, determining if that hardware instance is associated with a first stage of initialization. The method may further include initializing the identified hardware instance and each other hardware instance supported by the driver that is associated with a first stage of initialization.