System-on-Chip On-Board Device for Electronic Toll Collection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing electronic fee collection systems for toll roads are often bulky, energy-intensive, and costly, with separate units for application processing and positioning, which can compromise safety and data security, particularly in vehicles where space and energy efficiency are critical.

Innovation Solution

Integration of an application processor and positioning unit into a single system-on-chip, combined with a cryptographic unit for data security and a minimalistic communication unit, reducing hardware requirements and energy consumption while ensuring secure data transmission.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If separate units for application processing and positioning are used, then functional reliability is improved, but device complexity and space requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefunctional reliabilityVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the application processor and positioning unit into a single integrated chip, eliminating the need for separate physical units. This integration maintains all necessary functions while reducing device complexity, space requirements, and inter-component communication overhead, directly resolving the contradiction between functional reliability and device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Reliability

If separate units for application processing and positioning are used, then functional reliability is improved, but energy consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefunctional reliabilityVSAvoidenergy consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

By integrating the application processor and positioning unit on a single chip, the patent eliminates energy-consuming inter-component communication and reduces overall power requirements. The unified architecture allows for more efficient energy management while maintaining full functional capability, resolving the contradiction between reliability and energy consumption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Device complexity

If integrated system-on-chip is used, then device size and cost are reduced, but data security requirements become more critical

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice complexityVSAvoiddata security
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a cryptographic unit as an intermediary component within the integrated chip, specifically designed to handle security-sensitive operations. This dedicated security module protects toll collection data and communication channels while allowing the rest of the integrated system to benefit from reduced complexity and cost, effectively resolving the contradiction between integration benefits and security requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP3051500B1On-board device for an electronic fee collection system for vehicles
Publication Date: 2021.05.19 CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
  • EP3051500B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3051500B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3

AI summary

An on-board device for an electronic fee collection system for vehicles, comprising a positioning unit and an application processor, wherein the application processor and the positioning unit are integrated in one single chip as a system on chip.