Removable Tablet Vehicle Control Architecture for Secure Upgrades
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing materials handling vehicles face limitations in hardware upgradability, functionality, and cyber-vulnerability due to embedded systems that are difficult to upgrade and maintain, limiting flexibility and efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A materials handling vehicle communication system incorporating a removable and replaceable tablet that integrates with the vehicle's electronic components, functioning as an auxiliary processor to enhance processing capabilities and facilitate secure, rapid updates and decentralized data display.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If embedded systems are used in materials handling vehicles, then vehicle control functionality is achieved, but hardware upgradability and flexibility are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The system separates the vehicle control architecture into two independent parts: a core processor that handles essential vehicle control functions, and a removable tablet that provides additional functionality. This segmentation allows the tablet to be upgraded or replaced independently without affecting the core vehicle systems, thereby improving hardware upgradability while maintaining control functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The tablet is designed to perform multiple functions including displaying vehicle parameters, providing user interfaces, and potentially controlling vehicle operations. This multi-functional approach consolidates various control interfaces into a single upgradable component, reducing the need for multiple specialized embedded systems and improving overall system flexibility.
2Reliability
If conventional embedded systems are used, then vehicle control is maintained, but cyber-vulnerability and security risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The core processor acts as an intermediary between the vehicle's electronic components and the tablet. It handles secure communication and data exchange, isolating the critical vehicle control systems from potential security vulnerabilities in the tablet. This intermediary layer protects the core vehicle systems while allowing the tablet to provide flexible, upgradable functionality.
3Power
If distributed multi-processor architecture is implemented, then processing capabilities are enhanced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The processing tasks are segmented between the core processor and the tablet processor. The core processor handles time-critical vehicle control functions, while the tablet processor manages user interface, data display, and non-time-critical operations. This segmentation enhances overall processing capability by utilizing multiple processors while keeping each processor's workload manageable and well-defined.
Data Source
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AI summary
A materials handling vehicle comprises a distributed processor system including a vehicle network that facilitates an exchange of information with vehicle electronic components, and a distributed multi-processor vehicle control architecture. The distributed multi-processor vehicle control architecture includes an embedded information core having a core processor communicably coupled to the vehicle network, and a tablet having a tablet processor, where the tablet is communicably couplable to, and detachable from the distributed multi-processor vehicle control architecture. When the tablet is detached from the distributed multi-processor vehicle control architecture, the core processor functions as a primary processor that communicates with vehicle electronic components by communicating therewith across the vehicle network. When the tablet is communicably attached to the distributed multi-processor vehicle control architecture, the tablet processor functions as the primary processor, and the core processor functions as a subordinate processor.