Vehicle Add-on Interface for Sensor Signal Configuration
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Solution Overview
Problem
In the heavy vehicle industry, add-on systems installed after manufacturing are often unknown to the vehicle's internal systems, making it impossible to interpret and process sensor signals from these systems, leading to potential failures in critical operations.
Innovation Solution
A method for configuring an add-on interface in vehicles, which involves receiving configuration information from external communication units and using internal communication units to process sensor signals from add-on systems, allowing for flexible adaptation and interpretation of sensor data by final users or customers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If add-on systems are installed after vehicle manufacturing, then vehicle functionality and adaptability are improved, but the vehicle's internal systems cannot interpret or process sensor signals from these add-on systems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an add-on interface as an intermediary component between the vehicle's internal communication system and add-on systems. This interface receives sensor signals from add-on systems, processes them through configurable parameters, and translates them into a format compatible with the vehicle's internal systems, thereby enabling signal interpretation without requiring modifications to the core vehicle systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The add-on interface allows for configurable parameters that can be adjusted to match different add-on systems. By changing these parameters, the interface can adapt to various sensor types and signal formats from different manufacturers, enabling universal compatibility while maintaining proper signal interpretation for each specific add-on system.
2Reliability
If the vehicle is provided with fixed internal systems during manufacturing, then manufacturing precision and reliability are improved, but flexibility for integrating unknown add-on systems deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the vehicle's communication architecture into distinct layers: the core internal systems remain fixed and reliable, while the add-on interface provides a separate, configurable layer for integrating add-on systems. This segmentation allows the reliable core systems to remain unchanged while the interface layer adapts to different add-on configurations.
Solution Approach 2:
The add-on interface introduces dynamic configurability to the otherwise static vehicle internal systems. Through configurable parameters that can be adjusted based on the specific add-on system being integrated, the interface dynamically adapts signal processing characteristics while the core vehicle systems maintain their fixed, reliable operation.
3Ease of operation
If sensor signals from add-on systems are processed without proper configuration, then ease of operation is improved, but measurement precision and operational safety deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary configuration capabilities where the add-on interface can be pre-configured with appropriate parameters before actual use. This preliminary setup ensures that sensor signals are processed with correct precision from the outset, while the configuration process itself remains straightforward and does not complicate the actual operation of the vehicle.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and control unit for configuring an add-on interface of a vehicle are presented. The vehicle comprises at least one vehicle internal system, at least one add-on system, the add-on system being arranged in the vehicle after the vehicle is produced by a manufacturer, and at least one internal communication unit arranged for communication with at least one vehicle external communication unit. The method comprises: receiving, using the at least one internal communication unit, configuration information related to at least one sensor of the vehicle from the at least one vehicle external communication unit; and configuring, based on the configuration information, how at least one sensor signal Ssensor from the at least one sensor is to be processed by an add-on interface, the add-on interface being arranged in the vehicle as an interface between the at least one vehicle internal system and the at least one add-on system.