Centralized Virtualization for Vehicle Embedded Systems

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

The increasing complexity and weight of vehicle systems due to extensive hardware lead to higher fuel consumption, increased development and maintenance costs, and performance penalties, necessitating a reduction in hardware resources and system complexity.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of virtualization techniques for embedded systems, utilizing centralized physical platforms with shared bus systems and virtualization layers to operate virtual machines, which reduces the need for dedicated hardware and communication pathways, thereby simplifying and lightweighting vehicle systems.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If more hardware is incorporated into vehicle systems to handle increased complexity, then system functionality and reliability are improved, but system weight increases leading to higher fuel consumption

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem reliabilityVSAvoidsystem weight

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple ECUs are consolidated into a single centralized platform that hosts multiple virtual machines. Each virtual machine emulates the functionality of a separate ECU, allowing the system to maintain the reliability and functionality of multiple independent units while using a single physical hardware platform, thereby reducing overall system weight.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The centralized physical platform is designed to perform multiple functions by running different virtual machines simultaneously. Each virtual machine can be configured to perform the specific functions of different ECUs, making the single platform universal and capable of replacing multiple specialized hardware units.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Adaptability or versatility

If more hardware is incorporated into vehicle systems, then system functionality is improved, but development and maintenance costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem functionalityVSAvoiddevelopment and maintenance costs

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of creating and maintaining multiple physical ECU hardware units, the system creates virtual copies (virtual machines) of ECU functionality on a single physical platform. These virtual machines can be instantiated, configured, and maintained through software, significantly reducing development, manufacturing, and maintenance costs while preserving full system functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The system transitions from fixed hardware-based ECU functionality to flexible software-based virtual machine functionality. This parameter change allows the same physical hardware to be reconfigured for different functions through software updates, reducing the need for costly hardware development cycles and enabling easier maintenance and upgrades.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Adaptability or versatility

If more hardware is incorporated into vehicle systems, then system complexity increases, but performance may be penalized

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem complexityVSAvoidsystem performance

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple ECUs are merged into a single centralized platform with shared processing resources. This consolidation reduces system complexity by eliminating redundant hardware components and communication interfaces while maintaining performance through efficient resource allocation and virtualization overhead management.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS8522237B2Virtualizing embedded systems

Publication Date: 2013.08.27 THE BOEING CO

AI summary

This description provides tools and techniques for virtualizing embedded systems. Systems are described for embedding into a vehicle, with the systems including subsystems and centralized physical platforms that include computing resources operating on behalf of the subsystems. Systems may also include shared bus systems that place the centralized physical platforms and the subsystems in communication with one another. The centralized physical platforms may also include virtualization layers for operating virtual machines, with the virtual machines being associated respectively with the subsystems.