Vehicle Data Fabric for ECU and Network Protocol Interoperability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle communication systems lack a unified representation for data states and services across network devices and vehicle ECUs, leading to complex and error-prone data sharing and service management.
Innovation Solution
A secure data fabric is introduced that provides a unified communication system for vehicles, using a messaging protocol like NATS or Apache Kafka, enabling efficient data exchange and service provision between network devices and vehicle ECUs, ensuring eventual data consistency and asynchronous event notifications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a unified representation for data states and services is implemented across network devices and vehicle ECUs, then data sharing efficiency and service management are improved, but system complexity and integration requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a message broker as an intermediary component that mediates communication between ECUs and network devices. The message broker receives messages from publishers, routes them according to subscription patterns, and delivers them to subscribers, thereby simplifying the integration complexity while improving data sharing efficiency. This intermediary abstracts the complexity of direct peer-to-peer connections.
Solution Approach 2:
The message broker serves multiple functions within a single component: it acts as a message router, a subscription manager, a message queue, and a coordination point for event notifications. This multi-functionality reduces the need for multiple separate systems, thereby improving productivity while managing system complexity.
2Speed
If real-time data exchange is implemented between ECUs and network devices, then responsiveness and service delivery are improved, but data consistency and error management become more challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where the message broker tracks message publication and delivery status. Subscription patterns include filters that validate incoming messages against expected data formats and states, providing feedback loops that ensure data consistency even during high-speed real-time exchange. Error handling routines respond to consistency violations by requesting retransmission or correction.
Solution Approach 2:
The message broker pre-establishes subscription patterns and message routing rules before data exchange begins. Data validation schemas and consistency checks are configured in advance, allowing the system to rapidly exchange data while automatically enforcing consistency rules without real-time negotiation overhead.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a message broker with subscription patterns is deployed, then service management and event notification are improved, but memory usage and processing overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The message broker implements local quality by maintaining subscription patterns and message routing information in a distributed manner across the network. Rather than centralizing all subscription data in one location, each ECU and network device maintains local subscription state, reducing the memory burden on any single component while preserving overall service management flexibility.
4Adaptability or versatility
If multiple protocols are supported for communication between ECUs and network devices, then interoperability and adaptability are improved, but protocol management and message routing complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The message broker acts as a protocol intermediary that receives messages from ECUs using one protocol format and delivers them to network devices using another protocol format. The broker handles protocol translation, message format conversion, and routing rule interpretation, thereby enabling multi-protocol interoperability while shielding individual components from the complexity of managing multiple protocols simultaneously.
Data Source
AI summary
In certain embodiments, a communication system includes a network server configured to provide a secure data fabric, a network device connected to the secure data fabric, and a vehicle in communication with the network and connected to the secure data fabric. The secure data fabric includes cell modules, and each cell module includes a fabric hub, a vehicle model, a signal model, and a first protocol with publication and subscription. The vehicle includes electronic control units (ECUs) connected to an ECU bus. One of the ECUs includes a fabric node, and is configured to exchange messages, including the data from the vehicle model, with the fabric hub according to the first protocol, convert the data from the vehicle model to data from the signal model, and exchange messages, including the data from the signal model, with the ECUs according to a second protocol.