Vehicle Data Transmission Interface Switch for Redundant Line Fault Handling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing data transmission methods between digitally controllable vehicle components are prone to uncontrolled data loss, which can compromise safety, especially in redundant systems where one line's failure leads to overloading of the remaining line, potentially jeopardizing safety in vehicles and their vicinity.

Innovation Solution

A method involving continuous monitoring of data connections to distinguish between normal and error states, splitting standard data streams between two data connection lines, and prioritizing safety-relevant data over safety-irrelevant data when a fault occurs, using an interface switch to isolate the faulty line and ensure continued transmission of critical data.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If redundant data connection lines are used to compensate for line failure, then system reliability is improved, but the remaining line becomes overloaded and safety is compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem reliabilityVSAvoiddata transmission capacity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The data stream is segmented into two separate streams: a first data stream containing safety-relevant data and a second data stream containing safety-irrelevant data. These segmented streams are transmitted over different data connection lines, allowing the system to maintain reliability through redundancy while preventing overload by distributing data types across separate channels.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different quality levels are applied to different data streams based on their safety relevance. Safety-relevant data is transmitted with higher priority and protection on dedicated connection lines, while safety-irrelevant data uses standard transmission. This local differentiation ensures that critical data maintains high transmission quality even when redundant lines are involved.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Device complexity

If all data is transmitted over a single connection line, then device complexity is reduced, but uncontrolled data loss occurs compromising safety

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconnection structure complexityVSAvoiddata transmission safety
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system adds a dimensional distinction to data transmission by creating separate transmission channels for safety-relevant and safety-irrelevant data. Instead of a single flat connection structure, the system organizes data flows in different dimensional spaces (safety-critical vs. non-critical), allowing complex safety requirements to be met while maintaining manageable system architecture through clear separation of concerns.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Duration of action of moving object

If the remaining data connection line is used after one line fails, then data transmission continues, but the line is overloaded and safety is jeopardized

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata transmission continuityVSAvoidsafety assurance
Core Design Contradiction:
Duration of action of moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary classification of data into safety-relevant and safety-irrelevant categories before transmission. This preliminary action ensures that when a line failure occurs, the remaining line can immediately continue transmitting safety-relevant data without overload, as these critical data streams are pre-configured to use dedicated connection paths that can be maintained even in failure scenarios.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system prepares compensatory measures in advance by establishing redundant data connection lines specifically for safety-relevant data transmission. This beforehand cushioning ensures that when one line fails, the remaining line is not overloaded because the critical data streams have pre-established alternative paths or prioritized transmission channels that maintain safety assurance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

Data Source

PatentEP4033714B1Method for data transmission between two digitally controllable vehicle components
Publication Date: 2023.06.14 ZKW GRP GMBH
  • EP4033714B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4033714B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP4033714B1 patent drawing

AI summary

The invention relates to a method for data transmission between at least two digitally controllable vehicle components (1a, 1b, 1c), comprising a first and a second vehicle component, wherein each vehicle component (1a, 1b, 1c) has an electronic control unit (2) with a monitoring unit (3) and an interface switch (8) comprising two communication interfaces (4a, 4b), namely a first and a second communication interface, wherein the monitoring unit (3) is configured to monitor the communication interfaces (4a, 4b), wherein the two vehicle components (1a, 1b, 1c) are connected to each other for data exchange by providing two data connection lines (5a, 5b), wherein the first communication interfaces (4a) are connected to each other by a first data connection line (5a) and the second communication interfaces (4b) are connected to each other by a second data connection line (5b).The following steps are performed: a) Continuously monitoring the data connection between the vehicle components using the monitoring units (3) provided for this purpose and distinguishing between a normal state and a fault state, whereby in a normal state both data connection lines (5a, 5b) are available with their nominal bandwidth and in a fault state data exchange via one of the two data connection lines (5a, 5b) fails due to the lack of a data connection, b) upon detection of a normal state, splitting a standard data stream (DN) to be exchanged between the vehicle components (1a, 1b, 1c) between the two data connection lines (5a, 5b) in the interface switch (8) in order to use the bandwidth of both data connection lines (5a, 5b) simultaneously and to make any restriction, in particular a failure, of a data connection line (5a, 5b) immediately detectable due to the detection of a data failure,wherein the standard data stream includes safety-relevant data (DSR) as well as safety-irrelevant data (DSI), and information regarding the structure of the standard data stream is available for the vehicle components, so that a data failure is detected by comparison with the known structure of the standard data stream, c) upon detection of a fault condition of a data connection line, the faulty data connection line (5a, 5b) is released from the transmission of the standard data stream (DN) by changing the distribution using the interface switch, and the control of the remaining data connection line (5a, 5b) is changed such that the transmission of the safety-relevant data (DSR) is prioritized over the transmission of the safety-irrelevant data (DSI).