Vehicle Density-Based OTA Update Scheduling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current over-the-air (OTA) updates for vehicles often use inefficient unicast transmission, consuming cellular data and incurring additional costs, as they typically send updates separately to each vehicle despite many vehicles receiving the same content.
Innovation Solution
A system that determines vehicle density in a geographical area through statistical data from OTA test content drops, identifying suitable time slots for broadcast delivery instead of unicast, allowing for more efficient use of cellular spectrum by switching to broadcast transmission when a sufficient number of vehicles are present.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If unicast transmission is used for OTA updates, then each vehicle receives the update individually ensuring reliable delivery, but cellular data consumption and costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple unicast transmissions into a single broadcast transmission when multiple vehicles are located in the same geographical area. The OTA manager device determines vehicle locations and, when it identifies that multiple vehicles are within a predetermined area, it transmits the update content via broadcast to all vehicles simultaneously, thereby reducing cellular data consumption while maintaining reliable delivery to all target vehicles.
2Loss of energy
If broadcast transmission is used for OTA updates, then cellular data consumption is reduced by transmitting once to multiple vehicles, but the system complexity increases due to vehicle density monitoring and transmission type selection
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic transmission management system that adapts the transmission type (broadcast or unicast) based on real-time vehicle density conditions. The OTA manager device continuously monitors vehicle locations and dynamically selects the appropriate transmission method: broadcast when multiple vehicles are detected in a geographical area, and unicast when vehicles are dispersed. This dynamic approach reduces cellular data consumption while managing system complexity through automated decision-making based on predefined criteria.
3Ease of operation
If unicast transmission is used, then transmission scheduling is simpler, but the efficiency of OTA updates decreases when multiple vehicles need the same content
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by having the OTA manager device determine vehicle locations and identify suitable time slots for broadcast transmission before actually executing the OTA update. The system performs vehicle density assessment and broadcast suitability determination in advance, allowing it to schedule efficient broadcast transmissions when multiple vehicles are available, thereby improving OTA update efficiency while maintaining operational simplicity through predefined scheduling criteria.
Data Source
AI summary
A geographical area of a mobile network is directed to perform an OTA test content drop of a predefined time, data, size, and duration. Statistical data is identified with respect to vehicle density in the geographical area, the statistical data being computed from reception reports received from vehicles responsive to the OTA test content drop. Responsive to at least a predefined minimum target of vehicles being located in the geographical area, and based on the statistical data, one or more time slots for an OTA delivery in the geographic area suitable for broadcast delivery are determined. The OTA update is delivered over broadcast instead of unicast during the one or more time slots.