Vehicle Diagnostic System API Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current vehicle diagnostic systems are limited by their reliance on single-vendor solutions, leading to inefficiencies, high costs, and potential for errors due to outdated or incorrect diagnostic information, as well as restrictions on expanding to new platforms and lack of protection for intellectual property.
Innovation Solution
A diagnostic vehicle system with a standardized interface and application programming interface (API) that separates the user interface from the proprietary algorithms, allowing access to diagnostic data while protecting intellectual property, enabling third-party applications to connect directly to the vehicle diagnostic system and facilitating modular development and licensing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a single-vendor solution is used for vehicle diagnostic systems, then the system is easier to manage and implement, but the car company becomes dependent on that vendor, cannot access real-time updates, and loses the ability to expand to new platforms independently
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the diagnostic system into two independent parts: a protected core containing proprietary algorithms and data, and an accessible interface layer. This allows the car company to maintain control over critical IP while enabling third-party applications and platform expansion through standardized APIs, resolving the contradiction between ease of implementation and adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary layer (API interface) between the protected diagnostic system and external applications. This intermediary enables controlled access to diagnostic data without exposing proprietary algorithms, allowing third-party vendors to develop applications while the car company maintains control and can update the system in real-time, thus improving adaptability without sacrificing implementation simplicity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If proprietary algorithms are fully exposed to third-party vendors, then more features and platforms can be developed, but intellectual property is compromised and system security is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the proprietary algorithms and diagnostic data into a separate, protected core component. This extracted IP remains secure and controlled by the car company, while standardized interfaces expose only the necessary functionality to third-party applications. This resolves the contradiction by enabling platform versatility without exposing sensitive intellectual property.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses an intermediary API layer that sits between third-party applications and the protected proprietary algorithms. This intermediary enables feature development across multiple platforms by third parties while preventing direct access to sensitive IP, thus maintaining both adaptability and security/reliability simultaneously.
3Ease of manufacture
If diagnostic information is provided as static files to third-party companies, then they can build their systems, but the information becomes outdated quickly and transcription errors occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements continuous access to diagnostic information through standardized APIs, replacing the static file model. Third-party applications can continuously query updated diagnostic data directly from the vehicle's electronic controllers, ensuring information remains current and accurate without manual updates or transcription, thus eliminating information loss while maintaining ease of system building.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary API layer that provides real-time access to diagnostic information between the vehicle's electronic controllers and third-party applications. This intermediary eliminates the need for static file transfers, preventing transcription errors and ensuring third parties always access accurate, up-to-date information while keeping system integration simple.
4Adaptability or versatility
If a standardized interface with API access is implemented, then third-party applications can connect directly and modular development is enabled, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the system architecture into clearly defined components: protected core, API interface layer, and application layer. This segmentation organizes the complexity into manageable modules with well-defined interfaces, enabling third-party development while keeping the overall system structure clear and maintainable, thus resolving the contradiction between adaptability and complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for diagnosing and repairing vehicles includes a diagnostic vehicle system having at least one electronic controller for configured to execute algorithms that generate data related to the diagnostic operations of the vehicle. Also includes is an interface in communication with the at least one electronic controller of the diagnostic vehicle system and at least one electronic controller of the vehicle. The electronic controller is configured to provide access via an application programming interface to a user via the interface to data generated by the algorithms and restrict access to the algorithms that generate the data related to the diagnostic operations of the vehicle.