Vehicle Electrical Diagnostics via Single-ECU System Addressing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle diagnostic methods rely on external diagnostic testers and diagnostic gateways, which limit access to signals within the vehicle electrical system, such as actual values transmitted on the network, and require multiple addresses for each controller, increasing complexity.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of system diagnostic software executed on one arithmetic logic unit, which allows the entire vehicle electrical system to be addressed as a multi-ECU system, enabling diagnostic applications to receive diagnostic inquiries, analyze them, and send data or responses to external diagnostic units without relying on diagnostic gateways.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a diagnostic gateway is used to relay diagnostic messages, then the diagnostic unit can address controllers via diagnostic addresses, but the diagnostic unit is unable to access signals within the vehicle such as actual values transmitted on the network
Solution Approach 1:
The diagnostic application is extracted from the external diagnostic unit and placed directly on the arithmetic logic unit within the vehicle electrical system. This extraction allows the diagnostic functionality to access internal signals and data directly without being blocked by the diagnostic gateway, while still maintaining the ability to be addressed by external diagnostic units.
Solution Approach 2:
The arithmetic logic unit acts as an intermediary between the external diagnostic unit and the vehicle electrical system components. It hosts the diagnostic application that can directly access network signals and controller data, then relay this information to external diagnostic units, effectively bridging the gap between external addressing capabilities and internal signal access.
2Reliability
If multiple diagnostic addresses are assigned to each controller, then each controller can be uniquely identified, but the complexity in the diagnostic unit increases
Solution Approach 1:
The diagnostic application merges the functionality of multiple controllers into a single executable software component on one arithmetic logic unit. This consolidation reduces the number of addresses needed from multiple controller addresses to a single address for the diagnostic application, thereby reducing diagnostic unit complexity while maintaining the ability to access all necessary controller data through the unified diagnostic interface.
3Adaptability or versatility
If system diagnostic software is executed on one arithmetic logic unit, then the entire vehicle electrical system can be addressed as a multi-ECU system, but proprietary communication protocols are required to protect against unauthorized access
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the communication protocol parameters from standard open protocols to proprietary protocols with enhanced security features. This parameter change enables the system to maintain adaptability and versatility in addressing the entire vehicle electrical system while simultaneously protecting against unauthorized access through encrypted and authenticated communication channels.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for diagnosing a vehicle electrical system of a vehicle including a plurality of intercommunicating arithmetic logic units. A diagnostic application is executed on one arithmetic logic unit of the plurality of arithmetic logic units. The diagnostic application receives a diagnostic inquiry from an external diagnostic unit. The diagnostic inquiry is analyzed by the diagnostic application. Based on the content of the diagnostic inquiry, the diagnostic application sends data to at least one arithmetic logic unit and/or sends a diagnostic response to the external diagnostic unit.