Vehicle Interface Device for Secure Command Transmission

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for transmitting function commands between a motor vehicle and an external device require the physical presence of both endpoints for validation and testing during the development phase, limiting the ability to independently develop and test application programs.

Innovation Solution

An interface device acts as a modular backend building block, providing a programming interface that decouples and secures the communication link between the motor vehicle and the external device, allowing function commands to be validated and tested without the need for the motor vehicle or device to be present, by comparing commands against a set of valid functions and ensuring compatibility and security.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If direct communication between motor vehicle and external device is used for command transmission, then communication simplicity is maintained, but testing and validation during development phase requires physical presence of both endpoints which increases complexity and reduces efficiency

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication simplicityVSAvoidtesting complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an interface device as an intermediary component that decouples the motor vehicle and external device. This interface device provides standardized function commands and enables independent testing during development phase without requiring both endpoints to be physically present, thus resolving the contradiction between communication simplicity and testing complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The communication system is segmented into distinct components: the motor vehicle, the external device, and the interface device. This segmentation allows the interface device to independently manage command validation and testing, enabling development phase testing without requiring both original endpoints to be present

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If interface device with command validation is introduced, then command security and compatibility are improved, but system complexity increases due to additional communication component

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommand securityVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The interface device is designed with multi-functionality, serving as both a command validation mechanism for security and a standardized interface for compatibility. By consolidating these functions into a single component, the patent improves reliability without proportionally increasing system complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Measurement precision

If function commands are validated against multiple valid commands in interface device, then command accuracy and compatibility are improved, but processing time and computational resources increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommand accuracyVSAvoidprocessing time
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The interface device maintains a pre-defined set of valid function commands and their parameters. During operation, incoming commands are quickly validated against this pre-established reference set, reducing processing time while maintaining high accuracy through comprehensive validation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3384411B1Method for transmitting a function command between a motor vehicle and a device outside the vehicle, and interface apparatus and system
Publication Date: 2019.08.14 AUDI AG
  • EP3384411B1 patent drawingFigure 1

AI summary

The invention relates to a method for transmitting a function command (11) between a motor vehicle (3) and a device (4) outside the vehicle, in which the function command (11) is transmitted via an interface apparatus (2) which is outside the vehicle and provides a communication connection between the motor vehicle (3) and the device (4), and the interface apparatus (2) provides an interface (9) which is used to provide a multiplicity of valid function commands (10), wherein the function command (11) is compared with the multiplicity of valid function commands (10), and the function command (11) is forwarded only if this function command (11) conforms to the interface, wherein the function command (11) is transmitted between the motor vehicle (3) and the device (4) only via the interface (9).