Vehicle Network Congestion Management via Delayed Message Start Times
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Solution Overview
Problem
Modern vehicle network communication systems experience congestion due to message build-ups at certain time intervals, leading to missed messages and adverse vehicle performance, as existing systems fail to effectively manage data traffic.
Innovation Solution
A network communication system with a central gateway and electronic control units (ECUs) that uses a computer with processors and a non-transitory storage medium to assign delayed start times for message transmission, limiting the number of messages sent at each time interval to prevent congestion, by comparing initial offset times and adjusting message counts and start times accordingly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If messages are transmitted at high periodic rates to ensure data availability, then information completeness is improved, but network congestion increases and messages may be missed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies periodic action by implementing a time-synchronized message transmission system where ECUs transmit messages at scheduled periodic intervals rather than continuously or asynchronously. The central gateway coordinates these periodic transmissions using timing information from a timing ECU, ensuring that messages are sent at optimal moments to avoid congestion while maintaining complete data availability across the network.
2Productivity
If multiple ECUs transmit messages simultaneously at their respective periodic rates, then data communication efficiency is improved, but message build-up and congestion occur at certain time intervals
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where the central gateway monitors message transmission patterns and timing across the network. Based on this feedback, the gateway dynamically adjusts transmission schedules and coordinates with ECUs to stagger message transmissions, preventing simultaneous message build-up while maintaining efficient data communication. The system uses feedback from timing information and message acknowledgment to optimize transmission timing.
Solution Approach 2:
The central gateway serves as an intermediary that mediates between multiple ECUs with different periodic transmission rates. It receives timing information from the timing ECU, processes this information to determine optimal transmission schedules, and coordinates message transmissions from various ECUs to avoid congestion. The gateway acts as a centralizing mediator that balances the competing transmission demands of multiple ECUs.
3Reliability
If message transmission timing is synchronized to avoid congestion, then network performance is improved, but system complexity increases due to coordination requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the timing coordination function into a centralized gateway that consolidates message routing and timing management. By combining these functions in a single central unit rather than distributing complexity across all ECUs, the system achieves synchronized message transmission while limiting overall system complexity. The gateway consolidates the coordination burden that would otherwise be distributed throughout the network.
Data Source
AI summary
A computer is provided for a network communication system of a motor vehicle. The system includes a central gateway and a plurality of electronic control units (ECUs) coupled to the central gateway. The computer includes one or more processors and a computer readable medium (CRM) coupled to the processors. The processor is programmed to receive an input database including a plurality of messages with a plurality of unique periodic rates. The processor is further programmed to assign a plurality of delayed start times for associated messages, with a number of the messages transmitted at each of the delayed starting times being limited to a predetermined maximum threshold. The processor is further programmed to generate an output database including the delayed start times, such that the ECUs are coded based on the output database to transmit the messages at the associated delayed start times to decrease a congestion of the system.