Vehicle Network Control Using TSN and DDS Traffic Prioritization

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Solution Overview

Problem

Complex vehicle control systems face increased complexity and potential points of failure due to multiple communication networks, which can hinder critical communications and lead to safety issues, especially when less critical data interferes with time-sensitive operations.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a controller that manages communication between vehicle devices using a Time-Sensitive Network (TSN) with a Data Distribution Service (DDS), where critical communications are prioritized as time-sensitive, while less critical data is handled as best effort or rate-constrained communications, ensuring efficient and reliable operation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If multiple communication networks are used to ensure critical and non-critical communications are successfully transmitted, then communication reliability is improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication reliabilityVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments communication traffic into different priority levels (critical and non-critical) and applies different communication strategies to each segment. Critical communications use time-sensitive network protocols with guaranteed bandwidth, while non-critical communications use best-effort delivery, thereby maintaining reliability for essential functions without requiring multiple physical networks.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies different quality levels of service to different communication streams within the same network infrastructure. Time-sensitive critical communications receive prioritized handling with guaranteed performance characteristics, while non-critical communications receive standard service, allowing the system to optimize reliability where needed without uniformly increasing complexity across all communications.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Reliability

If multiple communication networks and relay components are used to handle different communication priorities, then communication reliability is improved, but the number of potential failure points increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication reliabilityVSAvoidpotential failure points
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

By segmenting traffic by priority rather than using separate physical networks, the patent eliminates the need for multiple network infrastructures and relay components. All communications traverse the same physical network, but critical communications are protected through protocol-level prioritization, reducing hardware failure points while maintaining communication reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Productivity

If less critical data is transmitted on the same network as critical communications, then network utilization is improved, but interference with critical communications may occur

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenetwork utilizationVSAvoidcritical communication timeliness
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies different service quality levels to different data streams within the same network. Critical communications receive time-sensitive handling with prioritized scheduling and guaranteed bandwidth allocation, while non-critical data is transmitted with best-effort delivery. This allows high network utilization through non-critical traffic without compromising the timeliness of critical communications.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements periodic time-sensitive communication cycles for critical data, ensuring that critical communications occur at regular, predictable intervals with guaranteed timing. Non-critical communications fill in the remaining network capacity, allowing the system to maintain both high utilization and critical communication reliability through structured periodic transmission patterns.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

Data Source

PatentEP3516469B2Vehicle control system
Publication Date: 2023.11.08 WESTINGHOUSE AIR BRAKE TECH CORP
  • EP3516469B2 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3516469B2 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3516469B2 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A control system includes a controller configured to control communication between or among plural vehicle devices that control operation of a vehicle via a network that communicatively couples the vehicle devices. The controller also is configured to control the communication using a data distribution service (DDS) and with the network operating as a time sensitive network (TSN). The controller is configured to direct a first set of the vehicle devices to communicate using time sensitive communications, a different, second set of the vehicle devices to communicate using best effort communications, and a different, third set of the vehicle devices to communicate using rate constrained communications.