Vehicle Network Transmission Opportunity Allocation

Solution Overview

Problem

Current Ethernet-based vehicle networks face challenges in ensuring reliable communication, particularly during emergency situations, due to limitations in the PHY layer collision avoidance function, which struggles to prioritize high-priority nodes like brakes and airbags.

Innovation Solution

The proposed method involves an operation method for end nodes in an Ethernet-based vehicle network, where high-priority nodes receive additional transmission opportunities by adjusting the configuration of main-cycles and sub-cycles, allowing them to transmit data more frequently, thereby improving communication reliability and performance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the current PLCA function with round-robin scheduling is used to ensure fairness in transmission opportunities, then all nodes are provided with equal transmission opportunities, but high-priority nodes (such as brake and airbag systems) cannot receive additional transmission opportunities when needed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecommunication reliability for emergency dataVSAvoidability to prioritize different node types

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by differentiating transmission opportunities based on node priority. High-priority nodes (brake, airbag) are granted additional transmission opportunities in specific sub-cycles, while standard nodes follow the regular round-robin schedule. This creates localized quality variations in the transmission schedule that match the different reliability requirements of different node types.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces dynamics by making the transmission opportunity allocation adaptive rather than static. The main-cycle structure with multiple sub-cycles allows the system to dynamically adjust which nodes get transmission opportunities based on their priority level. High-priority nodes can access the medium more frequently during critical sub-cycles, making the system responsive to different communication needs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Reliability

If the transmission schedule is optimized for high-priority nodes by providing additional transmission opportunities, then communication reliability for emergency data improves, but the complexity of the scheduling algorithm increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetransmission reliability for high-priority nodesVSAvoidscheduling algorithm complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies segmentation by dividing the transmission cycle into multiple sub-cycles, where each sub-cycle serves different purposes. The main-cycle is segmented into sub-cycles that can be dedicated to high-priority nodes, standard nodes, or used for collision avoidance. This segmentation allows the complex requirement of prioritizing multiple node types to be broken down into manageable, repetitive patterns.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses periodic action through the main-cycle and sub-cycle structure. Transmission opportunities are allocated in periodic intervals rather than through complex real-time calculations. Each node type has predetermined periodic opportunities to transmit, which simplifies the scheduling logic while ensuring high-priority nodes receive adequate attention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

3Productivity

If the round-robin scheduling algorithm is used to provide equal transmission opportunities to all nodes, then fairness is ensured, but the transmission rate for critical emergency data cannot be increased

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetransmission rate for emergency dataVSAvoidsimplicity of scheduling mechanism

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces dynamics by making the transmission opportunity allocation adaptive rather than static. The main-cycle structure with multiple sub-cycles allows the system to dynamically adjust which nodes get transmission opportunities based on their priority level. High-priority nodes can access the medium more frequently during critical sub-cycles, making the system responsive to different communication needs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses periodic action through the main-cycle and sub-cycle structure. Transmission opportunities are allocated in periodic intervals rather than through complex real-time calculations. Each node type has predetermined periodic opportunities to transmit, which simplifies the scheduling logic while ensuring high-priority nodes receive adequate attention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Data Source

PatentUS11233750B2Method and apparatus for allocating transmission opportunities in vehicle network

Publication Date: 2022.01.25 HYUNDAI MOTOR CO LTD

AI summary

An operation method of a first end node constituting an Ethernet-based vehicle network includes receiving a first beacon from a second end node, the beacon including first configuration information of a first main-cycle including a plurality of sub-cycles each of which includes N time slots; transmitting a signal in a time slot corresponding to an identifier of the first end node among the N time slots within a sub-cycle #k of the plurality of sub-cycles; and transmitting a signal in a time slot corresponding to the identifier of the first end node among the N time slots in a sub-cycle #(k+1) consecutive with the sub-cycle #k of the plurality of sub-cycles.