Vehicle OTA Update Documentation via Backend Text Modules
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing over-the-air (OTA) software update methods for vehicle components lack vehicle-specific communication, failing to provide detailed and accurate information to owners about changes resulting from updates due to high variance in vehicle derivatives, hardware, and legal requirements across different markets.
Innovation Solution
A method and system where a vehicle transmits system parameters to a backend, which determines the need for an update and generates vehicle-specific text modules describing changes, these modules being transmitted back to the vehicle for documentation on an output unit, allowing for precise communication of software update contents to owners.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If generic OTA update methods are used, then update efficiency is maintained, but vehicle-specific information accuracy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the update information transmission by dividing it into generic update data and vehicle-specific text modules. The backend system separates general software update information from component-specific descriptions, allowing efficient bulk transmission while providing accurate vehicle-specific details through modular text modules that are selectively transmitted based on the vehicle's configuration parameters.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by providing different levels of information detail to different vehicles based on their specific configurations. Each vehicle receives generic update information plus additional vehicle-specific text modules that describe changes relevant to its particular hardware and software setup, ensuring that each vehicle gets appropriately tailored information without overwhelming all vehicles with maximum detail.
2Loss of information
If vehicle-specific text modules are transmitted, then information completeness improves, but communication data volume increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by having the vehicle transmit its system parameters (hardware configuration, installed components, software versions) to the backend before the update information is generated. This allows the backend to pre-determine which text modules are relevant for each vehicle and prepare only those specific modules, avoiding transmission of unnecessary data while ensuring all relevant information is included.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses partial action by transmitting only the subset of text modules that are relevant to each specific vehicle's configuration, rather than sending all possible update descriptions to every vehicle. The backend selectively transmits only those text modules that correspond to components and changes actually present in the receiving vehicle, reducing data volume while maintaining information completeness.
3Measurement precision
If detailed system parameters are collected, then update determination accuracy improves, but privacy concerns increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the minimum necessary system parameters from the vehicle needed to determine update requirements and generate appropriate text modules. Instead of collecting comprehensive vehicle data, the system extracts specific parameters such as hardware configuration identifiers, installed component types, and current software version information - sufficient for accurate update determination while minimizing privacy exposure.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for documenting an update of software of a component of a vehicle includes receiving in a backend a request message transmitted by the vehicle, the request message comprising system parameters of the vehicle. In response to the request message, a check is carried out at the backend using the system parameters in order to determine whether an update of the software of the component is required and, if so, transmitting an update message by the backend to the vehicle. The update message includes at least one text module which in each case describes a change relating to existing software of the component. A respective text module is assigned in each case to a component. In response to the update message, the at least one text module is provided on an output unit assigned to the vehicle.