Vehicle Processor Sharing During Charging for Off-Board Computing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Autonomously movable vehicles with high-performance processor units often have idle computing resources during charging, which are not utilized effectively, leading to inefficiencies in both economic and societal benefits.
Innovation Solution
A method where the computing power of the processor unit in an autonomously movable vehicle is made available to off-board processing networks or clusters during the charging of the vehicle's electric energy storage unit, forming a virtual high-performance processor that can be centrally managed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If the processor unit is idle during charging, then energy is wasted, but making it available externally requires system complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The processor unit is designed to perform dual functions: autonomous vehicle operation and external computing task execution. During charging periods, the same processor unit that would otherwise be idle is utilized for off-board computing tasks, allowing one component to serve multiple purposes and reducing overall system waste without requiring duplicate hardware
Solution Approach 2:
A communication interface acts as an intermediary between the processor unit and off-board networks. This mediator enables the processor to connect to external computing networks during charging, facilitating resource sharing while managing the complexity of external connectivity through a standardized interface layer
2Productivity
If computing power is made available externally during charging, then economic efficiency increases, but vehicle availability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements periodic alternating between charging mode and operational mode. During charging periods, the processor unit is allocated to external computing tasks, while during operational periods, full vehicle functionality is restored. This periodic switching ensures that economic benefits are gained during idle charging time without compromising vehicle availability when needed
Solution Approach 2:
The vehicle is charged in advance during periods when it is not needed for operation. By performing the charging action preliminarily during off-peak vehicle utilization times, the system creates windows of opportunity where the processor can be externally utilized without affecting subsequent vehicle operational availability
3Power
If multiple processor units form a virtual processor, then computing power increases, but coordination complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple processor units from different vehicles are merged to form a virtual high-performance processor. The individual processor units are combined into a unified computational resource that can be managed as a single entity, aggregating their computing power while presenting a consolidated interface for task allocation and management
4Productivity
If processor unit is used for external computing, then resource utilization improves, but autonomous driving capability may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The processor unit alternates between serving autonomous driving functions and external computing tasks based on periodic scheduling. During charging periods when the vehicle is stationary, the processor is allocated to external computing tasks. During operational periods, the processor fully dedicates to autonomous driving functions, ensuring that resource utilization improves during idle time without compromising driving capability when needed
Data Source
AI summary
A method for using a processor unit of an autonomously movable vehicle involves making a computing power of the processor unit available to at least one external computer network and/or to a computer cluster during a process of charging an electrical energy storage unit of the vehicle.