Vehicle Software Compatibility Validation via Central Gateway

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Solution Overview

Problem

Ensuring vehicle software compatibility across the lifecycle is challenging due to independent ECU software updates and potential software incompatibilities during ECU replacements, which can lead to functional issues and require manual validation by technicians.

Innovation Solution

A system with a central gateway that queries ECUs for feature codes, compares them to a feature dictionary, and alerts for discrepancies, ensuring compatible software configurations and automatically installing necessary updates to maintain compatibility.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If manual software update validation is performed by technicians, then software compatibility can be verified, but labor time and operational complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesoftware compatibilityVSAvoidmanual validation process

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables self-service by having ECUs automatically report their software versions and the central gateway automatically validates compatibility against the feature dictionary, eliminating the need for manual technician validation while maintaining reliability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring ECU software versions through automated queries and comparing them against the feature dictionary to detect compatibility issues, providing real-time validation without manual intervention

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Productivity

If ECU software is updated independently via OTA, then update speed and adaptability improve, but software incompatibility risks increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveupdate speedVSAvoidsoftware compatibility

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies preliminary action by pre-defining all valid ECU software version combinations in the feature dictionary before deployment, enabling automated validation that prevents incompatible updates from being applied even though OTA updates occur independently and rapidly

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The central gateway continuously queries ECUs for their software versions and automatically compares them against the feature dictionary, providing real-time feedback that detects incompatibilities resulting from independent OTA updates

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Ease of repair

If ECU replacements are performed without validation, then repair time is reduced, but functional issues may occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereplacement speedVSAvoidvehicle functionality

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of repairVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements feedback by automatically querying replaced ECUs for their feature codes and software versions, and comparing them against the feature dictionary to detect compatibility issues that could cause functional problems

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The central gateway acts as an intermediary between the ECU replacement process and the vehicle's software compatibility requirements, automatically validating that replaced ECUs are compatible before allowing the replacement to proceed

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS12164910B2Vehicle software compatibility

Publication Date: 2024.12.10 FORD GLOBAL TECH LLC

AI summary

Tracking controller configuration is provided. Each ECU of a plurality of ECUs is queried for feature codes indicative of elements of functionality implemented by the respective ECU. Each of the feature codes corresponds to a target quantity of ECUs involved in implementing the functionality. An alert is indicated responsive to the querying returning a different quantity of ECUs implementing the functionality than the target quantity.