Vehicle Step Apparatus Optical Control via OBD
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle step apparatus integration into a vehicle's CAN bus is hindered by security measures, increasing costs and complexity, and reducing reliability, as external control signals cannot access the bus without modifying the vehicle's communication system.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle step apparatus with an on-board diagnostics system, data flow reading module, emitter, receiver, and controller that allows independent control of the step's extension and retraction based on door state information, eliminating the need for CAN bus integration and reducing system burden.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the control circuit of the vehicle step apparatus is integrated into the CAN bus of the vehicle, then the control system can be unified, but the security protection measures of the vehicle prevent external signals from accessing the bus, making integration difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary communication system consisting of an emitter and a receiver. The emitter converts control signals into light signals that can be received by the receiver, which then converts them back into electrical signals. This intermediary optical communication mechanism allows the step apparatus to communicate with the vehicle's control system without directly accessing the protected CAN bus, thereby resolving the contradiction between integration capability and access reliability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the control circuit of the vehicle step apparatus is integrated into the CAN bus of the vehicle, then the control function can be unified, but it requires modification of the vehicle's bus system, increasing cost and complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the control system into independent modules: the step apparatus has its own control circuit that operates independently from the vehicle's main CAN bus. The control signals are generated locally based on door state information obtained through the OBD interface, eliminating the need to modify the vehicle's existing bus system while maintaining functional integration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary communication system consisting of an emitter and a receiver. The emitter converts control signals into light signals that can be received by the receiver, which then converts them back into electrical signals. This intermediary optical communication mechanism allows the step apparatus to communicate with the vehicle's control system without directly accessing the protected CAN bus, thereby resolving the contradiction between integration capability and access reliability.
3Ease of operation
If the control circuit of the vehicle step apparatus is integrated into the CAN bus of the vehicle, then the control architecture can be simplified, but the operation becomes more complex and reliability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the control system into independent modules: the step apparatus has its own control circuit that operates independently from the vehicle's main CAN bus. The control signals are generated locally based on door state information obtained through the OBD interface, eliminating the need to modify the vehicle's existing bus system while maintaining functional integration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary communication system consisting of an emitter and a receiver. The emitter converts control signals into light signals that can be received by the receiver, which then converts them back into electrical signals. This intermediary optical communication mechanism allows the step apparatus to communicate with the vehicle's control system without directly accessing the protected CAN bus, thereby resolving the contradiction between integration capability and access reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle includes a vehicle body, a door, a step, a driving device for moving the step between an extending position and a retracting position, an on-board diagnostics for obtaining a state information of the door and having an interface, a vehicle data flow reading module, an emitter, a receiver and a controller. The on-board diagnostics is mounted on the vehicle body. The vehicle data flow reading module is coupled with the interface. The emitter is coupled with the vehicle data flow reading module and configured to emit the state information. The receiver is configured to receive and decode the state information from the emitter. The controller is coupled with the driving device and the receiver and configured to control the driving device to move the step between the extending position and the retracting position based on the state information.