In-Vehicle Timer Continuation During Power Reset

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Solution Overview

Problem

In emergency call scenarios, electronic devices integrated into vehicles face challenges with maintaining connectivity and timer continuity during power resets, leading to potential disruptions in emergency communication services.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of a timer control module and communication control module within the in-vehicle system that allows for the continuation of timers, such as T3242 and T3243, during power resets, enabling the system to remain registered on the network and maintain emergency call functionality.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of energy

If the system performs a power reset during emergency call scenarios, then power consumption is reduced and system state is refreshed, but timer continuity is lost and network registration is disrupted

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidemergency communication continuity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system stores timer state information in non-volatile memory before power reset occurs. This preliminary action preserves the timer state (T3242, T3243) and network registration status, allowing the system to resume emergency call functionality immediately after power restoration without re-initialization delays

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements continuous timer operation across power reset boundaries by restoring timer states from stored data. The timer control module maintains uninterrupted timing for emergency call procedures, ensuring continuous network registration and communication availability without gaps in the useful action

Inventive Principle:
Principle #20Continuity of useful action

2Reliability

If the system re-initiates emergency calls after power reset, then network registration is re-established, but communication delay increases and emergency response time is extended

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenetwork registration statusVSAvoidemergency call setup time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary storage of timer states and network registration status in non-volatile memory before power reset. This allows the system to restore these states immediately upon power restoration, avoiding the time-consuming process of re-establishing network registration and re-initiating emergency calls

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system creates a copy of the timer state information and network registration status in non-volatile memory. This copy serves as a restored state that can be quickly loaded after power reset, eliminating the need to re-generate these states and reducing emergency call setup time

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

3Device complexity

If the system loses timer state information during power reset, then system resources are freed, but emergency call functionality is disrupted and connectivity is lost

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem state managementVSAvoidemergency communication service
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system separates volatile and non-volatile memory usage for timer state management. Critical timer states (T3242, T3243) and network registration status are stored in non-volatile memory segment, while operational variables remain in volatile memory. This segmentation preserves essential state information during power reset without complicating the overall system architecture

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system extracts and stores only the critical timer state information and network registration status in non-volatile memory, separating these essential elements from the rest of the system state. This extraction ensures that only necessary data persists through power reset, maintaining emergency call functionality without unnecessarily increasing system complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentEP3087766B1Timer continuation in a power reset scenario
Publication Date: 2020.08.19 QUALCOMM INC
  • EP3087766B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3087766B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3087766B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A method for timer continuation in a power reset scenario by an in-vehicle system is described. The method includes beginning a power reset. The method also includes determining whether a timer associated with an emergency call (e.g., eCall) was running before the power reset. The method further includes continuing timer use if the timer was running before the power reset. The method additionally includes registering the in-vehicle system on a network if the timer was running before the power reset.