In-Vehicle VM Zero-Downtime Update via Isolated Clone
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
In-vehicle virtual machines (VMs) require updates to ensure security and functionality, but existing methods often result in interruptions to critical vehicle operations, which are not acceptable for systems like police vehicles that rely on continuous performance.
Innovation Solution
A method that creates a clone of the VM in an isolated network environment, updates the clone during downtime, and swaps it with the original VM to minimize operational disruptions, using a management agent and software-defined wide area network (SD-WAN) for efficient updates without interrupting ongoing operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If VM updates are performed using conventional methods, then software updates can be applied, but operational interruptions occur in critical vehicle systems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a clone VM in advance within an isolated network environment before the actual update is needed. This clone VM is prepared with the updated software version while the original VM continues to operate normally, allowing the update to be applied preliminarily without affecting current operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a copy (clone) of the original VM with identical configuration and software version. This clone is then updated in the isolated environment while the original continues operating. The updated clone serves as a backup that can be quickly deployed if needed, eliminating the need to interrupt the original VM for updates.
2Productivity
If VM updates are performed during vehicle operation, then continuous monitoring is possible, but service interruptions occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the update process into two independent parts: the original VM that continues to provide service, and the clone VM that receives updates in an isolated network environment. This segmentation allows update operations to proceed without affecting the continuity of the original service.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an isolated network environment as an intermediary between the update source and the production VM. This intermediary allows update files to be transferred and applied to the clone VM without directly interrupting the original VM's operations, enabling efficient updates while maintaining service continuity.
3Reliability
If clone VM is created in isolated network environment, then update safety is improved, but network complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates an isolated network environment that acts as an inert or sandbox environment for updating the clone VM. This isolated environment prevents update operations from directly affecting the production network and original VM, ensuring update safety while containing network complexity within a defined boundary.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
Some embodiments provide a novel method for efficiently updating software of virtual machines, VMs, executing on devices (210) in a vehicle (200) such that updates to the software do not interrupt operations performed by the VMs. While the vehicle (200) operates, the method collects configuration state information of a first VM (608-1) executing on a device (210) and performing a set of operations. The method uses the configuration state information to instantiate a second VM (624-1) in an isolated network environment that is isolated from the first VM (608-1). The second VM (624-1) is identical to the first VM (608-1) at a particular time the configuration state information was collected. The method updates the second VM (624-1), and detects a compute downtime of the vehicle (200). During the compute downtime, the method uses the updated second VM (624-1) on the device (210) instead of the first VM (608-1) such that the updated second VM (624-1) performs the set of operations once the compute downtime ends.