Virtual DCU Orchestration for Faster Vehicle Control Deployment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle control systems require lengthy development and certification processes for new control algorithms, and separate systems lack efficient data sharing due to different certification requirements, leading to inefficiencies in implementing and updating vehicle functionalities.
Innovation Solution
Implementing remote virtual domain control units (V-DCUs) and electronic control units (V-ECUs) that can be deployed and executed locally or remotely via a network, allowing for flexible placement and configuration based on latency and resource availability, enabling seamless integration and sharing of sensor data across vehicle systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If physical domain control units are manufactured and tested before operation, then safety and reliability are ensured, but development time spans months or years
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates virtual copies of domain control units that can be deployed and tested rapidly without physical manufacturing. These virtual DCUs replicate the functional behavior of physical units, enabling iterative development and testing in software environments, thereby dramatically reducing development time while maintaining safety through virtual certification processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary testing and validation of control algorithms in virtual environments before deploying to physical hardware. By conducting safety assessments, functional tests, and integration validation in virtual DCUs first, the system prepares everything in advance, reducing the time required for physical manufacturing and testing cycles.
2Adaptability or versatility
If separate domain control units are used for different vehicle systems, then specialized control functions are achieved, but data sharing between systems becomes inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple separate domain control units into an integrated virtual DCU architecture where different control functions coexist in a unified environment. This integration allows efficient data sharing through standardized communication protocols and shared memory spaces, while maintaining the specialized control capabilities of individual domains through virtualization isolation and dedicated processing threads.
Solution Approach 2:
The virtual DCU architecture creates a universal platform that can host multiple specialized control functions simultaneously. This multi-functional environment enables data sharing across different vehicle systems (powertrain, chassis, body) through common data buses and standardized interfaces, eliminating the inefficiencies of separate physical units while preserving domain-specific control expertise.
3Reliability
If rigorous testing and certification are performed for each domain control unit, then high safety levels are achieved, but the process becomes complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses virtual copies of domain control units to perform comprehensive safety testing and certification in software environments. These virtual instances replicate all safety-critical behaviors and can be tested exhaustively without the constraints of physical hardware, reducing certification complexity while maintaining high safety levels through automated testing frameworks and virtual validation protocols.
Data Source
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AI summary
A system comprising one or more computers implements a virtual domain control unit/virtual electronic control unit service configured to deploy vehicle code packages to one or more of a plurality of supported virtual domain control unit/electronic control unit orchestration environments, which include both a local orchestration environment and one or more remote orchestration environments. In such orchestration environments, virtual domain control units and/or virtual electronic control units are implemented that execute code included in the vehicle code packages. In some embodiments, such virtual domain control units or virtual electronic control units allow computing capacity and/or data storage capacity of a vehicle to be augmented via remotely implemented virtual domain control units and/or remotely implemented virtual electronic control units.