Wheel End Control Abstraction for Multi-Supplier Motion Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing complexity of modern heavy-duty vehicles with diverse Motion Support Devices (MSDs) from different suppliers poses a challenge in coordinating, monitoring, and controlling these devices effectively, as existing systems are often proprietary and inflexible, making it difficult to accommodate changes in MSDs and ensure compatibility and safety.
Innovation Solution
A Wheel End Computer (WEC) is designed to host and execute Motion Support Device Abstractions (MSDAs) that provide a standardized interface for monitoring and controlling various MSDs, allowing for easy reconfiguration, authentication, and software updates, enabling the coordination of different types of MSDs from multiple suppliers and ensuring compliance with vehicle specifications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If proprietary software from different MSD suppliers is used, then each MSD can be controlled by its native interface, but the vehicle control architecture becomes complex and inflexible
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary layer (abstraction layer) between the vehicle control system and the diverse MSDs from different suppliers. This intermediary translates various proprietary MSD interfaces into a unified control architecture, enabling compatibility without requiring the vehicle control system to directly handle each supplier's proprietary protocol, thus reducing overall system complexity while maintaining versatility
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal control architecture that can interface with multiple types of MSDs from different suppliers through a common standardized interface. This universal layer enables a single vehicle control system to manage diverse motion support devices (combustion engines, electric motors, friction brakes, regenerative brakes, shock absorbers, etc.) without requiring separate proprietary control paths for each device type
2Adaptability or versatility
If the vehicle uses a fixed set of MSDs, then the control system can be optimized for those specific devices, but the system cannot adapt to changes or updates in MSD technology
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic control architecture where the abstraction layer can be reconfigured to accommodate different sets of MSDs. The system can dynamically adapt to changes in MSD technology, supplier changes, or vehicle configuration modifications while maintaining stable control through the consistent standardized interface, allowing both adaptability and reliability
3Ease of operation
If proprietary wheel end computers from MSD suppliers are used, then each MSD has dedicated control capability, but the system lacks flexibility for reconfiguration and updates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent positions the vehicle unit computer with its standardized abstraction layer as an intermediary that maintains dedicated control capability for each MSD while enabling centralized reconfiguration. The standardized interface allows the vehicle control system to manage each MSD's dedicated functionality while providing flexibility for updates and reconfiguration that proprietary fixed systems cannot offer
Data Source
AI summary
A wheel end computer, WEC, (220) for hosting and executing one or more motion support device abstraction modules (MSDA, 221) configured to monitor and/or to control operations of one or more respective motion support devices, MSDs, (240, 250, 260, 270) on a heavy duty vehicle, where an MSDA provides a control and/or a monitoring interface between an external vehicle unit computer (VUC, 210), and a respective MSDs operational functionality, wherein the WEC (220) is arranged to identify a matching MSDA for each MSD in a set of MSDs, such that each MSD connected to the WEC is matched to a respective MSDA, and wherein the WEC (220) is arranged to receive a monitor and/or a control command from the VUC (210) for monitoring and/or controlling an MSD connected to the WEC, and to control the MSD via the respective matching MSDA.