Vehicle distributed computing for additional on-demand computational processing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11588797-B2
Application number	US-202017021236-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 15, 2020
Priority date	Sep 15, 2020
Publication date	Feb 21, 2023
Grant date	Feb 21, 2023

Abstract

Systems and techniques for vehicle distributed computing for on-demand computational capacity. Systems and techniques described herein enable distribution of discrete computational work requests to other vehicle systems through generation and awarding of smart contracts to locally positioned other vehicle systems bidding for the smart contracts. Data for processing the requests is encrypted and send to the vehicle winning the smart contract, which processes the request and returns the completed work product. Completion of the smart contract initiates transfer of value to the processing vehicle as incentive for processing the work load.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:
determining, by a computer system of a first vehicle, that a computation workload associated with a computation exceeds available computing resources of the computer system, wherein the computer system is configured to perform computations on-board the first vehicle;
generating, by the computer system of the first vehicle, a smart contract for distribution to one or more vehicles via a public blockchain, the smart contract including (1) a request to perform the computation by at least one of the one or more vehicles, (2) task data associated with the computation, (3) expiration of the smart contract, and (4) deadline for completion of the request, wherein the task data of the smart contract describes a type of request to be performed and computing resource requirements;
receiving identification information of a second vehicle among the one or more vehicles that is awarded the smart contract;
generating an encrypted random symmetric key specific to the request, the encrypted random symmetric key encrypted using a public key of the second vehicle;
encrypting the request to perform the computation using the encrypted random symmetric key;
conveying the encrypted random symmetric key and the encrypted request to the second vehicle;
receiving a message from the second vehicle including completion data associated with the request; and
generating and incorporating, by the computer system of the first vehicle, a completion notification to the smart contract on the public blockchain, wherein the completion notification indicates that the request has been completed and verified, and wherein the completion notification comprises instructions to transfer a predetermined value from a stored value account of the first vehicle to a stored value account of the second vehicle.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein generating the smart contract comprises:
receiving a request for the computation workload;
dividing the computation workload into one or more requests; and
selecting the request of the one or more requests for inclusion in the smart contract.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein selecting one request of the one or more requests for inclusion in the smart contract comprises:
selecting the request such that remaining one or more requests do not exceed the available computing resources of the computer system.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more vehicles are located within a predetermined distance of the first vehicle.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more vehicles include computing systems with available computing resources to complete the request.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising providing a public key of the first vehicle and communication instructions to the second vehicle.

7. A vehicle computer system of a vehicle, comprising:
one or more processors; and
a memory having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:
determine that a computation workload associated with a computation exceeds available computing resources of the vehicle computer system, wherein the vehicle computer system is configured to perform computations on-board the vehicle;
generate a smart contract for distribution to one or more computing systems via a public blockchain, the smart contract including (1) a request to perform the computation by at least one of the one or more vehicles, (2) task data associated with the computation, (3) expiration of the smart contract, and (4) deadline for completion of the request, wherein the task data of the smart contract describes a type of request to be performed and computing resource requirements;
receive identification information of a computing system of the one or more computing systems that is awarded the smart contract;
generate an encrypted random symmetric key specific to the request, the encrypted random symmetric key encrypted using a public key of the computing system;
encrypt the request to perform the computation using the encrypted random symmetric key;
convey the encrypted random symmetric key and the encrypted request to the computing system;
receive a message from the computing system including completion data associate with the request; and
generate and incorporate a completion notification to the smart contract on the public blockchain, wherein the completion notification indicates that the request has been completed and verified, and wherein the completion notification comprises instructions to transfer a predetermined value from a stored value account associated with the vehicle computer system to a stored value account associated with the computing system.

8. The vehicle computer system of claim 7 , wherein the computing system is a computing system of a separate vehicle.

9. The vehicle computer system of claim 7 , wherein the computing system is a stationary computing system.

10. The vehicle computer system of claim 7 , wherein the computing system is a cloud computing system.

11. The vehicle computer system of claim 7 , wherein encrypting the request comprises:
generating a hash of the request to generate a message digest; and
generating a signature of the message digest using a private key of the computing system, and wherein encrypting the request comprises encrypting the hash and the signature.

12. The vehicle computer system of claim 7 , wherein generating the smart contract comprises determining whether the vehicle has a stored value account balance that exceeds a predetermined value.

13. The vehicle computer system of claim 7 , wherein the one or more computing systems comprise one or more vehicle computing systems, and wherein owners of the one or more vehicle computing systems have previously authorized use of computing resources to process requests from other vehicles.

14. The vehicle computer system of claim 7 , wherein the one or more computing systems are within a predetermined distance of the vehicle computer system and the one or more computing systems are in communication with the vehicle computer system over a short-range communication system.

15. A non-transitory, computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:
receive, at a local vehicle computing system of a vehicle, a smart contract including (1) a request to perform a computation for a remote vehicle computing system, (2) task data, (3) expiration of the smart contract, and (4) a deadline for completion of the request, wherein the local vehicle computing system is configured to perform computations on-board the vehicle, wherein the task data of the smart contract describes a type of request to be performed and computing resource requirements;
determine, by the local vehicle computing system, available resources for performing the computation,
generate a bid for the smart contract based at least in part on the available resources for performing the computation, the task data and the deadline for completion of the request;
receive an encrypted random symmetric key and encrypted request from the remote vehicle computing system, the encrypted random symmetric key and the encrypted request both encrypted using a public key of the local vehicle computing system;
decrypt the encrypted random symmetric key using a private key of the local vehicle computing system;
decrypt the encrypted request using the decrypted random symmetric key;
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Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Hinh Robert

Classifications

• H04L9/3239 Primary

  involving non-keyed hash functions, e.g. modification detection codes [MDCs], MD5, SHA or RIPEMD · CPC title

• H04W12/03

  Protecting confidentiality, e.g. by encryption · CPC title

• H04L9/3247

  involving digital signatures · CPC title

• H04L63/045 Primary

  wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply hybrid encryption, i.e. combination of symmetric and asymmetric encryption (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements using a plurality of keys or algorithms H04L9/14) · CPC title

• H04L63/0435

  wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply symmetric encryption, i.e. same key used for encryption and decryption (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for symmetric key encryption H04L9/06) · CPC title