Center device, distribution package generation method and distribution package generation program

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11900092-B2
Application number	US-202117166891-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 3, 2021
Priority date	Aug 10, 2018
Publication date	Feb 13, 2024
Grant date	Feb 13, 2024

Abstract

A center device manages data to be written into electronic control units mounted on a vehicle and includes an update data storage storing update data for a target device being a target of data update among the electronic control units, a vehicle information storage storing, together with type of the vehicle, vehicle related information, and a device related information storage storing update data related information. Based on information stored in the device related information storage and the vehicle information storage, the center device generates specification data including device type, attribute, the update data related information of the target device, and information indicating rewrite environment related to the data update of the target device, and generates a distribution package including the update data and the specification data.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A distribution package generation method comprising:
generating specification data corresponding to update data to be written into a target device being a target of data update among a plurality of electronic control units mounted on a vehicle so that the specification data includes device type of the target device, an attribute of the target device, update data related information of the target device, and information indicating rewrite environment related to the data update of the target device; and
generating a distribution package including the update data and the specification data and storing the distribution package,
wherein
in cases where the target device is a plurality of target devices:
generating the specification data includes generating specification data for target devices as one file; and
generating the distribution package includes generating one distribution package including the update data for the target devices and the file,

the method further comprising:
in response to a request from the vehicle after generation of the distribution package is completed and update availability is notified to the vehicle, distributing the stored distribution package, wherein
the information indicating rewrite environment includes memory configuration information indicative of a memory configuration of a non-volatile memory mounted in each of the plurality of target devices, and at least one of self-retention power information indicating whether each of the plurality of target devices activates a self-retention power function, group information indicative of a group to which each of the plurality of target devices belongs, or order information indicative of an order in which installation is performed for the plurality of target devices to manage the data update for each of the plurality of target devices on a phase basis, wherein
the memory configuration information indicates whether each of the plurality of target devices has a single-bank memory or a double-bank memory,
the method further comprises:
allowing installation for the plurality of target devices only when the vehicle is parked if the memory configuration information indicates that each of the plurality of target devices has the single-bank memory, and
allowing installation for the plurality of target devices when the vehicle is parked or when the vehicle is traveling if the memory configuration information indicates that each of the plurality of target devices has the double-bank memory.

2. A center device that manages data to be written into a plurality of electronic control units mounted on a vehicle, comprising:
an update data storage unit storing update data for a target device being a target of data update among the plurality of electronic control units;
a vehicle information storage unit storing, together with type of the vehicle, vehicle related information related to device identification of each of the electronic control units and identification of data stored in each of the electronic control units;
a device related information storage unit storing update data related information related to an attribute of the target device and the update data;
a specification data generation unit that, based on information stored in the device related information storage unit and the vehicle information storage unit, generates specification data including device type of the target device, the attribute of the target device, the update data related information of the target device, and information indicating rewrite environment related to the data update of the target device; and
a package generation unit that generates a distribution package including the update data acquired by an update data acquisition unit and the specification data, and stores the distribution package in a package storage unit,
wherein
in cases where the target device is a plurality of target devices, the specification data generation unit generates specification data for target devices as one file, and
the package generation unit generates one distribution package including the update data for the target devices and the file,
the center device further comprising
a package distribution unit that, in response to a request from the vehicle after generation of the distribution package is completed and update availability is notified to the vehicle, distributes the distribution package stored in the package storage unit, wherein
the information indicating rewrite environment includes memory configuration information indicative of a memory configuration of a non-volatile memory mounted in each of the plurality of target devices, and at least one of self-retention power information indicating whether each of the plurality of target devices activates a self-retention power function, group information indicative of a group to which each of the plurality of target devices belongs, or order information indicative of an order in which installation is performed for the plurality of target devices to manage the data update for each of the plurality of target devices on a phase basis, wherein
the memory configuration information indicates whether each of the plurality of target devices has a single-bank memory or a double-bank memory,
installation for the plurality of target devices is allowed only when the vehicle is parked if the memory configuration information indicates that each of the plurality of target devices has the single-bank memory, and
installation for the plurality of target devices is allowed when the vehicle is parked or when the vehicle is traveling if the memory configuration information indicates that each of the plurality of target devices has the double-bank memory.

3. The center device of claim 2 , wherein
the vehicle related information includes information on grouping of electronic control units of the plurality of electronic control units according to type.

4. The center device of claim 3 , wherein
the specification data generation unit generates one specification data for each group of the target devices; and
the package generation unit generates one distribution package for each group of the target devices.

5. The center device of claim 2 , wherein
the information indicating the rewrite environment includes rewrite environment with respect to a vehicle and rewrite environment with respect to a target device.

6. The center device of claim 2 , wherein
in time order starting with information of the earliest target device in a preset rewrite order of target devices, the specification data generation unit generates the specification data in accordance with a predetermined data structure.

7. The center device of claim 2 , further comprising
computer hardware and software implementing the specification data generation unit, the package generation unit, and the package distribution unit.

8. The center device according to claim 2 , wherein
activation for the plurality of target devices is allowed only when the vehicle is parked regardless of the memory configuration information.

9. The center device according to claim 2 , wherein
installation for the plurality of target devices having the single-bank memory is performed after installation for the plurality of target devices having the double-bank memory completed.

10. The center device according to claim 2 , wherein
if the group information indicates that the plurality of target devices belong to a same group, activation for the plurality of target devices is performed collectively.

11. The center device according to claim 2 , wherein
installation for the plurality of target devices is performed in the order specified by the order informa

Assignees

• Denso Corp

Inventors

• Sakurai Nao
• Harata Yuzo
• Uehara Kazuhiro
• Hasegawa Takuya
• Kawasaki Takuya
• Hayakawa Kazuaki

Classifications

• G06F8/65 Primary

  Updates (security arrangements therefor G06F21/57) · CPC title

• B60R16/023

  for transmission of signals between vehicle parts or subsystems · CPC title

• B60R16/0231

  Circuits relating to the driving or the functioning of the vehicle (monitoring tyres B60C23/00; indicating overspeed B60K31/00; for dash boards B60K37/00, B60Q3/10; for indicating emergencies B60Q1/52; brake control systems B60T; registering or indicating the working of vehicles G07C5/00; measuring distance G01C, e.g. combinations of speed and distance G01C23/00; engine indicators G01L; measuring speed or acceleration G01P) · CPC title

• B60R16/03

  for supply of electrical power to vehicle subsystems {or for (circuit arrangements for charging batteries H02J7/00)} · CPC title

• B60W60/001

  Planning or execution of driving tasks · CPC title