Software update apparatus, software update method, non-transitory storage medium storing program, vehicle, and OTA master

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12204894-B2
Application number	US-202318142290-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 2, 2023
Priority date	Jul 8, 2020
Publication date	Jan 21, 2025
Grant date	Jan 21, 2025

Abstract

A software update apparatus includes a communication unit that sends a request for downloading update data to a center, a storage unit that stores the downloaded update data, and a control unit that executes, based on the update data, a control for installing, or installing and activating update software on one or more target electronic control units from among a plurality of electronic control units connected to each other via an in-vehicle network. The control unit acquires software versions of the electronic control units, determines whether there is a consistency in a combination of the acquired software versions, and executes, upon determining that there is an inconsistency in the combination of the acquired software versions, a process for attaining the consistency in the combination of the software versions.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A software update apparatus comprising:
a computer comprising a storage, and a processor that is programmed to:
generate a request for downloading update data from a center;
receive and store the downloaded update data in the storage;
execute, based on the update data, a control for installing, or installing and activating, updated software on at least one target electronic control unit from among a plurality of electronic control units connected to each other via an in-vehicle network;
acquire, in response to execution of a first control for installing, or a second control for installing and activating updated software, software versions of the electronic control units;
receive a user request to return the updated software to a version installed before the control, and in response to the user request, confirm that there is consistency in a combination of software versions before the first control or second control is executed in some electronic control units of the plurality of electronic control units that have executed the first control or second control, and software versions of the plurality of electronic control units other than the some of the electronic control units; and
return the software versions of the some of the electronic control units to the software versions before the updating if the consistency is present.

2. The software update apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the software update apparatus is mounted in a vehicle.

3. The software update apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to verify the update data or the installed updated software.

4. The software update apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to execute the control for installing, or installing and activating updated software, on a plurality of target electronic control units, including the at least one target electronic control unit.

5. The software update apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the processor is configured to execute the control for installing, or installing and activating updated software, on the plurality of target electronic control units continuously or in parallel for each of the plurality of target electronic control units.

6. The software update apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is further programmed to return the software versions of the some of the electronic control units to the software versions before the updating, in response to detecting an abnormality in one of the some of the electronic control units.

7. A method of updating software comprising:
controlling a computer that includes a storage and a processor so as to:
generate a request for downloading update data from a center;
receive and store the downloaded update data in the storage;
execute, based on the update data, a control for installing, or installing and activating, updated software on at least one target electronic control unit from among a plurality of electronic control units connected to each other via an in-vehicle network;
acquire, in response to execution of a first control for installing, or a second control for installing and activating updated software, software versions of the electronic control units;
receive a user request to return the updated software to a version installed before the control, and in response to the user request, confirm that there is consistency in a combination of software versions before the first control or second control is executed in some electronic control units of the plurality of electronic control units that have executed the first control or second control, and software versions of the plurality of electronic control units other than the some of the electronic control units; and
return the software versions of the some of the electronic control units to the software versions before the updating in response to the consistency being present.

8. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing an executable program that causes a computer that includes a storage and a processor to execute steps comprising:
generate a request for downloading update data from a center;
receive and store the downloaded update data in a storage;
execute, based on the update data, a control for installing, or installing and activating, updated software on at least one target electronic control unit from among a plurality of electronic control units connected to each other via an in-vehicle network;
acquire, in response to execution of a first control for installing, or a second control for installing and activating updated software, software versions of the electronic control units;
receive a user request to return the updated software to a version installed before the control, and in response to the user request, confirm that there is consistency in a combination of software versions before the first control or second control is executed in some electronic control units of the plurality of electronic control units that have executed the first control or second control, and software versions of the plurality of electronic control units other than the some of the electronic control units; and
return the software versions of the some of the electronic control units to the software versions before the updating in response to the consistency being present.

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Fukuyo Satoru
• Ishikawa Tomoyasu
• Satoh Yusuke

Classifications

• G06F8/65 Primary

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

• G06F8/454

  Consistency (cache consistency protocols in hierarchically structured memory systems G06F12/0815) · CPC title

• G06F11/1433

  during software upgrading · CPC title

• G06F8/71 Primary

  Version control (security arrangements therefor G06F21/57); Configuration management · CPC title

• G06F8/61 Primary

  Installation · CPC title