Data update system for electronic control devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12454193-B2
Application number	US-202217900962-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 1, 2022
Priority date	Mar 6, 2020
Publication date	Oct 28, 2025
Grant date	Oct 28, 2025

Abstract

A data update device for electronic control devices includes: a charge schedule setting unit for setting a charge schedule of a battery of an electric vehicle; a charge control unit for charging the battery according to the charge schedule; and a data update control unit for updating data of one electronic control device by acquiring update data from a center device on a condition that an acknowledgement of the user is obtained when receiving a notification of the update data from the center device together with information about time required for the updating, and determining that the updating is possible even if the charge control unit charges the battery according to the charge schedule.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A data update system for a plurality of electronic control devices comprising:
an electric vehicle on which the plurality of electronic control devices are mounted;
a charge device;
a mobile terminal;
a center device; and
a charge schedule setting unit for setting a charge schedule for charging a battery of the electric vehicle based on an instruction of an user, wherein:
the electric vehicle includes:
a first communication device for communicating with the center device;
an OTA control unit;
a first charge control unit for charging the battery according to the charge schedule when the charge device is connected to the electric vehicle; and
a first HMI device for receiving an operation relating to an updating of a data to be stored in one of the plurality of electronic control devices;

the charge device includes:
a second communication device for communicating with the center device;
a second charge control unit for charging the battery according to the charge schedule when the charge device is connected to the electric vehicle; and
a second HMI device for receiving an operation relating to the charging of the battery;

the mobile terminal includes: a third communication device for communicating with the center device; and a third HMI device as the charge schedule setting unit;
the third HMI device of the mobile terminal receives the operation relating to the updating of the data;
the first communication device of the electric vehicle receives information on the operation relating to the updating of the data by the third HMI device of the mobile terminal and information on the operation relating to the charge schedule, from the center device; and
the OTA control unit updates the data of the one of the electronic control devices as an update target by acquiring update data from the center device on a condition that an acknowledgement of the user relating to the updating of the data is obtained when receiving a notification that the data to be stored in the one of the electronic control devices and to be transmitted from the center device exists together with information about time required for the updating, and determining that the updating of the data is possible even if the first charge control unit of the electric vehicle charges the battery according to the charge schedule.

2. The data update system for the electronic control devices according to claim 1 , wherein:
the OTA control unit updates the data of the one of the electronic control devices as the update target by acquiring the update data from the center device on a condition that the acknowledgement of the user relating to the updating of the data is inquired and the acknowledgement of the user is obtained when determining that the updating of the data is possible while the first charge control unit of the electric vehicle charges the battery according to the charge schedule.

3. The data update system for the electronic control devices according to claim 1 , wherein:
the charge schedule setting unit sets, as the charge schedule, at least one of a charge start time, a charge end time, a start and end time of charging, and a charge time from a present time.

4. The data update system for the electronic control devices according to claim 1 , wherein:
the updating of the data includes:
a first phase of acquiring the update data from the center device;
a second phase of writing an acquired update data to the one of the electronic control devices as the update target; and
a third phase of validating the update data written to the one of the electronic control devices;

the OTA control unit includes an user interface unit for a user to perform an input operation; and
the OTA control unit executes one or more phases after confirming that the input operation for acknowledging execution of the one or more phases is performed by the user.

5. The data update system for the electronic control devices according to claim 4 , wherein:
the OTA control unit inquires at least once whether the user acknowledges execution of all phases.

6. The data update system for the electronic control devices according to claim 1 , further comprising:
one or more processors; and
a memory coupled to the one or more processors and storing program instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to provide at least: the mobile terminal; the center device; and the charge schedule setting unit.

7. A data update system for a plurality of electronic control devices comprising:
a center device for transmitting information on updating data to be stored in one of the plurality of electronic control devices and update data to a vehicle in which the plurality of electronic control devices are mounted;
a charge schedule setting unit for setting a charge schedule for charging a battery of an electric vehicle equipped with the plurality of electronic control devices, based on an instruction of an user;
a charge schedule transmission unit for transmitting information about a charge schedule to the center device;
a charge control unit for charging the battery according to the charge schedule when a charge device is connected to the electric vehicle; and
a data update control unit for acquiring the update data from the center device and updating the data of the one of the plurality of electronic control devices as an update target, wherein:
the center device transmits information on the updating to the electric vehicle and causes the data update control unit to execute updating the data when determining based on time required for the updating of the data that the updating of the data is possible even if the charge control unit of the electric vehicle charges the battery according to the charge schedule in a case where the data to be stored in the one of the electronic control devices mounted on the electric vehicle that has transmitted the charge schedule to the center device is updated in the center device.

8. The data update system for the plurality of electronic control devices according to claim 7 , wherein:
the charge schedule setting unit sets, as the charge schedule, at least one of a charge start time, a charge end time, a start and end time of charging, and a charge time from a present time.

9. The data update system for the plurality of electronic control devices according to claim 7 , wherein:
the updating of the data includes:
a first phase of acquiring the update data from the center device;
a second phase of writing an acquired update data to the one of the electronic control devices as the update target; and
a third phase of validating the update data written to the one of the electronic control devices;

the electric vehicle includes:
a user interface unit for a user to perform an input operation; and
an input operation information transmission unit for transmitting information on the input operation to the center device; and

the center device executes one or more phases after confirming that the input operation for acknowledging execution of the one or more phases is performed by the user.

10. The data update system for the plurality of electronic control devices according to claim 7 , further comprising:
one or more processors; and
a memory coupled to the one or more processors and storing program instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to provide at least: the center device; the charge schedule setting unit; the charge schedule transmission unit; the charge control unit; and the data update control unit.

Assignees

• Denso Corp

Inventors

• Sakurai Nao
• Abe Taiji

Classifications

• G06F8/65

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

• H04W4/44

  for communication between vehicles and infrastructures, e.g. vehicle-to-cloud [V2C] or vehicle-to-home [V2H] · CPC title

• B60L2270/40

  related to technical updates when adding new parts or software · CPC title

• B60L2250/16

  by display · CPC title

• Y02T90/167

  Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for supporting the interoperability of electric or hybrid vehicles, i.e. smartgrids as interface for battery charging of electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV] · CPC title