Program update system and vehicle management server

Abstract

The present invention relates to a program update system and a vehicle management server, which sends an update program for updating an existing program of an electronic device mounted on a vehicle to the above-mentioned vehicle, including: a communication unit for communicating with the vehicle; and a control unit for controlling the update processing, the control unit determining whether to display a prompt related to the update processing of the existing program by the update program to the vehicle user based on the type of the update program, and sending information related to the update processing that is determined to be displayed on a specified information terminal as a prompt to the vehicle user to the vehicle via the communication unit.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a program update system and a vehicle management server. Background Art

[0002] Vehicles are equipped with multiple electronic devices called ECUs (Electronic Control Units). Vehicle-mounted devices such as ECUs each have one or more control units such as CPUs and a storage unit that stores one or more programs for the control unit to execute, and perform various functions. In order to improve the functions of electronic devices, a solution has been proposed to update the program stored in the storage unit by rewriting it into a newer version. In particular, a solution has been proposed to enable the vehicle to receive data for program updates from an external server through wireless communication so that the program can be updated without going to a repair shop.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-148398 discloses a program update system for updating a program installed in an ECU mounted on a vehicle. In this system, since a management device manages version information and update files for each vehicle ID, an update file is sent to the ECU only when the program installed in the ECU is not the latest version based on the vehicle ID sent from the ECU, thereby improving release efficiency.

[0004] If the update status (completion notification, permission request) is displayed to the user, occupant, etc. of the vehicle (hereinafter referred to as "vehicle user") according to the progress of the update process regardless of the content updated by the update program, the vehicle user may feel annoyed. On the other hand, if the update status is not displayed to the vehicle user regardless of the progress of the update process, the vehicle user may feel uneasy. Summary of the invention

[0005] The present disclosure provides a program update system and a vehicle management server that can reduce the irritation and anxiety felt by vehicle users.

[0006] One embodiment of the disclosed technology relates to a vehicle management server, which sends an update program for updating an existing program of an electronic device mounted on a vehicle to the above-mentioned vehicle, and comprises: a communication unit, which communicates with the vehicle; and a control unit, which controls the update processing, wherein the control unit determines whether to display a prompt related to the update processing of the existing program by the update program to the vehicle user according to the type of the update program, and sends information related to the update processing determined to be displayed on a specified information terminal to be prompted to the vehicle user via the communication unit.

[0007] In addition, other embodiments of the disclosed technology relate to a program update system, including: a vehicle; a vehicle management server, which communicates with the vehicle and sends an update program for updating an existing program of an electronic device mounted on the vehicle to the vehicle; and an information terminal, which is capable of communicating with the vehicle management server, and the vehicle management server determines whether to display a prompt related to the update process of the existing program by the update program to the vehicle user based on the type of the update program, and sends information related to the update process that is determined to be displayed on the information terminal to the vehicle user to prompt the vehicle user.

[0008] According to the program updating system and the vehicle management server of the disclosed technology, it is possible to reduce the irritation and anxiety felt by vehicle users. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] Hereinafter, features, advantages, technical and industrial significance of exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals represent like components, wherein:

[0010] Figure 1 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a program updating system according to one embodiment;

[0011] Figure 2 is a diagram showing an example of an update scenario stored in a storage unit of a vehicle management server;

[0012] Figure 3 This is a flowchart showing a process of selecting an update plan associated with an update program performed by a control unit of a vehicle management server. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0013] The program update system of the disclosed technology stores a plurality of update plans in advance in a server, and the plurality of update plans define update events (completion notification, permission request) for causing an information terminal to display a display related to the update status based on the type of the update program, etc. When updating the program, information for causing the information terminal to display a display corresponding to the update event determined in the update plan associated with the update program is sent from the server to the vehicle. As a result, the irritation and anxiety felt by the vehicle user regarding the display of the update status during the program update process is reduced.

[0014] <Implementation Method>

[0015] Hereinafter, one embodiment of the technology disclosed herein will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0016] [structure]

[0017] Figure 1It is a diagram showing a configuration example of a program updating system according to one embodiment. Figure 1 The illustrated program update system 10 includes a vehicle 100, a vehicle management server 200, and a mobile device 300. The vehicle 100 includes a communication device 110, a plurality of electronic devices 120, and a display device 130. However, the number of the electronic devices 120 is not limited.

[0018] The communication device 110, the plurality of electronic devices 120, and the display device 130 are connected to communicate via an in-vehicle network such as CAN (Controller Area Network). In addition, the communication device 110 is a data communication module (DCM) or the like, and is connected to communicate with an out-of-vehicle device such as a vehicle management server 200 and a mobile device 300 via a wireless network such as 4G or Wi-Fi.

[0019] The vehicle management server 200 is a server that manages the update program required for updating the existing program of the electronic device 120 mounted on the vehicle 100. The vehicle management server 200 includes a communication unit 210, a storage unit 220, and a control unit 230. The communication unit 210 wirelessly communicates with the communication device 110 of the vehicle 100, accepts the inquiry of the update from the vehicle 100, downloads the update program to the vehicle 100, etc. The storage unit 220 stores the update program and the update plan required for updating the existing program of the electronic device 120. The update plan is, for example, information such as an update state indicating the progress of the program update process, an update event displayed for the update process, that is, a notification, a request (described later), and is associated with the update program according to the type of the update program. The control unit 230 controls the vehicle management server 200 including the update process. The control unit 230 can, for example, determine whether to display the display related to each update state to the vehicle user for each of the multiple update states according to the type of the update program. In the present embodiment, the control unit 230 selects an update plan corresponding to the type of the update program from the storage unit 220 to determine a display related to the update status to be presented to the vehicle user.

[0020] Figure 2 FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of an update plan stored in the storage unit 220 of the vehicle management server 200. Figure 2 In the example, nine update scenarios for update events are defined based on the type of update program, i.e., the content updated by the update program (update content), the urgency predetermined based on the content and importance of the update program (update urgency), and whether the vehicle user has set an automatic update (automatic update setting).

[0021] An update event is information for causing a screen of an information terminal having a display screen to display information corresponding to the event. The information terminal in the present embodiment is a display device 130 and a mobile device 300. As an example of the update event, (1) an update start notification for notifying the start of an update process for an update program; (2) a data DL permission request for requesting permission from a vehicle user for downloading the update program from the vehicle management server 200 to the electronic device 120; (3) a data DL completion notification for notifying that the download of the update program from the vehicle management server 200 to the electronic device 120 is complete; (4) a startup preparation completion notification for notifying that the startup preparation for the update process of an existing program using the update program is complete; (5) a startup permission request for requesting permission from a vehicle user for starting the update process (i.e., the control switching content) of an existing program using the update program; and (6) an update completion notification for notifying that the update process of an existing program using the update program is complete. In addition, the update event may also appropriately determine notifications and permission requests other than those described above. For example, information indicating the progress status of the update process may be a notification displayed before the update start notification to convey the existence of a program to be updated, or a request for permission to start the update of the update program.

[0022] As an example, update contents, which are one type of update program, are classified into contents that change the control specifications of actuators provided in vehicle 100 (update plans 1 to 8) and contents that do not change the control specifications of actuators provided in vehicle 100 (update plan 9).

[0023] The contents of the change in the control specifications of the actuators provided in the vehicle 100 (update proposals 1 to 8) are, for example, contents of changing the operation of equipment related to the behavior of the vehicle (the inter-vehicle distance between the vehicle and the preceding vehicle in driving assistance, the operation timing and workload of the automatic brake, etc.), contents of changing the operation of equipment equipped in the vehicle (the opening and closing speed of the automatic sliding door, the lighting start time / lighting end time of the automatic headlight, etc.), and other contents that the vehicle user can recognize the change before and after the update program. The contents of the change in the control specifications of the actuators provided in the vehicle 100 can be classified into contents of adding new functions that have not been installed in the vehicle 100 before and which in principle require the consent of the vehicle user of the vehicle 100 when updating (update proposals 1 to 4); and contents of improving the functions already installed in the vehicle 100 and adding treatments and countermeasures for the existing functions and which do not require the consent of the vehicle user of the vehicle 100 when updating (update proposals 5 to 8).

[0024] On the other hand, the content (update plan 9) that does not change the control specifications of the actuators provided by the vehicle 100 is, for example, content that changes the behavior of the function of automatically collecting the driving data of the vehicle and sending it to a specified data center (the type of data collected, the timing of uploading the collected data, etc.), and the vehicle user cannot recognize the changed content before and after the program is updated. Since the program that does not change the control specifications of the actuators provided by the vehicle 100 (update plan 9) does not affect the vehicle users or the driving of the vehicle, it is defined that regardless of the state of the automatic update setting and the urgency of the update, the update can be implemented without displaying any of the notification and the permission request to the vehicle user as an update event.

[0025] As an example, one type of updating program, namely, the urgency of updating, is divided into updating plans with relatively low urgency of updating (updating plans 1 and 5) and updating plans with relatively high urgency of updating (updating plans 2, 3, 6, and 7). The updating plan with relatively low urgency of updating is defined so that the updating can be performed while displaying all notifications to the vehicle user during the updating process of the program. On the other hand, as an example, the updating plan with relatively high urgency of updating is further divided into two types according to which process in the updating process the information of the update event is displayed to the vehicle user.

[0026] The first division, which has a relatively high urgency for updating, is an update plan (update plan 2, 6) that displays information on update events for requesting permission and / or notifying download processing of the update program. The update event of the first division can be applied to, for example, an update program that wants to confirm in advance with the vehicle user whether data can be written to the vehicle 100 or wants to notify the vehicle user that the download of the update program has been completed. For example, an update program that has a large amount of data and costs communication fees and communication time can be exemplified.

[0027] The second division, which has a relatively high urgency for updating, is an update plan (update plan 3, 7) that displays information on update events for requesting permission and / or notifying the start-up process of the downloaded update program. The update event of the second division can be applied to, for example, an update program that wants to notify the vehicle user that the vehicle control has been changed from now on or to confirm with the vehicle user in advance whether the vehicle control can be changed. For example, an update program related to changes in the behavior of the vehicle or the ride quality can be exemplified.

[0028] The automatic update setting is an item that is pre-installed in the vehicle 100 and can be arbitrarily set by the vehicle user. When the automatic update is set to no (OFF), in the program update process from the update start notification to the update completion notification, the update is implemented based on the update plan defined according to the urgency of the update (update plans 1 to 3, 5 to 7). On the other hand, when the automatic update is set to yes (ON), it is defined that in the program update process from the update start notification to the update completion notification, regardless of the urgency of the update, the update can be implemented without displaying the update event to the vehicle user (update plans 4, 8).

[0029] As an example, the electronic device 120 is a device called ECU (Electronic Control Unit) that performs various controls on the vehicle 100. The electronic device 120 stores one or more programs executed by a control unit such as a CPU (not shown) in a storage unit such as a RAM (not shown). The electronic device 120 communicates with the vehicle management server 200 using the wireless communication function of the communication device 110. The electronic device 120 updates the stored current program based on the update program received from the vehicle management server 200. In addition, all the electronic devices 120 of the vehicle 100 may not be such devices that can perform program updates.

[0030] The display device 130 is an information terminal having a display screen that displays information on update events related to the program update process in the electronic device 120. The display device 130 displays a predetermined notification or permission request screen based on an instruction to display an update event sent from the electronic device 120 via the in-vehicle network or an instruction to display an update event sent from the vehicle management server 200 via the wireless network. Examples of the display device 130 include a multi-information display mounted in the vehicle 100 and a vehicle navigation device.

[0031] The mobile device 300 is an information terminal having a display screen that receives information about an update event related to a program update process in the electronic device 120 via the communication device 110 and displays the information. The mobile device 300 displays a predetermined notification or permission request screen based on an instruction to display an update event sent from the electronic device 120 via a wireless network or an instruction to display an update event sent from the vehicle management server 200 via a wireless network. As the mobile device 300, a general-purpose device such as a smartphone, a tablet device, or a personal computer owned by a vehicle user of the vehicle 100 can be exemplified.

[0032] In addition, Figure 1In the program update system 10, as an information terminal for displaying information about update events related to program update processing in the electronic device 120, although the structure includes the display device 130 and the mobile device 300, it may also be a structure of only one of them. In addition, as long as the information of the update event can be displayed to prompt the vehicle user, a structure other than the display device 130 and the mobile device 300 may also be included as the information terminal. In addition, the display instruction of the update event information to the display device 130 and the mobile device 300 may be performed by the electronic device 120 that implements the update, and may also be performed by the vehicle management server 200 appropriately receiving the update status from the electronic device 120 that implements the update.

[0033] [control]

[0034] Further references Figure 3 The process executed by the vehicle management server 200 in the above-mentioned program updating system 10 will be described. Figure 3 This is a flowchart showing the procedure of a process of selecting an update plan associated with an update program performed by the control unit 230 of the vehicle management server 200 according to the present embodiment.

[0035] For example, regarding the update program stored in the storage unit 220 of the vehicle management server 200, if there is an inquiry from the vehicle 100 to the vehicle management server 200 whether there is a program update, the update program is started. Figure 3 Processing shown.

[0036] Step S301: The control unit 230 of the vehicle management server 200 determines whether the update program of the vehicle 100 to be inquired is a content that changes the control specifications of the actuators provided in the vehicle 100. If the update program is a content that changes the control specifications of the actuators (step S301, yes), the process proceeds to step S302, and if the update program is not a content that changes the control specifications of the actuators (step S301, no), the process proceeds to step S307.

[0037] Step S302: The control unit 230 of the vehicle management server 200 determines whether the automatic update is set by the vehicle user in the vehicle 100. The information on whether the automatic update is set may be included in the inquiry about whether there is a program update and sent from the vehicle 100 to the vehicle management server 200, or the vehicle management server 200 may obtain the information by requesting the vehicle 100 after receiving the inquiry. If the automatic update is set (step S302, yes), the process proceeds to step S306, and if the automatic update is not set (step S302, no), the process proceeds to step S303.

[0038] Step S303: The control unit 230 of the vehicle management server 200 determines whether the update content of the update program is to add a new function to the vehicle. If the update content is to add a function (step S303, yes), the process proceeds to step S304, and if the update content is not to add a function (step S303, no), the process proceeds to step S305.

[0039] Step S304: The control unit 230 of the vehicle management server 200 selects an update plan according to the urgency of the update of the update program. Figure 2 One of the update plans 1, 2, and 3 is selected. The selection determines the content of at least one of the data DL permission request and the start permission request as the update status to be presented to the vehicle user. If an update plan is selected, the update plan selected in step S304 is associated with the update program, and the present process ends.

[0040] Step S305: The control unit 230 of the vehicle management server 200 selects an update plan according to the urgency of the update of the update program. Figure 2 One of the update plans 5, 6, and 7 is selected. This selection determines whether the data DL permission request and the start permission request are not presented to the vehicle user as the update status. If an update plan is selected, the update plan selected in step S305 is associated with the update program, and this process ends.

[0041] Step S306: The control unit 230 of the vehicle management server 200 selects the update event that is only "update start notification and update completion notification". Figure 2 The update scheme 4 or 8 is selected. This selection determines that only the update start notification and the update completion notification are presented to the vehicle user as the update status. If the update scheme is selected, the update scheme selected in step S306 is associated with the update program, and the present process is terminated.

[0042] Step S307: The control unit 230 of the vehicle management server 200 selects the update event "no notification and no permission request" Figure 2 The update plan 9 is selected. This selection determines that no notification or permission request will be presented to the vehicle user as the update status. If the update plan is selected, the update plan selected in step S307 is associated with the update program, and the present process ends.

[0043] In the update process of the update program associated with the update plan, the vehicle management server 200 sends information related to the update status to the vehicle 100, which is used to make the display device 130 and / or the mobile device 300 display a display corresponding to the update event determined in the update plan associated with the update program as a display to prompt the vehicle user. For example, the vehicle management server 200 sends the update plan together with the update program to the vehicle 100, and the electronic device 120 that receives the update plan can make the display device 130 and / or the mobile device 300 display a notification and / or permission request in accordance with the provisions of the update plan according to the progress of the update process of the update program through the communication device 110 and the vehicle management server 200. Alternatively, the vehicle management server 200 can learn the progress of the update process of the update program from the electronic device 120 at any time, and make the display device 130 and / or the mobile device 300 display a notification and / or permission request in accordance with the provisions of the update plan according to the progress through the communication device 110.

[0044] In addition, in the present embodiment, an update scheme is defined in which an update program is downloaded from the vehicle management server 200 to the vehicle 100 via wireless communication to perform an update process of an existing program. However, an update scheme may be further defined in which an update program that needs to be updated at a maintenance plant such as a dealer is used to perform an update process of an existing program. In such a case, since the staff of the maintenance plant and the like perform the update process, it is generally not necessary for the vehicle user to grasp the progress of the update process every time. Therefore, as an update scheme, for example, only an update start notification or only an update completion notification may be defined as an update event.

[0045] In the present embodiment, the control unit 230 may select an update plan for the update program based not only on the characteristics of the update program but also on individual vehicle conditions such as the vehicle's travel distance and the manufacturing time of components acquired from the vehicle.

[0046] In addition, in the present embodiment, the control unit 230 can further control various displays based on the characteristics of the update program in association with the above-mentioned update scheme or independently of the update scheme. For example, in the case where the update program is a program having the following characteristics (1) to (3), the control unit 230 can obtain information representing the characteristics from the vehicle management server 200 and display it on the information terminal (display device 130, mobile device 300). In this case, for example, it is desired that the information terminal (display device 130, mobile device 300) display the information in a manner that gives priority to notifying the user before the update process so that the user can reliably recognize the information. (1) Programs that are legally obliged to notify the user of program updates. (2) Programs that have a relatively large impact on convenience, such as user-defined settings, in which individual setting values ​​are reset in the vehicle. (3) Update programs that are relatively large in size and require a certain amount of time or more for the update process, and require long-term parking in a garage or the like for the update process, which has a relatively large impact on convenience.

[0047] In addition, in this embodiment, for example, in update schemes 4 and 8, the update start notification may include a notification indicating that the update is to be forcibly executed regardless of the user's consent. In addition, in this case, it is desirable that the information terminal (display device 130, mobile device 300) displays the information in a manner that gives priority to the user so that the user can reliably recognize the information. In addition, such a display for notifying that the update process is to be forcibly executed may be performed independently of the display for the update start notification.

[0048] [Function / Effect]

[0049] As described above, according to the program update system 10 involved in one embodiment of the disclosed technology, a plurality of update plans defining the content of the update of the update program, the update event (completion notification, permission request) displayed based on the urgency of the update, and the presence or absence of the automatic update setting of the vehicle user are stored in advance in the vehicle management server 200. Furthermore, when updating the existing program of the electronic device 120, information for causing the information terminal (display device 130, mobile device 300) to display a display related to the update status to the vehicle user determined according to the type of the update program, that is, information corresponding to the update event determined in the update plan associated with the update program is sent from the vehicle management server 200 to the vehicle 100.

[0050] This process can appropriately set the update status displayed on the information terminal such as the display device 130 or the mobile device 300 according to the type of the updated program, etc. Therefore, the irritation and anxiety felt by the vehicle user regarding the update status display during the program update process can be reduced.

[0051] An embodiment of the disclosed technology is described above, but the disclosed technology is not only a program update system and a vehicle management server, but can also be implemented as an update program sending method, a control program of the method, a computer-readable non-temporary storage medium storing the control program, a vehicle equipped with a program update system, etc.

[0052] The disclosed technology is useful in a program update system for an electronic device mounted on a vehicle or the like, and a vehicle management server included in the system.

Claims

1. A vehicle management server that sends an update program for updating an existing program of an electronic device mounted on a vehicle to the vehicle, characterized in that: include: a communication unit configured to communicate with the vehicle; and a control unit configured to control an update process, and configured to determine whether to present a display related to the update process of the existing program by the update program to a vehicle user according to the type of the update program, and, when receiving information indicating that permission for automatic update is set for the vehicle user from the vehicle via the communication unit, determine to present only a start notification of the update process and a completion notification of the update process to the vehicle user, the display related to the update process including the start notification of the update process and the completion notification of the update process, and, when determining to present a display related to the update process of the existing program by the update program to the vehicle user and not determining to present only the start notification of the update process and the completion notification of the update process to the vehicle user, transmit information for causing a specified information terminal to display a display related to the update process to the vehicle via the communication unit, In a case where it is decided to present a display prompt related to the update process of the existing program by the update program to the vehicle user and it is decided to present only a start notification of the update process and a completion notification of the update process to the vehicle user, information for causing a specified information terminal to display only a start notification of the update process and a completion notification of the update process is sent to the vehicle via the communication unit.

2. The vehicle management server according to claim 1, characterized in that: The control unit is configured to determine to present a display related to the update process to the vehicle user when the update program is of a type that changes control specifications of actuators included in the vehicle.

3. The vehicle management server according to claim 1, characterized in that: The control configuration is configured to determine not to present a display related to the update process to the vehicle user when the update program is of a type that does not change a control specification of an actuator included in the vehicle.

4. The vehicle management server according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The display related to the update process includes a start notification of the update process of the existing program by the update program, a permission request for the update program to be downloaded from the vehicle management server to the electronic device, a completion notification of the download of the update program from the vehicle management server to the electronic device, a completion notification of the preparation for starting the update process of the existing program by the update program, a permission request for starting the update process of the existing program by the update program, a completion notification of the update process of the existing program by the update program, and a notification of the forced execution of the update process of the existing program by the update program.

5. The vehicle management server according to claim 4, characterized in that: The control unit is configured to, when receiving information indicating that the vehicle user has not set permission for automatic updating from the vehicle via the communication unit, determine to prompt the vehicle user at least one of the download permission request and the start permission request when the update program is an update program that adds a predetermined function to the vehicle and is a type of update program that changes the control specifications of an actuator provided in the vehicle, The configuration is such that, when the update program is other than an update program that adds a predetermined function to the vehicle and changes control specifications of actuators provided in the vehicle, it is determined not to prompt the vehicle user with a request for permission to download and a request for permission to start.

6. A program updating system, characterized in that: include: vehicle; a vehicle management server that communicates with the vehicle and sends an update program for updating an existing program of an electronic device mounted on the vehicle to the vehicle; as well as An information terminal capable of communicating with the vehicle management server, wherein the vehicle management server is configured to determine whether to present a display related to the update process of the existing program by the update program to the vehicle user based on the type of the update program, and when receiving information indicating that permission for automatic update is set for the vehicle user from the vehicle via the communication unit, determine to present only a start notification of the update process and a completion notification of the update process to the vehicle user, and the display related to the update process includes the start notification of the update process and the completion notification of the update process, and when it is determined to present a display related to the update process of the existing program by the update program to the vehicle user and it is not determined to present only the start notification of the update process and the completion notification of the update process to the vehicle user, information for causing the information terminal to display a display related to the update process is sent to the vehicle, In a case where it is decided to present a display prompt related to the update process of the existing program by the update program to the vehicle user and it is decided to present only a start notification of the update process and a completion notification of the update process to the vehicle user, information for causing the information terminal to display only the start notification of the update process and the completion notification of the update process is sent to the vehicle via the communication unit.

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