Vehicle controller update control system and method

Abstract

This invention relates to an update control system and method for a vehicle controller, which, when determining whether to perform an update using an Over-The-Air (OTA) service, can determine whether a user's vehicle is being updated based on a SOC change rate pattern, which represents the degree of reduction in State of Charge (SOC) change when other vehicles perform corresponding updates. The system and method re-extract the SOC change rate pattern by utilizing the change in SOC value measured at the start of the update in the corresponding vehicle, thereby recalculating the remaining SOC value. Therefore, the success rate of controller updates using OTA services and the actual update execution rate are improved.

Description

[0001] Cross-reference to related applications

[0002] This application claims the benefit of priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2020-0134499, filed on October 16, 2020, with the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] This disclosure relates to an update control system and method for a vehicle controller, and more specifically, to an update control system and method for a vehicle controller capable of utilizing over-the-air (OTA) services to improve the execution and success rate of updates. Background Technology

[0004] In recent years, over-the-air (OTA) services have been widely used, which transmit software (S / W), configuration information, or adjustment data for various devices installed in the vehicle to the customer's vehicle via a cloud server hosted on the car company's wireless communication network. This allows updates to be performed via OTA without the customer having to drive the vehicle to a repair shop.

[0005] Thus, updating the vehicle controller via OTA service consumes a constant amount of battery power. Therefore, even when a software update is required, the vehicle's central communication unit or communication control unit (CCU) can determine whether to continue the update by judging whether the remaining state of charge (SOC) of the battery after the update is sufficient to operate the minimum required vehicle functions (starting, unlocking doors, etc.).

[0006] In other words, if an update fails during an OTA service, especially when the battery's remaining SOC is insufficient, it can lead to fatal consequences such as poor starting or inability to operate electric vehicle functions. Therefore, in order to perform a stable OTA service, in the past, the remaining SOC after the update was calculated by incorporating a considerable margin.

[0007] However, when the State of Charge (SOC) is calculated based on a substantial margin and maximum current consumption, if the SOC falls short of this margin due to poor battery conditions such as driving habits or battery aging, the vehicle controller cannot be updated even if it is possible to do so. This hinders the rapid adoption of new solutions implemented through software designed to improve vehicle marketability. Summary of the Invention

[0008] This disclosure aims to solve the aforementioned problems in the prior art while fully maintaining the advantages achieved by the prior art.

[0009] Aspects of the present disclosure provide an update control system and method of a vehicle controller that stably ensure an update success rate of the vehicle controller through OTA and improve an execution rate of the update, thereby being able to apply new functions provided by a car manufacturer to enhance quality thereof and stably and quickly provide to customers.

[0010] The technical problems to be solved by the present inventive concept are not limited to the above-mentioned problems. Any other technical problems not mentioned herein will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art of the present disclosure from the following description.

[0011] According to an aspect of the present disclosure, an update system of a vehicle controller can include an over-the-air (OTA) management server that provides a state of charge (SOC) change rate pattern of a group having vehicle information and battery information of a type similar to each other as an optimal pattern for calculating a residual SOC value after an OTA update. The system can also include a CCU that calculates an expected value of the residual SOC value based on the SOC change rate pattern provided by the OTA management server to determine whether to update the controller and update the controller.

[0012] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the system can further include a battery sensor connected to a battery of a vehicle and configured to measure an SOC value of the battery changed when the controller is updated with an OTA service provided by the CCU and transmit the measured SOC value to the CCU.

[0013] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the OTA management server can include a vehicle information management device that collects and stores vehicle information from a CCU provided in a vehicle. The OTA management server can also include a battery information management device that collects and stores information about a battery installed in each vehicle that receives the vehicle information. The OTA management server can also include an SOC change amount management device that collects SOC values measured before and after each controller is updated through an OTA service in each vehicle that receives the battery information, derives an SOC change rate representing a degree of reduction in the SOC value, and stores the same.

[0014] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the OTA management server can further include an SOC change rate grouping device that integrates the SOC change rate when the controller is updated with an OTA service with vehicle information and battery information. The SOC change rate grouping device can also group vehicle information types and battery information types representing SOC change rate patterns similar to each other together. The SOC change rate grouping device can also store the grouping result in a database.

[0015] In an embodiment of the disclosure, the OTA management server can further include an optimal pattern suggestion device that extracts a group belonging to a group of events having the highest similarity with an update event in which the controller is updated using the OTA service from the database. The optimal pattern suggestion device can also provide a SOC change rate pattern matching the extracted group to the CCU as an optimal pattern, which is a criterion for determining whether to start an update in the vehicle.

[0016] In an embodiment of the disclosure, the CCU can include a SOC change rate pattern application device that receives the SOC change rate pattern transmitted by the OTA management server. The SOC change rate pattern application device can also calculate a degree of reduction of SOC until an update event is completed according to the SOC change rate pattern. The SOC change rate pattern application device can also compare the calculated remaining SOC value with a reference SOC value and determine whether to perform an update.

[0017] In an embodiment of the disclosure, the CCU can further include a SOC change monitoring device that receives SOC values measured before and after an update event is performed for each controller from the battery sensor when it is determined to perform an update. The SOC change monitoring device can also transmit the SOC values to the OTA management server.

[0018] In an embodiment of the disclosure, the CCU can further include an update continuation determination device that recalculates a degree of reduction of SOC until all of the remaining controllers belonging to an update event are updated by a SOC change rate pattern received as a new optimal pattern. The update continuation determination device can also compare a remaining SOC value obtained by recalculating the degree of reduction of SOC with a reference SOC value again and determine whether to continue an update.

[0019] According to an aspect of the disclosure, an update control method of a vehicle controller can include grouping vehicle information and battery information indicating similar SOC change rates to each other when a controller is updated using an OTA service, and storing a grouping result in a database of an OTA management server. The method can also include extracting a SOC change rate pattern of a group having vehicle information and battery information of similar types to each other as an optimal pattern for calculating an SOC reduction expected value. The method can also include calculating a remaining SOC value after an update is completed by a CCU receiving the SOC change rate pattern for each vehicle, determining whether to update a controller, and performing an update.

[0020] In another embodiment of the disclosure, grouping the vehicle information and the battery information can include collecting the vehicle information from the CCU installed in each vehicle to store the vehicle information in a database. The grouping can further include collecting the battery information of the battery installed in each vehicle receiving the vehicle information. The grouping can further include accumulating and storing the SOC value for determining the battery consumption level consumed when updating the controller with the OTA service in each vehicle receiving the battery information, collecting the SOC change rate varying over time, and storing the SOC change rate in the database.

[0021] In another embodiment of the disclosure, grouping the vehicle information and the battery information can further include matching the SOC change rate with the vehicle information and the battery information integration. The grouping can further include grouping the vehicle information type and the battery information type representing similar SOC change rate patterns to each other together and storing the grouping result in the database.

[0022] In another embodiment of the disclosure, calculating the remaining SOC value can include applying the current SOC value acquired from the battery sensor to the SOC change rate pattern received from the OTA management server and calculating the remaining SOC value as an expected value reduced until the update event is completed. The calculating can further include comparing the calculated remaining SOC value with the reference SOC value to determine whether to perform the update.

[0023] In another embodiment of the disclosure, the method can further include receiving the SOC values measured before and after each controller is updated from the battery sensor when it is determined that the update is performed in the update and then each controller belonging to the update event is updated, to transmit the SOC values to the OTA management server.

[0024] In another embodiment of the disclosure, the method can further include transmitting the SOC values before and after each controller is updated from among the SOC values measured before and after the update is received to the OTA server. The method can further include determining whether there is a controller to be updated. The method can further include determining whether to continue the update according to the SOC change rate pattern re-extracted based on the actual SOC change rate derived from the SOC value acquired from among the SOC values measured before and after the update is received.

[0025] In another embodiment of the disclosure, determining whether to continue the update can include reselecting a group representing the SOC change rate most similar to the actual SOC change rate calculated based on the SOC values measured before and after the controller is updated in a corresponding event group with respect to a corresponding controller. The determining can further include prompting the SOC change rate pattern matching the reselected group as an optimal pattern for an expected value for recalculating the remaining SOC value.

[0026] In another embodiment of the present disclosure, determining whether to continue the update can further include applying the SOC value after the controller update to the re-extracted SOC change rate pattern to recalculate an expected value of a remaining SOC value at the time when the remaining controller update is completed. The determination can further include comparing the recalculated remaining SOC value with the reference SOC value to determine whether to continue the update of the remaining controller. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0027] The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present disclosure will be more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0028] Figure 1 is a block diagram illustrating an entire system of an update system of a vehicle controller according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0029] Figure 2 is a block diagram of an update system of a vehicle controller according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0030] Figure 3 is a detailed block diagram of an OTA management server according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0031] Figure 4A , Figure 4B and Figure 4C are graphs of SOC change patterns according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0032] Figure 5 is a graph of SOC change rate grouping according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0033] Figure 6 is a detailed block diagram of a CCU according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0034] Figure 7 is a block diagram of an update control method of a vehicle controller according to another embodiment of the present disclosure; and

[0035] Figure 8 is a flowchart illustrating an update process of a vehicle controller according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0036] Reference numerals of each element in the drawings

[0037] Figure 1

[0038] 100 OTA management server

[0039] 140 SOC change rate grouping device

[0040] 150 Optimal pattern suggestion device

[0041] Figure 2

[0042] 110 vehicle information management device

[0043] 120 battery information management device

[0044] 130 SOC variation amount management device

[0045] 140 SOC variation rate grouping device

[0046] 150 optimal mode suggestion device

[0047] 210 SOC variation rate mode application device

[0048] 220 SOC variation monitoring device

[0049] 230 update continuation determination device

[0050] 300 battery sensor

[0051] Figure 3

[0052] 100 OTA management server

[0053] 110 vehicle information management device

[0054] 120 battery information management device

[0055] 130 SOC variation amount management device

[0056] 140 SOC variation rate grouping device

[0057] 150 optimal mode suggestion device

[0058] 200 CCU

[0059] 300 battery sensor

[0060] Figure 6

[0061] 100 OTA management server

[0062] 200 CCU

[0063] 210 SOC variation rate mode application device

[0064] 220 SOC variation monitoring device

[0065] 230 update continuation determination device

[0066] 300 battery sensor DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0067] In the following, embodiments of the present disclosure are described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. When adding reference numerals to the components in each figure, it should be noted that although the same or equivalent components are shown in another figure, they also have the same reference numerals. In describing embodiments of the present disclosure, detailed descriptions associated with well-known functions or configurations are omitted to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the subject matter of the disclosure.

[0068] In describing elements of embodiments of this disclosure, the terms first, second, A, B, (a), (b), etc., may be used herein. These terms are used only to distinguish one element from another and not to limit the respective elements, regardless of their nature, order, or priority. Furthermore, unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein, including technical and scientific terms, should be interpreted as usage in the art to which this disclosure pertains. It should be understood that terms used herein should be interpreted as having meaning consistent with their meaning in the context of this disclosure and related fields, and should not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly defined herein. When a component, apparatus, element, etc., of this disclosure is described as having a purpose or performing an operation, function, etc., the component, apparatus, or element herein should be considered as "configured" to satisfy that purpose or perform that operation or function.

[0069] In the following text, refer to Figures 1 to 8 The various embodiments of this disclosure are described in detail.

[0070] Figure 1 This is a block diagram illustrating the entire system of an update system for a vehicle controller according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 2 This is a block diagram of a vehicle controller update system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0071] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2An update system for a vehicle controller according to an embodiment of this disclosure may include an over-the-air (OTA) management server 100, a communication control unit (CCU) 200, and a battery sensor 300. The OTA management server 100 may collect vehicle information, battery information, and the state of charge (SOC) value that changes when the controller is updated using an OTA service in each vehicle. The OTA management server 100 may also group vehicle information and battery information that represent similar rates of SOC change to each other. The OTA management server 100 may also extract SOC change rate patterns with groups similar to the type of vehicle to be updated and the type of battery installed in the vehicle as the optimal pattern for calculating the expected value of the remaining SOC value. The CCU 200 may calculate the expected value of the remaining SOC value based on the SOC change rate pattern extracted from the OTA management server to determine whether to update the controller, and then update the controller. The battery sensor 300 may be connected to the vehicle's battery to measure the battery's SOC value that changes when the controller is updated, and send the measured battery SOC value to the CCU.

[0072] When new software (S / W) is received and installed on each of the various controllers in the vehicle, the OTA management server 100 can store the new software (S / W) to manage the firmware (S / W) version. When the newly received software (S / W) needs to be bundled with multiple controllers and updated simultaneously, the OTA management server 100 can manage update events for bundling and integrating the updates of these controllers.

[0073] In addition, such as Figure 3 As shown, the OTA management server 100 may include a vehicle information management device 110, a battery information management device 120, and a SOC change management device 130. The vehicle information management device 110 can collect and store vehicle information from the CCU 200 installed in each vehicle being driven. The battery information management device 120 can collect and store information about the battery installed in each vehicle receiving the vehicle information. The SOC change management device 130 can collect and store SOC values ​​to monitor the battery consumption level in each vehicle receiving battery information when updating the controller using the OTA service.

[0074] At this time, as Figure 3 As shown, the vehicle information management device 110 can receive various information related to the vehicle or driving from the CCU 200 installed in each vehicle, such as the vehicle identification number (VIN) of each vehicle actually driven by the user on the road, the specifications (options) of the controller applied to each vehicle, the driving distance of each vehicle, and driving habits. The vehicle information management device 110 can also store various information in a database.

[0075] In this way, in addition to acquiring and storing VIN and driving distance as data for determining whether the vehicle itself is aging, the vehicle information management device 110 can also acquire and store the specifications (options) of the controller installed in each vehicle and the user's driving habits (duration of each trip or average number of trips per week) as data affecting battery consumption.

[0076] In other words, a user's driving habits, such as the duration of each trip or the average number of trips per week, will affect the battery's charging and discharging performance and battery aging, and therefore can be considered an important factor affecting actual SOC changes.

[0077] In this way, the vehicle information management device 110 can acquire and store data for understanding whether each vehicle is aging and data that can be used as factors affecting battery consumption. Therefore, when the SOC change management device 130 analyzes the SOC change stored in the database, the vehicle information management device 110 can easily group multiple vehicle information entries representing vehicles with similar SOC change patterns.

[0078] In addition, such as Figure 3 As shown, the battery information management device 120 can receive various information associated with the battery from the CCU, such as the manufacturer, type (AGM or Flooded), production date, or capacity of the battery installed in each vehicle, and can then store the various information in a database.

[0079] In this way, the battery information management device 120 can acquire and store data used to determine the basic performance of the battery itself and whether the battery is aging. Therefore, when the SOC change management device 130 analyzes the SOC change stored in the database, the battery information management device 120 can easily group multiple battery information entries representing similar SOC change patterns.

[0080] Furthermore, while updating the controller using OTA services, the SOC change management device 130 can receive and cumulatively store the SOC values ​​acquired by the battery sensor from the CCU 200. The SOC change management device 130 can also generate and store a graph representing the degree of SOC reduction over time during each controller update.

[0081] At this time, the SOC value received from CCU 200 refers to the value measured by battery sensor 300 when the battery is in a constant power (B+) state after the vehicle is turned off (KEY OFF) and the controller is updated using OTA service.

[0082] In this way, the SOC change management device 130 can generate a change curve consisting of the SOC values ​​before and after the update, and can derive the SOC change rate that occurs when each controller is updated by using the degree of change in the slope of the curve.

[0083] At this point, when the update using the OTA service is an update event that bundles multiple controllers and updates simultaneously, in addition to deriving the SOC change rate for each controller, such as... Figure 4A , Figure 4B and Figure 4C As shown, it is also possible to derive the continuous SOC change rate while all controllers included in the update event are updated sequentially.

[0084] exist Figure 4A In event 1, where controllers A, B, and C are updated, the various SOC change rates shown in graphs (a) to (n) are derived based on the vehicle or installed battery. Figure 4B and Figure 4C In the case of event 2 where controllers B, C, D, and E are updated and event N where controllers B and C are updated, the various SOC change rates shown in the figures (a) to (n) are derived based on the vehicle or the installed battery.

[0085] Furthermore, the OTA management server 100 may further include a SOC change rate grouping device 140, which matches the SOC change rate when updating the controller using the OTA service with vehicle information and battery information as a whole, groups vehicle information types and battery information types that represent similar SOC change rate patterns together, and stores the grouping results in a database.

[0086] The SOC change rate grouping device 140 can classify vehicle information into multiple types (A1 type, A2 type, A3 type to An type, etc.) representing commonalities such as vehicle model, vehicle year, mileage, controller specifications, user driving habits, etc., and can store the classification results. Similarly, the SOC change rate grouping device 140 can classify battery information into multiple types (B1 type, B2 type, B3 type to Bn type, etc.) representing commonalities such as manufacturer, type, production date, capacity, etc., and can store the classification results. In addition, the SOC change rate can also be classified into multiple types (C1 type, C2 type, C3 type to Cn type, etc.) representing similar patterns of reduction within a specific range during the update period.

[0087] In this way, the SOC change rate grouping device 140 can match and group the vehicle information types, battery information types and SOC change rate types as divided above, thereby generating the SOC change rate that occurs during the OTA service update of vehicles with specific vehicle information types and specific battery information types, as the SOC change rate pattern for each group.

[0088] The SOC change rate pattern generated above is based on the SOC change rate that occurs when each controller is updated using OTA service in a vehicle traveling on actual roads. Therefore, the SOC change rate pattern that occurs in another vehicle with similar vehicle and battery information to the corresponding vehicle can be applied with high similarity.

[0089] At this point, firstly, the SOC change rate grouping device 140 can generate event groups based on the number, type, and update order of controllers that are sequentially updated through a single update process. Furthermore, in addition to the SOC change rate pattern for each event occurring when multiple controllers are sequentially updated for each event group, it can also generate the SOC change rate pattern for each controller belonging to each event.

[0090] so, Figure 5 It is a graph showing several groups of SOC change rate patterns generated by integrating and matching vehicle information, battery information and SOC change rate through the SOC change rate grouping device.

[0091] Figure 5 Example curves are shown for each group (Group 1, Group 2, and Groups 3 to N) of the SOC change rate patterns (in each figure, the SOC pattern is shown in bold compared to the other lines) that can be generated based on vehicle information type and battery information type in the case of Event 1 where controllers A, B, and C are updated. At this time, except... Figure 5 Outside of the event group 1 shown, it is clear that even Figure 4B Multiple groups can also be generated within event group 2, where controllers B, C, D, and E are updated. Furthermore, multiple groups can also be generated within event group N, where controllers B and C are updated.

[0092] Figure 5 The system shows that the vehicle information, battery information, and SOC change rate for each group are all implemented in different types (A1 B1 C1 type, A2 B2 C2 type, A3 B3 C3 type, ..., An Bn Cn type, etc.), but is not limited to these. It is possible to generate groups with the same vehicle information type and the same battery information type but different SOC change rate types. It is also possible to generate groups with at least one different vehicle information type or battery information type but the same SOC change rate.

[0093] Furthermore, the SOC change rate pattern generated by the SOC change rate grouping device 140 refers to the SOC reduction rate during the update process. Therefore, the initial SOC values ​​at the start of the update may differ from each other. Figure 5 In addition to the SOC rate of change patterns shown in bold in each group, dashed or thin straight lines are also shown to indicate that although they have different SOC starting positions, they decrease in a similar pattern.

[0094] In addition, the OTA management server 100 may further include an optimal mode suggestion device 150, which extracts from the database a group of events that have the highest similarity to the event of updating the controller using the OTA service, and then provides the SOC change rate pattern that matches the group as the optimal mode to the CCU. The optimal mode is the standard used to determine whether to start the update in the vehicle.

[0095] At this point, firstly, the optimal pattern recommendation device 150 can select the event group for extracting the optimal SOC change rate pattern by determining whether the update event utilizing the OTA service is similar to each event based on the number, type, and update order of controllers belonging to each event.

[0096] In this way, the optimal pattern recommendation device 150 can specify a group based on the vehicle information type and battery information type of the corresponding vehicle within the selected event group. Then, the optimal pattern recommendation device 150 can extract the SOC change rate pattern that matches the specified group as the optimal pattern for determining whether to start updating in the corresponding vehicle and provide it to the CCU 200.

[0097] Furthermore, the optimal pattern recommendation device 150 can derive the actual SOC change rate by receiving changes in SOC values ​​measured before and after each controller update belonging to the corresponding update event from the CCU 200. The optimal pattern recommendation device 150 can also re-designate a group of patterns representing the patterns most similar to the derived actual SOC change rate. The optimal pattern recommendation device 150 can also re-extract the SOC change rate patterns matching this group as the optimal pattern for determining whether to continue updating and can provide the optimal pattern to the CCU 200.

[0098] CCU 200 may include a SOC change rate mode application device 210, which receives the SOC change rate mode sent by the OTA management server 100, calculates the degree of SOC reduction until the update event is completed according to the SOC change rate mode, and compares the calculated remaining SOC value with a reference SOC value to determine whether to perform an update.

[0099] At this time, the SOC change rate pattern application device 210 can receive SOC change rate patterns from the OTA management server's optimal pattern suggestion device 150 that match a group with high similarity to the update event to be executed and high similarity to the vehicle information type and battery information type of the corresponding vehicle. Therefore, when executing the update event, the accuracy of judging the degree of battery SOC reduction can be improved.

[0100] The SOC change rate pattern application device 210 can match the current SOC value obtained from the battery sensor 300 with the SOC change rate pattern, and calculate the remaining SOC value at the end of the update when the remaining SOC value decreases with the change rate of the pattern.

[0101] This allows the calculated remaining SOC value to be compared with the reference SOC value required to perform basic vehicle functions. If the remaining SOC value is greater than the reference SOC value, an update can be performed. Otherwise, the update process can be paused. This determines whether or not to perform the update.

[0102] In addition, such as Figure 6 As shown, CCU 200 may further include a SOC change monitoring device 220, which, when determining to perform an update, receives the SOC values ​​measured before and after the update for each controller of the event to be performed from the battery sensor, and then sends the SOC values ​​to the OTA management server.

[0103] SOC change monitoring device 220 can send SOC values ​​measured before and after each controller update to OTA management server 100 as the basis data for re-extracting the SOC change rate pattern to predict the remaining SOC value after the reduction during the update event.

[0104] Therefore, the optimal mode recommendation device 150 of the OTA management server can reselect a group representing the most similar rate of change patterns based on the change in the actual SOC value that decreases during each controller update. The optimal mode recommendation device 150 can also provide the SOC rate of change patterns that match this group as the optimal mode for determining whether to continue updating.

[0105] Furthermore, CCU 200 may further include an update continuation determination device 230, which, by receiving the SOC change rate mode as a new optimal mode, recalculates the degree of SOC reduction until all other controllers belonging to the update event have been updated, compares the recalculated remaining SOC value with the reference SOC value again, and determines whether to continue updating.

[0106] The update continuation determination device 230 can again compare the recalculated remaining SOC value with the reference SOC value. If the remaining SOC value is greater than the reference SOC value, the update continuation determination device 230 can continue updating. Otherwise, the update continuation determination device 230 can suspend the update execution. Therefore, regardless of whether the update continues, the update continuation determination device 230 can continue to maintain a remaining SOC value of the battery greater than or equal to an appropriate level.

[0107] Thus, the update continuation determination device 230 can preliminarily predict the degree of SOC reduction that will occur in the corresponding vehicle during the update period based on the type of update event, vehicle information, and battery information, and through the SOC change rate pattern extracted from the OTA management server, to determine whether to continue the update. After the update begins, the update continuation determination device 230 can measure the actual degree of SOC reduction, and based on the measured degree of SOC reduction, can perform secondary correction and prediction of the degree of SOC reduction by matching the SOC change rate pattern with a new group representing the most similar pattern.

[0108] Therefore, when executing update events for controllers A, B, and C, if the remaining SOC value calculated using the SOC change rate mode of Group 1 provided by the OTA management server 100 exceeds the reference SOC value, the first controller A can be updated, and the SOC change monitoring device 220 can measure the SOC value before and after controller A is updated, and then send the SOC value to the OTA management server 100.

[0109] Subsequently, when it is determined that the change pattern of the SOC value generated when updating controller A is more similar to the change pattern when updating controller A in group 2, the optimal mode recommendation device 150 of the OTA management server can re-extract the SOC change rate pattern that matches group 2 as the optimal mode for determining whether to continue updating and can provide the optimal mode to CCU 200.

[0110] Furthermore, the update continuation determination device 230 can recalculate the remaining SOC values ​​when controllers B and C complete their updates, based on the current SOC value at the state where controller A has completed its update, using the SOC change rate pattern extracted again as the new optimal mode. The update continuation determination device 230 can then determine whether to continue updating by comparing the recalculated remaining SOC value with the reference SOC value.

[0111] Subsequently, when controller A completes its update, after controller B completes its update, the SOC change monitoring device 220 can send the SOC values ​​before and after controller B's update to the OTA management server 100. The OTA management server's optimal mode suggestion device 150 can determine whether to re-extract the SOC change rate mode based on the SOC values.

[0112] As described above, the SOC change rate pattern updated by the optimal pattern suggestion device 150 can be recalculated by the remaining SOC value based on the SOC change rate pattern, and determine whether to continue updating.

[0113] While repeating this process, the update continuing determination device 230 can accurately predict the remaining SOC value after the update using the OTA service is completed. Therefore, it can prevent the remaining SOC value from falling below the reference SOC value during the update process. Thus, it can prevent unexpected situations such as update failure due to power outages during the update or lack of startup voltage after the update is completed.

[0114] By calculating the remaining SOC value more accurately, the success rate of controller updates utilizing OTA services can be improved without setting a large margin. Furthermore, updates can begin even when the battery's current SOC value reaches a specific level. Therefore, the update execution rate can be improved.

[0115] Next, refer to Figure 7 and Figure 8 A method for updating a vehicle controller according to another embodiment of the present disclosure is described.

[0116] Figure 7 This is a block diagram of an update control method for a vehicle controller according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 8 This is a flowchart illustrating the update process of a vehicle controller according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0117] Reference Figure 7 and Figure 8According to another embodiment of this disclosure, a vehicle controller update control method may include a SOC change rate pattern construction step S100, a SOC optimal pattern extraction step S200, and an update start determination step S300. In the SOC change rate pattern construction step S100, SOC values ​​that change based on the power consumed when updating the controller using an OTA service in each vehicle can be collected. Vehicle information and battery information representing similar SOC change rates are then grouped, and the grouping results are stored in the database of an OTA management server. In the SOC optimal pattern extraction step S200, SOC change rate patterns grouped with similar types of vehicles to be updated and types of batteries installed in the vehicles can be extracted as the optimal pattern for calculating the expected SOC reduction value when an update event occurs. In the update start determination step S300, after receiving the predicted value of the remaining SOC value after the update event is completed by the CCU of each vehicle using the SOC change rate pattern, it is determined whether to update the controller, and an update is performed.

[0118] The SOC change rate pattern construction step S100 may include a vehicle information registration procedure S110, a battery information registration procedure S120, and a SOC change storage procedure S130. In the vehicle information registration procedure S110, vehicle information can be collected from the CCU installed in each vehicle and stored in a database. In the battery information registration procedure S120, information about the battery installed in each vehicle receiving vehicle information can be collected and stored in a database. In the SOC change storage procedure S130, SOC values ​​used to understand the battery consumption level consumed when updating the controller using OTA service in each vehicle receiving battery information can be accumulated and stored, and the SOC change rate over time can be collected and stored in a database.

[0119] At this time, in the vehicle information registration procedure S110, data for determining whether a vehicle is aging and data on important factors affecting battery consumption can be collected and stored from the CCU of each vehicle, such as the VIN of each vehicle actually driven by the user on the road, controller specifications, driving distance, driving habits (duration of each trip, average number of trips per week, etc.).

[0120] In addition, the battery information registration program S120 can collect and store data from the CCU of each vehicle to understand the basic performance and aging of the battery, such as the manufacturer, type, production date and capacity of the battery installed in each vehicle.

[0121] Furthermore, in the SOC change storage program S130, the steps include receiving the SOC value obtained by the battery sensor set in each battery from the CCU when updating the controller using the OTA service, accumulating and storing the SOC value in the database, generating a change curve representing the degree of SOC reduction over time during each controller update, and storing the change curve in the database.

[0122] Thus, in the SOC change storage program S130, a change curve representing the degree of SOC reduction can be generated. Therefore, the rate of SOC change continuously generated during each controller update or multiple controller sequential updates can be derived from the slope of the change curve.

[0123] Furthermore, the SOC change rate pattern construction step S100 may further include an SOC change rate grouping procedure S140. The SOC change rate grouping procedure S140 may integrate and match the SOC change rate with vehicle information and battery information, group vehicle information types and battery information types that represent similar SOC change rate patterns together, and store the grouping results in a database.

[0124] Thus, in the SOC change rate grouping procedure S140, multiple vehicle information types, battery information types, and SOC change rate types that have the same or similar conditions can be matched and grouped to generate the SOC change rate generated during vehicle updates with specific vehicle information types and specific battery information types, which serves as the SOC change rate pattern for each group.

[0125] Furthermore, in the SOC optimal pattern extraction step S200, when an update event occurs in the controller, a group of events with high similarity to the event to be updated using the OTA service is extracted from the database. Then, the SOC change rate pattern matching the extracted group is provided to the CCU as the optimal pattern for determining whether to start the update in the corresponding vehicle.

[0126] At this time, as Figure 8 As shown, in the SOC optimal mode extraction step S200, firstly, when a new version of the controller software (S / W) is detected, the OTA management server can receive information about the new update event to be executed from the vehicle control center. The OTA management server can also determine whether the new update event is similar to the update events of the event group stored in the database based on the number, type, and update order of controllers belonging to each event. The OTA management server can also select the event group for extracting the SOC change rate pattern.

[0127] Furthermore, groups can be specified based on the vehicle information type and battery information type of the corresponding vehicles within the selected event group. Then, the SOC change rate pattern matching the specified group is extracted as the optimal pattern for the corresponding vehicle, and the optimal pattern is provided to the CCU 200.

[0128] The update start determination step S300 may include a remaining SOC value calculation procedure S310 and a SOC value comparison procedure S320. In the remaining SOC value calculation procedure S310, the current SOC value obtained from the battery sensor can be applied to the SOC change rate pattern received from the OTA management server to calculate the remaining SOC value as the expected value that will decrease until the update event is completed. In the SOC value comparison procedure S320, the calculated remaining SOC value can be compared with a reference SOC value to determine whether to perform the update step.

[0129] Therefore, in the remaining SOC value calculation procedure S310, the CCU receiving the SOC change rate mode from the OTA management server can replace the SOC value before the controller update on the SOC change rate mode with the current SOC value obtained from the battery sensor. The CCU can also calculate the expected remaining SOC value as the SOC value decreases at the slope of the corresponding SOC change rate mode until the update event ends.

[0130] Furthermore, in the SOC value comparison procedure S320, the remaining SOC value calculated using the SOC change rate model can be compared with the reference SOC value required to perform the vehicle's basic functions. If the remaining SOC value is greater than the reference SOC value, an update can be performed. Otherwise, the update execution can be paused. This allows a determination of whether to perform the update.

[0131] Thus, in an embodiment where the update start determination step is performed, in Figure 8 Figure 8 In this system, when the remaining SOC value, i.e., the battery SOC after the update is completed, is greater than 65% of the maximum charge value, it can be determined that the update should continue, and an update approval window will be displayed through the vehicle's Audio-Video Navigation (AVN). Therefore, the driver can choose whether to continue the update. Obviously, the reference SOC value of 65% of the maximum charge value shown in the embodiment is variable.

[0132] Subsequently, it is clear that the driver can directly terminate the update without continuing. However, when the driver chooses to continue the update, the software (S / W) of the first controller among the controllers to be updated that receive the update event from the OTA management server can be used to perform the update simultaneously.

[0133] Furthermore, the vehicle controller update control method according to embodiments of this disclosure may further include a SOC change monitoring step S400. In the SOC change monitoring step S400, after each controller belonging to an update event is updated, SOC values ​​measured before and after the update can be received from the battery sensor, and the SOC values ​​can be sent to the OTA management server.

[0134] In this way, by sending the SOC values ​​measured before and after each controller update to the OTA management server in the SOC change monitoring step S400, it can be determined whether the SOC change rate pattern sent in the SOC optimal pattern extraction step is suitable. Furthermore, it is evident that the OTA management server can accumulate and store the received SOC values ​​before and after the update as data for correcting and supplementing the SOC change rate pattern in the database.

[0135] Furthermore, the vehicle controller update control method according to embodiments of this disclosure may further include an update continuation determination step S500. In the update continuation determination step S500, after determining whether there are any other controllers to be updated, it is determined whether to continue updating based on a SOC change rate pattern re-extracted according to the actual SOC change rate derived from the SOC value obtained in the SOC change monitoring step.

[0136] The update process, continuing to determine step S500, may include a SOC change rate pattern re-extraction procedure S510, which reselects a group of SOC change rates that are most similar to the actual SOC change rate calculated based on SOC values ​​measured before and after a controller update in the corresponding event group relative to the corresponding controller. In step S510, the SOC change rate pattern matching the reselected group is indicated as the optimal pattern for recalculating the expected value of the remaining SOC value.

[0137] At this point, in the SOC change rate pattern re-extraction procedure S510, the SOC change rates of the same controller can be compared to each other to determine whether the SOC change rates are similar. Furthermore, the expected value of the remaining SOC value recalculated afterward should be the value at the time all pending update events are completed. The SOC change rate pattern needs to be re-extracted within the event group with the highest similarity, such as the number, type, and order of controllers included in the update events. Therefore, it is clear that the re-extracted SOC change rate pattern is the same as the existing SOC change rate pattern.

[0138] Furthermore, the update continuation determination step S500 may include a remaining SOC value recalculation procedure S520 and a SOC value recomparison procedure S530. In the remaining SOC value recalculation procedure S520, the updated SOC value of the controller can be applied to the re-extracted SOC change rate pattern to recalculate the expected value of the remaining SOC value when the updates of the remaining controllers are completed. In the SOC value recomparison procedure S530, the recalculated remaining SOC value can be compared with a reference SOC value to determine whether to continue updating the remaining controllers.

[0139] Therefore, in the remaining SOC value recalculation procedure S520, the latest SOC value obtained in the SOC change monitoring step can be matched with the re-extracted SOC change rate pattern received from the OTA management server in the CCU, and the remaining SOC value can be recalculated. The remaining SOC value is the expected value when it decreases at the slope of the corresponding SOC change rate pattern until the other controllers have completed their updates.

[0140] Furthermore, in the SOC value recomparison procedure S530, the recalculated remaining SOC value can be compared with the reference SOC value. If the recalculated remaining SOC value is still greater than the reference SOC value, the update continues, and an update is performed for the next controller. Otherwise, the update process can be stopped. This allows a determination of whether to continue updating the event.

[0141] Thus, this disclosure can extract the estimated SOC change rate pattern most suitable for the corresponding update event and vehicle after an update event occurs. This disclosure can also provide the extracted SOC change rate pattern as the optimal pattern for calculating the expected value of the remaining SOC value. This disclosure can, after the updates of some controllers belonging to the corresponding update event are completed, re-extract the SOC change rate pattern representing the rate of change most similar to the actual SOC change rate based on the SOC values ​​measured before and after the update. Whether to continue updating the remaining controllers can be determined based on the remaining SOC value predicted using the re-extracted SOC change rate pattern. This disclosure can improve the accuracy of calculating the expected value of the remaining SOC value while updates of controllers belonging to the update event are in progress.

[0142] Therefore, the success rate of updates can be improved by not setting too much margin when calculating the remaining SOC value. Furthermore, a suitable remaining SOC value can be predicted within a range that is not excessive and can be reduced during the update. This improves the update execution rate.

[0143] While this disclosure has been described above with reference to embodiments and accompanying drawings, it is not limited thereto. Various modifications and alterations can be made to this disclosure by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure as claimed in the appended claims.

[0144] Therefore, the embodiments described herein are not intended to limit the technical concept of this disclosure, but are for illustrative purposes only. The scope of protection of this disclosure should be interpreted by the appended claims, and all equivalents of the claims should be interpreted as included within the scope of this disclosure.

[0145] This disclosure can improve the success rate of controller updates because by accurately calculating the expected value of the remaining SOC value based on the SOC change rate pattern extracted from the OTA management server, updates can be prevented from being interrupted due to unexpected sudden drops in SOC (e.g., battery aging) when updating the controller using OTA services.

[0146] Furthermore, the expected value of the remaining SOC can be accurately calculated, thus eliminating the need for unnecessarily large margins. Therefore, this disclosure can improve the execution rate of updates because it can perform updates even when the battery condition is slightly poor (when the battery is aging, or when the remaining SOC is low).

[0147] In addition, it can provide a variety of effects that can be understood directly or indirectly through the instruction manual.

Claims

1. An update system of a vehicle controller, the system comprising: an over-the-air management server (OTA management server) configured to: obtain a state of charge (SOC) change rate when the vehicle controller is updated; classify vehicles having the SOC change rate lower than a threshold into the same group; match vehicle information and battery information with the SOC change rate of each group; select a group having the most vehicle information and battery information matched with vehicle information and battery information of a target vehicle having a vehicle controller to be updated as a reference group; extract the SOC change rate of the reference group; and a communication control unit (CCU) configured to: substitute a current SOC value obtained from a battery sensor into the SOC change rate of the reference group; calculate a remaining SOC value, which is an expected value until an update event is completed, to be decreased at a slope of the corresponding SOC change rate; and update the vehicle controller, wherein the vehicle information includes a vehicle identification number (VIN) of each vehicle, a specification of a controller, a distance traveled by each vehicle, a duration of each trip, and an average number of trips per week from a CCU of each vehicle, and wherein the battery information includes a manufacturer, a type, a production date, and a capacity of a battery installed in each vehicle. 2.The system of claim 1, further comprising: a battery sensor connected to a battery of a vehicle and configured to measure an SOC value of the battery changed when the controller is updated with an OTA service provided through the CCU and transmit the measured SOC value to the CCU. 3.The system of claim 1, wherein the OTA management server is configured to: collect and store the vehicle information from the CCU provided in the vehicle; collect and store information about a battery installed in each vehicle that receives the vehicle information; collect SOC values measured before and after each controller is updated by an OTA service in each vehicle that receives the battery information, and generate and store an SOC change rate indicating a degree of decrease in an SOC decreased when each controller is updated. 4.The system of claim 1, wherein the OTA management server is further configured to: classify vehicles having an event information matching amount less than or equal to a preset number into the same event group; select an event group having the most event information matched with event information of the target vehicle as a reference event group; designate the reference group based on a type of vehicle information and a type of battery information of a corresponding vehicle within the selected event group; extract the SOC change rate pattern of the reference group for determining whether to start the update in the corresponding vehicle; and provide the SOC change rate to the CCU. 5.The system of claim 1, wherein the OTA management server is further configured to: derive an actual SOC change rate by receiving a change in the SOC value measured before and after each controller update belonging to a corresponding update event from the CCU; ​ ​ selecting a group having a minimum SOC change rate deviation from the actual SOC change rate as another reference group; providing the SOC change rate of the another reference group to the CCU for determining whether to continue updating. 6.The system of claim 1, wherein, the CCU is configured to: compare the remaining SOC value with the reference SOC value; and determine whether to perform the update. 7.The system of claim 6, wherein, the CCU is further configured to: when it is determined to perform the update, receive, from the battery sensor, SOC values measured before and after the update event performed on each controller; and send the SOC values measured before and after the update on each controller to the OTA management server. 8.The system of claim 7, wherein, the CCU is further configured to: obtain a measured SOC change rate from the SOC values measured until all the remaining controllers belonging to the update event are updated; based on the SOC change rate, calculate a remaining SOC; compare the remaining SOC with the reference SOC value again; and determine whether to continue updating. 9.A method of update control of a vehicle controller, the method comprising: obtaining, by an over-the-air (OTA) management server, a state of charge (SOC) change rate when the vehicle controller is updated; classifying, by the OTA management server, vehicles having the SOC change rate lower than a threshold value into the same group; matching, by the OTA management server, vehicle information and battery information with the SOC change rate of each group; selecting, by the OTA management server, a group having the most vehicle information and battery information matching vehicle information and battery information of a target vehicle to be updated among the groups as a reference group; extracting, by the OTA management server, the SOC change rate of the reference group; calculating, by a controller area network (CAN) controller unit (CCU), a remaining SOC value using a slope of the corresponding SOC change rate after the update is completed, determining, by the CCU, whether to update the vehicle controller; and performing, by the CCU, the update, wherein the vehicle information includes a vehicle identification number (VIN) of each vehicle, a specification of a controller, a distance traveled by each vehicle, a length of each trip, and an average number of trips per week from a CCU of each vehicle, and wherein the battery information includes a manufacturer, a type, a production date, and a capacity of a battery installed in each vehicle. 10.The method of claim 9, wherein, calculating the remaining SOC value further comprises: substituting a current SOC value obtained from a battery sensor into the SOC change rate of the reference group; calculating a remaining SOC value that is an expected value of a decrease in the SOC at a slope of the corresponding SOC change rate until the update event is completed; and comparing the calculated remaining SOC value with the reference SOC value to determine whether to perform the update. 11.The method of claim 9, further comprising: ​ When it is determined in the update that the update is performed and then each controller belonging to the update event is updated, SOC values measured before and after the update of each controller are received from the battery sensor to send the SOC values to the OTA management server.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising: sending the SOC values before and after the update of each controller to the OTA management server among the SOC values measured before and after the reception of the update; determining whether there are controllers to be updated; and determining whether to continue the update according to a re-extracted SOC change rate based on an actual SOC change rate derived from the SOC values acquired from among the SOC values measured before and after the reception of the update.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein, determining whether to continue the update comprises: selecting a group having a minimum SOC change rate deviation from the actual SOC change rate as another reference group, the actual SOC change rate being calculated based on the SOC values measured before and after the update of the controllers in the corresponding event group with respect to the corresponding controllers; and prompting the SOC change rate of the other reference group.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein, determining whether to continue the update further comprises: applying the SOC values after the update of the controllers to the SOC change rate of the other reference group to re-calculate expected values of remaining SOC values at the time when the update of the remaining controllers is completed; and comparing the re-calculated remaining SOC values with the reference SOC values to determine whether to continue the update of the remaining controllers.

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