METHOD FOR OPERATING A CONTROL DEVICE FOR A MOTOR VEHICLE

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a method for operating a control device for a motor vehicle. Furthermore, the invention relates to a motor vehicle configured to perform the steps of such a method provided for a motor vehicle.

[0002] A motor vehicle may have a control device in which software is provided, the execution of which can provide a function of the motor vehicle. One such function is, for example, a convenience function. The convenience function may, for example, be a weather service that provides information about the weather in the surroundings of the motor vehicle and / or a parking information service that provides information about a free parking space at a destination of the motor vehicle. Alternatively or additionally, the function may be driving-related, such as a driver assistance system.

[0003] DE 11 2014 006 613 T5 shows a user interface comprising a function means storage section that stores candidates for a plurality of functions and for a plurality of operating means for issuing an instruction to execute functions, an estimation section that estimates a function intended by the user and the operating means among the stored candidates based on information associated with a current situation, and a presentation section for presenting the candidate for the function estimated by the estimation section together with the candidate for the operating means.

[0004] US 2014 / 0245286 A1 discloses a system and method used in an electronic device for managing a number of applications installed in the electronic device. This application management system includes a capture module and an uninstall module.

[0005] US 2010 / 017505 A1 shows an application update management terminal for managing the update of applications.

[0006] It is the object of the invention to provide a solution by means of which a control device for a motor vehicle can be operated efficiently.

[0007] The problem is solved by the subject matter of the independent patent claims. Possible embodiments of the invention are specified in the dependent claims, the following description, and the figures.

[0008] A first aspect of the invention relates to a method for operating a control device for a motor vehicle. The control device is, for example, a central computing device in the motor vehicle. First software is provided in the control device, by means of which at least one function can be executed for the motor vehicle. The function is, for example, a convenience function, in particular a convenience function with a navigation and / or location reference, such as a weather service that provides information about the weather in the surroundings of the motor vehicle, and / or a parking space information service that provides information about a free parking space at a destination of the motor vehicle. Alternatively or additionally, the function can relate to an air conditioning system, a heater, in particular a seat heater, and / or a multimedia device of the motor vehicle.The function is preferably a function that must be actively activated by a user of the motor vehicle, such as a driver. The function is preferably not system-relevant for the motor vehicle, i.e., it is preferably not necessarily required by the motor vehicle to provide a driving function of the motor vehicle.

[0009] The invention is based on the finding that the number of functions provided by the first software and their respective scope are limited in hardware terms by the memory of the control device. Furthermore, with a large number of functions, the processor load of the control device may always be at full capacity if, for example, at least one of the functions is constantly activated as a background function, so that, for example, there may not be sufficient processor load available to activate another function. It may therefore be useful to review the number and / or scope of the functions provided by the first software and, if necessary, reduce them.

[0010] In a first method step, usage data is determined that describes usage behavior for a respective function that can be provided by the first software provided to the control device. The usage data can, for example, describe how often the function was used in a predetermined time interval. Alternatively or additionally, the usage data can only describe whether the respective function was used at least once or not. Using the function includes, for example, activating, using, and / or deactivating the function by the user of the motor vehicle. The usage behavior therefore indicates use of the respective function in the motor vehicle. The usage data can be determined using the control device.

[0011] A further method step provides for a check for the respective function, whereby the check can be carried out using the control device. This check determines whether, according to the determined usage data, the usage lies within a predetermined minimum usage. The predetermined minimum usage can, for example, stipulate that the function has been used at least once in the past. If, for example, the function has never been used before, its usage data describe a usage that is, for example, below the predetermined minimum usage. In this case, the check for the respective function would be successful. However, if the function has, for example, been used several times in the past, the usage data can describe a usage that is above the minimum usage. In this case, the check would be unsuccessful, i.e. the check would produce a negative result.

[0012] For each function for which it was determined during the check that usage is below the specified minimum usage, a removal option is provided to at least partially remove the function from the control device. If the check was successful, the removal option is issued, for example, as a notice in the motor vehicle. The removal option can, for example, be a visually perceptible and / or acoustically perceptible message provided by an output device in the motor vehicle. The output device can, for example, be a display device such as a screen, in particular a touch-sensitive screen, and / or a loudspeaker device in the motor vehicle that has at least one loudspeaker. The output device can be a component of the motor vehicle and / or a component of a mobile terminal that is positioned in the motor vehicle.Alternatively or additionally, the removal option can be provided via the mobile device's output device regardless of location, i.e., outside the motor vehicle, for example. In this case, an application can be installed on the mobile device that manages the user's user profile for the motor vehicle. The mobile device can be, for example, a smartphone and / or a tablet.

[0013] Removing the function from the control device at least ensures that the function can no longer be executed by the control device after removal. However, the control device may still store the fact that the function exists in principle. Therefore, the function may only be partially removed, since, for example, a reference to the function may still be stored in the control device, but not a software module required to execute the function.

[0014] If the provided removal option is activated, a second software is provided for the control device, by means of which the respective remote function cannot be executed. The second software is loaded onto the control device instead of the first software, so that the control device is only operated by means of the provided second software and no longer by means of the first software. The first and second software are different from one another. The two software therefore differ from one another in at least one software component. The removal option is preferably activated manually by the user of the motor vehicle. An actuating device can be provided for activating the removal option, such as a button, a switch, a rotary push-button and / or an element on the touch-sensitive screen.Alternatively or additionally, the actuating device can be actuated by voice control based on a microphone device with at least one microphone in the motor vehicle and / or by gesture control based on a camera device with at least one camera in the motor vehicle. The actuating device can be a component of the motor vehicle and / or a component of the mobile terminal. The actuating device can be assigned to the output device and / or be included therein.

[0015] Thus, new software is provided in the motor vehicle with the second software, according to which the no longer desired function is no longer provided, for example because it has been removed from the software. This frees up memory space in the control device, for example, which can be used for new functions for the motor vehicle and / or for a software update of the second software. Furthermore, the processor load on the control device can be reduced because, for example, the removed function is no longer executed in the background by the control device. This ultimately achieves particularly advantageous memory resource control and load distribution for the control device of the motor vehicle. The control device for the motor vehicle is thus operated efficiently.

[0016] It may be provided that the activation of the removal option occurs automatically, so that no manual intervention is required from the motor vehicle user to activate the removal option. However, it is preferably provided that the user can actively decide whether to accept the removal option, i.e., whether at least one function should be removed or not.

[0017] The invention provides that the determined usage data describe the usage behavior during a predetermined time interval. The time interval can be, for example, one month, three months, or half a year. Alternatively or additionally, a shorter time interval, for example, one, two, or three weeks, or a longer time interval, for example, one year, two years, or three years, is possible. Alternatively, any time interval between the specified values ​​can be selected.

[0018] The time interval is function-dependent. It is therefore intended that the time interval depends on the function for which the usage data is being determined. This is particularly useful for season-dependent functions, such as the air conditioning or heating in a motor vehicle. For example, if the usage behavior of a function for controlling the seat heating of a vehicle seat is being tested, it may be useful to consider a longer time interval, for example a whole year, due to seasonal fluctuations in the usage behavior of the seat heating, compared to a function that is independent of the season, such as the weather service. Alternatively or in addition to a size of the time interval, the time interval can be limited to specified months and / or seasons. In the example mentioned, the usage data can then only be determined based on usage in winter months.Finally, individual time intervals can be specified in the control device for each function, for which the usage behavior is evaluated to provide the usage data.

[0019] One embodiment provides for a communication connection to be established between a communication interface of the motor vehicle and a communication interface of an external computing device. The communication connection is preferably a wireless, in particular a cable-free communication connection. The communication connection between the motor vehicle and the external computing device can be provided via a wireless local area network (WLAN for Wireless Local Area Network), a Bluetooth connection and / or a mobile data network, for example based on the mobile communications standard Long Term Evolution (LTE), Long Term Evolution Advanced (LTE-A), Fifth Generation (5G) or Sixth Generation (6G). The external computing device can alternatively be referred to as a backend or server. The external computing device is arranged outside the motor vehicle.

[0020] Request data describing the activated removal option is transmitted to the external computing device via the established communication connection. The request data describes which function is no longer desired for the control device according to the activated removal option, i.e., which functions are to be removed. The request data comprises a request to the external computing device to provide new software, i.e., the second software, wherein the second software was generated according to the specifications of the activated removal option. Alternatively, the request data can be referred to as data describing the activated removal option. The motor vehicle then receives the second software generated according to the determined request data via the established communication connection.The motor vehicle thus sends the request data to the external computing device, which can receive the request data and then transmit the second software to the motor vehicle. Ultimately, this ensures that the second software can be provided without significant resource expenditure in the motor vehicle, as the external computing device is involved.

[0021] An additional embodiment provides that the second software is generated by the external computing device. The external computing device can, for example, have a software generation algorithm, the execution of which can provide the second software based on the received request data. Preferably, to generate the second software, changes are automatically made to a program code of the first software. The second software is, in particular, compiled, i.e., is executable as a software block. In other words, the function that is no longer desired and to be removed is not simply deleted from the control device of the motor vehicle, but rather, new software for the control device, which includes all still existing functions for the control device, is actually generated and provided.This can reliably ensure that the second software ultimately operated by the control device has been reliably generated and is therefore actually executable.

[0022] Alternatively or additionally, it may be provided that the control device of the motor vehicle generates the second software itself.

[0023] In one embodiment, it can be provided that the function is uninstalled for removal from the control device. It can therefore be provided that the function is completely uninstalled, so that there is no longer any possibility of the function being able to be executed with the second software. During uninstallation, it can also be provided that information relating to a previous use of the function is also deleted. Ultimately, this results in a situation in which it is assumed that the function is not intended for the motor vehicle and / or was never intended for the motor vehicle. This can free up a particularly large amount of storage space in the memory of the control device.

[0024] Furthermore, one embodiment provides that content data generated during use of the function is stored in a storage device before uninstallation. It can therefore be provided that operational data for the function is saved before the function is uninstalled from the control device. The storage device is, for example, an external storage device arranged outside the motor vehicle. The storage device can be included in the external computing device. In this case, the content data can be transmitted to the external computing device, for example, via the communication connection between the motor vehicle and the external computing device. The content data describes, for example, the previous usage behavior of the function, such as user-specific settings, preferences and / or a usage history.This ensures that no private data, or data that may be of interest again in the future, is lost during the uninstallation. This can be perceived as particularly convenient for users.

[0025] According to one embodiment, a function overview is provided for a user of the motor vehicle, in which the removed function is identified as the currently removed function. The function overview can, for example, be displayed as a list on the screen as an output device. The function overview can, for example, comprise all actually provided as well as all removed functions of the control device. The removed functions are preferably identified as such, for example by being visually highlighted, visually separated and / or color-coded. If they are visually separated, they can, for example, be more difficult to recognize, for example by being displayed in a lighter color than the provided functions.This signals that the respective remote function exists in itself, but is not currently provided in the vehicle and is therefore not available.

[0026] For the currently removed function, an installation option is provided for installing the function on the control device. The installation option can be provided, for example, via the output device and selected, i.e., manually activated, via the actuating device. Upon activation of the installation option, third software is provided for the control device, by means of which the function that is currently removed and is to be reinstalled according to the installation option can be executed. Thus, after detection of the activation of the installation option, this information can be transmitted as new request data to the external computing device, whereupon the latter generates, for example, the third software and transmits it to the motor vehicle. The third software is different from the second software. The control device is then operated according to the third software.In this case, the third software replaces the second software. It is therefore possible that uninstalled functions can be reinstalled at any time. This, of course, assumes that sufficient resources are available in the control device—that is, the free memory and / or the processor load of the control device permit this. This ensures that the uninstallation and thus the removal of individual functions can be reversed, thus preventing the user from having to make a decisive decision when faced with the removal option.

[0027] In one embodiment, it can be provided that a check is carried out to determine whether content data has been stored for the function that can be executed again according to the third software. If this is the case, i.e., if content data for this function has been stored in the storage device, the stored content data is made available from the storage device to the control device. For example, it can be transmitted from the storage device to the motor vehicle via the communication connection and thus reloaded into the control device. It can then be stored, for example, in a storage device of the control device. The user-specific information that was saved for the function before its deinstallation can thus be reloaded into the motor vehicle.This means that the previously removed function can be executed completely again, taking into account the user-specific data already known for the function, which the user may find particularly convenient.

[0028] A further aspect of the invention relates to a motor vehicle with a control device. The motor vehicle is designed to perform the steps of the method provided for the motor vehicle, as described above. The motor vehicle according to the invention is preferably designed as a motor vehicle, in particular as a passenger car or truck, or as a passenger bus or motorcycle.

[0029] Furthermore, a system comprising the motor vehicle and the external computing device can be provided. This system comprising the motor vehicle and the external computing device is then configured to carry out the method described above.

[0030] The invention also includes embodiments of the motor vehicle and system according to the invention that have features already described in connection with the embodiments of the method according to the invention. For this reason, the corresponding embodiments of the motor vehicle and system according to the invention are not described again here.

[0031] The invention also includes the control device for the motor vehicle. The control device can have a data processing device or a processor device configured to carry out an embodiment of the method according to the invention. For this purpose, the processor device can have at least one microprocessor and / or at least one microcontroller and / or at least one FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) and / or at least one DSP (Digital Signal Processor). Furthermore, the processor device can have program code configured to carry out the embodiment of the method according to the invention when executed by the processor device. The program code can be stored in a data memory of the processor device.

[0032] As a further solution, the invention also encompasses a computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions which, when executed by a computer or computer network, cause the computer to carry out an embodiment of the method according to the invention. The storage medium can, for example, be designed at least partially as a non-volatile data memory (e.g. as a flash memory and / or as an SSD - solid state drive) and / or at least partially as a volatile data memory (e.g. as a RAM - random access memory). The computer or computer network can provide a processor circuit with at least one microprocessor. The instructions can be provided as binary code or assembler and / or as source code of a programming language (e.g. C).

[0033] The invention is defined by the independent claims and preferred features are set out in the dependent claims.

[0034] Exemplary embodiments of the invention are described below. Shown are: Fig. 1 shows a schematic representation of a motor vehicle with a control device; and Fig. 2 shows a schematic representation of a signal flow graph for a method for operating the control device of the motor vehicle.

[0035] The exemplary embodiments explained below are preferred embodiments of the invention. In the exemplary embodiments, the described components of the embodiments each represent individual features of the invention that can be considered independently of one another, each of which also develops the invention independently of one another. Therefore, the disclosure is intended to encompass combinations of the features of the embodiments other than those shown. Furthermore, the described embodiments can also be supplemented by further features of the invention already described.

[0036] In the figures, the same reference symbols designate elements with the same function.

[0037] In Fig. 1 1 shows a motor vehicle 1 having a control device 2. First software 3 is provided in control device 2, which enables, for example, the execution of at least one function 4 of motor vehicle 1, in particular a plurality of functions 4. Here, purely by way of example, three functions 4 provided by first software 3 are outlined. The respective function 4 may be a convenience function, for example relating to a voice assistant, a navigation system, an air conditioning system, and / or a multimedia system of motor vehicle 1. Furthermore, the respective function 4 may be a driving-relevant and / or safety-relevant function 4 for motor vehicle 1. The following will focus on function 4, which is a pure convenience function and can therefore, in principle, be removed from control device 2 without impairing the functionality of motor vehicle 1 as a means of transportation.

[0038] The motor vehicle 1 has a communication interface 5, by means of which a communication connection 6 can be established to a communication interface 5 of an external computing device 7. The communication connection 6 is, for example, a cable-free and, in particular, wireless connection. Via the communication connection 6, for example, a second software 8 can be transmitted from the external computing device 7 to the motor vehicle 1 and / or content data 9 can be transmitted from the motor vehicle 1 to, for example, a storage device 10 of the external computing device 7. The external computing device 7 is, for example, a backend and / or a server.

[0039] The motor vehicle 1 can have an output device 11, which can be designed, for example, as a screen, in particular as a touch-sensitive screen, and / or as a loudspeaker device with at least one loudspeaker. The motor vehicle 1 can further have an actuating device 12, such as a button, a switch, a rotary push-button switch, an element on the touch-sensitive screen, a voice input system based on a microphone device that has at least one microphone and is designed to capture a voice input from a user of the motor vehicle 1, and / or a gesture recognition system based on a camera device with at least one camera for capturing a gesture of the user. The output device 11 and / or the actuating device 12 can be components of the motor vehicle 1.Alternatively or additionally, they can be comprised of a mobile device assigned to the user of the motor vehicle 1. The mobile device can be positioned in the motor vehicle 1 and / or linked to a user profile of the user of the motor vehicle 1 via an application. The mobile device is, for example, a smartphone or a tablet. An output to and a manual response from the user within the scope of the method described below are carried out via the output device 11 and the actuation device 12, respectively.

[0040] In Fig. 2A method for operating the control device 2 for the motor vehicle 1 is outlined. In a method step S1, usage data 13 is determined, which describe a usage behavior for each of the functions 4. The usage data 13 therefore indicate how often the function 4 was used, for example, in a predetermined time interval 14. The time interval 14 is, for example, one month, three months, six months, or one year. The determined usage data 13 therefore describe the usage behavior of the respective function 4 during the predetermined time interval 14, wherein the time interval 14 can be selected depending on the function. The usage data 13 are provided for all functions 4 that can be provided by the first software 3 provided to the control device 2, that is, for the functions 4 that can be provided and thus executed by the control device 2 in the motor vehicle 1.

[0041] In a method step S2, a check is carried out for the respective function 4 to determine whether, according to the determined usage data 13, the usage is below a predetermined minimum usage 15. For each function 4 for which it was determined during the check in method step S2 that the usage is below the predetermined minimum usage 15, a removal option 16 is provided in a method step S3 for at least partially removing the function 4 from the control device 2. The minimum usage 15 can, for example, be at least one usage. In this case, only the function 4 that was not used at all is included in the removal option 16. Alternatively or additionally, a higher minimum usage 15 can be selected, so that the function 4, for example, had to be used at least three or five times within the time interval 14, and it is only included in the removal option 16 if this is not the case.The distance option 16 will be visually displayed and / or acoustically perceptible to the user of the motor vehicle 1 by means of the output device 11.

[0042] The removal option 16 can then be manually activated by the user using the actuating device 12. In a method step S4, it is checked whether the provided removal option 16 has been activated. If this is the case, in a method step S5, for example, request data 17 describing the activated removal option 16 can be transmitted from the motor vehicle 1 to the external computing device 7 via the communication connection 6. For this purpose, it can be provided that the communication connection 6 is first established between the communication interface 5 of the motor vehicle 1 and the communication interface 5 of the external computing device 7.

[0043] In a method step S6, the second software 8 is then generated by the external computing device 7. When the second software 8 is used, the respective removed function 4 cannot be executed. The second software 8 thus differs from the first software 3 in that it no longer includes the function 4 that is no longer desired according to the removal option 16. The function 4 that is to be removed is then no longer part of a functionality of the motor vehicle 1 as soon as the control device 2 is operated by the second software 8. In a method step S7, the second software 8 generated by the external computing device 7 can be transmitted from the external computing device 7 to the motor vehicle 1 via the communication connection 6.

[0044] In a method step S8, the content data 9 can be transmitted from the motor vehicle 1 to the storage device 10, which here is a component of the external computing device 7, via the communication connection 6. The storage device 10 can alternatively or additionally be a device that is spatially separate from the external computing device 7 and can be arranged in the motor vehicle 1 or externally of the motor vehicle 1. In this case, the communication connection 6 can be established directly between the motor vehicle 1 and a communication interface 5 of the storage device 10. The content data 9 were generated during a previous use of the function 4 and are stored and thus secured in the storage device 10 before they are removed by transmitting them to the storage device 10.

[0045] In a method step S9, the control device 2 is operated according to the second software 8. In other words, the second software 8, which no longer includes the function 4 to be removed, is loaded onto the control device 2 instead of the first software 3, so that the control device 2 now operates only according to the second software 8. This ultimately results in the function 4 being uninstalled from the control device 2. However, as already described, the content data 9 for this function 4 may have been swapped out to the storage device 10 beforehand in method step S8.

[0046] In a method step S10, a function overview 18 is provided to the user of the motor vehicle 1. This occurs, for example, using the output device 11. The removed function 4 is identified as such in the function overview 18. The function overview 18 is preferably an overview of all currently available functions 4 as well as all functions 4 that can in principle be provided in the motor vehicle 1 but are currently removed. In a method step S11, an installation option 19 can be provided for the currently removed function 4 using the output device 11. The installation option 19 is intended for reinstalling the function 4 on the control device 2, i.e., upon activation of the installation option 19, the previously removed function 4 can be made available to the control device 2 again.

[0047] In a method step S12, it can therefore be checked whether the installation option 19 has been activated. If this is the case, new request data 17', which describe the activated installation option 19, is transmitted from the motor vehicle 1 to the external computing device 7, for example in a method step S13. In a method step S14, a third software 20 can then be generated by the external computing device 7, the application of which allows the desired function 4 to be executed again according to the installation option 19. The third software 20 differs at least partially from the second software 8. In a method step S15, the third software 20 can be transmitted from the external computing device 7 to the motor vehicle 1 via the communication connection 6. In a method step S16, the control device 2 of the motor vehicle 1 can now be operated according to the third software 20.

[0048] In a method step S17, it can be checked whether content data 9 has previously been stored for the function 4 that can be executed again according to the third software 20. If this is the case, it can be provided in a method step S18 that the content data 9 stored in the storage device 10 is transmitted to the motor vehicle 1 via the communication connection 6 and thus made available to the control device 2, for example, for performing the function 4 according to the content data 9 that has now been made available again.

[0049] Overall, the examples show the release of resources through the installation of one or more selected functions 4 based on the usage behavior of the functions 4. For this purpose, vehicle usage behavior is monitored, i.e., the usage data 13 is determined and checked. This can be evaluated in the external computing device 7 and / or in the control device 2. Over a freely definable period of time, i.e., over the time interval 14, unused functions 4 are offered to the user for uninstallation, specifically using the removal option 16. If the decision is made to remove them, the functions 4 can be uninstalled, such as, for example, a weather service or information about free parking spaces at a destination of the navigation system. Resources of the control device 2 are then available for new functions 4, which can be introduced into the motor vehicle 1, for example, via an update.However, the uninstalled function 4 can be reinstalled at any time, provided the resources are available for this purpose, i.e. it can be reloaded onto the motor vehicle 1, i.e. onto the control device 2 of the motor vehicle 1, via the installation option 19 and the third software 20.

Claims

1. A method for operating a control device (2) for a motor vehicle (1), comprising the following steps: - ascertaining (S1) utilization data (13), which describes a utilization behavior for a respective function (4), which can be provided by a first software (3) provided to the control device (2), wherein the ascertained utilization data (13) describes the utilization behavior during a preset time interval (14), wherein the time interval (14) is dependent on function; - examining (S2) for the respective function (4), if the utilization is below a preset minimum utilization (15) according to the ascertained utilization data (13); - for each function (4), for which it has been determined in examining that the utilization is below the preset minimum utilization (15), providing (S3) a removal option (16) for at least partially removing the function (4) from the control device (2); - if the provided removal option (16) is activated, providing (S8) a second software (8) for the control device (2), by means of which the respective removed function (4) is not executable; and - operating (S9) the control device (2) by means of the provided second software (8).

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein a communication link (6) between a communication interface (5) of the motor vehicle (1) and a communication interface (5) of an external computing device (7) is established and query data (17) describing the activated removal option (16) is transmitted (S5) to the external computing device (7) via the communication link (6), and the second software (8) generated according to the transmitted query data (17) is received (S7) by the motor vehicle (1).

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the second software (8) is generated (S6) by means of the external computing device (7).

4. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the function (4) is uninstalled for removing from the control device (2).

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein content data (9), which has been generated upon a use of the function (4), is stored (S8) in a storage device (10) before the uninstallation.

6. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a function overview (18) is provided (S10) for a user of the motor vehicle (1), in which the removed function (4) is marked as a currently removed function (4), wherein an installation option (19) for installing the function (4) on the control device (2) is provided (S11) for the currently removed function (4), upon activation of which a third software (20) is provided (S16) for the control device (2), by means of which this function (4) is again executable.

7. The method according to claim 5 and 6, wherein it is examined (S17), if content data (9) has been stored to the function (4) again executable according to the third software (20), and if this is the case, the stored content data (9) is provided (S18) for the control device (2) from the storage device (10).

8. A motor vehicle (1) with a control device (2), which is formed to perform the steps, provided for the motor vehicle (1), of a method according to any one of the preceding claims.