Controller system

Abstract

To reduce the procedures and time required for rewriting programming data of a first controller and rewriting programming data of a second controller.SOLUTION: A controller system includes a first controller and a second controller subordinate to the first controller. In rewriting programming data of the first controller, the controller system rewrites, after authentication processing, the programming data of the first controller and writes programming data of the second controller to the first controller. Thereafter, the controller system rewrites the programming data of the second controller, using the programming data of the second controller written to the first controller. Accordingly, the authentication processing for the second controller can be omitted.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a control device system, and more particularly to a control device system including a first control device and a second control device subordinate to the first control device.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, as this type of control device system, there has been proposed a system including a first control device capable of communicating with an external device and a second control device capable of communicating with the external device via the first control device (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In this control device system, there is a control processing unit capable of switching and executing a first process and a second process. During the execution of the first process, when a first time has elapsed from a predetermined timing, the control processing unit switches from the first process to the second process. If a request to execute a predetermined process using communication with the external device is received between the predetermined timing and when a second time shorter than the first time has elapsed, and the execution request is issued to a control device operating as the second control device, the control processing unit switches from the first process to the second process without waiting for the elapse of the first time.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, in the above-described control device system, when rewriting the programming data of the first control device and the programming data of the second control device by communication with the external device, since the authentication process for rewriting the programming data of the first control device and the authentication process for rewriting the programming data of the second control device are performed, excessive procedures and time are required for rewriting the programming data.

[0005] The control device system of the present disclosure mainly aims to shorten the procedures and time required for rewriting the programming data of the first control device and the programming data of the second control device.

Means for Solving the Problem

[0006] The control device system of the present disclosure has adopted the following means to achieve the above main object.

[0007] The control device system of the present disclosure includes a first control device, a second control device subordinate to the first control device, and is a control device system that rewrites the programming data of the first control device and the second control device through communication with the outside. When rewriting the programming data of the first control device, after authentication processing, while rewriting the programming data of the first control device, the programming data of the second control device is written into the first control device, and then the programming data of the second control device is rewritten using the programming data of the second control device written into the first control device. This is the feature.

[0008] ​In the control device system of the present disclosure, a first control device and a second control device subordinate to the first control device are provided, and the programming data of the first control device and the second control device are rewritten by communication with the outside. At this time, when rewriting the programming data of the first control device, after the authentication process, the programming data of the first control device is rewritten and the programming data of the second control device is written into the first control device. Then, the programming data of the second control device is rewritten using the programming data of the second control device written into the first control device. As a result, the authentication process when rewriting the programming data of the second control device can be made unnecessary. As a result, the procedures and time required for rewriting the programming data of the first control device and the programming data of the second control device can be shortened.

[0009] In the control device system of the present disclosure, a third control device that is not subordinate to the first control device is provided. When rewriting the programming data of the third control device subsequent to rewriting the programming data of the first control device and the second control device, it is possible to perform the authentication process when rewriting the programming data of the third control device and rewrite the programming data of the second control device in parallel with rewriting the programming data of the third control device. As a result, the time required for rewriting the programming data of the first control device, the second control device, and the third control device can be shortened.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0010]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0011] Next, embodiments for implementing the present disclosure will be described. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing an outline of the configuration of a control device system 20 as an embodiment of the present disclosure. The control device system 20 of the embodiment includes a first control device (hereinafter referred to as the first ECU) 22, a second control device (hereinafter referred to as the second ECU) 24, and a third control device (hereinafter referred to as the third ECU) 26.

[0012] The first ECU 22 is configured as a microcomputer and is connected to an external device 10 by a communication line 21 connected to an external communication line 12. The second ECU 24 is configured as a microcomputer and is connected to the first ECU 22 by a communication line 23. Therefore, the second ECU 24 is connected to the external device 10 via the first ECU 22 and the communication line 21. The third ECU 26, like the first ECU 22, is configured as a microcomputer and is connected to the external device 10 by a communication line 21 connected to an external communication line 12.

[0013] The external device 10 functions as a tool for reprogramming to rewrite the programming of the first ECU 22, the second ECU 24, and the third ECU 26 by communication. Note that an authentication process of the control device (ECU) is performed when reprogramming is performed.

[0014] Next, the operation during reprogramming for rewriting the programming of the first ECU 22, the second ECU 24, and the third ECU 26 in the thus configured control device system 20 of the embodiment will be described. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an example of the reprogramming process in the control device system 20 of the embodiment. This process is executed when rewriting the programming of the first ECU 22, the second ECU 24, and the third ECU 26 by communication with the external device 10.

[0015] When the reprogramming process is executed, first, the authentication process of the first ECU 22 is executed (step S100). When the authentication process of the first ECU 22 is completed, the rewriting process of the programming of the first ECU 22 is performed based on the data transmitted from the external device 10 (step S110). Next, the process of writing the programming data for reprogramming the second ECU 22 into the first ECU 22 is performed based on the data transmitted from the external device 10 (step S120). The process of step S120 is a process performed between the external device 10 and the first ECU 22. Since the authentication process of the first ECU 22 has been performed in step S100, a new authentication process (the authentication process of the second ECU 24) is not performed.

[0016] Subsequently, the first ECU 22 performs a process of rewriting the programming of the second ECU 24 using the written programming data (step S130).

[0017] On the other hand, immediately after the process of step S120, the authentication process of the third ECU 26 is executed (step S140). When the authentication process of the third ECU 26 is completed, the rewriting process of the programming of the third ECU 26 is executed based on the data transmitted from the external device 10 (step S150), and the reprogramming process is terminated.

[0018] The process of rewriting the programming of the second ECU 24 by the first ECU 22 in step S130 and the process of rewriting the programming of the third ECU 26 by the external device 10 in steps S140 and S150 are performed in parallel. In this way, by performing the process of rewriting the programming of the second ECU 24 by the first ECU 22 and the process of rewriting the programming of the third ECU 26 by the external device 10 in parallel, after the process of rewriting the programming of the first ECU 22 by the external device 10 in step S110, the authentication process of the second ECU 24 and the process of rewriting the programming of the second ECU 24 via the first ECU 22 by the external device 10 are executed, and then compared with the case where the process of rewriting the programming of the third ECU 26 by the external device 10 is executed, the number of processes can be reduced and the time required for reprogramming can be shortened.

[0019] In the control device system 20 of the embodiment described above, the process of writing the programming data of the second ECU 22 by the external device 10 to the first ECU 22 is continuously executed following the process of rewriting the programming of the third ECU 26 by the external device 10, and the process of rewriting the programming of the second ECU 24 by the first ECU 22 and the process of rewriting the programming of the third ECU 26 by the external device 10 are performed in parallel. Thereby, after the process of rewriting the programming of the first ECU 22 by the external device 10, the authentication process of the second ECU 24 and the process of rewriting the programming of the second ECU 24 via the first ECU 22 by the external device 10 are executed, and then compared with the case where the process of rewriting the programming of the third ECU 26 by the external device 10 is executed, the number of processes can be reduced and the time required for reprogramming can be shortened.

[0020] In the control device system 20 of the embodiment, it is provided with a first ECU 22, a second ECU 24 subordinate to the first ECU 22, and a third ECU 26. However, it may further be provided with a fourth ECU subordinate to the third ECU 26, or may include a plurality of ECUs not subordinate to the third ECU 26. Also, it may be provided with only the first ECU 22 and the second ECU 24 subordinate to the first ECU 22. Even in this case, the authentication process of the second ECU 24 can be omitted.

[0021] The correspondence between the main elements of the embodiment and the main elements of the invention described in the section of means for solving the problems will be described. In the embodiment, the first ECU 22 corresponds to the "first control device", the second ECU 24 corresponds to the "second control device", and the control device system 20 corresponds to the "control device system".

[0022] Note that the correspondence between the main elements of the embodiment and the main elements of the invention described in the section of means for solving the problems is an example for specifically explaining the form for implementing the invention described in the section of means for solving the problems in the embodiment. Therefore, it does not limit the elements of the invention described in the section of means for solving the problems. That is, the interpretation of the invention described in the section of means for solving the problems should be made based on the description in that section, and the embodiment is merely a specific example of the invention described in the section of means for solving the problems.

[0023] As described above, the present disclosure has been described using embodiments. However, the present disclosure is not limited to such embodiments, and it goes without saying that it can be implemented in various forms without departing from the gist of the present disclosure.

Industrial Applicability

[0024] The present disclosure can be used in the manufacturing industry of control device systems and the like.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0025] 10 External device, 12 Communication line, 20 Control device system, 21 Communication line, 22 First control device (first ECU), 23 Communication line, 24 Second control device (second ECU), 26 Third control device (third ECU).

Claims

【Claim 1】 A first control device, a second control device subordinate to the first control device, A control device system comprising: the first control device and the second control device, and configured to rewrite programming data of the first control device and the second control device by communication with the outside, when rewriting the programming data of the first control device, after authentication processing, rewrite the programming data of the first control device and write the programming data of the second control device to the first control device, and then use the programming data of the second control device written to the first control device to rewrite the programming data of the second control device. A control device system characterized by the above.

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