Data recording device and method

Abstract

To suppress an increase in a capacity needed to record data, and make it possible to flexibly and properly record plural data items concerning the condition of a vehicle in response to a need.SOLUTION: A data recorder of the present disclosure records plural data items, which are concerned with the condition of a vehicle and each acquired at intervals of a predefined sampling cycle, at intervals of a reference recording cycle longer than the sampling cycle, and records at least one designated data, which is designated by an outside system, out of the plural data items at intervals of a shortened recording cycle that is equal to or longer than the sampling cycle and falls below the reference recording cycle.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a data recording device and method for recording a plurality of data relating to the state of a vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, a meter reading device capable of acquiring detailed information of measured values ​​measured by a plurality of sensors is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). This meter reading device stores a sampling period according to the intended use of the measured values, specifies a sampling period corresponding to the specified intended use, and executes measurements by a plurality of sensors at the specified sampling period. Furthermore, the meter reading device detects the presence or absence of a change in the measured values ​​measured by the sensors, and when a change in the measured values ​​is detected, extracts the measured values ​​during the period in which the change was detected as detailed information. Patent Document 1 also describes a meter reading meter that has one or more sensors and performs measurements by setting the sampling period to an extremely short period required for detailed data. In this meter reading meter, the measured data is divided into certain periods and managed, and a measured value A1 at the start of a measurement period A is held as a representative value for the measurement period A. Furthermore, the meter reading meter compares the measured value A1 with the measured value A2 at the end of the measurement period, and if the amount of change between the two exceeds a threshold, stores the measured value A1-A2 in a storage area, and if the amount of change does not exceed the threshold, discards the measured value A1-A2. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2012-190202 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Incidentally, in a vehicle, as in the meter reading device described in Patent Document 1, it is conceivable to specify a sampling period corresponding to a specified purpose of use from the sampling periods stored according to the purpose of use for each of a plurality of data relating to the state of the vehicle, and to measure a plurality of data at the specified sampling period. However, Patent Document 1 does not describe at all how to specify the purpose of use or how to specify the sampling period, and it is difficult to obtain accurate data while flexibly changing the sampling period on the vehicle side according to needs. On the other hand, as in the meter reading meter described in Patent Document 1, if data during a measurement period is stored or discarded based on the amount of change between the measured value at the start and end of the measurement period, the amount of storage area used can be reduced even if data is measured at an extremely short period. However, depending on how the measurement period is divided, there is a risk that accurate data corresponding to the phenomenon that has occurred will not be obtained even if the amount of change exceeds a threshold value.

[0005] Therefore, a primary object of the present disclosure is to enable flexible and accurate recording of multiple data relating to the vehicle condition according to needs, while suppressing an increase in the capacity required for recording data. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The data recording device disclosed herein is a data recording device that records multiple pieces of data regarding the condition of a vehicle, each of which is acquired at a predetermined sampling period, at a standard recording period that is longer than the sampling period, and records at least one designated data among the multiple pieces of data, which is designated by an external device, at a shortened recording period that is equal to or longer than the sampling period and shorter than the standard recording period.

[0007] In addition, the data recording method disclosed herein is a data recording method that records multiple data relating to the condition of a vehicle, each of which is acquired at a predetermined sampling period, at a standard recording period that is longer than the sampling period, and records at least one designated data from the multiple data, which is designated by an external device, at a shortened recording period that is equal to or longer than the sampling period and shorter than the standard recording period. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram showing a vehicle including a data recording device according to the present disclosure. [Diagram 2] 1 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of freeze frame data recorded by a data recording device of the present disclosure; [Diagram 3] 4 is a flowchart showing an example of a routine executed by an in-vehicle communication device of a vehicle including a data recording device of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] 10 is an explanatory diagram for explaining a procedure in which the data recording device of the present disclosure records designated data at a standard recording period and a shortened recording period in response to a designation from an external device. FIG. [Diagram 5] 10 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of freeze frame data and optional recorded data recorded by the data recording device of the present disclosure in response to a designation from an external vehicle device. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Next, an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0010] 1 is a schematic diagram showing a vehicle 1 including a data recording device of the present disclosure. The vehicle 1 shown in the figure is, for example, a hybrid vehicle including an engine (internal combustion engine), a motor generator, an inverter, a battery, etc., none of which are shown. As shown in the figure, the vehicle 1 includes an on-board communication device 5 and a plurality of electronic control devices (hereinafter referred to as "ECUs") 10, 20, 30, etc. The on-board communication device 5 exchanges information with a management server 50 as an external device and a terminal (including a mobile terminal) used in, for example, a vehicle dealer or a vehicle maintenance shop, by high-speed data communication (wireless packet communication), and can also exchange information with the plurality of ECUs 10, etc.

[0011] Each of the multiple ECUs 10, 20, 30 includes a microcomputer (not shown) having a CPU, ROM, RAM, an input / output interface, etc., all of which are not shown, and a nonvolatile memory (NVRAM) 11, 21, or 31. The ECU 10 controls the engine of the vehicle 1. The ECU 20 controls an inverter that drives a motor generator of the vehicle 1, etc. The ECU 30 manages the battery of the vehicle 1. Furthermore, the ECUs 10, 20, and 30 each include a data recording module (data recording device) 15, 25, or 35 constructed in cooperation with an application (software) installed therein and hardware such as the CPU, ROM, RAM, and nonvolatile memory 11, 21, or 31.

[0012] The data recording modules 15, 25, and 35 respectively store (record) a plurality of data (various physical quantities, setting states, etc.) related to the state of the vehicle 1 acquired (detected or calculated) at a predetermined sampling period (e.g., several msec to several tens of msec) Ts as freeze frame data at a reference recording period Trb (e.g., 500 msec) longer than the sampling period Ts in the nonvolatile memory 11, 21, or 31. FIG. 2 illustrates an example of freeze frame data recorded by the data recording module 25 of the ECU 10. As shown in the figure, the freeze frame data is generated by arranging a plurality of predetermined data, such as vehicle speed and engine speed, in a column direction in a predetermined storage area such as the nonvolatile memory 11, and storing each of the plurality of data in a row direction at the reference recording period Trb. Also, as shown in the figure, the index of each row of the freeze frame data stores a data ID (identifier) ​​previously assigned to the data together with the name of the corresponding data (vehicle speed, engine speed, etc.). Basically, the freeze frame data is erased from the non-volatile memory 11 or the like when, for example, a predetermined time has elapsed since it was recorded in the non-volatile memory 11 or the like.

[0013] The freeze frame data recorded in each ECU 10, 20, 30 is transmitted from the in-vehicle communication device 5 to the management server 50 at a predetermined cycle, for example. The management server 50 is installed and managed by, for example, the manufacturer of the vehicle 1, and includes a computer having a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, an input / output device, a communication module for communicating with the in-vehicle communication device 5 of the vehicle 1, a storage device for storing various information, and the like. The management server 50 associates the freeze frame data transmitted from the in-vehicle communication device 5 of the vehicle 1 with vehicle information such as the chassis number and vehicle number of the vehicle 1, and stores it in the storage device. The freeze frame data managed by the management server 50 can be accessed from a terminal of a vehicle dealer, a maintenance shop, or the like, and when some abnormality occurs in the vehicle 1, the freeze frame data that is not stored on the vehicle 1 side can be obtained from the management server 50 and used for analyzing the cause of the abnormality that occurred in the vehicle 1, and the like.

[0014] Here, the freeze frame data recorded by the data recording module 15 of the ECU 10 or the like is recorded at the comparatively long reference recording period Trb as described above. For this reason, the freeze frame data may not include data around the timing when an event such as an abnormality detection occurs in the vehicle 1. Furthermore, if the reference recording period Trb of the freeze frame data is made shorter, more detailed data can be obtained, but this leads to increased costs due to the increased capacity of the non-volatile memories 11, 21, 31 and increased communication time between the in-vehicle communication device 5 and the management server 50 or the like. Meanwhile, unlike program rewriting, which is subject to various regulations, no authentication is required to change the data recording period in the data recording module 15 or the like.

[0015] In consideration of these, in the vehicle 1, at least a part of the data (such as physical quantities) included in the freeze frame data recorded by each data recording module 15, 25, 35 can be recorded as arbitrary recording data at a period (hereinafter referred to as the "shortened recording period Trs") shorter than the reference recording period Trb in response to a designation from the management server 50 as an external device. In this embodiment, when communication with the vehicle-mounted communication device 5 of the vehicle 1 is established (at the time of initial setting), the management server 50 transmits a recording period notification to the vehicle-mounted communication device 5 of the vehicle 1 for designating data to be recorded at the shortened recording period Trs for each of the ECUs 10, 20, 30, etc. that are targets of the vehicle 1. The management server 50 also transmits the recording period notification to the vehicle-mounted communication device 5 of the vehicle 1 when it becomes necessary to obtain some data in more detail in association with a system update such as a safety function of the vehicle 1, or when it becomes necessary to obtain some data for the same vehicle model in more detail in response to the occurrence of a malfunction in another vehicle, etc.

[0016] FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an example of a routine executed by the in-vehicle communication device 5 of the vehicle 1 in response to transmission of a recording cycle notification by the management server 50. As shown in FIG. 3, when the in-vehicle communication device 5 receives the recording cycle notification from the management server 50 (step S100), it acquires an ECU (hereinafter referred to as a "designated ECU") designated by the management server 50 from the recording cycle notification and a data ID of data (hereinafter referred to as "designated data") to be recorded at the shortened recording cycle Trs designated by the management server 50 (step S110). The recording cycle notification may include at least one of the designated ECU and the data ID of the designated data multiple times, or may include at least one of the designated ECU and the data ID of the designated data only. Hereinafter, the routine of FIG. 3 will be described assuming that the designated ECU is the ECU 10 and the designated data is "vehicle speed".

[0017] After the process of step S110, the in-vehicle communication device 5 transmits a notification to the designated ECU, ECU 10, that the vehicle speed should be recorded at the shortened recording period Trs (step S120). The ECU 10, which has received the notification from the in-vehicle communication device 5, sets the predetermined shortened recording period Trs (e.g., 100 msec) as the recording period of the vehicle speed of the data recording module 15 in addition to the above-mentioned reference recording period Trb (e.g., 500 msec). As a result, the data recording module 15 stores the vehicle speed acquired by a vehicle speed sensor (not shown) in the non-volatile memory 11 as freeze frame data at the reference recording period Trb, and stores the vehicle speed acquired by the vehicle speed sensor in the non-volatile memory 11 as arbitrary recording data at the shortened recording period Trs.

[0018] After changing the recording period of the vehicle speed of the data recording module 15, the ECU 10, which is the designated ECU, sends a setting completion notification indicating that the setting change of the recording period has been completed to the in-vehicle communication device 5. When the in-vehicle communication device 5 receives the setting completion notification from the ECU 10, which is the designated ECU (step S130), it transmits a setting completion notification indicating that the setting change of the recording period for the designated data ID in the designated ECU has been completed on the vehicle 1 side to the management server 50 (step S140), and ends the series of processes in FIG.

[0019] Fig. 4 is an explanatory diagram for explaining a procedure in which the data recording module 15 of the ECU 10 as a designated ECU records the vehicle speed as designated data at the standard recording period Trb and the shortened recording period Trs in response to a recording period notification from the management server 50. Fig. 5 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of the freeze frame data and the optional recording data recorded by the data recording module 15 in response to the recording period notification from the management server 50.

[0020] 4 and 5, the data recording module 15 captures the vehicle speed acquired by the vehicle speed sensor at a predetermined sampling period Ts at the shortened recording period Trs in response to a designation by the management server 50 to record the vehicle speed (designated data) at the shortened recording period Trs. The data recording module 15 also stores the captured vehicle speed as freeze frame data in the storage area of ​​the non-volatile memory 11 at the standard recording period Trb so as to be aligned in the row direction. Furthermore, the data recording module 15 stores the vehicle speed captured at the shortened recording period Trs as optional recording data in the storage area of ​​the non-volatile memory 11 so as to be aligned in the column direction with respect to the vehicle speed stored at the standard recording period Trb.

[0021] More specifically, each time the standard recording period Trb elapses, the data recording module 15 stores the vehicle speed captured in the shortened recording period Trs (e.g., the vehicle speed in frame 1 in FIG. 4) in a storage area of ​​the non-volatile memory 11 so as to be lined up in the row direction. Also, each time the shortened recording period Trs elapses, the data recording module 15 stores the captured vehicle speed (e.g., the vehicle speed in frames 2 to 5 in FIG. 4) in a storage area of ​​the non-volatile memory 11 in the order of data capture so as to be lined up in a column direction, for example, from bottom to top in the figure, with respect to the vehicle speed (e.g., the vehicle speed in frame 6 in FIG. 4 stored in data position "-1" in FIG. 5) that will be stored in the storage area the next time the standard recording period Trb elapses. In this embodiment, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the shortened recording period Trs is a divisor of the reference recording period Trb, so the vehicle speed stored in the reference recording period Trb (for example, the vehicle speed in frame 6 in Fig. 4) is also stored as optional recording data below the vehicle speed stored in the reference recording period Trb (for example, the vehicle speed stored in data position "-1" in Fig. 5).

[0022] In addition, in response to the occurrence of an event such as an abnormality detected by the diagnostic function of the vehicle 1, the data recording module 15 stores the vehicle speed (e.g., the vehicle speed in frame 8 in FIG. 4) as one designated data captured in the shortened recording period Trs in a storage area of ​​the nonvolatile memory 11 so as to be aligned in the row direction with respect to the vehicle speed stored in the reference recording period Trb (e.g., the vehicle speed in frames 6 and 11 in FIG. 4) as freeze frame data. Furthermore, the data recording module 15 stores the data ID of the vehicle speed as the designated data in a storage area of ​​the nonvolatile memory 11 so as to be aligned in the row direction with respect to the vehicle speed stored in the shortened recording period Trs and aligned in the column direction with respect to the one vehicle speed (the vehicle speed in data position "0" in FIG. 5) as optional recording data. When the ECU 20 or ECU 30 is designated by the management server 50, the data recording modules 25, 35 store the freeze frame data and the optional recording data in the nonvolatile memory 21 or 31 according to the procedure described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5. In this embodiment, in response to the occurrence of an event, erasure of the freeze frame data and the optional recorded data of each ECU 10 etc. is prohibited.

[0023] As described above, the data recording module 15, 25, 35 constituting the data recording device of the vehicle 1 records a plurality of data (physical quantities, etc.) related to the state of the vehicle 1 as freeze frame data at a reference recording period Trb longer than the sampling period Ts. In addition, the data recording module 15, 25, 35 records at least one designated data designated by the management server (external device) 50 among the plurality of data as arbitrary recording data at a shortened recording period Trs that is equal to or longer than the sampling period Ts and shorter than the reference recording period Trb. In this way, by recording only the designated data designated by the management server 50 at the shortened recording period Trs, it is possible to suppress an increase in the capacity of the non-volatile memory 11, 21, 31. Furthermore, the management server 50 side can flexibly and accurately determine the designated data to be recorded at the shortened recording period Trs according to variously changing needs, compared to the vehicle 1 side with many restrictions. As a result, the data recording module 15, 25, 35 makes it possible to flexibly and accurately record a plurality of data related to the state of the vehicle 1 according to needs while suppressing an increase in the capacity required for recording data.

[0024] Furthermore, the data recording modules 15, 25, 35 of the vehicle 1 store the designated data as freeze frame data in the storage areas of the nonvolatile memories 11, 21, 31 at the standard recording cycle Trb so that the designated data is arranged in the row direction, and also store the designated data captured at the short recording cycle Trs as optional recording data in the storage areas of the nonvolatile memory 11, etc. at the short recording cycle Trs so that the designated data is arranged in the column direction relative to the data stored at the standard recording cycle Trb. This makes it possible to record detailed optional recording data at the short recording cycle Trs without changing the format (format in the row direction) of the freeze frame data recorded at the standard recording cycle Trb.

[0025] Furthermore, in response to the occurrence of an event such as an abnormality detection, the data recording module 15, 25, 35 of the vehicle 1 stores one piece of designated data captured at the short recording period Trs in a storage area such as the non-volatile memory 11 so as to be arranged in a row direction with respect to the designated data stored at the standard recording period Trb, and stores a data ID (identifier) ​​of the designated data in a storage area such as the non-volatile memory 11 so as to be arranged in a row direction with respect to the designated data stored at the short recording period Trs and arranged in a column direction with respect to the one piece of designated data. This makes it possible to assign an identifier of the corresponding designated data recorded at the standard recording period Trb to the designated data recorded at the short recording period Trs. As a result, it becomes possible to restore detailed time series data from the designated data recorded at the standard recording period Trb and the designated data recorded at the short recording period Trs based on the data ID.

[0026] The shortened recording period Trs is not limited to a predetermined time stored on the vehicle 1 side, and may be a period (time) designated by the management server 50 as an external device. The shortened recording period Trs does not necessarily have to be a divisor of the reference recording period Trb. The designated ECU, the designated data, and the shortened recording period Trs may be set by a terminal used in a vehicle dealer or a vehicle maintenance shop, which is an external device other than the management server 50. The terminal (including a mobile terminal) of the vehicle dealer or the vehicle maintenance shop may be connected to the data recording module 15 or the like by wire or wireless communication for fault diagnosis of the vehicle 1. The invention of the present disclosure as described above may also be applied to a data logger that is mounted on the vehicle 1 and constantly records a plurality of data at a predetermined reference recording period. The vehicle 1 is not limited to a hybrid vehicle, and may be a vehicle using only an engine as a power source, or may be an electric vehicle (including a fuel cell vehicle).

[0027] As described above, the data recording device of the present disclosure records a plurality of data related to the vehicle state at a reference recording period longer than the sampling period, and records at least one designated data among the plurality of data, designated by the external device, at a shortened recording period that is equal to or longer than the sampling period and shorter than the reference recording period. In this way, by recording only the designated data designated by the external device at a shortened recording period, it is possible to suppress an increase in the capacity required for recording data. Furthermore, the external device can flexibly and accurately determine the designated data to be recorded at the shortened recording period according to various changing needs, compared to the vehicle side, which has many restrictions. As a result, according to the data recording device of the present disclosure, it is possible to flexibly and accurately record a plurality of data related to the vehicle state according to needs, while suppressing an increase in the capacity required for recording data. The shortened recording period may be a predetermined time stored on the vehicle side, or a period (time) designated by the external device.

[0028] The data recording device may store the designated data in a storage area at the standard recording cycle so that the designated data is arranged in a row direction, and store the designated data captured at the shortened recording cycle in the storage area at the shortened recording cycle so that the designated data is arranged in a column direction with respect to the designated data stored at the standard recording cycle. This makes it possible to record detailed data at the shortened recording cycle without changing the format (row direction format) of the data recorded at the standard recording cycle.

[0029] Furthermore, the data recording device may store, in response to an event occurrence, one of the designated data captured at the shortened recording cycle in the storage area so as to be aligned in a row direction with respect to the designated data stored at the standard recording cycle, and store an identifier of the designated data in the storage area so as to be aligned in a row direction with respect to the designated data stored at the shortened recording cycle and aligned in a column direction with respect to the one of the designated data. This makes it possible to assign an identifier of the corresponding designated data recorded at the standard recording cycle to the designated data recorded at the shortened recording cycle, and therefore makes it possible to restore detailed time series data from the designated data recorded at the standard recording cycle and the designated data recorded at the shortened recording cycle based on the identifier.

[0030] In addition, the external device may be at least one of a management server that acquires and manages the multiple data from the vehicle via a communication device installed in the vehicle, and a terminal that is connected to the data recording device for fault diagnosis of the vehicle.

[0031] Furthermore, the data recording device may constantly record the plurality of data at the reference recording period.

[0032] Furthermore, according to the data recording method disclosed herein, it is possible to flexibly and accurately record multiple data relating to the vehicle condition according to needs, while suppressing an increase in the capacity required for recording data.

[0033] However, the invention of the present disclosure is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the present disclosure. Furthermore, the above embodiment is merely a specific form of the invention described in the Summary of the Invention, and does not limit the elements of the invention described in the Summary of the Invention. [Industrial Applicability]

[0034] The present disclosure is applicable to the vehicle manufacturing industry and the like. [Explanation of symbols]

[0035] 1 vehicle, 5 in-vehicle communication device, 10, 20, 30 electronic control unit (ECU), 11, 21, 31 non-volatile memory, 15, 25, 35 data recording module, 50 management server, Trb reference recording period, Trs shortened recording period, Ts sampling period.

Claims

1. A data recording device that records a plurality of data relating to a vehicle state, each of which is acquired at a predetermined sampling period, at a reference recording period that is longer than the sampling period, comprising: a storage area for storing at least one designated data item designated by an external device among the plurality of data items at the standard recording period so as to be aligned in a row direction, and storing the designated data item captured at a shortened recording period that is equal to or greater than the sampling period and less than the standard recording period at the standard recording period so as to be aligned in a column direction relative to the designated data item stored at the standard recording period.

2. 2. The data recording device according to claim 1, a data recording device which, in response to an event occurrence, stores one of the designated data captured at the shortened recording period in the memory area so that the designated data is aligned in a row direction relative to the designated data stored at the standard recording period, and stores an identifier of the designated data in the memory area so that the identifier is aligned in a row direction relative to the designated data stored at the shortened recording period and aligned in a column direction relative to the one of the designated data.

3. 3. The data recording device according to claim 1, The external device is a data recording device which is at least one of a management server which acquires and manages the multiple data from the vehicle via a communication device installed in the vehicle, and a terminal which is connected to the data recording device for fault diagnosis of the vehicle.

4. 4. The data recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of data are constantly recorded at the reference recording period.

5. A data recording method for recording a plurality of data relating to a state of a vehicle, each of which is acquired at a predetermined sampling period, at a reference recording period that is longer than the sampling period, comprising: a storage area for storing at least one designated data item designated by an external device among the plurality of data items at the standard recording period so as to be aligned in a row direction, and storing the designated data item captured at a shortened recording period that is equal to or greater than the sampling period and less than the standard recording period at the standard recording period so as to be aligned in a column direction relative to the designated data item stored at the standard recording period.

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