Method for estimating the lifespan of vehicle parts

Abstract

To allow, before updating software for vehicle control, a notification to be issued about reduction in life of a vehicle component due to the update.SOLUTION: When acquiring an update request for updating software for vehicle control stored in a control device 100 of a vehicle 500, a control device 200 executes processing of estimating life of a vehicle component if the vehicle 500 is caused to travel using updated software for vehicle control.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for estimating the lifespan of vehicle parts.

Background Art

[0002] For example, Patent Document 1 describes a method for updating vehicle control software stored in a vehicle control device.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] By the way, when the vehicle control software is updated, the behavior of the vehicle changes compared to before the update, which may reduce the lifespan of vehicle parts. Therefore, when the lifespan of vehicle parts is reduced due to the update of the vehicle control software, it is desirable to notify the vehicle user or operator of such a reduction in lifespan before performing the update.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] The method for estimating the lifespan of vehicle parts for solving the above problems is The control device of the rewriting device a step of obtaining an update request for updating vehicle control software stored in a vehicle control device, and The control device of the rewriting device when the update request is obtained , before the control device of the rewriting device updates the vehicle control software, the control device of the rewriting device or the control device of the vehicle a step of estimating the lifespan of vehicle parts when the vehicle is run with the updated vehicle control software.

[0006] In the same method, the life of vehicle parts is estimated when it is assumed that the vehicle control software has been updated. Therefore, when the life of vehicle parts decreases due to the update of the vehicle control software, it becomes possible to notify the user or operator of the vehicle of the decrease in the life of the vehicle parts before performing such an update.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0007]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0008] Hereinafter, an embodiment of a method for estimating the life of vehicle parts will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3. <Configuration of Vehicle> As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle 500 includes a prime mover 10 such as an internal combustion engine or an electric motor, and a transmission 20 connected between the prime mover 10 and the drive wheels.

[0009] Further, the vehicle 500 includes a control device 100 that controls the output of the prime mover 10 and the shifting operation of the transmission 20. This control device 100 includes a CPU, a memory, a communication port for communicating with external devices, and the like. Vehicle control software is stored in the memory. Note that the communication port may be either wired or wireless. This vehicle control software includes map data for setting the output of the prime mover 10 and the shifting operation of the transmission 20. In addition, various information of the vehicle 500, such as the vehicle speed SP of the vehicle 500 and the accelerator operation amount ACP, which is the operation amount of the accelerator pedal, is input to the control device 100. Further, the communication port of the writing device 50 is connected to the communication port of the control device 100.

[0010] The rewriting device 50 includes a control device 200 that rewrites and updates the vehicle control software stored in the memory of the control device 100. This control device 200 also includes a CPU, a memory, a communication port for communicating with external devices, etc. Note that the communication port of the control device 200 may be either wired or wireless. When the communication port of the control device 200 is connected to the communication port of the control device 100, mutual communication between the control device 100 and the control device 200 is performed.

[0011] <Method for estimating the life of vehicle parts executed by the control device> FIG. 2 shows the processing procedure for estimating the life of vehicle parts executed by the control device 100 and the control device 200. In this embodiment, the prime mover 10 and the transmission 20 are assumed as vehicle parts, but other functional parts and individual parts (such as bearings, etc.) may also be used. Further, this processing is performed in a state where the communication port of the control device 100 and the communication port of the control device 200 are connected. Further, hereinafter, the step numbers are represented by numbers with "S" added at the beginning.

[0012] When this processing is started, first, the control device 200 acquires an update request for the vehicle control software (S100). This update request is acquired by operating a switch or the like provided in the rewriting device 50.

[0013] Next, the control device 200 requests the control device 100 of the vehicle 500 to output the component life R and the average decrease rate Dav described later (S110). The component life R is the current life of the above-described vehicle component, and the new state is 100%. And as the life of the vehicle component becomes shorter due to its use, the value of the component life R becomes smaller. This component life R is calculated by the control device 100 based on the following formula (1).

[0014] Component life R = 100 (%) - subtraction value D (%)... (1) The subtraction value D is a value indicating the decrease amount of the component life due to the input load to the vehicle component. Hereinafter, the calculation of the component life R shown in the above formula (1) will be described.

[0015] The life of a vehicle component decreases according to the cumulative time of the input load applied to the vehicle component. The input load correlates with the required driving force for each vehicle speed, and the required driving force correlates with the accelerator operation amount ACP. Therefore, the control device 100 calculates the integrated operation time for each driving region of the vehicle 500.

[0016] As shown in FIG. 3, in the present embodiment, the driving region defined by the vehicle speed SP and the accelerator operation amount ACP is divided into a plurality of driving regions, and the integrated operation time is calculated for each driving region. The calculation of this integrated operation time starts, for example, when the vehicle 500 is a new vehicle.

[0017] As an example, in the present embodiment, for the vehicle speed SP, the rotational speed range from "0" to the maximum speed SPmax achievable in the vehicle 500 is equally divided into seven parts. Note that the number of divisions is not limited to "7" and can be changed as appropriate. Further, hereinafter, each equally divided speed range will be referred to as the first speed range SP1, the second speed range SP2, the third speed range SP3, the fourth speed range SP4, the fifth speed range SP5, the sixth speed range SP6, and the seventh speed range SP7 in order from the lower speed range to the higher speed range.

[0018] Similarly, for the accelerator operation amount ACP, the opening range from "0%" to the upper limit ACPmax of the accelerator operation amount ACP, which is "100%", is equally divided into seven parts. Note that the number of divisions is not limited to "7" and can be changed as appropriate. Further, hereinafter, each equally divided opening range will be referred to as the first opening range ACP1, the second opening range ACP2, the third opening range ACP3, the fourth opening range ACP4, the fifth opening range ACP5, the sixth opening range ACP6, and the seventh opening range ACP7 in order from the lower opening range to the higher opening range.

[0019] Then, the integrated operation time of each operation area is represented by F(m, n) [where 1 ≤ m ≤ 7, 1 ≤ n ≤ 7]. For example, when the operation area is the first speed range SP1 and the first opening range ACP1, the integrated operation time is calculated as the value of the operation area F(1, 1). Similarly, when the operation area is the first speed range SP1 and the seventh opening range ACP7, the integrated operation time is calculated as the value of the operation area F(1, 7).

[0020] As shown in FIG. 4, a coefficient K(m, n) [where 1 ≤ m ≤ 7, 1 ≤ n ≤ 7] for converting the integrated operation time of each operation area into the reduction amount of the component life reduced by the input load is determined in advance for each of the above operation areas. Then, by multiplying the integrated operation time of each operation area by the coefficient K(m, n) corresponding to each operation area, a partial subtraction value Dp, which is the subtraction value D for each operation area, is calculated. For example, by multiplying the integrated operation time of the operation area F(1, 1) by the value of the coefficient K(1, 1), the partial subtraction value Dp in the operation area F(1, 1) is calculated. Then, the sum of the partial subtraction values Dp calculated for each operation area is calculated, and the component life R is calculated by substituting the sum into the above subtraction value D.

[0021] When the process of S110 shown in FIG. 2 is executed, the control device 100 of the vehicle 500 transmits the current component life R and the average reduction speed Dav to the control device 200 of the rewriting device 50 (S120). The average reduction speed Dav is a value obtained by dividing the subtraction value D by the total operation time of the vehicle 500, which is the sum of the integrated operation times of each operation area, and represents the reduction amount of the component life R per unit time. This average reduction speed Dav is calculated by the control device 100. Note that the total operation time of the vehicle 500 and the subtraction value D may be transmitted to the control device 200, and the control device 200 may calculate the average reduction speed Dav.

[0022] Next, in S130, the control device 200 receives the component life R and the average reduction speed Dav transmitted by the control device 100. Next, the control device 200 determines whether the received component life R is equal to or greater than a predetermined determination value Rref (S140). The determination value Rref is a value that is preset so that even if the behavior change of the vehicle 500 due to the update of the vehicle control software, for example, the decrease rate of the life of vehicle components increases due to the output increase of the prime mover 10, it can be appropriately determined that the component life R is still sufficient at the current time.

[0023] And in S140, when it is determined that the component life R is equal to or greater than the determination value Rref (S140: YES), the control device 200 executes the update of the vehicle control software (S180) and ends this process.

[0024] On the other hand, in S140, when it is determined that the component life R is less than the determination value Rref (S140: NO), the control device 200 executes a process of estimating the updated life Rup (S150). The updated life Rup is an estimated value of the component life R when it is assumed that the vehicle 500 is driven with the updated vehicle control software. This updated life Rup is calculated as follows.

[0025] That is, the increase rate of the decrease rate of the component life R due to the behavior change of the vehicle 500 due to the update of the vehicle control software, for example, the output increase of the prime mover 10, etc. is obtained in advance, and that increase rate is set as the update coefficient Kup. Incidentally, when the output of the prime mover 10 is improved by A% due to the update of the vehicle control software, for example, the value of "(1 + A / 100) × conformity coefficient Kα" may be used as the value of the update coefficient Kup.

[0026] Then, the control device 200 calculates the updated average decrease rate Davup by multiplying the received average decrease rate Dav by the update coefficient Kup. And assuming that the vehicle 500 has traveled for a predetermined time T (for example, one year) after the update of the vehicle control software, the component life R is calculated as the updated life Rup. Such an updated life Rup is calculated by subtracting the value obtained by multiplying the updated average decrease rate Davup by the predetermined time T from the current component life R.

[0027] Next, the control device 200 displays the calculated remaining life Rup after update on a display device or the like provided in the rewriting device 50 (S160). Next, the control device 200 determines whether there is an update command for the vehicle control software (S170). When an update permission switch or the like provided in the rewriting device 50 is operated, the control device 200 determines that there is an update command. Here, in the process of S160 above, the remaining life Rup after update is displayed. Therefore, when a user or operator who has confirmed the displayed remaining life Rup after update determines to perform the update of the vehicle control software as it is, the user or operator operates the update permission switch. On the other hand, when a user or operator who has confirmed the remaining life Rup after update determines not to perform the update of the vehicle control software, the user or operator does not operate the update permission switch.

[0028] If it is determined in S170 that there is an update command (S170: YES), the control device 200 executes the update of the vehicle control software (S180) and ends this process. On the other hand, if it is determined in S170 that there is no update command (S170: NO), the control device 200 ends this process without performing the update of the vehicle control software.

[0029] <Operation and Effect> According to this embodiment, the following operations, effects, and results can be obtained. In the above-described method for estimating the life of vehicle parts, the remaining life Rup after update, which is the life of vehicle parts assuming that the vehicle control software has been updated, is estimated (the process of S150 in FIG. 2). Therefore, when the life of vehicle parts decreases due to the update of the vehicle control software, it becomes possible to notify the user or operator of the vehicle of the decrease in the life of vehicle parts before performing such an update.

[0030] <Modification Example> The above-described embodiment can be implemented with the following modifications. The above-described embodiment and the following modification examples can be implemented in combination with each other within a technically consistent range.

[0031] · In the process of S150 above, the updated life Ru p, which is the part life R when it is assumed that the vehicle 500 has traveled for a predetermined time T after the update of the vehicle control software, was calculated. In addition, when it is assumed that the vehicle control software has been updated, the updated life time Tup, which is the time required until the part life R reaches the predetermined limit life Rlim, may be calculated. This updated life time Tup can be calculated by dividing the difference between the current part life R and the limit life Rlim by the above-described updated average decrease rate Davup. Then, if this updated life time Tup is displayed on the display device of the rewriting device 50 or the like, the same operational effects as those of the above-described embodiment can be obtained.

[0032] · The part life R and the updated life Rup may be calculated in other ways. · The control device 100 calculates the estimation of the updated life Rup. Then, the calculated updated life Rup may be transmitted to the control device 200.

[0033] ·The control device 100 and the control device 200 are not limited to those equipped with a CPU and a memory and executing software processing. For example, they may be equipped with a dedicated hardware circuit (such as an ASIC, etc.) that processes at least a part of the software processing executed in the above embodiment. That is, the control device 100 and the control device 200 may have any of the following configurations (a) to (c). (a) It includes a processing device that executes all of the above processing according to a program, and a program storage device such as a memory that stores the program. (b) It includes a processing device and a program storage device that execute a part of the above processing according to a program, and a dedicated hardware circuit that executes the remaining processing. (c) It includes a dedicated hardware circuit that executes all of the above processing. Here, there may be a plurality of software processing circuits equipped with a processing device and a program storage device, and dedicated hardware circuits. That is, the above processing may be executed by a processing circuit including at least one of one or more software processing circuits and one or more dedicated hardware circuits.

Explanation of Signs

[0034] 10…Prime mover 20…Transmission 50…Rewriting device 100…Control device 200…Control device 500…Vehicle

Claims

Step of obtaining an update request for updating vehicle control software stored in a control device of a vehicle by a control device of a rewriting device; When the control device of the rewriting device obtains the update request, before the control device of the rewriting device updates the vehicle control software, the control device of the rewriting device or the control device of the vehicle estimates the life of vehicle parts when the vehicle travels with the updated vehicle control software; and A method for estimating the life of vehicle parts.

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