Information processing device, information processing method, and program

Abstract

To provide an information processor, a method for processing information, and a program which can properly determine whether update processing is to be executed.SOLUTION: The information processor has an update determination unit and an update processing unit. The update determination unit determines whether update processing is to be executed on the basis of positional information of a vehicle, map information, and a prohibition condition showing a condition prohibiting execution of update processing of updating a program or data for providing a function of an in-vehicle apparatus. The update processing unit causes the in-vehicle apparatus to execute the update processing in a case where the update determination unit has determined that the update processing is possible.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, and a program. [Background Art]

[0002] Conventionally, it is known that when a need arises for, for example, adding functions, correcting defects, or updating versions of a program or data for providing functions of a device (on-vehicle device) such as an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) mounted on a vehicle, an update process of rewriting the program or data with a new program or data is performed.

[0003] When executing the update process described above, first, an inquiry is made to the user as to whether to permit execution of the update process, and the update process is performed if the user permits the execution. Since the vehicle becomes incapable of traveling while the update process is being performed, in order to prevent the update process from being performed in an inappropriate place, there is known a technology in which position information indicating positions where execution of the update process is permitted or prohibited is registered in advance, and whether to permit execution of the update process is determined using the pre-registered position information (pre-registered position information). [Prior Art Documents] [Patent Documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent No. 6696417 Specification [Summary of the Invention] [Problem to be Solved by the Invention]

[0005] However, with the above technology, whether to permit execution of the update process can only be determined based on pre-registered position information, so the technology lacks flexibility, and there may be cases where whether to permit execution of the update process cannot be appropriately determined.

[0006] This disclosure is made in view of the above, and aims to provide an information processing device, an information processing method, and a program that can appropriately determine whether or not an update process can be executed. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To achieve the above objective, the information processing device of the present disclosure includes: an update determination unit that determines whether or not to execute an update process based on vehicle location information, map information, and prohibition conditions indicating conditions that prohibit the execution of an update process for updating a program or data for providing the functions of an in-vehicle device that indicates a device mounted on the vehicle; and an update processing unit that causes the in-vehicle device to execute the update process when the update determination unit determines that the update process can be executed. The update determination unit will not permit the execution of the update process if the current time indicated by the time information falls outside the operating hours of the facility adjacent to the location corresponding to the vehicle's location information. . [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to this disclosure, it is possible to appropriately determine whether or not to perform the update process. The effects described herein are not necessarily limited to those described herein and may be any of the effects described herein. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] Figure 1 shows an example of the system configuration of a vehicle according to the embodiment. [Figure 2] Figure 2 shows an example of the hardware configuration of the ECU in the embodiment. [Figure 3] Figure 3 shows an example of the hardware configuration of the gateway in this embodiment. [Figure 4] Figure 4 shows an example of the functions of the gateway processing unit in the embodiment. [Figure 5] Figure 5 shows an example of the detailed functions of the update determination information acquisition unit in the embodiment. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of how to determine whether or not to execute the update process in the embodiment. [Figure 7]FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining an example of determining whether to execute update processing according to the embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining an example of determining whether to execute update processing according to the embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining an example of determining whether to execute update processing according to the embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining an example of determining whether to execute update processing according to the embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of a message indicating a reason why update processing cannot be executed according to the embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of a screen indicating a location where update processing cannot be executed according to the embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a message indicating the reason why update processing cannot be executed and prompting movement to a location where update processing can be executed according to the embodiment. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a diagram showing an example of a message indicating that the accuracy of position information is low according to the embodiment. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a diagram showing an example of a message according to the embodiment. [Figure 16] FIG. 16 is a flowchart showing an example of processing executed by a gateway according to the embodiment. [Figure 17] FIG. 17 is a diagram showing an example of update permission / prohibition information according to a second embodiment. [Figure 18] FIG. 18 is a diagram showing a display example of an icon indicating that execution of update processing is prohibited according to the second embodiment. [Figure 19] FIG. 19 is a diagram showing an example of a voice output message according to the second embodiment. [Figure 20] FIG. 20 is a flowchart showing an example of processing executed by a gateway according to the second embodiment. DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0010] Hereinafter, an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, and a program according to embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0011] (First Embodiment) FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a system configuration of a vehicle 100 equipped with a gateway 10 which is an example of the "information processing apparatus". As illustrated in FIG. 1, a plurality of ECUs (Electronic Control Units) 2 mounted on the vehicle 100 are configured to be able to communicate with each other via communication lines 1a and 1b provided in the vehicle 100 and the gateway 10. In the example of FIG. 1, the communication line 1a and the communication line 1b are connected to the gateway 10. Two ECUs 2 and a display device 3 are connected to the communication line 1a, and three ECUs 2 are connected to the communication line 1b.

[0012] Further, as illustrated in FIG. 1, a communication line 1c is further connected to the gateway 10. A wireless communication device 4a and a wireless communication device 4b are connected to the communication line 1c. In the example of FIG. 1, the gateway 10 can communicate with a smartphone 5, which is an example of a terminal owned by a user, via the wireless communication device 4a. Further, the gateway 10 can communicate with a server device 6 provided outside the vehicle 100 via the wireless communication device 4b.

[0013] Further, as illustrated in FIG. 1, an IG signal is input to the gateway 10 from an ignition switch (IG switch) 7 provided on the vehicle 100. Further, a GPS signal (a radio wave transmitted from a GPS satellite) from a GPS receiver 8 provided on the vehicle 100 is input to the gateway 10.

[0014] The gateway 10 relays data by transmitting data received from any one of the communication lines 1a to 1c constituting the in-vehicle network of the vehicle 100 to another communication line (any one of 1a to 1c). The detailed configuration of the gateway 10 will be described later.

[0015] ECU2 is an example of "in-vehicle equipment" that is installed in vehicle 100. Multiple ECU2s include, for example, an ECU2 that controls the operation of the vehicle 100's engine, an ECU2 that controls the locking / unlocking of the doors, an ECU2 that controls the turning on / off of the lights, an ECU2 that controls the operation of the airbags, and an ECU2 that controls the operation of the ABS (Antilock Brake System). Each ECU2 is connected to a communication line 1a or 1b provided in vehicle 100 and can send and receive information with other ECU2s and gateway 10 via the communication line 1a or 1b.

[0016] Figure 2 shows an example of the hardware configuration of ECU2 in this embodiment. The basic hardware configuration of each ECU2 is the same. As shown in Figure 2, ECU2 comprises a processor 21, a storage unit 22, and a communication unit 23.

[0017] The processor 21 comprehensively controls the operation of the ECU 2 and can realize various functions by executing programs stored in the memory unit 22. The programs stored in the memory unit 22 differ for each function of the ECU 2 (different for each ECU 2).

[0018] The storage unit 22 stores programs executed by the processor 21, data necessary for executing those programs, and so on. The storage unit 22 includes, for example, a non-volatile memory such as flash memory or EEPROM for storing programs, and a volatile memory such as RAM that functions as a workspace when the processor 21 executes programs.

[0019] The communication unit 23 is connected to communication line 1a or 1b and can send and receive information according to a communication protocol such as CAN (Controller Area Network). The communication unit 23 can output information received from the processor 21 to communication line 1a or 1b and transmit it externally, or it can send information received from communication line 1a or 1b (for example, by sampling the potential of communication line 1a or 1b) to the processor 21.

[0020] In this embodiment, the processor 21 has a function to perform update processing to update the program or data (program or data for providing the functions of the ECU1) stored in the storage unit 22. For example, the processor 21 can receive update information (program or data) from the gateway 10 via the communication unit 23 and perform update processing using the received update information.

[0021] Returning to Figure 1, let's continue the explanation. The display device 3 is, for example, a liquid crystal display and can display messages to the user of the vehicle 100 in response to display commands given from the ECU 2 or gateway 10. The display device 3 also has an operation unit 3a, such as a touch panel or hardware keys, which receives user operations on the operation unit 3a and notifies the ECU 2 or gateway 10 of the received operations. The display device 3 may also be shared with, for example, a car navigation system.

[0022] The wireless communication device 4a is a device that can communicate wirelessly with the smartphone 5. The wireless communication device 4a is also connected to the communication line 1c and can send and receive data to and from the gateway 10 via the communication line 1c.

[0023] The wireless communication device 4b can send and receive information with a server device 6 located outside the vehicle 100 via a network such as a mobile phone network or a LAN (Local Area Network). The wireless communication device 4b can relay communication between the gateway 10 and the server device 6, and can also transmit information received from the gateway 10 to the server device 6, and transmit information received from the server device 6 to the gateway 10.

[0024] In this embodiment, the wireless communication device 4a that communicates wirelessly with the smartphone 5 and the wireless communication device 4b that communicates wirelessly with the server device 6 are each provided separately. However, the embodiment is not limited to this, and for example, a single wireless communication device 4 capable of communicating wirelessly with both the smartphone 5 and the server device 6 may be provided in the vehicle 100.

[0025] Smartphone 5 is, for example, a portable communication terminal owned by the user of vehicle 100. Smartphone 5 has an application (program) installed for sending and receiving information to and from gateway 10 via wireless communication device 4a. Smartphone 5 may communicate with gateway 10 via a communication cable such as USB (Universal Serial Bus) instead of via wireless communication device 4a. Furthermore, the terminal owned by the user and used to communicate with gateway 10 is not limited to smartphone 5; it may also be a mobile phone, tablet, laptop computer, game console, etc.

[0026] Server device 6 manages and stores programs and data executed by the ECU 2 installed in vehicle 100. In response to inquiries from vehicle 100, server device 6 notifies whether or not updates to programs, etc., are necessary, and sends update information (programs or data) to vehicle 100 upon request from vehicle 100.

[0027] The IG switch 7 is a switch used by the user to start the engine of the vehicle 100, and it switches between two states: on and off. The IG signal is a signal that indicates the state of the IG switch 4. An IG signal indicating the "on" state means, for example, that the engine of the vehicle 100 is running and generating power by the alternator, etc. An IG signal indicating the "off" state means that the engine of the vehicle 100 is stopped and no power is being generated. In this embodiment, an IG signal indicating the "on" state means that the vehicle 100 is moving regardless of the vehicle speed, and an IG signal indicating the "off" state means that the vehicle 100 is stopped (parked). However, the distinction between the moving state and the parked state of the vehicle 100 is not limited to a form based on the IG signal, but may also be determined based on, for example, the position of the shift lever of the vehicle 100, the state of the parking brake, the speed of the vehicle 100, or it may be determined by a combination of the IG signal and these.

[0028] The GPS receiver 8 receives GPS signals indicating radio waves transmitted from each of multiple GPS satellites and transmits the received GPS signals to the gateway 10. For example, it becomes possible to determine the current position of the vehicle 100 by 3D positioning based on the multiple GPS signals received by the GPS receiver 8.

[0029] In this embodiment, when the IG switch 7 is ON, communication takes place between the gateway 10 and the server device 6, and update information is sent from the server device 6 to the gateway 10. The gateway 10 determines whether or not to execute the above-mentioned update process, and if the determination result is positive and the IG switch 7 is OFF (when the vehicle 100 has stopped), it causes the ECU 2 to execute the update process using the update information obtained from the server device 6. The specific configuration of the gateway 10 will be described below.

[0030] Figure 3 shows an example of the hardware configuration of gateway 10. As shown in Figure 3, gateway 10 comprises a processing unit 110, a storage unit 120, and an in-vehicle communication unit 130. Note that the hardware elements of gateway 10 are not limited to the configuration exemplified in Figure 3, and may include other hardware elements.

[0031] The processing unit 110 is a device that comprehensively controls the operation of the gateway 10 and is composed of an arithmetic processing unit such as a CPU or MPU. The processing unit 110 can realize various functions by executing programs stored in the storage unit 120. The various functions of the processing unit 110 will be described later.

[0032] The memory unit 120 stores map information, vehicle information, prohibited conditions, programs executed by the processing unit 110 (including data for executing the programs), update information obtained from the server device 6, and the like.

[0033] Vehicle information includes at least the size or type of vehicle 100. For example, vehicle information may include information indicating the width, length, and other dimensions of vehicle 100, as well as information indicating the vehicle type, such as whether it is a passenger car or a truck.

[0034] Prohibition conditions are conditions that prohibit (deny permission for) the execution of the update process. For example, geographical conditions can be set as prohibition conditions, such as no-parking areas near traffic lights, narrow roads (places where two or more vehicles, including the vehicle 100, cannot pass), and no-entry or no-parking areas on private property. Whether or not a road is narrow can be determined based on the size indicated by the vehicle information mentioned above, in addition to the map information, to determine whether two or more vehicles, including the vehicle 100, can pass. Similarly, whether or not an area is a no-entry or no-parking area can be determined based on the vehicle type indicated by the vehicle information mentioned above, in addition to the map information, because no-entry or no-parking areas may differ depending on the vehicle type. Specific processing using vehicle information and prohibition conditions will be described later.

[0035] The in-vehicle communication unit 130 is connected to the communication lines 1a to 1c that constitute the in-vehicle network and transmits and receives information according to a communication protocol such as CAN. In the example in Figure 3, the gateway 10 is equipped with three in-vehicle communication units 130, but the number of in-vehicle communication units 130 can be arbitrarily changed according to design conditions, etc. Furthermore, each in-vehicle communication unit 130 may communicate according to the same communication protocol, or they may communicate according to different communication protocols.

[0036] Figure 4 shows an example of the functions of the processing unit 110 of the gateway 10. As shown in Figure 4, the processing unit 110 includes an update determination information acquisition unit 111, an update determination unit 112, an output control unit 113, a reception processing unit 114, and an update processing unit 115. In the example in Figure 4, only the functions necessary for explaining the main parts of this embodiment are illustrated, but the functions of the processing unit 110 are not limited to these.

[0037] The update determination information acquisition unit 111 acquires update determination information that indicates information used to determine whether or not to execute the update process. Figure 5 is a diagram showing an example of the detailed functions of the update determination information acquisition unit 111. As shown in Figure 5, the update determination information acquisition unit 111 includes a location information acquisition unit 201, a map information acquisition unit 202, a prohibition condition acquisition unit 203, a vehicle information acquisition unit 204, a location information acquisition unit 205, a time information acquisition unit 206, a facility information acquisition unit 207, and a communication status information acquisition unit 208.

[0038] The location information acquisition unit 121 acquires location information indicating the location of the vehicle 100. In this embodiment, the location information acquisition unit 121 can determine the location information of the vehicle 100 based on the GPS signal input from the GPS receiver 8 and acquire the determined location information. Note that the function of determining the location information of the vehicle 100 based on the GPS signal may be provided separately from the location information acquisition unit 121. For example, the location information acquisition unit 121 may not determine the location information of the vehicle 100 based on the GPS signal input from the GPS receiver 8, but instead acquire location information determined by another function.

[0039] The map information acquisition unit 202 acquires map information. In this embodiment, the map information acquisition unit 202 acquires map information stored in the storage unit 120. In this embodiment, the storage location of the map information is the storage unit 120 inside the gateway 10, but this is not limited to this, and the storage location of the map information can be changed arbitrarily. For example, it may be stored in a memory located outside the gateway 10 inside the vehicle 100. Alternatively, for example, the map information acquisition unit 202 may access a device outside the vehicle 100 (an external device such as a server) and acquire map information from the external device.

[0040] The prohibition condition acquisition unit 203 acquires the prohibition conditions described above. In this embodiment, the prohibition condition acquisition unit 203 acquires the prohibition conditions stored in the storage unit 120. In this embodiment, the storage location of the prohibition conditions is the storage unit 120 in the gateway 10, but this is not limited to this, and the storage location of the prohibition conditions can be changed arbitrarily. For example, the prohibition conditions may be stored in a memory provided outside the gateway 10 in the vehicle 100. Alternatively, for example, the prohibition condition acquisition unit 203 may access a device outside the vehicle 100 (an external device such as a server) and acquire the prohibition conditions from the external device.

[0041] The vehicle information acquisition unit 204 acquires the vehicle information described above. In this embodiment, the vehicle information acquisition unit 204 acquires the vehicle information stored in the storage unit 120. In this embodiment, the storage location of the vehicle information is the storage unit 120 within the gateway 10, but this is not limited to this, and the storage location of the vehicle information can be changed arbitrarily. For example, it may be stored in a memory located outside the gateway 10 within the vehicle 100. Alternatively, for example, the vehicle information acquisition unit 204 may access a device outside the vehicle 100 (an external device such as a server) and acquire vehicle information from the external device.

[0042] The location information acquisition unit 205 acquires location information that indicates information about a location corresponding to the vehicle's location information. The location information includes, for example, information indicating the degree of congestion of other vehicles. For example, the location information acquisition unit 205 can refer to map information acquired by the map information acquisition unit 202 to identify a location corresponding to the location information acquired by the location information acquisition unit 201, and request and acquire location information about that identified location from an external device (such as a server) outside the vehicle 100.

[0043] The time information acquisition unit 206 acquires time information indicating the current time. Various known technologies can be used as methods for acquiring time information.

[0044] The facility information acquisition unit 207 acquires facility information that indicates information about facilities within the map information acquired by the map information acquisition unit 202. For example, facility information includes the facility's business hours. For example, the facility information acquisition unit 207 can also request and acquire facility information from devices outside the vehicle 100 (external devices) such as servers.

[0045] The communication status acquisition unit 208 acquires communication status information indicating the communication status between its own device (gateway 10) and the outside. In this embodiment, the communication status acquisition unit 208 can acquire communication status information from the in-vehicle communication unit 130 indicating the communication status between the wireless communication device 4b and the server device 6 that stores and manages update information (whether they are connected to each other, whether a sufficient communication speed is guaranteed, etc.).

[0046] In this embodiment, the update determination information includes the location information, prohibition conditions, map information, vehicle information, location information, time information, facility information, and communication status information described above.

[0047] Let's return to Figure 4 and continue the explanation. The update determination unit 112 determines whether or not to execute the update process. In this embodiment, the update determination unit 112 determines whether or not to execute the update process based on the location information acquired by the location information acquisition unit 201, the map information acquired by the map information acquisition unit 202, and the prohibition conditions acquired by the prohibition condition acquisition unit 203. For example, let's assume that a geographical condition such as being near a traffic light is set as a prohibition condition. In this case, the update determination unit 112 refers to the map information and determines whether or not the location of the vehicle 100 indicated by the location information is near a traffic light, and if the location of the vehicle 100 is near a traffic light, it can determine that it will not permit the execution of the update process.

[0048] For example, suppose a geographical condition such as private property is set as a prohibition condition. In this case, the update determination unit 112 can determine whether the location of the vehicle 100 indicated by the location information in the map information is included in private property, and if the location of the vehicle 100 is included in private property, it can determine that it will not permit the execution of the update process.

[0049] Furthermore, the update determination unit 112 can determine whether or not to perform the update process based on the vehicle information acquired by the vehicle information acquisition unit 204 described above. For example, suppose a geographical condition is set as a prohibition condition, such as a place where the road is narrow (a place where two or more vehicles, including the vehicle 100, cannot pass). In this case, the update determination unit 112 uses the width of the road and the size of the vehicle 100, such as the width of the vehicle 100, to determine whether the width of the road corresponding to the location of the vehicle 100 indicated by the location information in the map information allows two or more vehicles, including the vehicle 100, to pass. For example, as shown in Figure 6, if the update determination unit 112 determines that the width of the road corresponding to the location of the vehicle 100 is such that two or more vehicles, including the vehicle 100, cannot pass, it can determine that it will not permit the execution of the update process. In other words, the update determination unit 112 can determine that the location of the vehicle 100 is not a place where the execution of the update process is permitted (it determines that it is a place where the execution of the update process is prohibited).

[0050] On the other hand, as shown in Figure 7, for example, the update determination unit 112 can determine that it will permit the execution of the update process if it determines that the width of the road corresponding to the position of the vehicle 100 is wide enough for two or more vehicles, including the vehicle 100, to pass. In other words, the update determination unit 112 can determine that the position of the vehicle 100 is a place where the execution of the update process is permitted (and not a place where the execution of the update process is prohibited).

[0051] Let's return to Figure 4 and continue explaining the update determination unit 112. For example, let's assume that a geographical condition such as a no-parking zone is set as a prohibition condition. In this case, the update determination unit 112 can determine whether the area corresponding to the location of the vehicle 100 indicated by the location information in the map information is a no-parking zone, using the information of the area and the type of vehicle 100 indicated by the vehicle information. For example, if the type of vehicle 100 is a truck, and the area corresponding to the location information in the map information is an area where trucks are prohibited from parking, the update determination unit 112 can determine that it will not permit the execution of the update process. For example, some convenience stores or supermarkets may have areas where parking of large vehicles such as trucks is prohibited, and in this embodiment, the execution of the update process in such places is prohibited.

[0052] Furthermore, the update determination unit 112 can determine whether or not to execute the update process based on the location information acquired by the location information acquisition unit 205 described above. For example, the location information may include information indicating the degree of congestion of other vehicles. In this case, the update determination unit 112 can determine that it will not permit the execution of the update process if the degree of congestion indicated by the location information corresponding to the location of vehicle 100 indicated by the location information in the map information is above a threshold. If the update process is executed in such a situation, vehicle 100 will remain stationary until the update process is completed, which may lead to a worsening of congestion. In this example, the update determination unit 112 determines that it will not permit the execution of the update process at locations where the degree of congestion is above a threshold, thus preventing a worsening of congestion.

[0053] Figures 8 and 9 show examples where the location corresponding to the vehicle 100 is assumed to be a parking lot adjacent to a facility, etc. Figure 8 shows a state where the degree of congestion is below the threshold (not crowded), and Figure 9 shows a state where the degree of congestion is above the threshold (crowded). In the case of Figure 8, the update determination unit 112 determines that it is permissible to execute the update process. In other words, the update determination unit 112 determines that the location of vehicle 100 is a place where the execution of the update process is permitted. On the other hand, in the case of Figure 9, the update determination unit 112 determines that it is not permissible to execute the update process. In other words, the update determination unit 112 determines that the location of vehicle 100 is not a place where the execution of the update process is permitted.

[0054] Returning to Figure 4, let's continue the explanation of the update determination unit 112. The update determination unit 112 can further determine whether or not to execute the update process based on the time information acquired by the time information acquisition unit 206 described above. More specifically, the update determination unit 112 can determine that it will not permit the execution of the update process if the current time indicated by the time information acquired by the time information acquisition unit 206 is outside the business hours of the facility adjacent to the location corresponding to the location information acquired by the location information acquisition unit 210. In other words, the update determination unit 112 can determine that it is a time when the execution of the update process is not permitted (prohibited). On the other hand, the update determination unit 112 can determine that it will permit the execution of the update process if the current time indicated by the time information acquired by the time information acquisition unit 206 is within the business hours of the facility adjacent to the location corresponding to the location information acquired by the location information acquisition unit 210. In other words, the update determination unit 112 can determine that it is a time (timing) when the execution of the update process is permitted.

[0055] To elaborate further, the update determination unit 112 refers to the map information acquired by the map information acquisition unit 202, and if there is a facility adjacent to the location corresponding to the location information acquired by the location information acquisition unit 201, it acquires facility information related to that facility from the facility information acquisition unit 207. As mentioned above, the facility information includes the facility's business hours, so the update determination unit 112 can determine whether or not the update process can be executed by determining whether or not the current time indicated by the time information acquired by the time information acquisition unit 206 is outside of the business hours indicated by the facility information.

[0056] For example, as shown in Figure 10, let's assume that the location corresponding to the vehicle 100 is a parking lot, and the operating hours of the facility adjacent to the parking lot are from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. For example, if the current time is 4:00 PM, it is within business hours, so the update determination unit 112 can determine that it is permissible to execute the update process. On the other hand, if the current time is 7:00 PM, it is outside business hours, so the update determination unit 112 can determine that it is not permissible to execute the update process.

[0057] Returning to Figure 4, let's continue the explanation of the update determination unit 112. The update determination unit 112 can further determine whether or not to execute the update process based on the communication status information acquired by the communication status information acquisition unit 208 described above. For example, if the communication status information indicates a poor communication status (e.g., the gateway 10 and the server device 6 are not connected to the network, or sufficient communication speed cannot be guaranteed), the update determination unit 112 can determine that it will not permit the execution of the update process.

[0058] In this embodiment, the update determination unit 112 ultimately permits the execution of the update process for the vehicle 100 if the determination result of each of the determinations described above is affirmative and the vehicle 100 is stopped (parked). As described above, whether or not the vehicle 100 is stopped can be determined based on the IG signal. In this embodiment, the update determination unit 112 uses update determination information, which includes location information, prohibition conditions, map information, vehicle information, location information, time information, facility information, and communication status information, to determine whether or not to execute the update process. However, it is not limited to this, and for example, the update determination unit 112 may determine whether or not to execute the update process without using some or all of the update determination information other than location information, prohibition conditions, and map information.

[0059] Let's continue the explanation of Figure 4. The output control unit 113 shown in Figure 4 controls the output of information. For example, the output control unit 113 can control the display of information on the display device 3, or it can control the output of information as sound from a speaker (not shown). For example, if the update determination unit 112 determines that the update process can be executed, the output control unit 113 performs a process to ask the user whether or not to execute the update process. For example, the output control unit 113 controls the display of the display device 3 to display a message asking the user whether or not to execute the update process. For example, the output control unit 113 can control the display of the display device 3 to display a question message such as "Do you want to execute the ECU software update process?". The user can respond to this question by operating the operation unit 3a of the display device 3.

[0060] Furthermore, the output control unit 113 can also perform control to output a message indicating that the vehicle 100 has stopped in a location where the update determination unit 112 has determined that it is impossible to perform the update process (determined not to permit the execution of the update process). In this case, for example, the output control unit 113 can also perform control to output the reason why the update process cannot be performed. For example, the output control unit 113 can perform control to display a message on the display device 3 as shown in Figure 11. The output control unit 113 can also perform control to output the necessary actions to perform the update process. For example, as shown in Figure 12, the output control unit 113 can display a screen on the display device 3 that shows the location where the update process cannot be performed with hatching, and suggest moving to a location where the update process can be performed (a location without hatching). In this case, the output control unit 113 may also display a message on the screen in Figure 12 prompting the vehicle to move to a location where the update process can be performed. Furthermore, for example, the output control unit 113 can also perform control to superimpose the message in Figure 11 onto the screen in Figure 12. Furthermore, the output control unit 113 can also, for example, control the output of a voice message from the speaker, as shown in Figure 13, explaining why the update process cannot be performed and prompting the user to move to a location where the update process can be performed. This voice output may be performed simultaneously with the screen display shown in Figure 11 or Figure 12, or independently.

[0061] In the examples in Figures 11 to 13, the reason why the update process cannot be executed is explained using the case where vehicle 100 is located in a no-entry area as defined in the prohibition conditions. However, the explanation is not limited to this case. For example, if vehicle 100 (gateway 10) stops while not connected to the server device 6 via the network, the system can output a message indicating that it is not connected to the network as the reason why the update process cannot be executed, and also output a message prompting it to connect to the network as a way to execute the update process.

[0062] Furthermore, the output control unit 113 can also perform control to output a message indicating that the accuracy of the vehicle 100's location information is poor. In this embodiment, even if the vehicle 100 stops at a location where the update determination unit 112 has determined that the update process should be permitted, the accuracy of the vehicle 100's location information is determined before outputting the above-mentioned inquiry message, and the output control unit 113 performs control to output a message indicating that the accuracy is poor. For example, the output control unit 113 can perform control to display the message shown in Figure 14 on the display device 3. If the user who sees this message decides that it is OK to perform the update process, they can perform an operation on the operation unit 3a of the display device 3 to permit the execution of the update process. Also, for example, the output control unit 113 can perform control to output the message shown in Figure 15 as an audio message from the speaker. On the other hand, if the accuracy of the location information is sufficient, the output control unit 113 performs control to output the above-mentioned inquiry message.

[0063] One example of a method for determining the accuracy of location information is to determine that the accuracy of location information is poor if the period during which the GPS receiver 8 cannot receive a GPS signal (in other words, the period during which the location information acquisition unit 201 cannot receive a GPS signal from the GPS receiver 8) exceeds a predetermined period. In short, poor location information accuracy means that the location information acquisition unit 201 is unable to acquire location information. The entity that determines the accuracy of location information can be changed as needed; for example, it could be the output control unit 113 or another function.

[0064] Returning to Figure 4, let's continue the explanation. The reception processing unit 114 shown in Figure 4 performs processing to receive user operations. More specifically, the display device 3 transmits the content of the user's operations to the operation unit 3a to the gateway 10. The reception processing unit 114 can receive and accept the content of the user's operations transmitted from the display device 3 via the in-vehicle communication unit 130.

[0065] The update processing unit 115 instructs the ECU2 to execute the update process when the update determination unit 122 determines that the update process can be executed. In this embodiment, when the reception processing unit 114 receives an operation from the user authorizing the execution of the update process, the update processing unit 115 instructs the ECU2 to be updated (an ECU2 that can be updated using update information obtained from the server device 6) to execute the update process. The update processing unit 115 reads the update information stored in the storage unit 120 obtained from the server device 6, transmits the read update information to the ECU2 to be updated, and the ECU2 to be updated executes the update process using the received update information. For example, the ECU2 can update the program by overwriting the program stored in the storage unit 22 before the update with the program included in the update information received from the update processing unit 115.

[0066] Figure 16 is a flowchart showing an example of the processing performed by the gateway 10 (processing unit 110) of this embodiment. The processing unit 110 repeatedly performs the processing shown in Figure 16 at a predetermined interval. In the following explanation of the processing performed by each function of the processing unit 110, explanations that overlap with the above explanation will be omitted as appropriate. Also, the order of each step in the flowchart of Figure 16 is not limited to the example in Figure 16 and can be changed as appropriate.

[0067] As shown in Figure 16, the vehicle information acquisition unit 204 acquires vehicle information (step S1). Next, the communication status information acquisition unit 208 acquires communication status information (step S2). If the update determination unit 112 determines that the communication status indicated by the communication status information acquired in step S2 is good (step S3: Yes), the process moves to step S4. If it determines that the communication status is not good (step S3: No), the process returns to step S2.

[0068] In step S4, the location information acquisition unit 201 acquires the location information of the vehicle 100 (step S4). Next, the map information acquisition unit 202 acquires map information (step S5). Next, the prohibition condition acquisition unit 203 acquires the prohibition conditions (step S6).

[0069] Next, the update determination unit 112 determines whether the location of the vehicle 100 indicated by the location information is a location where the update process can be performed, based on the vehicle information obtained in step S1, the location information obtained in step S4, the map information obtained in step S5, and the prohibition conditions obtained in step S6 (step S7). This determination method is as described above.

[0070] If the result of step S7 is positive (step S7: Yes), the location information acquisition unit 205 acquires location information corresponding to the location information acquired in step S4 (step S8). If the result of step S7 is negative (step S7: No), the process proceeds to step S14, which will be described later.

[0071] After step S8, the update determination unit 112 determines, based on the location information obtained in step S8, whether the location of the vehicle 100 is a location where the update process can be performed (step S9). As described above, for example, if the congestion level indicated by the location information is above a threshold, the update determination unit 112 determines that it will not allow the execution of the update process. In this case, it can determine that the location of the vehicle 100 is not a location where the update process can be performed.

[0072] If the result of step S9 is positive (step S9: Yes), the time information acquisition unit 206 acquires time information (step S10), and the facility information acquisition unit 207 acquires facility information related to the facility adjacent to the location indicated by the location information acquired in step S4 (step S11). If the result of step S9 is negative (step S9: No), the process proceeds to step S14, which will be described later.

[0073] After step 11, the update determination unit 112 determines whether or not it is a time (timing) in which the update process can be executed, based on the time information obtained in step S10 and the facility information obtained in step S11 (step S12). As described above, for example, if the current time indicated by the time information is outside of the business hours indicated by the facility information, the update determination unit 112 determines that it will not allow the execution of the update process, so in this case it can be determined that it is not a time in which the update process can be executed. If the result of step S12 is affirmative (step S12: Yes), the process proceeds to step S13, and if it is negative (step S12: No), the process proceeds to step S14.

[0074] In step S13, the update determination unit 112 determines whether the vehicle 100 is parked or stopped based on the IG signal. If the vehicle 100 is parked or stopped (step S13: Yes), the update determination unit 112 determines that the update process is ready to be executed, and the process proceeds to step S15, which will be described later. On the other hand, if the vehicle 100 is not parked or stopped (step S13: No), the process returns to step S2.

[0075] In step S14, the update determination unit 112 determines whether the vehicle 100 is parked or stopped based on the IG signal. If the vehicle 100 is parked or stopped (step S14: Yes), the update determination unit 112 determines that the update process is not possible and proceeds to step S15, which will be described later. On the other hand, if the vehicle 100 is not parked or stopped (step S14: No), the process returns to step S2.

[0076] In step S15, the update determination unit 112 determines whether or not an update process is necessary (step S15). For example, if the update determination unit 112 has obtained update information for any of the ECU2s from the server device 6, it can determine that an update process is necessary for that ECU2. If the result of step S15 is negative (step S15: No), the process ends. If the result of step S15 is positive (step S15: Yes), the update determination unit 112 checks whether or not an update process can be executed (step S16).

[0077] If the result of step S16 is negative (step S16: No), that is, if the vehicle 100 is parked in a state where the update process cannot be executed, the output control unit 113 controls the display device 3 to display a message indicating the reason why the update process cannot be executed, as shown in Figure 11 (step S17), and the process ends. As described above, at this time the output control unit 113 can also control the system to output (display output or audio output) the necessary response to execute the update process.

[0078] If the result of step S16 is affirmative (step S16: Yes), that is, if the vehicle 100 is parked in a state where the update process can be executed, the processing unit 110 determines whether the accuracy of the location information acquired in step S4 is poor or not (step S18). The method for making this determination is as described above.

[0079] If the result of step S18 is positive (step S18: Yes), the output control unit 113 controls the display device 3 to display a message indicating that the communication status is poor (for example, Figure 14, etc.) (step S19). If the result of step S18 is negative (step S18: No), the output control unit 113 controls the display device 3 to display the above-mentioned inquiry message asking the user whether or not to proceed with the update process (step S20).

[0080] In step S19 or step S21 following step S20, if the reception processing unit 114 receives an operation to authorize the execution of the update process (step S21: Yes), the update processing unit 115 causes the ECU2 to be updated to execute the update process (step S22).

[0081] As described above, the gateway 10 of this embodiment determines whether to execute the update process based on the location information of the vehicle 100, map information, and prohibition conditions. This allows the location where the execution of the update process is prohibited to change dynamically according to the prohibition conditions, so that the possibility of executing the update process can be determined flexibly and appropriately.

[0082] Furthermore, the gateway 10 of this embodiment also determines whether or not to perform the update process based on vehicle information, which includes at least the size or type of the vehicle 100. In other words, by dynamically changing the locations where the update process is prohibited (locations where the update process is not permitted) while also reflecting the vehicle information, the determination of whether or not to perform the update process can be made more flexibly and appropriately.

[0083] Furthermore, as described above, the gateway 10 of this embodiment determines whether or not to execute the update process based on location information corresponding to the location of the vehicle 100. For example, the location information includes information indicating the degree of congestion of other vehicles, and the gateway 10 of this embodiment determines that it will not allow the execution of the update process if the degree of congestion indicated by the location information is above a threshold, thereby suppressing the worsening of congestion caused by the execution of the update process in a congested situation.

[0084] Furthermore, as described above, the gateway 10 of this embodiment determines whether or not to perform the update process based on the time information. More specifically, if the current time indicated by the time information falls outside the operating hours of a facility adjacent to the location corresponding to the vehicle 100, it determines that the update process should not be permitted. This makes it possible to prevent unnecessary parking for the purpose of performing the update process in a parking lot adjacent to the facility, for example, outside of the facility's operating hours.

[0085] Furthermore, as described above, the gateway 10 of this embodiment determines whether or not to execute the update process based on the communication status information, and if the communication status is poor (for example, if the gateway 10 and the server device 6 are not connected to the network, or if sufficient communication speed cannot be guaranteed), it determines that it will not permit the execution of the update process. This makes it possible to suppress problems such as the update process never being completed due to poor communication.

[0086] Furthermore, as described above, the gateway 10 of this embodiment controls the system to output a message indicating that the vehicle 100 has stopped in a location where the update determination unit 112 has determined that it is impossible to perform the update process. As described above, the gateway 10 of this embodiment controls the system to display a message on the display device 3 indicating the reason why the update process cannot be performed when the vehicle 100 has stopped in a location where the update determination unit 112 has determined that it is impossible to perform the update process. This allows the user to immediately understand why the update process cannot be performed and to easily take the necessary actions to perform the update process. In addition, the output control unit 113 can also control the system to output the necessary actions to perform the update process. This allows the user to immediately understand the necessary actions to perform the update process and enables smooth action, thereby improving user convenience.

[0087] Furthermore, as described above, the gateway 10 of this embodiment performs control to output a message if the accuracy of the vehicle 100's location information is poor. Poor location information accuracy may affect the accuracy of the update determination unit 112, and there is a possibility that the update process may be performed in a location where execution of the update process is not permitted. The purpose of this control is to allow the user to decide whether or not to proceed in such cases.

[0088] (Second embodiment) Next, a second embodiment will be described. Parts common to the first embodiment described above will be omitted from the description as appropriate. In this embodiment, the gateway 10 differs from the first embodiment in that it outputs information indicating whether the update process is possible or impossible to execute, and outputs a statement to that effect when the vehicle 100 enters a location where the update process is possible or impossible to execute. In this embodiment, only some functions of the update determination unit 112 and the output control unit 113 differ from the first embodiment described above; other functions are the same as in the first embodiment.

[0089] In this example, we assume a configuration in which a navigation map based on map information is displayed on the display device 3 while the vehicle 100 is in motion. The update determination unit 112 determines locations in the map information where update processing is not permitted, based on the map information, prohibition conditions, vehicle information, location information, time information, facility information, and communication status information described above. Hereinafter, the information indicating locations in the map information that the update determination unit 112 has determined not to permit update processing will be referred to as update permission information.

[0090] The output control unit 113 can, for example, control the display device 3 to display update feasibility information as shown in Figure 17. The update feasibility information shown in Figure 17 is in the form of hatching to indicate locations in the map information that the update determination unit 112 has determined not to permit update execution, but the method of display is arbitrary and not limited to this. For example, conversely to the above, hatching may be applied only to locations that the update determination unit 112 has determined to permit update execution. In short, the output control unit 113 can output information indicating locations that the update determination unit 112 has determined to be able to perform update processing or not.

[0091] Furthermore, the output control unit 113 can perform control to output a message when the vehicle 100 enters a location indicated by the update availability information. For example, as shown in Figure 18, the output control unit 113 can also display an icon indicating that the update process is prohibited when the vehicle 100 enters a location in the map information that the update determination unit 112 does not permit the execution of the update process. Note that the output method for indicating that the vehicle 100 has entered a location indicated by the update availability information is not limited to this and is arbitrary; for example, it may be in the form of highlighting the icon of the vehicle 100, or, as shown in Figure 19, it may be in the form of outputting a message from the speaker indicating that the vehicle 100 has entered a location indicated by the update availability information.

[0092] Figure 20 is a flowchart showing an example of the processing performed by the gateway 10 (processing unit 110) of the second embodiment. Parts that overlap with the first embodiment described above will be omitted from explanation as appropriate. Note that the order of each step in the flowchart in Figure 20 is not limited to the example in Figure 20 and can be changed as appropriate.

[0093] As shown in Figure 20, the vehicle information acquisition unit 204 acquires vehicle information (step S101). Next, the map information acquisition unit 202 acquires map information (step S102). Next, the prohibition condition acquisition unit 203 acquires prohibition conditions (step S103). Next, the location information acquisition unit 205 acquires location information indicating information about each location on the map information (step S104). Next, the time information acquisition unit 206 acquires time information (step S105). Next, the facility information acquisition unit 207 acquires facility information indicating information about each facility on the map information (step S106). Next, the communication status information acquisition unit 208 acquires communication status information (step S107).

[0094] Next, the update determination unit 112 generates the update feasibility information described above using the update determination information acquired in steps S101 to S107 (step S108). Next, the output control unit 113 controls the output of the update feasibility information generated in step S108 (step S109). In this example, the output control unit 113 controls the display of the update feasibility information on the display device 3. As a result, the user driving the vehicle 100 can understand which locations can and cannot be updated by looking at the update feasibility information.

[0095] Next, the location information acquisition unit 201 acquires the location information of the vehicle 100 (step S110). Next, the update determination unit 112 determines whether or not to allow the execution of the update process based on the update feasibility information generated in step S108 and the location information acquired in step S110 (step S111). In this example, the update determination unit 112 will not allow the execution of the update process if the location information includes a location where the update feasibility information indicates that the execution of the update process is not permitted, but it can allow the execution of the update process if the location information does not include a location where the execution of the update process is not permitted.

[0096] If the result of step S111 is negative (step S110: No), the output control unit 113 performs control to output that the vehicle 100 has entered a location where the execution of the update process is not permitted (step S112). If the result of step S111 is positive (step S110: Yes), the output control unit 113 performs control to output that the vehicle 100 has entered a location where the execution of the update process is permitted (step S113).

[0097] After step S112, the update determination unit 112 determines whether the vehicle 100 is parked or stopped based on the IG signal (step S114). If the vehicle 100 is parked or stopped (step S114: Yes), the update determination unit 112 determines that the update process is not possible and proceeds to step S116. On the other hand, if the vehicle 100 is not parked or stopped (step S114: No), the process returns to step S110.

[0098] After step S113, the update determination unit 112 determines whether the vehicle 100 is parked or stopped based on the IG signal (step S115). If the vehicle 100 is parked or stopped (step S115: Yes), the update determination unit 112 determines that the update process is ready to be executed, and the process proceeds to step S116. On the other hand, if the vehicle 100 is not parked or stopped (step S1115: No), the process returns to step S110.

[0099] The process from step S116 onwards is the same as the process from step S15 onwards in Figure 16 of the first embodiment, so a detailed explanation will be omitted.

[0100] As described above, the output control unit 113 of this embodiment controls the output of update feasibility information indicating a location where the update process has been determined to be impossible by the update determination unit 112, and outputs a statement to that effect when the vehicle 100 enters a location indicated by the update feasibility information. This allows the user of the vehicle 100 to easily understand whether they are currently in a location where the update process cannot be executed, thereby improving user convenience. Furthermore, the same effects as those of the first embodiment described above can be obtained with the configuration of this embodiment.

[0101] While embodiments of this disclosure have been described above, these embodiments are presented as examples only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These novel embodiments and their variations are included in the scope and spirit of the invention, as well as in the claims and their equivalents. [Explanation of symbols]

[0102] 1. Communication line 2 ECU 3 Display device 4. Wireless communication device 5. Smartphone 6 Server devices 7 IG switch 8 GPS receiver 10 Gateways 100 vehicles 110 Processing Unit 111 Update judgment information acquisition unit 112 Update determination section 113 Output Control Unit 114 Reception Processing Unit 115 Update Processing Unit 120 Storage section 130 In-vehicle communication unit 201 Location information acquisition section 202 Map Information Acquisition Unit 203 Prohibited condition acquisition section 204 Vehicle Information Acquisition Unit 205 Location Information Acquisition Department 206 Time information acquisition section 207 Facility Information Acquisition Department 208 Communication status information acquisition unit

Claims

1. An update determination unit determines whether or not to execute the update process based on the vehicle's location information, map information, and prohibition conditions indicating conditions that prohibit the execution of an update process that updates a program or data for providing the functions of an in-vehicle device that is mounted on the vehicle. The update processing unit, when it determines that the update processing can be executed, causes the in-vehicle device to execute the update processing, comprises: The update determination unit will not permit the execution of the update process if the current time indicated by the time information falls outside the operating hours of the facility adjacent to the location corresponding to the vehicle's location information. Information processing device.

2. The update determination unit further determines whether or not to perform the update process based on vehicle information, which includes at least the size or type of the vehicle. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1.

3. The update determination unit further determines whether or not to perform the update process based on location information indicating information about a location corresponding to the vehicle's location information. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1.

4. The aforementioned location information includes information indicating the degree of congestion of other vehicles. The update determination unit does not permit the execution of the update process if the congestion level indicated by the location information is above a threshold. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3.

5. The update determination unit further determines whether or not to execute the update process based on communication status information indicating the communication status between the device and the outside. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1.

6. The system further includes an output control unit that controls the output of information from the map information indicating locations where the update determination unit has determined that the update process can or cannot be performed. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1.

7. The system further includes an output control unit that outputs a signal to the effect that the vehicle enters a location where the update determination unit has determined that the update process can or cannot be performed. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1.

8. The system further includes an output control unit that performs control to output a statement to the effect that the vehicle stops at a location where the update determination unit has determined that the update process cannot be performed. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1.

9. The output control unit performs control to output the reason why the update process cannot be executed. The information processing apparatus according to claim 8.

10. The output control unit performs control to output the response necessary for executing the update process. The information processing apparatus according to claim 8.

11. The system further includes an output control unit that performs control to output a message indicating that the accuracy of the aforementioned position information is poor. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1.

12. An update determination step that determines whether or not to execute the update process based on the vehicle's location information, map information, and prohibition conditions indicating conditions that prohibit the execution of an update process that updates a program or data for providing the functions of an in-vehicle device that is mounted on the vehicle, The update processing step includes, if the update determination step determines that the update processing can be executed, an update processing step that causes the in-vehicle device to execute the update processing, The update determination step does not permit the execution of the update process if the current time indicated by the time information is outside the operating hours of the facility adjacent to the location corresponding to the vehicle's location information. Information processing methods.

13. An update determination step that determines whether or not to execute the update process based on the vehicle's location information, map information, and prohibition conditions indicating conditions that prohibit the execution of an update process that updates a program or data for providing the functions of an in-vehicle device that is mounted on the vehicle, A program for causing a computer to execute an update processing step, which, when the update determination step determines that the update processing can be executed, causes the in-vehicle device to execute the update processing. The update determination step does not permit the execution of the update process if the current time indicated by the time information is outside the operating hours of the facility adjacent to the location corresponding to the vehicle's location information. program.

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