ECU Memory Segmentation for Crash-Free Remote Updates
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electronic control units (ECUs) face challenges in remote program rewriting, particularly during vehicle operation or state transitions, which can lead to program crashes or data corruption due to simultaneous execution and power interruptions.
Innovation Solution
The ECU employs separate non-overlapping sub-memory areas for reading and rewriting control programs, allowing for remote program updates without interrupting the execution of the control program, and ensures data integrity by switching between these areas based on predefined conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If program rewriting is performed during continuous execution of the control program, then remote re-programming convenience is improved, but program crash and hang up occur due to data inconsistency
Solution Approach 1:
The memory area is divided into multiple sub-memory areas (first sub-memory area and second sub-memory area) that are exclusively defined in a non-overlapping manner. One sub-memory area stores the currently executing program while the other stores the rewritten program, allowing rewriting to proceed without interfering with active program execution.
Solution Approach 2:
The rewritten program is prepared in advance in a separate sub-memory area before switching to it. This allows the new program to be fully written and validated before becoming active, preventing crashes during the transition.
2Loss of energy
If power supply is interrupted during state transition from ignition ON to ignition OFF, then energy consumption is reduced, but data corruption occurs due to interrupted rewriting process
Solution Approach 1:
The memory is segmented into separate sub-memory areas for reading and rewriting operations. This separation allows the rewriting process to complete in one area while the other area remains accessible, ensuring data integrity even if power is interrupted during state transitions.
Solution Approach 2:
The program data is copied to a separate sub-memory area for rewriting. This copying mechanism ensures that the original executing program remains intact and accessible, while the new program is prepared in the separate area without risk of corruption from power interruptions.
3Device complexity
If single memory area is used for both reading and rewriting, then device complexity is reduced, but program crash occurs due to overlapping memory access
Solution Approach 1:
The memory area is divided into multiple sub-memory areas that are exclusively defined in a non-overlapping manner. This segmentation prevents conflicts between reading and rewriting operations by ensuring they access different memory regions, thereby eliminating program crashes while maintaining relatively simple device architecture.
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic control unit (ECU) has a memory area in a non-volatile memory that stores a control program in a rewritable manner for controlling a predetermined control object. The ECU also has an operation unit for performing a process according to the control program stored in the memory and for performing a rewrite process to rewrite contents of the control program stored in the memory area when a predetermined rewrite condition is met. The memory area has a plurality of sub-memory areas that are exclusively defined in a non-overlapping manner. From among the plurality of sub-memory areas a read sub-memory area, from which the control program is read by the operation unit to perform the process according to the control program, is different and separate from a rewrite sub-memory area, which stores program contents of the control program that is rewritten by the rewrite process.