Vehicle ECU OTA Update Progress Display via User Equipment

Solution Overview

Problem

Displaying the progress of software updates on both in-vehicle and user equipment increases communication load and power consumption during Over-The-Air (OTA) software updates for vehicle ECUs.

Innovation Solution

User equipment displays the progress of software updates using data received directly from the OTA center, reducing the need for additional communication by displaying only the progress of updates distributed via the user equipment.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If the progress of software update is displayed on both HMI and user equipment, then the user can monitor the update progress through multiple channels, but the communication load and power consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveupdate progress informationVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the progress display function from the vehicle's HMI system and relocates it to the user equipment (smartphone). The vehicle only transmits necessary update data (download progress, installation status, completion status) to the user equipment, which then handles all display operations. This extraction eliminates the need for the HMI to continuously communicate with the update system, reducing communication load and power consumption while maintaining comprehensive progress monitoring capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The user equipment acts as an intermediary between the vehicle's update system and the user. Instead of the HMI directly displaying update progress (requiring continuous vehicle-HMI communication), the user equipment receives update data from the vehicle and presents it to the user. This intermediary role allows progress information to be transmitted only when needed, rather than requiring continuous bidirectional communication between the vehicle and HMI display system

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Loss of information

If the progress of software update is displayed on both HMI and user equipment, then the user can monitor the update progress through multiple channels, but the communication load increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveupdate progress informationVSAvoidcommunication data

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the progress display function from the vehicle's HMI system and relocates it to the user equipment (smartphone). The vehicle only transmits necessary update data (download progress, installation status, completion status) to the user equipment, which then handles all display operations. This extraction eliminates the need for the HMI to continuously communicate with the update system, reducing communication load and power consumption while maintaining comprehensive progress monitoring capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of implementing full bidirectional communication between the vehicle and both HMI and user equipment, the patent uses partial action by having the vehicle transmit only essential update status data to the user equipment. The user equipment then performs all display functions locally without requiring continuous verification or additional communication with the vehicle, thereby reducing the total quantity of communication data

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Quantity of substance

If the user equipment displays progress of update process using received data, then the communication load is reduced, but the user equipment must manage additional data processing responsibilities

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecommunication dataVSAvoiddata processing function

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent leverages the user equipment's existing multi-functional capabilities (communication, data storage, display, and processing) to handle the update progress monitoring. Since smartphones already perform these functions for various applications, adding update progress display does not significantly increase device complexity. The user equipment universally handles multiple tasks: receiving update data from the vehicle, storing progress information, processing status changes, and presenting information to the user through the existing operating system and display interface

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS12619419B2User equipment, software update system, control method, and non-transitory storage medium

Publication Date: 2026.05.05 TOYOTA JIDOSHA KK

AI summary

User equipment includes one or more processors configured to: receive data on updating software on an in-vehicle electronic control unit (ECU); transmit the received data to a vehicle; and display progress of a first update process when the first update process is performed. The first update process is a process of updating the software on the in-vehicle ECU using the received data.