Vehicle ECU Program Update Management via Scene Signal Priority
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing program update management systems for automobiles often fail to perform updates at an early stage if the electronic control units (ECUs) are engaged in control processing, leading to delayed updates and potential impairment of vehicle functions.
Innovation Solution
A program update management device that acquires scene signals to determine the level of vehicle restriction due to ECU impairment, selectively choosing which ECUs to update based on this level to avoid unnecessary restrictions and allow timely updates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If program update is performed when controller is not performing control processing, then update safety is improved, but update timing is delayed
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the ECU group into multiple priority levels based on the degree of vehicle restriction. By dividing ECUs into different segments (high priority, medium priority, low priority), the system can perform updates on lower-priority ECUs during control processing while maintaining safety for critical ECUs, thus resolving the contradiction between update safety and update timing.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameter of update eligibility by introducing a priority level parameter. ECUs are assigned different priority levels based on how strongly the vehicle is restricted when their functions are impaired. This parameter change allows the system to perform updates on ECUs with lower priority levels even during control processing, enabling earlier updates without compromising vehicle safety.
2Loss of time
If program update is performed during control processing, then update timing is improved, but system stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies local quality by allowing updates only for specific ECUs (those with lower priority levels) during control processing, while maintaining strict update restrictions for critical ECUs. This localized approach enables timely updates for non-critical components without compromising overall system stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts update eligibility based on real-time vehicle operating conditions and ECU priority levels. By making the update permission dynamic rather than static, the system can perform updates during control processing for appropriate ECUs while maintaining system stability through selective update execution.
3Reliability
If all ECUs are updated simultaneously, then update completeness is improved, but vehicle restriction increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the ECU update process into priority-based groups. By dividing ECUs into different segments based on their priority levels, the system can update lower-priority ECUs first during control processing, and update higher-priority ECUs later when vehicle restriction is more acceptable, thus maintaining update completeness while reducing overall vehicle restriction.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements periodic action by performing ECU updates in multiple phases or periods based on priority levels. Instead of updating all ECUs simultaneously in one period, the system updates ECUs in different periods according to their priority, thereby ensuring update completeness while minimizing vehicle restriction at any given time.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a program update management device that includes: an acquiring part that acquires a scene signal indicating a scene in which a vehicle is used; a determining part that determines a level indicating how strongly the vehicle is restricted when respective functions of a plurality of ECUs are impaired, the plurality of ECUs each having the same function in the scene indicated by the scene signal; and a selecting part that selects, from among the plurality of ECUs, an ECU for which a program update is performed, based on the level.