Vehicle OTA Master Storage-Aware Update Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing software update systems face challenges in efficiently managing storage space for update data, leading to potential shortages that hinder the collective downloading and installation of programs across in-vehicle devices due to varying available storage sizes.
Innovation Solution
A software update apparatus that includes a communication module, storage section, and control section to manage and optimize storage space by checking available space sizes, requesting and receiving update data based on these sizes, and controlling the installation and activation of programs to ensure they fit within the available storage capacity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If update programs are collectively downloaded and stored in a shared storage section, then storage utilization is improved, but storage availability deteriorates when free space is small
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the update process into two distinct phases: a download phase where update programs are collectively downloaded to the master ECU's storage section, and an installation phase where each slave ECU receives and installs updates individually. This segmentation allows the master ECU to manage bulk downloads when storage is available, while ensuring slave ECUs can perform installations based on their own real-time storage availability, thus resolving the contradiction between collective download efficiency and individual storage availability.
Solution Approach 2:
The master ECU acts as an intermediary between the external apparatus and slave ECUs. It downloads update programs collectively from the external apparatus and then distributes them to slave ECUs individually. This intermediary role allows the system to benefit from collective download efficiency while ensuring each slave ECU receives updates only when its storage section has sufficient space, thereby resolving the contradiction between bulk download productivity and individual storage reliability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If update data is transmitted to all in-vehicle devices, then system-wide updates are achieved, but storage constraints of individual devices are ignored
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic update distribution mechanism where the master ECU checks the storage availability of each slave ECU before transmitting update programs. Based on the real-time storage status of each device, the master ECU dynamically adjusts which update programs are transmitted to which devices. This dynamic approach ensures broad update coverage while adapting to individual device constraints, thereby maintaining high update success rates.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs a feedback mechanism where slave ECUs report their storage section availability to the master ECU. The master ECU uses this feedback information to make informed decisions about which update programs to transmit to which devices. This feedback loop ensures that update distribution is optimized according to actual device conditions, achieving both wide coverage and high success rates by avoiding transmissions to devices with insufficient storage space.
Data Source
AI summary
A master includes: a communication module configured to request a download of update data from a center; a first storage device configured to store the update data obtained by the download; and one or more processors configured to at a time of execution of the download, check at least one of a free space size of the first storage device or a free space size of a second storage device of each of one or more update-target in-vehicle devices among a plurality of in-vehicle devices connected through an in-vehicle network, and perform control such that, based on the update data, update software is installed, or installed and activated, in the one or more update-target in-vehicle devices, wherein the communication module is configured to request the download of the update data from the center based on the free space size.