Vehicle OTA Update Packages With ECU Rewrite Environment Data

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current techniques for updating electronic control units (ECUs) in vehicles through Over The Air (OTA) lack flexibility and efficiency in managing data distribution across multiple ECUs, particularly in providing necessary information for vehicle-side devices to perform flexible control during program rewriting.

Innovation Solution

A center device that stores update data and related information, generates specification data including device type, attribute, and rewrite environment information, and creates a distribution package with the update data, enabling proper selection and writing of update data on vehicle-side ECUs based on received specification data.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If update data is distributed to multiple ECUs through OTA, then remote update capability is achieved, but flexibility and efficiency in managing data distribution is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveflexibility in managing data distributionVSAvoidlack of rewrite environment information

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The center device generates specification data in advance that includes all necessary rewrite environment information (power supply requirements, rewrite order, grouping) before distribution. This preliminary preparation enables the vehicle-side device to perform flexible control during the actual update process without needing additional real-time information exchange.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

Specification data acts as an intermediary information carrier between the center device and vehicle-side device. It conveys rewrite environment information that enables the vehicle-side device to autonomously manage the update process, bridging the information gap without requiring continuous center device involvement.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If update data is distributed without specification data, then distribution process is simple, but vehicle-side devices cannot properly select and write update data

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccuracy of update data selectionVSAvoidcomplexity of distribution package

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The distribution package is segmented into distinct components: update data and specification data. The specification data is further segmented into identification information (for matching ECUs) and rewrite environment information (for controlling the update process). This segmentation organizes complexity while ensuring reliable update data selection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

All necessary information for accurate update data selection and execution is prepared in advance within the specification data. This includes identification information for matching target ECUs and rewrite environment information for proper execution, eliminating the need for complex runtime decision-making.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Manufacturing precision

If comprehensive specification data is generated for each ECU, then update accuracy is improved, but data processing time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprecision of update data matchingVSAvoiduser waiting time

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

ECUs with similar update requirements are grouped together using grouping information in the specification data. This allows the system to process and manage multiple ECUs as a unit rather than individually, reducing overall processing time while maintaining precise matching through identification information for each ECU within the group.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS11900092B2Center device, distribution package generation method and distribution package generation program

Publication Date: 2024.02.13 DENSO CORP

AI summary

A center device manages data to be written into electronic control units mounted on a vehicle and includes an update data storage storing update data for a target device being a target of data update among the electronic control units, a vehicle information storage storing, together with type of the vehicle, vehicle related information, and a device related information storage storing update data related information. Based on information stored in the device related information storage and the vehicle information storage, the center device generates specification data including device type, attribute, the update data related information of the target device, and information indicating rewrite environment related to the data update of the target device, and generates a distribution package including the update data and the specification data.