Vehicle Access Control During Image Authentication ECU Updates
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Solution Overview
Problem
Passengers face inconvenience and safety risks during vehicle program updates when they lack devices for canceling vehicle locking/unlocking, such as electronic keys, leading to issues like being unable to enter or move the vehicle until the update is complete.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle control system with a first control device for wireless authentication, a second control device for image-based authentication, and an update management device that determines whether to allow program updates based on communication states and passenger presence, ensuring updates only proceed when conditions are favorable.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a program update is performed in the electronic control device that authenticates passengers, then the system can be updated to improve functionality, but the vehicle lock mechanism cannot be canceled if the passenger does not carry an electronic key, causing the passenger to be unable to enter or move the vehicle
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a determination device as an intermediary that mediates between the program update process and the vehicle lock control. This device monitors whether the mobile device is inside or outside the vehicle and automatically determines whether to allow program updates, thereby resolving the conflict between update reliability and access convenience without requiring direct user intervention
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service by automatically determining the appropriateness of program updates based on the mobile device's location status. The determination device autonomously decides whether to permit updates without requiring the passenger to manually cancel locks or intervene in the update process, making the system adapt to the situation automatically
2Ease of operation
If the vehicle lock is canceled during program update, then the passenger can access the vehicle, but the update process may be interrupted causing safety issues
Solution Approach 1:
The determination device implements a feedback mechanism by continuously monitoring the mobile device's location status and using this information to control the program update process. The system receives feedback about whether the mobile device is inside or outside the vehicle and adjusts the update permission accordingly, ensuring that updates only proceed when it is safe to do so
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary determination of update appropriateness before allowing the program update to proceed. By checking the mobile device location status in advance and determining whether cancellation is appropriate, the system prevents potential interruptions during critical update phases, ensuring update safety before the process begins
3Reliability
If the system requires communication between the first control device and mobile device to allow updates, then update safety is improved, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The determination device serves multiple functions: it monitors communication states between the mobile device and control devices, determines the mobile device's location status, and controls program update permissions. By consolidating these diverse functions into a single device, the system achieves improved update safety without proportionally increasing overall system complexity
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle control system includes a key authentication ECU that acquires a key ID via wireless communication with a mobile device and controls locking/unlocking of a vehicle based on the acquired key ID, an image authentication ECU that acquires a feature value of a face portion based on a captured image from a camera and controls locking/unlocking of the vehicle based on the acquired feature value of the face portion, and a central ECU including a determining unit that determines whether an update for a second program being executed by the image authentication ECU is to be allowed or not based on a communication state between the key authentication ECU and the mobile device.