Vehicle Control Device Flash Memory Segmentation for Update Reliability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle control systems face challenges in reliably updating control programs due to communication interruptions or hardware failures, which can render both new and old versions unusable, potentially causing the vehicle to malfunction or become immobile.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle control device with a rewritable nonvolatile memory featuring multiple storage areas and management data areas that store current program area information, allowing for the determination of which storage area contains the current control program, enabling seamless execution and updating of control programs even if one area becomes corrupted.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If control program updating is performed via wireless communication by users, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to communication interruptions or hardware failures
Solution Approach 1:
The nonvolatile memory is divided into multiple storage areas (first storage area, second storage area, third storage area) to store different versions of control programs. This segmentation allows the system to maintain multiple program versions simultaneously, enabling fallback to previous versions if updates fail, thus resolving the contradiction between ease of wireless updating and reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by storing backup management data in advance in the nonvolatile memory before updates occur. This preliminary preparation ensures that if communication interruptions or hardware failures occur during updating, the system can immediately switch to previously stored backup data, maintaining reliability while allowing easy wireless updates.
2Reliability
If multiple storage areas are provided for control programs, then reliability is improved through backup capability, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple storage areas and their corresponding management data are merged into a single nonvolatile memory component. This integration approach provides backup capability and reliability improvement while avoiding the complexity increase that would result from using separate physical memory devices for each storage area.
Solution Approach 2:
The nonvolatile memory is designed to serve multiple functions: storing current control programs, backup control programs, and management data all in one component. This multi-functionality provides the reliability benefits of multiple storage areas without the complexity of separate dedicated storage devices for each function.
3Reliability
If management data is stored in the nonvolatile memory, then reliability is improved through information preservation, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
Different regions of the nonvolatile memory are allocated for different purposes: main areas for control programs and specific areas for management data. This local differentiation allows the system to preserve reliability through proper data organization while using standard manufacturing processes without requiring excessive precision across the entire memory structure.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention provides a vehicle control device and a program update system capable of effectively suppressing erroneous execution and update of a plurality of control programs stored in a nonvolatile memory. A vehicle control device 11 according to the present invention has a flash ROM 112 and an operation unit 111. In addition, the flash ROM 112 has a first area 1124 and a second area 1125 which store a control program executable by the operation unit 111 and a plurality of management data areas 1123a, 1123b, and 1123c which store management data including current program area information representing one storage area of the first area 1124 and the second area 1125 as a storage area storing a current control program to be executed by the operation unit 111.