Vehicle Controller Dual-Storage OTA Update Switching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle program updating systems restrict the timing of program rewriting to prevent malfunctions, requiring the vehicle to be stationary with the ignition off, limiting convenience and flexibility.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle controller with separate storage areas for the current and update programs, allowing the update program to be stored and executed concurrently with the current program, enabling verification and switching only when the update program's intended function is realized, thus maintaining reliability and convenience.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If program rewriting is performed while the control program is being executed, then the convenience and flexibility of program updates are improved, but the risk of causing malfunctions increases
Solution Approach 1:
The storage unit is divided into a first program storage area for the current control program and a second program storage area for the update program. This segmentation allows both programs to coexist without interfering with each other's execution, enabling safe concurrent operations
Solution Approach 2:
The update program is stored in the second program storage area before it is executed. This preliminary storage action allows the update program to be prepared and validated while the current program continues to run, avoiding interruptions and ensuring system stability
2Reliability
If the vehicle is required to be stationary with ignition off for program updating, then the reliability of program rewriting is improved, but the productivity and time efficiency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables continuous operation by allowing the update program to be stored and executed while the vehicle is moving and the current program is running. The dual-program architecture ensures that useful actions (vehicle control and program updating) can proceed simultaneously without interruption
Solution Approach 2:
The update program is preliminarily stored in the second program storage area before execution verification. This allows the updating process to begin without stopping the vehicle, improving productivity while maintaining safety through subsequent verification steps
3Reliability
If the update program is executed and verified before switching, then the reliability of vehicle control is improved, but the complexity of the update process increases
Solution Approach 1:
The execution unit is divided into a first execution unit for executing the current control program and a second execution unit for executing the update program. This segmentation simplifies the verification process by isolating execution contexts, making it easier to manage and verify each program independently
Solution Approach 2:
The update unit determines whether to switch from first vehicle control to second vehicle control based on the execution output of the update program. This feedback mechanism automatically verifies the update program's functionality and makes switching decisions based on verified performance, improving reliability through systematic validation
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle controller includes: an execution unit configured to execute a control program for controlling a vehicle; a storage unit having a first program storage area to store the control program and a second program storage area to store an update program that is an updated version of the control program and created based on update data acquired from a device located outside the vehicle through a network; and an update unit that stores the update program in the second program storage area based on the update data, regardless of whether the execution unit is executing the control program.