Vehicle Software Update Controller Power Disconnection Handling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vehicle control systems face issues with software updates being interrupted due to unexpected power losses, potentially causing memory or program failures in vehicle controllers.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle control device and method that includes a controller, communicator, power supply, and vehicle state predictor, which interrupts software updates when a predicted power disconnection is detected, divides software into blocks for resumption, and discards incomplete updates to prevent data loss and ensure safe resumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If software update is performed continuously without interruption, then update completion speed is improved, but risk of memory or program failure increases when unexpected power loss occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The software update process is divided into multiple update units that can be independently managed. Each update unit represents a discrete segment of the overall software update, allowing the system to pause and resume updates at defined boundaries without causing corruption or failure when power loss occurs.
Solution Approach 2:
The system determines and stores update resumption information before power loss occurs. By proactively saving the state of completed update units and preparing resumption data, the system ensures that when power is restored, the update can continue from the correct point without risking data corruption or requiring complete re-update.
2Reliability
If software update is interrupted frequently to check power connection status, then controller reliability is improved, but update time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The update control device continuously monitors power connection status and uses this feedback to dynamically control the update process. When power disconnection is detected, the system automatically pauses the update and preserves the current state. When power is restored, the system resumes the update from the saved checkpoint, optimizing both safety and time efficiency.
3Productivity
If update resumption is allowed after power restoration, then productivity is improved by avoiding re-update, but risk of tampered software increases
Solution Approach 1:
Before resuming the update process, the system performs a verification check on the software to detect any tampering. This feedback mechanism ensures that updated software has not been compromised, allowing safe resumption of the update process while maintaining security integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs tampering detection as a preliminary step before resuming the update process. By checking for software integrity in advance, the system prevents potential security issues from affecting the update process while still allowing efficient resumption when conditions are safe.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle control device includes a controller with embedded software which controls at least some of devices mounted in the vehicle, a communicator configured to communicate with an external device, an update controller which updates the software embedded in the controller according to communication with the external device by the communicator, a power supply configured to supply power to the controller, and a vehicle state predictor configured to predict a state of the vehicle, in which the update controller interrupts an update of the software when the vehicle state predictor predicts that a connection between the power supply and the controller is in a disconnected state during the update of the software.