Vehicle Software Update Control With Selective Power Activation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing program volume in automobile computing devices for safe driving assistance and autonomous driving technologies leads to significant power consumption and long update times, posing challenges for updating software while minimizing power usage, especially when the vehicle's driving mechanism is not in operation.
Innovation Solution
An automobile computing device is configured with a wireless communication unit, storage unit, update controller, and power controller, allowing software updates to occur with minimal power consumption by energizing only necessary components during non-operation periods, and prioritizing updates based on battery and memory capacity, usage habits, and charging status.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If software updates are performed using the vehicle-mounted battery, then software can be updated, but the available power is limited and update time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by storing software update information in the storage unit before actual updates are needed. When the driving mechanism stops, the system checks for stored update information and prepares for update, ensuring updates can be performed immediately when power is available without delay.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts its operation based on the state of the driving mechanism. When the driving mechanism is operating, the system receives and stores update information. When the driving mechanism stops, the system switches to update mode, energizing only necessary components (storage unit, update controller, and update target) to perform software updates.
2Reliability
If all programs are updated simultaneously, then complete software updates are achieved, but power consumption becomes excessively large and update time increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the software update process into distinct phases: information reception phase (when driving mechanism operates), storage phase (buffering update information), and execution phase (when driving mechanism stops). This segmentation allows the system to perform updates without requiring all components to operate simultaneously, reducing power consumption and update time.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs partial actions by energizing only the necessary components (storage unit, update controller, and update target) during the update process, rather than energizing all system components. This partial action approach achieves the required software update functionality while minimizing power consumption.
3Productivity
If software updates are performed during vehicle operation, then updates can be applied immediately, but power consumption increases and vehicle performance may be affected
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs periodic action by scheduling software updates to occur during specific periods when the driving mechanism is not operating. The update controller monitors the state of the driving mechanism and initiates updates during idle periods, ensuring that updates are performed when they will not interfere with vehicle operation or consume excessive power.
Data Source
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AI summary
An automobile computing device (6) includes: a wireless communication unit (2) configured to receive software update information from an external network (90); a storage unit (63) configured to store software update information received from the wireless communication unit (2); an update controller configured to update software based on the software update information stored in the storage unit (63); and a power controller configured to control a power supply to each constituent of the computing device. In a case where software update information is stored in the storage unit (63) and a driving mechanism of an automobile (1) is not in operation, a power controller (66) energizes the storage unit (63), an update controller (64), and software of an update target indicated by the software update information and the update controller (64) updates software of the update target.