Patent ID: 12190090

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

It is understood that the term “vehicle” or “vehicular” or other similar term as used herein is inclusive of motor vehicles in general such as passenger automobiles including sports utility vehicles (SUV), buses, trucks, various commercial vehicles, watercraft including a variety of boats and ships, aircraft, and the like, and includes hybrid vehicles, electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, hydrogen-powered vehicles and other alternative fuel vehicles (e.g. fuels derived from resources other than petroleum). As referred to herein, a hybrid vehicle is a vehicle that has two or more sources of power, for example both gasoline-powered and electric-powered vehicles.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. Throughout the specification, unless explicitly described to the contrary, the word “comprise” and variations such as “comprises” or “comprising” will be understood to imply the inclusion of stated elements but not the exclusion of any other elements. In addition, the terms “unit”, “-er”, “-or”, and “module” described in the specification mean units for processing at least one function and operation, and can be implemented by hardware components or software components and combinations thereof.

Further, the control logic of the present disclosure may be embodied as non-transitory computer readable media on a computer readable medium containing executable program instructions executed by a processor, controller or the like. Examples of computer readable media include, but are not limited to, ROM, RAM, compact disc (CD)-ROMs, magnetic tapes, floppy disks, flash drives, smart cards and optical data storage devices. The computer readable medium can also be distributed in network coupled computer systems so that the computer readable media is stored and executed in a distributed fashion, e.g., by a telematics server or a Controller Area Network (CAN).

Hereinafter, some embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In adding the reference numerals to the components of each drawing, it should be noted that the identical or equivalent component is designated by the identical numeral even when they are displayed on other drawings. Further, in describing the embodiment of the present disclosure, a detailed description of the related known configuration or function will be omitted when it is determined that it interferes with the understanding of the embodiment of the present disclosure.

In describing the components of the embodiment according to the present disclosure, terms such as first, second, A, B, (a), (b), and the like may be used. These terms are merely intended to distinguish the components from other components, and the terms do not limit the nature, order or sequence of the components. Unless otherwise defined, all terms including technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure belongs. It will be further understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.

FIG.1is a block diagram illustrating an update management apparatus for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring toFIG.1, an update management apparatus100for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include an information managing device110, a determining device120, and an updating device130.

The information managing device110may obtain information associated with an update target controller from a wired updateable device in the vehicle. In this case, the wired updateable device in the vehicle may be a navigation device. For example, the navigation device may store information associated with the update target controller in a memory different from a memory in which map information is stored.

The information associated with the update target controller, which is obtained from the wired updateable device in the vehicle by the information managing device110may include information associated with an update of the update target controller. For example, the information associated with the update of the update target controller obtained by the information managing device110may include at least one of a controller area network (CAN) ID, a firmware content, a software version, and an update sequence of the update target controller.

In addition, the information managing device110may obtain information associated with at least one controller from the at least one controller. For example, the information managing device110may obtain version information of software installed in the at least one controller from the at least one controller.

Meanwhile, when the determining device120determines that the update of at least one controller is necessary, the information managing device110may obtain the information associated with the update of the update target controller from the wired updateable device in the vehicle.

However, the information associated with the update target controller obtained from the wired updateable device in the vehicle is not limited to information associated with one update target controller. For example, the information managing device110may obtain information associated with a plurality of update target controllers from the wired updateable device in the vehicle.

The determining device120may determine whether the update of the at least one controller is necessary based on the version information of the software for the update target controller and the version information of the software installed in the at least one controller. For example, the determining device120may compare the version information of the software for the update target controller with the version information of the software installed in the at least one controller, and when the version information of the software for the update target controller is more recent, may determine that at least one controller needs to be updated. In particular, when the version information of the software for the update target controller is higher than the version information of the software installed in the at least one controller, the determining device120may determine that the update of the at least one controller is necessary.

The updating device130may determine whether the at least one controller is in an updateable state when the determining device120determines that the update of the at least one controller is necessary. For example, the updating device130may identify information such as whether a storage space of at least one controller is sufficient and whether vehicle communication (e.g., CAN communication) is connected, and may determine whether the at least one controller is in the updateable state.

The updating device130may perform the update of the at least one controller when it is determined by the determining device120that the update of at least one controller is necessary, and the at least one controller is in an updateable state. For example, the updating device130may perform the update of at least one controller based on the information associated with the update of the update target controller obtained from the wired updateable device in the vehicle by the information managing device110.

When the update of at least one controller is completed in the updating device130, the information managing device110may request the wired updateable device in the vehicle to delete information associated with the update target controller.

The update management apparatus100for the vehicle may manage the update for the vehicle through operations of the information managing device110, the determining device120, and the updating device130described above. Specifically, the update management apparatus100for the vehicle may obtain information associated with at least one controller from at least one controller in a situation where wireless communication with a server managing the update is impossible, and may obtain information associated with the update target controller from the wired updateable device in the vehicle. In addition, the update management apparatus100for the vehicle may determine whether the at least one controller needs to be updated, and may perform the update of the at least one controller based on the information associated with the update target controller.

In this case, the wired updateable device in the vehicle may be a navigation device. For example, the navigation device may store the information associated with the update target controller in a memory different from a memory in which map information is stored.

Hereinafter, an operating method of the update management apparatus100for a vehicle will be described with reference toFIG.2.

FIG.2is a flowchart illustrating an operating method of an update management apparatus for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring toFIG.2, the operating method of the update management apparatus100for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include obtaining version information of software installed in at least one controller (S110), obtaining version information of software for the update target controller (S120), determining whether to perform the update (S130), obtaining information associated with the update of the update target controller (S140), and performing the update (S150).

Hereinafter, operations of S110to S150will be described in detail with reference toFIG.1.

In the obtaining of the version information of the software installed in the at least one controller (S110), the information managing device110may obtain the version information of the software installed in the at least one controller. For example, the at least one controller may include a first controller and a second controller, and the information managing device110may obtain version information of software installed in the first controller and version information of software installed in the second controller.

In the obtaining of the version information of the software for the update target controller (S120), the information managing device110may obtain the version information of the software for the update target controller from the wired updateable device in the vehicle. However, the version information of the software for the update target controller obtained by the information managing device110is not limited to obtaining the software version information for one update target controller from the wired updateable device in the vehicle. In particular, the information managing device110may obtain version information of software associated with a plurality of update target controllers.

The obtaining of the version information of the software installed in the at least one controller (S110) and obtaining of the version information of the software for the update target controller (S120) are sequentially performed inFIG.2as described above, but is not limited thereto. For example, S120may be performed before or simultaneously with S110.

In the determining of the whether to perform the update (S130), the determining device120may determine whether to perform the update based on the version information of the software installed in the at least one controller and the version information of the software for the update target controller. For example, in the determining of the whether to perform the update (S130), the determining device120may compare the version information of the software installed in the at least one controller with the version information of the software for the update target controller, and may determine that the update of the at least one controller is necessary when the version information of the software for the update target controller is more recent.

Meanwhile, in the determining of the whether to perform the update (S130), the determining device120may end an operation of the update management apparatus100for a vehicle when it is determined that the update of at least one controller is not necessary.

In the obtaining of the information associated with the update of the update target controller (S140), the information managing device110may obtain the information associated with the update of the update target controller from the wired updateable device in the vehicle. For example, in the obtaining of the information associated with the update of the update target controller (S140), the information managing device110may obtain the information associated with the update of at least one controller that requires the update from the wired updateable device in the vehicle when the determining device120determines that the update of at least one controller is necessary.

In particular, in the obtaining of the information associated with the update of the update target controller (S140), the information associated with the update of the update target controller obtained by the information managing device110may include at least one of a controller area network (CAN) ID, a firmware content, a software version, and an update sequence of the update target controller.

In the performing of the update (S150), the updating device130may perform the update based on the information associated with the update of the update target controller. In particular, the updating device130may determine whether the at least one controller is in an updateable state, and update the at least one controller based on the determination result.

In addition, the updating device130may determine whether the at least one controller is in the updateable state. For example, the updating device130may identify information such as whether the at least one controller is in use, whether a storage space of at least one controller is sufficient, and whether vehicle communication (e.g., CAN communication) is connected, and may determine whether the at least one controller is in the updateable state.

The updating device130may perform the update of the at least one controller based on the information associated with the update of the update target controller. For example, when it is determined that the at least one controller is in the updateable state, the updating device130may perform the update of the at least one controller in the updateable state based on the information associated with the update of the at least one controller in the updateable state.

Meanwhile, in the method of operating an update management apparatus for a vehicle according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, a wired updateable apparatus in the vehicle may be a navigation device. For example, in S120and S140, the information managing device110may obtain software version information for the update target controller from the navigation device, and may obtain information associated with the update of the update target controller.

In addition, in the operating method of an update management apparatus for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the wired updateable device in the vehicle may be a navigation device, and the operating method may further include storing version information of the software for the update target controller and information associated with the update of the update target controller in a memory different from a memory in which map information is stored in the navigation device (S100, seeFIG.4).

In particular, the update management apparatus100for a vehicle may obtain the information associated with the update from the wired updateable device in the vehicle, based on the above-described operating method when wireless communication with an external update management server is impossible, and may perform the update of controllers that requires an update. Accordingly, the update management apparatus100for a vehicle may perform the update of the vehicle even in a network unavailable area.

Hereinafter, a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference toFIG.3.

FIG.3is a diagram illustrating a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring toFIG.3, a vehicle1000according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include a wired updateable device1100, an update management apparatus1200, and a plurality of controllers1300.

The wired updateable device1100may obtain information associated with an update target controller. For example, the wired updateable device1100may be a navigation device. In this case, the navigation device may store the information associated with the update target controller in a memory different from a memory in which the map information is stored.

Meanwhile, the information associated with the update target controller obtained by the wired updateable device1100may include version information of software for the update target controller and information associated with the update of the update target controller. For example, the information associated with the update of the update target controller may include at least one of a controller area network (CAN) ID, a firmware content, a software version, and an update sequence of the update target controller.

However, the information associated with the update target controller obtained by the wired updateable device1100is not limited to information associated with one update target controller. For example, there may be a plurality of update target controllers, and information associated with the plurality of update target controllers may be stored in the wired updateable device1100.

The update management apparatus1200may obtain information associated with at least one controller. For example, the information on the at least one controller may include software version information installed in the at least one controller, and the update management apparatus1200may obtain software version information installed in the at least one controller. As another example, the update management apparatus1200may be a gateway.

The update management apparatus1200may obtain information associated with the update target controller stored in the wired updateable device1100from the wired updateable device1100. For example, the update management apparatus1200may obtain software version information for the update target controller from the wired updateable device1100, and may obtain information associated with an update of the update target controller.

The update management apparatus1200may determine whether an update of at least one controller is necessary based on the version information of the software installed in the at least one controller and the version information of the software for the update target controller obtained from the wired updateable device1100. For example, the update management apparatus1200may compare the version information of the software installed in the at least one controller with the software version information for the update target controller, and may determine that at least one controller needs to be updated when the software version information for the update target controller is more recent.

When it is determined that the update of at least one controller is necessary, the update management apparatus1200may obtain information associated with the update of the update target controller from the wired updateable device1100, and may perform the update of the at least one controller. For example, the update management apparatus1200may determine whether the at least one controller may perform the update, and when it is determined that the at least one controller is capable of performing the update, the update management apparatus1200may perform the update of the at least one controller based on the information associated with the update of the update target controller.

The update management apparatus1200may request the wired updateable device1100to delete information on the update target controller when the update of at least one controller is completed. In particular, when the update of the at least one controller is completed, the wired updateable device1100may delete the information associated with the update target controller.

Meanwhile, the update management apparatus1200may be substantially the same as the update management apparatus100for a vehicle inFIG.1.

The vehicle1000may include a plurality of controllers1300. InFIG.3, the plurality of controllers1300is illustrated as including a first controller1310and a second controller1320, but is not limited thereto. The plurality of controllers1300may include ‘n’ (‘n’ is a natural number equal to or greater than 3) number of controllers.

The plurality of controllers1300may communicate with the update management apparatus1200(e.g., CAN communication). For example, the update management apparatus1200may communicate with the first controller1310and the second controller1320, respectively, and may simultaneously communicate with the first controller1310and the second controller1320through one vehicle communication. Meanwhile, the number of controllers communicating with the update management apparatus1200is not limited to two.

Meanwhile, the vehicle1000may be an electric vehicle (EV) or an over-the-air (OTA) updateable vehicle, but is not limited thereto.

The vehicle1000may include the wired updateable device1100, the update management apparatus1200, and the plurality of controllers1300, and may perform the update of the plurality of controllers1300that requires the update by performing the operation related to the update through the update management apparatus1200, based on the information stored in the wired updateable device1100in a situation where wireless communication with an external update management server is impossible. That is, the vehicle1000may be able to perform the update even in a network unavailable area.

Hereinafter, an operating method at a vehicle level according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference toFIG.4

FIG.4is a flowchart illustrating an update management method for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring toFIG.4, an operating method at level of the vehicle1000according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include an information storage operation (S100) associated with the update target controller, a software version information request operation (S111), a software version information reception operation (S112), a software version information request operation (S121) of the update target controller, a software version information reception operation (S122) of the update target controller, a determination operation (S130) of whether to perform the update, an information request operation (S141) associated with the update of the update target controller, an information reception operation (S142) associated with the update of the update target controller, a determination operation (S151) of whether the update of at least one controller can be performed, an update performing operation (S152), and an information deletion operation (S160) associated with the update target controller.

In the information storage operation (S100) associated with the update target controller, the wired updateable device1100may obtain information associated with the update target controller. For example, the wired updateable device1100may obtain the information associated with the update target controller through an SD card, a USB, or the like. A user may download the information associated with the update target controller from an OEM site or a map data download application.

In the software version information request operation (S111), the update management apparatus1200may request version information of the software installed in the plurality of controllers1300to the plurality of controllers1300. For example, in the software version information request operation (S111), the update management apparatus1200may request version information of the software installed in the first controller1310and version information of the software installed in the second controller1320.

In the software version information reception operation (S112), the update management apparatus1200may receive version information of the software installed in the plurality of controllers1300from the plurality of controllers1300. For example, in the software version information reception operation (S112), the update management apparatus1200may receive the software version information installed in the first controller1310from the first controller1310, and may receive the software version information installed in the second controller1320from the second controller1320.

The operation (S110) of obtaining version information of the software installed in the at least one controller as the above-described may include the software version information request operation (S111) and the software version information reception operation (S112).

In the software version information request operation (S121) of the update target controller, the update management apparatus1200may request version information of the software for the update target controller to the wired updateable device1100.

In the software version information reception operation (S122) of the update target controller, the update management apparatus1200may receive version information of the software for the update target controller from the wired updateable device1100.

The above-described operation (S120) of obtaining the software version information for the update target controller may include the software version information request operation (S121) of the update target controller and the software version information reception operation (S122) of the update target controller.

In the determination operation (S130) of whether to perform the update, the update management apparatus1200may compare the version information of the software installed in the at least one controller with the version information of the software for the update target controller obtained from the wired updateable device1100, and may determine that the update of at least one controller is necessary, when the software version information for the update target controller is more recent. For example, the update management apparatus1200may determine that the first controller1310needs to be updated, when the version information of the software installed in the first controller1310obtained from the wired updateable device1100is higher than the current version information of the software installed in the first controller1310.

The determination operation (S130) of whether to perform the update may be substantially the same as the operation (S130) of determining whether to perform the update inFIG.2.

In the information request operation (S141) associated with the update of the update target controller, the update management apparatus1200may request information associated with the update of the update target controller to the wired updateable device1100. For example, when it is determined that the update of at least one controller is necessary in the determination operation (S130) of whether to perform the update, the update management apparatus1200may request information associated with the update of the update target controller to the wired updateable device1100. In particular, when it is determined that the update of the first controller1310is necessary, the update management apparatus1200may request information associated with the update of the first controller1310.

In the reception operation S142of the information associated with the update of the update target controller, the update management apparatus1200may receive the information associated with the update of the update target controller from the wired updateable device1100. For example, the update management apparatus1200may receive information associated with the update of the first controller1310.

The above-described obtaining operation (S140) of the information associated with the update of the update target controller may include the information request operation (S141) associated with the update of the update target controller and the information reception operation (S142) associated with the update of the update target controller.

In the determination operation (S151) of whether the update may be performed in at least one controller, the update management apparatus1200may determine whether the update of the at least one controller that needs to be updated can be performed. For example, the update management apparatus1200may identify information such as whether at least one controller that needs to be updated is in use, whether a storage space is sufficient, and whether vehicle communication (CAN communication) is connected, and then, may determine whether the at least one controller is in an updateable state. Specifically, the update management apparatus1200may determine whether the first controller1310is in the updateable state.

In the update performing operation (S152), the update management apparatus1200may perform the update when it is determined that at least one controller that needs to be updated is capable of performing the update. For example, the update management apparatus1200may perform the update of at least one controller based on information associated with the update of the update target controller. In particular, the update management apparatus1200may perform the update of the first controller1310when the first controller1310is in a state that requires an update and is capable of performing the update.

The above-described operation (S150) of performing the update may include the determination operation (S151) of whether the update may be performed in at least one controller and the update performing operation (S152).

In the information deletion operation (S160) associated with the update target controller, the update management apparatus1200may request the wired updateable device1100to delete information associated with the update target controller when the update is completed. For example, the wired updateable device1100may delete information associated with the update target controller when the update of at least one controller is completed. In particular, when the update of the first controller1310is finished, the update management apparatus1200may request the wired updateable device1100to delete information associated with the first controller1310, and the wired updateable device1100may delete information associated with the update of the first controller1310.

Meanwhile, the update management apparatus1200may be substantially the same as the update management apparatus100for the vehicle inFIG.1. For example, in the operating method of the update management apparatus100for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the operation (S160) of requesting to delete information associated with the update target controller may be further included. For example, when the update of the at least one controller is completed in the updating device130, the information managing device110may request the wired updateable device in the vehicle to delete the version information of the software for the update target controller and information associated with the update of the update target controller.

As the above-described, through the operations of the wired updateable device1100, the update management apparatus1200, and the plurality of controllers1300, the vehicle1000may perform the update. In particular, the vehicle1000may perform the update of the plurality of controllers1300based on information stored by the wired updateable device1100in a situation where wireless communication with the external update management server is impossible. That is, the update of the vehicle1000may be possible without additional network establishment, wireless communication cost, or visit to a service center even in an area where a network is not available.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, an update management apparatus for a vehicle may perform an update of vehicle controllers even in a situation in which communication connection with an external server is difficult.

The above description is merely illustrative of the technical idea of the present disclosure, and those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present disclosure pertains will be able to make various modifications and variations without departing from the essential characteristics of the present disclosure.

Accordingly, the embodiments of the present disclosure are not intended to limit the technical idea of the present disclosure, but to explain the technical idea, and the scope of the technical idea of the present disclosure is not limited by these embodiments. The scope of protection of the present disclosure should be interpreted by the following claims, and all technical ideas within the scope equivalent thereto should be construed as being included in the scope of the present disclosure.