Source: {"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"}

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a technique for updating software modules respectively embedded in an in-vehicle device and a mobile terminal that are connected so as to be able to cooperate with each other.
2. Description of Related Art
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004=326689 (JP 2004-326689 A) describes a system for updating a software module embedded in an in-vehicle device. In this system, a rewriting software module for updating the software module of an ECU of a vehicle is transmitted to the in-vehicle device through wireless communication. Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2012-043253 (JP 2012-043253 A) describes a system that causes an in-vehicle device and a mobile terminal to cooperate with each other. In such a system as well, it is assumed that a software module embedded in the in-vehicle device or a software module embedded in the mobile terminal is updated.
The technique for merely updating the in-vehicle device-side software module, as described in JP 2004-326689 A, may be applied to the system described in JP 2012-043253 A. However, for example, when it is not possible to ensure compatibility with the mobile terminal-side software module, it may be not possible to properly utilize a cooperation function between the in-vehicle device and the mobile terminal. Depending on a mobile terminal-side update status, there are a case where an in-vehicle device-side update is required and a case where an in-vehicle device-side update is not required. At the time of designing a system of this type, in order to enable the cooperation function between the in-vehicle device and the mobile terminal, for example, a technique is required to be able to timely update the in-vehicle device-side software module on the basis of the update status of the mobile terminal-side software module.