JP2011044014A - Vehicle information update system, user terminal and in-vehicle device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To allow a user even in a place other than a vehicle to freely set a vehicle information update schedule. <P>SOLUTION: In a vehicle information update system 1 wherein vehicle information is updated by an in-vehicle device 40 installed in a vehicle 4 by using update information transmitted from a vehicle information management system 20 provided outside the vehicle 4, the in-vehicle device 40 updates vehicle information, in response to vehicle information update guidance transmitted from the vehicle information management system 20, according to a vehicle information update schedule set by a user and received through a user terminal 3, by using the update information transmitted from the vehicle information management system 20. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention updates vehicle information (e.g., software, map data) with an in-vehicle device mounted on a vehicle using update information transmitted from a vehicle information management device provided outside the vehicle. The present invention relates to a system, a user terminal, and an in-vehicle device.

  Various computers such as vehicle control and navigation are mounted on the vehicle, and these computers are operated by software. In some cases, the software is rewritten by rewriting a program in order to eliminate malfunctions caused by the software or improve the performance of the operation. Conventionally, when updating the software of a vehicle, a user brings it into a vehicle such as a card dealer and directly rewrites the program by connecting directly to the computer of the vehicle. Furthermore, it has been studied that a rewriting program is transmitted to a vehicle using a communication means, the rewriting program is received by the vehicle, and the program is rewritten wirelessly. In Patent Literature 1, a program rewrite request is transmitted from the information providing center to the vehicle, and it is determined whether or not the vehicle can be rewritten based on the operation state of the vehicle. It is described that the vehicle control program is rewritten using a correction program transmitted to the vehicle, and information regarding rewriting (non-rewritable, rewriting completed) is notified to the mobile phone of the user of the vehicle.

JP-A-2005-349878

  As described above, when a rewrite request is transmitted from the center to the vehicle and the program is rewritten by determining whether the rewrite is possible on the vehicle side, the user of the vehicle sets whether to rewrite in the vehicle. It is necessary to be restrained while rewriting the program. In this way, the center side takes the initiative in rewriting the program by sending a rewrite request, and the user cannot freely determine the program rewrite schedule. In particular, since the user is not always in the vehicle, it is desired to perform scheduling at a place other than the vehicle.

  Then, this invention makes it a subject to provide the vehicle information update system, user terminal, and vehicle equipment which a user can set the update schedule of vehicle information freely also in places other than a vehicle.

  A vehicle information update system according to the present invention is a vehicle information update system in which vehicle information is updated by an in-vehicle device mounted on a vehicle using update information transmitted from a vehicle information management device provided outside the vehicle. The vehicle information management device is for updating the vehicle information in the vehicle according to the update information transmitting means for transmitting the vehicle information update guide to the user terminal used by the user of the vehicle and the vehicle information update schedule received by the user terminal. An update information transmitting means for transmitting information is provided, and the user terminal is based on an update guide receiving means for receiving an update guide for vehicle information transmitted from the vehicle information management device, and an update guide received by the update guide receiving means. Schedule input means for the user to input a vehicle information update schedule, and the schedule input from the schedule input means The vehicle-mounted apparatus includes an information management device or a schedule transmission unit that transmits to the vehicle, and the in-vehicle device receives the update information reception unit that receives the vehicle information update information transmitted from the vehicle information management device, and the update information reception unit. Vehicle information updating means for updating vehicle information using update information is provided, and the vehicle is updated according to a vehicle information update schedule received by the user terminal in response to vehicle information update guidance transmitted from the vehicle information management device. The vehicle information is updated by the in-vehicle device using the update information transmitted from the information management device.

  The user terminal which concerns on this invention is a user terminal which the user of a vehicle uses, The update guidance receiving means which receives the update guidance of the vehicle information transmitted from the vehicle information management apparatus provided in the exterior of a vehicle, Update guidance Schedule input means for the user to input a vehicle information update schedule based on the update guide received by the reception means, and schedule transmission means for transmitting the schedule input from the schedule input means to the vehicle information management device or the vehicle. And a vehicle information update schedule input by a user in response to vehicle information update guidance transmitted from the vehicle information management device is received, and the schedule is transmitted to the vehicle information management device or the vehicle.

  An in-vehicle device according to the present invention is an in-vehicle device that updates vehicle information using update information transmitted from a vehicle information management device that is mounted on a vehicle and provided outside the vehicle, and is transmitted from the vehicle information management device. Update information receiving means for receiving the updated information for vehicle information, and vehicle information update means for updating the vehicle information using the update information received by the update information receiving means, and transmitted from the vehicle information management device The vehicle information is updated using the update information transmitted from the vehicle information management device according to the vehicle information update schedule received by the user terminal in response to the updated vehicle information update guidance.

  In the vehicle information management device provided outside the vehicle, when update information for updating various vehicle information used in the vehicle is prepared, an update guidance transmission unit provides vehicle terminal update guidance to the user terminal. Send. Examples of vehicle information include vehicle control, various software (programs) for vehicles such as navigation and multimedia, and various vehicle data such as map data. In the user terminal used by the user of the vehicle, the update guide receiving means receives the update guide of the vehicle information. The user confirms the vehicle information update guidance at the user terminal, and inputs a schedule for updating the vehicle information by the schedule input means of the user terminal. In the user terminal, the schedule input by the schedule input unit is received, and the schedule transmission unit transmits the schedule to the vehicle information management device or the vehicle. When the update schedule is received, the vehicle information management device transmits the update information to the vehicle by the update information transmitting means according to the schedule. Alternatively, when an update schedule is received, the vehicle requests update information from the vehicle information management device according to the schedule, and the vehicle information management device transmits the update information to the vehicle by the update information transmission means in response to this request. To do. In the vehicle, the update information receiving unit receives the update information of the vehicle information, and the vehicle information update unit updates the vehicle information using the update information. In this way, by receiving the update schedule by the user at the user terminal in accordance with the update guidance from the vehicle information management device, the user can freely set the schedule for updating the vehicle information at a place other than the vehicle. Furthermore, by updating the vehicle information according to the schedule received by the user terminal, the user does not need to be in the vehicle when updating the vehicle information, and is restrained in the vehicle when the user updates the vehicle information. There is no.

  The on-vehicle apparatus of the present invention includes a gateway, and the gateway converts the update information of the vehicle information received by the update information receiving means into a data format that can be used in the vehicle, and the vehicle information update means converts at the gateway. The vehicle information may be updated using the update information in the data format.

  In this in-vehicle device, when the update information receiving means receives the vehicle information update information, the gateway converts the received update information into a data format that can be used in the vehicle, and the vehicle information update means converts the converted data. The vehicle information is updated using the format update information. As described above, in the in-vehicle device, by using the gateway, various types of information having different data formats transmitted from the vehicle information management device outside the vehicle can be processed in the vehicle. This can be done using update information transmitted from the management device.

  The present invention allows a user to freely set a schedule for updating vehicle information at a place other than the vehicle by accepting an update schedule by the user at the user terminal in accordance with update guidance from the vehicle information management device.

It is a lineblock diagram of the reprogramming system for vehicles concerning this embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of operation | movement in the reprogramming system for vehicles which concerns on this Embodiment.

  Embodiments of a vehicle information update system (vehicle information management device, user terminal, in-vehicle device) according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In addition, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected about the element which is the same or it corresponds in each figure, and the overlapping description is abbreviate | omitted.

  In the present embodiment, the present invention is applied to a vehicle reprogramming system for updating software of an in-vehicle computer wirelessly. The vehicle reprogramming system according to the present embodiment includes a software management center that manages vehicle software (programs), a communication unit installed in each vehicle, and a user terminal used by a user of each vehicle. Thus, the software management center and each vehicle can communicate with each other, and the software management center and each user terminal can communicate with each other via a public network. Communication between the software management center and the vehicle is, for example, communication using a telephone line or road-to-vehicle communication. The public network is, for example, the Internet.

  A vehicle reprogramming system 1 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a vehicle reprogramming system according to the present embodiment.

  In the vehicular reprogramming system 1, when software update (rewrite program) is prepared in the software management center 2 (that is, when reprogramming is ready), the software management center 2 sends the software. Are notified to the user terminals 3, 3,... Registered by the respective users of the vehicles 4, 4,. Accept programming schedule. In the vehicle reprogramming system 1, a reprogramming schedule is transmitted from each user terminal 3 to the software management center 2 or each vehicle 4, and reprogramming is performed according to the schedule.

  The software management center 2 is a center that manages software used in vehicles, for example, and is operated by an automobile manufacturer. The software management center 2 includes a server 20 that manages software and communicates with the user terminal 3 and the vehicle 4. Hereinafter, the server 20 will be described.

  When a program for rewriting certain software is prepared, the server 20 extracts all the vehicles 4, 4,... That use the software from the database, and further extracts the extracted vehicles 4, 4 from the database. The access destinations (for example, e-mail addresses) of the user terminals 3, 3,. Then, the server 20 transmits the reprogram guide information to the access destinations of the user terminals 3, 3,... Via the public network N by the transmission function of the server. This transmission is performed by e-mail using the Internet, for example. The reprogramming guidance information includes, for example, the type of software, the importance of the software (and thus the priority of reprogramming), the change of software, the time required for reprogramming, and the period during which reprogramming is possible.

  When a reprogramming schedule (permitted / not permitted, permitted date / time, etc.) is transmitted from the user terminal 3 to the software management center 2, the server 20 receives the schedule by the reception function of the server. After receiving the schedule, the server 20 transmits a confirmation request as to whether or not reprogramming is possible with respect to the vehicle 4 to be reprogrammed by the transmission function of the server when the permitted date and time of the schedule is reached. After transmitting the confirmation request, the server 20 receives the confirmation result from the vehicle 4 by the reception function of the server. In the case of a confirmation result indicating that reprogramming is not possible, the server 20 sends information that could not be reprogrammed at the permitted date and time and reprogramming re-guidance information to the access destination of the user terminal 3 by the server transmission function. Send through. On the other hand, in the case of the confirmation result that the reprogramming is possible, the server 20 transmits the rewriting program to the vehicle 4 to be reprogrammed by the transmission function of the server. At this time, immediately before reprogramming, information indicating that reprogramming will be executed from now on may be transmitted to the user terminal 3 (that is, the user may be notified). At this time, reprogramming execution propriety information may be transmitted. Note that, when reprogramming disapproval is transmitted as a schedule, the server 20 does not perform the above processing.

  As an embodiment different from the above embodiment, when the reprogramming schedule is transmitted from the user terminal 3 to the vehicle 4 and the transmission request for the rewriting program is transmitted from the vehicle 4 to the software management center 2, the server 20 The transmission request is received by the reception function of the server. In response to the transmission request, the server 20 transmits the requested rewriting program to the vehicle 4 by the transmission function of the server.

  When reprogramming is executed in the vehicle 4, the success / unsuccess information of reprogramming is transmitted from the vehicle 4 to the software management center 2, so the server 20 receives the success / unsuccess information by the reception function of the server. Receive. Then, the server 20 transmits reprogramming success / failure information to the user terminal 3 via the public network N by the transmission function of the server.

  In the present embodiment, the server 20 of the software management center 2 corresponds to the vehicle information management device described in the claims, and the transmission function of the server 20 includes the update guide transmission means described in the claims, and This corresponds to update information transmission means. Incidentally, the transmission function and the reception function of the server 20 are prepared for each communication form (for example, communication using the public network N, communication using a telephone line, road-to-vehicle communication).

  The user terminal 3 is, for example, a mobile phone or a personal computer, and may be an in-vehicle communication terminal. The user terminal 3 has a reprogramming scheduling function in addition to the function as a normal terminal.

  When reprogramming guidance information is transmitted from the software management center 2 to the user terminal 3, the user terminal 3 receives the reprogramming guidance information via the public network N by the reception function of the terminal. Then, the user terminal 3 displays a guidance sentence or the like on the screen based on the reprogramming guidance information by the reprogramming scheduling function (sound output may be used). For example, “The engine computer software update is informed. The fuel efficiency will be improved if the version is upgraded.”, “Please set a convenient date and time. Since it is not possible, please set the day when you do not board. "Is displayed. Incidentally, when reprogramming, the condition is that the software to be reprogrammed is not executed. Therefore, reprogramming is possible if the software is not executed even when the user is on board, but basically, when the user is not on board (that is, when all the software is not executed). It is good to set.

  When a plurality of software can be updated, guidance for each software may be displayed so that a schedule can be set for each software. In the software that can be updated, when there are a plurality of options (a plurality of rewriting programs according to the purpose) according to the user's preference, a plurality of options may be displayed so that one can be selected. For example, when there are options such as fuel priority, output priority, smooth priority, etc. in the software update of the engine computer, it is possible to select which one is to be prioritized. If each software has a priority, the priority is displayed. For example, when a plurality of software can be updated, the software with higher priority is displayed larger or displayed with a different color. Further, it may be displayed that the software is a recall target software. Further, when the user owns a plurality of vehicles (for example, a rental car company or a car dealer), it is preferable to set scheduling for each vehicle in consideration of the usage status of each vehicle.

  When the user confirms the reprogramming guidance information and sets the permitted date / time when reprogramming is permitted / not permitted and permitted by the input function of the terminal, the user terminal 3 uses the reprogramming scheduling function to The input permission / non-permission and permission date / time are accepted. The user terminal 3 transmits a reprogramming schedule indicating the accepted permission / denial and the permitted date / time to the software management center 2 via the public network N by the transmission function of the terminal. Alternatively, as another embodiment, the user terminal 3 transmits a reprogramming schedule similar to the above to the vehicle 4 by the transmission function of the terminal. In this transmission, for example, transmission is performed using a telephone line. If reprogramming is to be performed simultaneously for a plurality of users from the software management center 2, the guidance information from the software management center 2 designates the reprogramming time in advance, and each user is designated in advance. Only reprogramming permission / non-permission information during the specified time may be transmitted by mail.

  When the software management center 2 transmits reprogramming success / unsuccess information to the user terminal 3, the user terminal 3 receives the reprogramming success / unsuccess information by the reception function of the terminal. Receive via N. The user terminal 3 displays information about the success / failure of the reprogramming on the screen by the reprogramming scheduling function.

  In the present embodiment, the user terminal 3 corresponds to the user terminal described in the claims, the reception function of the user terminal 3 corresponds to the update guidance receiving means described in the claims, and the user terminal 3 The input function corresponds to the schedule input means described in the claims, and the transmission function of the user terminal 3 corresponds to the schedule transmission means described in the claims. Incidentally, the transmission function and the reception function of the user terminal 3 are prepared for each communication form (for example, communication using the public network N, communication using a telephone line).

  The vehicle 4 is equipped with a communication unit 40 for communicating with the outside such as the software management center 2. The communication unit 40 has a reprogramming function and the like in addition to an external communication function. Hereinafter, the communication unit 40 will be described.

  In the communication unit 40, when information in a predetermined data format is received from the software management center 2 or the like by the reception function of the communication unit, the data format of the received information can be used by each computer mounted on the vehicle 4 by the gateway 41. The data format is converted, and the converted data format information is output to the target computer. Further, in the communication unit 40, when information in a predetermined data format is input from each computer mounted on the vehicle 4, the data format of the received information is converted into a data format that can be used for communication with the outside. The converted data format information is transmitted to the outside by the transmission function.

  When a reprogramming schedule is transmitted from the user terminal 3 to the software management center 2 and when a request for confirmation as to whether or not the vehicle 4 can be reprogrammed is transmitted from the software management center 2 at the permitted date and time, the communication unit 40 The confirmation request is received by the reception function. Then, the communication unit 40 determines whether or not reprogramming of the target software is possible in the reprogramming 42. For example, whether the vehicle is activated, whether the target software is being executed even when the vehicle is activated (that is, whether the computer is operating), It is determined whether or not a backup area for programming can be secured and whether or not communication time can be secured until the end of reprogramming. The communication unit 40 transmits the determination result (confirmation result) to the software management center 2 by the transmission function of the communication unit. In the case of the confirmation result that the reprogramming is possible, the rewriting program for reprogramming is transmitted from the software management center 2 to the vehicle 4, so the communication unit 40 receives the rewriting program by the receiving function, As described above, the gateway 41 converts the data format of the rewriting program. The communication unit 40 rewrites the program using the rewriting program whose data format is converted by the reprogramming 42, and outputs the rewritten program to the target computer. However, in a computer such as a vehicle multimedia, reprogramming and schedule management are performed not in the communication unit 40 but in the computer. Therefore, such a computer is converted by a gateway 41 and rewritten in a data format. Is output as is.

  As an embodiment different from the above embodiment, when a reprogramming schedule (permitted / not permitted, permitted date / time, etc.) is transmitted from the user terminal 3 to the vehicle 4, the communication unit 40 receives the schedule by the reception function. To do. In the communication unit 40, when the permitted date and time is reached, the reprogramming 42 determines whether or not the target software can be reprogrammed. If it is determined that reprogramming is possible, the communication unit 40 transmits a transmission request for the rewriting program to be reprogrammed to the software management center 2 by the transmission function. When the rewriting program is transmitted from the software management center 2 to the vehicle 4 in response to the transmission request, the communication unit 40 receives the reception function by the reception function, converts the data format by the gateway 41, and reprograms 42 as described above. Perform reprogramming with. When it is determined that reprogramming is not possible, the communication unit 40 transmits information that cannot be reprogrammed to the software management center 2 by the transmission function. However, when reprogramming disapproval is transmitted as a schedule, the communication unit 40 does not perform the above processing.

  When the reprogramming is executed, the communication unit 40 transmits reprogramming success / failure information to the software management center 2 by the transmission function.

  In the present embodiment, the communication unit 40 corresponds to the in-vehicle device described in the claims, the reception function of the communication unit 40 corresponds to the update information receiving means described in the claims, and the communication unit 40 reprogramming 42 corresponds to the vehicle information update means described in the claims, and the gateway 41 of the communication unit 40 corresponds to the gateway described in the claims.

  With reference to FIG. 1, the operation | movement in the reprogramming system 1 for vehicles is demonstrated along the flowchart of FIG. Here, the operation when the reprogramming schedule is transmitted from the user terminal 3 to the software management center 2 will be described. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an operation flow in the vehicle reprogramming system according to the present embodiment.

  In the software management center 2, when a program for rewriting the software for the vehicle is prepared, the server 20 sends a reprogramming guide to the user terminal 3 of the user of each vehicle using the software. It transmits via the network N (S1).

  The user terminal 3 receives the reprogramming guidance (S2). Then, the user terminal 3 displays reprogramming guidance (type and contents of updatable software, schedule setting request, etc.) (S3).

  The user checks the reprogramming guidance screen displayed on the user terminal 3. Then, the user determines whether or not the software needs to be updated, and inputs the permission date and time on the user terminal 3 in the case of permission / non-permission or permission of the update.

  The user terminal 3 accepts a reprogramming schedule (permission / non-permission, permission date, etc.) by the user (S4). Then, the user terminal 3 transmits the reprogramming schedule to the software management center 2 (server 20) via the public network N (S5).

  In the software management center 2, the server 20 receives the schedule (S6). When the permitted date and time set in the schedule is reached, the software management center 2 transmits a request for confirmation that the server 20 is in a reprogrammable state to the target vehicle 4 (S7). Note that if the reprogramming schedule is set to not permitted, the subsequent operations from S7 are not performed.

  In the vehicle 4, in response to the confirmation request from the communication unit 40, it is determined whether or not reprogramming is possible (S8). In the vehicle 4, the communication unit 40 transmits the determination result to the software management center 2.

  In the software management center 2, the server 20 receives the determination result. If it is determined in S8 that reprogramming is not possible, the software management center 2 returns to the operation in S1 and the server 20 provides reprogramming guidance to the user terminal 3 of the user of the vehicle (previous schedule). Notification that reprogramming is impossible at the permitted date and time) is transmitted via the public network N. On the other hand, when the reprogramming is possible based on the determination result of S8, in the software management center 2, the server 20 transmits the rewriting program to the target vehicle 4 (S9).

  In the vehicle 4, the communication unit 40 receives the rewriting program (S10). In the communication unit 40, the gateway 41 converts the data format of the rewriting program, rewrites the program using the rewriting program whose data format has been converted by the reprogramming 42, and outputs the rewritten program to the target computer ( S11).

  Furthermore, the following operations may be performed after reprogramming. The communication unit 40 of the vehicle 4 notifies the software management center 2 of the success / failure information of the reprogramming. When the reprogramming success / unsuccess information is notified from the vehicle 4, the server 20 of the software management center 2 notifies the target user terminal 3 of the reprogramming success / unsuccess information. When the user terminal 3 is notified of the success / failure information of the reprogramming, the user terminal 3 displays the success / failure information on the screen. As a result, the user can confirm whether or not the reprogramming is successful even when the user is not in the vehicle.

  According to the vehicle reprogramming system 1, the user can update the software at a place other than the vehicle by accepting the update schedule by the user at the user terminal 3 in accordance with the reprogramming guidance from the software management center 2. You can set your own schedule. Furthermore, according to the vehicle reprogramming system 1, by updating the software according to the schedule received by the user terminal 3, it is not necessary for the user to be in the vehicle 4 when updating the software. Is not restrained in the vehicle 4 when updating.

  As mentioned above, although embodiment which concerns on this invention was described, this invention is implemented in various forms, without being limited to the said embodiment.

  For example, in the present embodiment, the present invention is applied when the software is updated as the vehicle information. However, the present invention can also be applied when other vehicle information such as map data is updated.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Vehicle reprogramming system, 2 ... Software management center, 3 ... User terminal, 4 ... Vehicle, 20 ... Server, 40 ... Communication unit, 41 ... Gateway, 42 ... Reprogramming

Claims (4)

A vehicle information update system for updating vehicle information with an in-vehicle device mounted on a vehicle, using update information transmitted from a vehicle information management device provided outside the vehicle,
The vehicle information management device updates the vehicle information to the vehicle according to an update guidance transmission unit that transmits vehicle information update guidance to a user terminal used by a user of the vehicle, and a vehicle information update schedule received by the user terminal. Update information transmitting means for transmitting the information for use,
The user terminal includes an update guide receiving unit that receives an update guide of vehicle information transmitted from the vehicle information management device, and a user schedules an update of the vehicle information based on the update guide received by the update guide receiving unit. A schedule input means for inputting, and a schedule transmission means for transmitting the schedule input from the schedule input means to the vehicle information management device or the vehicle,
The in-vehicle device updates vehicle information using update information receiving means for receiving vehicle information update information transmitted from the vehicle information management device, and update information received by the update information receiving means. Vehicle information update means,
In accordance with a vehicle information update schedule received by the user terminal in accordance with vehicle information update guidance transmitted from the vehicle information management device, the vehicle-mounted information is updated using the update information transmitted from the vehicle information management device. A vehicle information update system, wherein vehicle information is updated by an apparatus. A user terminal used by a vehicle user,
An update guide receiving means for receiving an update guide for vehicle information transmitted from a vehicle information management device provided outside the vehicle, and a user schedules an update of the vehicle information based on the update guide received by the update guide receiving means. A schedule input means for inputting, and a schedule transmission means for transmitting the schedule input from the schedule input means to the vehicle information management device or the vehicle,
A vehicle information update schedule input by a user in response to vehicle information update guidance transmitted from the vehicle information management device is received, and the schedule is transmitted to the vehicle information management device or the vehicle. User terminal. An in-vehicle device that is installed in a vehicle and updates vehicle information using information for update transmitted from a vehicle information management device provided outside the vehicle,
Update information receiving means for receiving vehicle information update information transmitted from the vehicle information management device; and vehicle information update means for updating vehicle information using the update information received by the update information receiving means. Prepared,
Vehicle information is updated using the update information transmitted from the vehicle information management device in accordance with a vehicle information update schedule received by the user terminal in response to the vehicle information update guidance transmitted from the vehicle information management device. An in-vehicle device that is updated. With a gateway,
The gateway converts the vehicle information update information received by the update information receiving means into a data format that can be used in the vehicle,
The in-vehicle device according to claim 3, wherein the vehicle information update unit updates vehicle information using update information in a data format converted by the gateway.

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