Center device, specification data generation method and computer program product for generating specification data

A specification data generation method for generating specification data that is transmitted to an update target electronic control unit (ECU) together with update data to be written in the update target ECU that is a target ECU for a data update among a plurality of ECUs mounted in a vehicle, the method comprising:

• generating the specification data including a device type of the update target ECU, an attribute of the update target ECU, update data-related information for the update target ECU, and information indicative of a rewrite environment related to the data update for the update target ECU;
• and
• when the update target ECU are a plurality of update target ECUs, generating the specification data for the plurality of target update ECUs as one file, wherein
• the method further comprises generating the specification data including, as the attribute of each of the plurality of update target ECUs, information related to a connection power supply of each of the plurality of update target ECUs or information related to a memory of each of the plurality of update target ECUs,
• the information related to the connection power supply is information indicating that a power supply connected to each of the plurality of update target ECUs is one of a battery power supply, an accessory power supply, or an ignition power supply, and
• the information related to the memory is information indicating that a memory structure of each of the plurality of update target ECUs is a single-bank memory or a double-bank memory.

A program product for generating specification data for a center device that includes a computer readable medium and a processor and is configured to administer data to be written in a plurality of electronic control units (ECUs) mounted in a vehicle, the center device including:

• an update data storage unit that is configured to store the update data for an update target ECU of the plurality of ECUs;
• a vehicle information storage unit that is configured to store, together with a type of the vehicle, vehicle-related information related to a device identification for each of the plurality of ECUs and identification for data stored in each of the plurality of ECUs;
• and
• a device-related information storage unit that is configured to store update data-related information related to an attribute of the update target ECU and the update data, the computer program product stored on the computer readable medium and comprising instructions configured to, when executed, cause the processor to:
• generate specification data based on the information stored in the vehicle information storage unit and the information stored in the device-related information storage unit such that the specification data includes a type of the update target ECU, the attribute of the update target ECU, the update data-related information for the update target ECU, and information indicative of a rewrite environment related to a data update of the update target ECU;
• and
• when the update target ECU are a plurality of update target ECUs, generate the specification data for the plurality of target update ECUs as one file, wherein
• the device-related information storage unit is further configured to store, as the attribute of each of the plurality of update target ECUs, information related to a connection power supply of each of the plurality of update target ECUs or information related to a memory of each of the plurality of update target ECUs,
• the information related to the connection power supply is information indicating that a power supply connected to each of the plurality of update target ECUs is one of a battery power supply, an accessory power supply, or an ignition power supply,
• the information related to the memory is information indicating that a memory structure of each of the plurality of update target ECUs is a single-bank memory or a double-bank memory, and
• the computer program product further causes the processor to generate the specification data including, as the attribute of each of the plurality of update target ECUs, the information related to the connection power supply of each of the plurality of update target ECUs or the information related to the memory of each of the plurality of update target ECUs.

A vehicle program rewrite system, comprising:

• a center device that is configured to administer data to be written in a plurality of electronic control units (ECUs) mounted in a vehicle;
• and
• a master device that is mounted in the vehicle and is configured to control a program update for the plurality of ECUs, wherein
• the center device includes:
• an update data storage unit that is configured to store update data for an update target ECU that is a target ECU for a program update among the plurality of ECUs;
• a vehicle information storage unit that is configured to store, together with a type of the vehicle, vehicle-related information related to a device identification for each of the plurality of ECUs and an identification for data stored in each of the plurality of ECUs;
• a device-related information storage unit that is configured to store update data-related information related to an attribute of the update target ECU and the update data;
• a specification data generation unit that is configured to generate specification data based on the information stored in the vehicle information storage unit and the information stored in the device-related information storage unit, the specification data being data to be distributed to the vehicle together with the update data to be written in the update target ECU and including a type of the update target ECU, the attribute of the update target ECU, the update data-related information for the update target ECU, and information indicative of a rewrite environment related to the data update of the update target ECU;
• and
• a distribution unit that is configured to distribute the specification data and the update data to the vehicle, wherein
• when the update target ECU are a plurality of update target ECUs, the specification data generation unit is further configured to generate the specification data as one file for the plurality of update target ECUs,
• the device-related information storage unit is further configured to store, as the attribute of each of the plurality of update target ECUs, information related to a connection power supply of each of the plurality of update target ECUs or information related to a memory of each of the plurality of update target ECUs, and
• the specification data generation unit is further configured to generate the specification data including, as the attribute of each of the plurality of update target ECUs, the information related to the connection power supply of each of the plurality of update target ECUs or the information related to the memory of each of the plurality of update target ECUs,
• the information related to the connection power supply is information indicating that a power supply connected to each of the plurality of update target ECUs is one of a battery power supply, an accessory power supply, or an ignition power supply, and
• the information related to the memory is information indicating that a memory structure of each of the plurality of update target ECUs is a single-bank memory or a double-bank memory, wherein
• the master device includes a computer that is configured to control a program update for each of the plurality of update target ECUs by referring to the attribute of each of the plurality of update target ECUs included in the specification data.

A center device that is configured to administer data to be written in a plurality of electronic control units (ECUs) mounted in a vehicle, the center device comprising at least one processor programmed to:

• store update data for an update target ECU that is a target ECU for a program update among the plurality of ECUs;
• store, together with a type of the vehicle, vehicle-related information related to a device identification for each of the plurality of ECUs and identification for data stored in each of the plurality of ECUs;
• store update data-related information related to an attribute of the update target ECU and the update data;
• and
• generate specification data based on the stored type of the vehicle and the stored vehicle-related information and the stored update data-related information, wherein
• the specification data is data to be distributed to the vehicle together with the update data to be written in the update target ECU and includes a type of the update target ECU, the attribute of the update target ECU, the update data-related information for the update target ECU, and information indicative of a rewrite environment related to the data update of the update target ECU, wherein
• when the update target ECU are a plurality of update target ECUs, the at least one processor is further programmed to:
• generate the specification data as one file for the plurality of update target ECUs;
• store, as the attribute of each of the plurality of update target ECUs, information related to a connection power supply of each of the plurality of update target ECUs or information related to a memory of each of the plurality of update target ECUs;
• and
• generate the specification data including, as the attribute of each of the plurality of update target ECUs, the information related to the connection power supply of each of the plurality of update target ECUs or the information related to the memory of each of the plurality of update target ECUs, wherein
• the information related to the connection power supply is information indicating that a power supply connected to each of the plurality of update target ECUs is one of a battery power supply, an accessory power supply, or an ignition power supply, and
• the information related to the memory is information indicating that a memory structure of each of the plurality of update target ECUs is a single-bank memory or a double-bank memory.