# US 12,117,943 B2 · Electronic control device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,117,943 B2 - Document ID: US12117943B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/254,451 - Filed: 2021-09-09 - Published: 2024-01-18 - Granted: 2024-10-15 - Earliest claimed: 2020-12-23 - Assignees: Hitachi Astemo, Ltd. - Applicants: Hitachi Astemo, Ltd. - Inventors: Masashi Mizoguchi; Tomohito Ebina; Tasuku Ishigooka; Kazuyoshi Serizawa; Kenichi Osada - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12117943B2 ## CPC - G06F 11/1417: {Boot up procedures} - G06F 13/102: {where the program performs an interfacing function, e.g. device driver (G06F13/105 takes precedence; contention policies within device drivers G06F9/4881; scheduling within device drivers G06F9/52)} - B60R 16/0231: {Circuits relating to the driving or the functioning of the vehicle (monitoring tyres B60C23/00; indicating overspeed B60K31/00; for dash boards B60K37/00, B60Q3/10; for indicating emergencies B60Q1/52; brake control systems B60T; registering or indicating the working of vehicles G07C5/00; measuring distance G01C, e.g. combinations of speed and distance G01C23/00; engine indicators G01L; measuring speed or acceleration G01P)} - G06F 11/0778: {Dumping, i.e. gathering error/state information after a fault for later diagnosis} - G06F 2213/40: Bus coupling - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract An object of the present invention is to provide a technology that enables second control software to continue processing using a peripheral circuit even in a situation where an abnormality related to first control software occurs. An electronic control device includes a memory (3) that stores the first control software and the second control software, a CPU (1) that executes the first control software and the second control software, and a peripheral circuit (200) used by the first control software and the second control software. The memory further includes a first buffer (313a) and a second buffer (323a). The CPU interrupts at least one of the processing of storing first peripheral transmission information in the first buffer and the processing of transmitting the first peripheral transmission information to the peripheral in a specific situation in which the abnormality related to the first control software occurs. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A vehicle control device comprising: a memory storing first control software and second control software; a CPU that executes the first control software and the second control software; and a peripheral circuit used by the first control software and the second control software, wherein the memory further includes a first buffer and a second buffer, the CPU is configured to execute: first storage processing of storing first peripheral transmission information in the first buffer, the first peripheral transmission information being transmission information from the first control software to the peripheral circuit; second storage processing of storing second peripheral transmission information in the second buffer, the second peripheral transmission information being transmission information from the second control software to the peripheral circuit; first output processing of outputting the first peripheral transmission information from the first buffer to the peripheral circuit; and second output processing of outputting the second peripheral transmission information from the second buffer to the peripheral circuit, and the CPU interrupts at least one of the first storage processing or the first output processing, in a specific situation where an abnormality related to the first control software has occurred, and continues the second storage processing and the second output processing. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein the CPU is configured to execute first initialization processing of initializing the first buffer in the specific situation. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The vehicle control device according to claim 2, wherein the CPU is configured to further initialize software and hardware related to the first control software, in the first initialization processing. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The vehicle control device according to claim 2, wherein the CPU is configured to restart the first storage processing and the first output processing after the first initialization processing is completed. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein the memory further includes a first dummy buffer, the first dummy buffer includes waiting processing of waiting for a predetermined time, and the CPU is configured to alternately execute the waiting processing and the second output processing in the specific situation. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The vehicle control device according to claim 5, wherein the predetermined time is an average value of times until the first peripheral transmission information arrives at the peripheral circuit from the first control software. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein a safety standard required for the second control software is higher than a safety standard required for the first control software. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein the second control software is configured to execute a part of processing of the first control software in the specific situation. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein the first control software is software for controlling an engine in a hybrid electric vehicle, and the second control software is software for controlling the engine and a motor in the hybrid electric vehicle. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein the specific situation includes at least one of: a situation in which the first control software executes exception handling other than normal processing; a situation in which an abnormality has occurred in software related to the first control software; or a situation in which an abnormality has occurred in hardware related to the first control software. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein the CPU includes at least a first CPU core and a second CPU core, the first CPU core is configured to execute the first control software, and the second CPU core is configured to execute the second control software.