# US 12,217,043 B2 · Software updating device, software updating method, and software updating program > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,217,043 B2 - Document ID: US12217043B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/911,669 - Filed: 2020-03-18 - Published: 2023-05-04 - Granted: 2025-02-04 - Earliest claimed: 2020-03-18 - Assignees: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Yoshimori Shizuka; Eisuke Ohashi; Masayuki Motegi; Hidetoshi Hayashi; Mitsuhiko Kikuchi - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12217043B2 ## CPC - G06F 8/65: Updates (security arrangements therefor G06F21/57) - B60R 16/033: characterised by the use of electrical cells or batteries (for propulsion puposes B60K1/04; supplying batteries to, or removing batteries from, vehicles B60S5/06; testing of charge state G01R31/36) - B60L 50/61: by batteries charged by engine-driven generators, e.g. series hybrid electric vehicles - Y02T 90/167: Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for supporting the interoperability of electric or hybrid vehicles, i.e. smartgrids as interface for battery charging of electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV] - Y04S 30/12: Remote or cooperative charging - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - B60L: PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of electrical propulsion units or of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion in vehicles B60K1/00, B60K6/20; arrangements or mounting of electrical gearing in vehicles B60K17/12, B60K17/14; preventing wheel slip by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/08; dynamo-electric machines H02K; control or regulation of electric motors H02P); SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (electric coupling devices combined with mechanical couplings of vehicles B60D1/64; electric heating for vehicles B60H1/00); ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL (control or regulation of electric motors H02P); MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION - Y04S: SYSTEMS INTEGRATING TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO POWER NETWORK OPERATION, COMMUNICATION OR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES FOR IMPROVING THE ELECTRICAL POWER GENERATION, TRANSMISSION, DISTRIBUTION, MANAGEMENT OR USAGE, i.e. SMART GRIDS ## Abstract A software updating device is provided executes a process for updating software that operate a vehicle-mounted equipment. The software updating device includes a controller and a chargeable onboard battery. The controller acquires the software and applies the software to control the equipment. The chargeable onboard battery supplies electric power to the controller. The controller executes the software update process using the electric power supplied from the onboard battery, when the onboard battery is not being charged. When the controller executes the software update process using the electric power supplied from the onboard battery, the controller prohibits charging of the onboard battery when the onboard battery is not being charged. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A software updating device comprising: a controller including a processor and a storage; and a chargeable onboard battery configured to supply electric power to the controller, the controller being configured to: acquire a second software to be used for updating a first software that operates a vehicle-mounted equipment of a vehicle; and determine whether the chargeable onboard battery is being charged; upon determining that the chargeable onboard battery is not being charged, execute a software update process that includes using the electric power supplied from the chargeable onboard battery to overwrite the first software with the second software, the controller being configured to prohibit charging of the chargeable onboard battery during the software update process; and upon determining that the chargeable onboard battery is being charged, prohibit the execution of the software update process. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The software updating device according to claim 1, wherein the chargeable onboard battery is configured to be charged by an external power supply, and the controller is configured to execute the software update control using the electric power supplied from the chargeable onboard battery when the chargeable onboard battery is not being charged at least by the external power supply. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The software updating device according to claim 1, wherein the chargeable onboard battery is configured to be charged by an internal combustion engine of the vehicle, and the controller is configured to execute the software update control using the electric power supplied from the chargeable onboard battery when the chargeable onboard battery is not being charged at least by the internal combustion engine. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The software updating device according to claim 1, wherein: the controller includes a first storage unit that stores the first software, and a second storage unit that stores the second software; the software update process includes overwriting the first software stored in the first storage unit with the second software; and the charging of the chargeable onboard battery is prohibited before the software update process is executed. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The software updating device according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to acquire an amount of charge in the chargeable onboard battery, and the controller being configured to prohibit the software update process when the amount of charge in the chargeable onboard battery is less than a prescribed value. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The software updating device according to claim 1, wherein the software updating device is mounted in an electric vehicle. ### Claim 7 A software update method for a vehicle that includes a controller, a vehicle-mounted equipment, and a chargeable onboard battery, the software update method comprising: acquiring a second software to be used for updating a first software that operates the vehicle-mounted equipment; determining whether the chargeable onboard battery is being charged; upon determining that the chargeable onboard battery is not being charged, executing a software update that includes using electric power supplied to the controller from the chargeable onboard battery to overwrite the first software with the second software; prohibiting charging of the chargeable onboard battery during the software update process; and prohibiting the execution of the software update process upon determining that the chargeable onboard battery is being charged. ### Claim 8 A computer-readable medium comprising: a non-transitory tangible medium on which is stored a computer-executable software update program for implementing a software update process for updating a first software that operates a vehicle-mounted equipment of a vehicle, the software update program being configured to cause a controller to acquire a second software to be used for updating the first software; determine whether a chargeable onboard battery of the vehicle is being charged; execute the software update process upon determining that the chargeable onboard battery is not being charged, the software update process including using electric power supplied to the controller from the chargeable onboard battery to overwrite the first software with the second software; and prohibit charging of the chargeable onboard battery during the software update process; and prohibit the execution of the software update process upon determining that the chargeable onboard battery is being charged.