Control means, in-vehicle program rewriting device equipped with same, and in-vehicle program rewriting method

A controller mounted on a vehicle, the controller comprising:

• (i) a communication area for receiving information sent via an external communication means from a server provided outside the vehicle;
• a normal control area for performing normal control of the vehicle based on an in-vehicle program;
• and
• an internal communication unit that connects the communication area and the normal control area in a communicable manner, wherein
• (ii) the communication area includes a data storage unit that stores a received update program, and an update program transfer unit that transfers the update program stored in the data storage unit in response to a transfer request from the normal control area, and
• (iii) the normal control area includes an update determining unit that determines that updating can be performed when a predetermined program updating condition is satisfied, a transfer requesting unit that requests the communication area to transfer the update program when the update determining unit determines that updating can be performed, and a program updating unit that rewrites the in-vehicle program using the update program transferred from the communication area.