# US 2021/0173628 A1 · Program updating device, program updating system and program updating method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0173628 A1 - Document ID: US20210173628A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/761,352 - Filed: 2018-10-19 - Published: 2021-06-10 - Earliest claimed: 2017-11-06 - Assignees: Autonetworks Technologies, Ltd.; Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd.; Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd. - Applicants: AutoNetworks Technologies, Ltd.; Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd.; Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd. - Inventors: Shinichi Aiba; Hiroshi Ueda; Masayuki Inoue; Hiroshi Tateishi; Shogo Kamiguchi - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210173628A1 ## CPC - G06F 8/65: Updates (security arrangements therefor G06F21/57) - H04L 67/12: specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract Provided is a program updating device, program updating system, and a program updating method for updating a program without imposing a load on a user. A program updating device (“PUD”) includes a communication unit transmitting/receiving information to/from an in-vehicle device operating on a software program, the PUD transmitting update information of a software program from the communication unit to execute update processing, further including: a determination unit configured to determine whether an operation switch of a vehicle has been switched from an on-state to an off-state; a state control unit configured to, if it is determined that the operation switch has been switched to the off-state, instruct to transition to a driving-prohibition state and hold an ignition-on state; and an update processing unit configured to start update processing based on the update information after confirming of a state is made. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A program updating device comprising a communication unit configured to transmit/receive information to/from an in-vehicle device that operates based on a software program, the program updating device being configured to transmit update information of a software program from the communication unit to execute update processing, further including: a determination unit configured to determine whether an operation switch of a vehicle has been switched from an on-state to an off-state; a state control unit configured to, if it is determined by the determination unit that the operation switch has been switched to the off-state, instruct to transition to a driving-prohibition state of the vehicle and to hold an ignition-on state of the vehicle; and an update processing unit configured to start update processing based on the update information after confirming that the vehicle has transitioned to the driving-prohibition state and that the ignition-on state is held, in response to the instruction from the state control unit. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The program updating device according to claim 1, wherein when the state control unit confirms that the update processing has been completed by the update processing unit, the state control unit cancels the transition to the drive prohibition state of the vehicle and the holding of the ignition-on state. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The program updating device according to claim 2, wherein if the operation switch is in the off-state when holding of the ignition-on state is cancelled, the determination unit switches the vehicle to the ignition-off state. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The program updating device according to claim 1, wherein the state control unit instructs a transition to the driving-prohibition state of the vehicle and holds the ignition-on state of the vehicle, and instructs to ventilate the vehicle. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The program updating device according to claim 1, further comprising: a detection device configured to detect a toxic component in the air in an interior of the vehicle, and if a toxic component of a predetermined concentration or more is detected, the update processing unit interrupts update processing, cancels transition to the driving-prohibition state of the vehicle, and cancels holding of the ignition-on state. ### Claim 6 A program updating system comprising: a plurality of in-vehicle devices configured to operate based on a software program; a drive control device configured to control driving of a vehicle, a power supply control device configured to perform distribution processing of electric power from an in-vehicle power supply; and a program updating device that includes a communication unit configured to transmit/receive information to/from the in-vehicle devices, the drive control device, and the power supply control device, and executes update processing by transmitting update information corresponding to the software program from the communication unit, wherein the program updating device includes: a determination unit configured to determine whether an operation switch of the vehicle has been switched from an on-state to an off-state; a state control unit configured to, if it is determined by the determination unit that the operation switch has been switched to the off-state, transmit an instruction to transition to a driving-prohibition state of the vehicle to the drive control device and an instruction to hold an ignition-on state of the vehicle to the power supply control device, from the communication unit; and an update processing unit configured to, when receiving a notification of completing the transition to the driving-prohibition state from the driving control device, and a notification of completing of the holding of the ignition-on state from the power supply control device, start update processing based on the update information. ### Claim 7 A program updating method performed by a system including: a plurality of in-vehicle devices configured to operate based on a software program; a drive control device configured to control driving of a vehicle, a power supply control device configured to perform distribution processing of electric power from an in-vehicle power supply; and a program updating device including a communication unit configured to transmit/receive information to/from the in-vehicle devices, the drive control device, and the power supply control device, the method for transmitting update information corresponding to the software program to the in-vehicle devices to execute update processing, the method including processing in which: the program updating device determines whether an operation switch of the vehicle has been switched from an on-state to an off-state, and if it is determined that the switch has been switched to the off state, the program updating device transmits an instruction to transition to the driving-prohibition state of the vehicle to the driving control device, and an instruction to hold an ignition-on state of the vehicle to the power supply control device, from the communication unit, respectively, if an instruction to transition to the driving-prohibition state is received, the driving control device prohibits driving of the vehicle, and transmits a notification of completing the transition to the program updating device, if the instruction to hold the ignition-on state is received, the power supply control device holds the ignition-on state regardless of the state of the operation switch of the vehicle, and transmits a notification of completing of the holding to the program updating device, and the program updating device starts update processing based on the update information if the notification of completing the transition is received from the drive control device and the notification of completing of the holding is received from the power supply control device. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The program updating device according to claim 2, wherein the state control unit instructs a transition to the driving-prohibition state of the vehicle and holds the ignition-on state of the vehicle, and instructs to ventilate the vehicle. ### Claim 9 (depends on 3) The program updating device according to claim 3, wherein the state control unit instructs a transition to the driving-prohibition state of the vehicle and holds the ignition-on state of the vehicle, and instructs to ventilate the vehicle. ### Claim 10 (depends on 2) The program updating device according to claim 2, further comprising: a detection device configured to detect a toxic component in the air in an interior of the vehicle, and if a toxic component of a predetermined concentration or more is detected, the update processing unit interrupts update processing, cancels transition to the driving-prohibition state of the vehicle, and cancels holding of the ignition-on state. ### Claim 11 (depends on 3) The program updating device according to claim 3, further comprising: a detection device configured to detect a toxic component in the air in an interior of the vehicle, and if a toxic component of a predetermined concentration or more is detected, the update processing unit interrupts update processing, cancels transition to the driving-prohibition state of the vehicle, and cancels holding of the ignition-on state. ### Claim 12 (depends on 4) The program updating device according to claim 4, further comprising: a detection device configured to detect a toxic component in the air in an interior of the vehicle, and if a toxic component of a predetermined concentration or more is detected, the update processing unit interrupts update processing, cancels transition to the driving-prohibition state of the vehicle, and cancels holding of the ignition-on state.