JP2008144600A - Vehicular electronic control system and installation method of vehicular electronic control device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a vehicular electronic control system capable of preventing storage of data except for normal data in an ECU. <P>SOLUTION: This vehicular electronic control system 40 has electronic control devices (ECU) 41 to 44, and has storage areas 41a to 44a storing data for electrically controlling an apparatus mounted on a vehicle 10. The vehicular electronic control system 40 has a terminal part 50 connected to a writing-in device 60 for rewriting written data stored in the storage areas 41a to 44a of the ECU 41 to 44. This vehicular electronic control system 40 also has a warning operation means for transmitting a signal by operating a warning lamp 17 in a state of installing the ECU 41 to 44 in the vehicle 10, and a releasing means for turning off the warning lamp 17 after rewriting the written data. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an electronic control system for a vehicle including an electronic control device mounted on a vehicle such as an automobile, and an assembling method for assembling the electronic control device for a vehicle to the vehicle.

  In order to control various devices mounted on a vehicle such as an automobile, an electronic control system including an electronic control unit (hereinafter, simply referred to as an ECU) is used. The ECU has a storage area (memory) in which control data such as a main program and various maps according to the control target is installed. For example, the ECU controls an engine or an exhaust purification device such as a DPF (Diesel Particulate Filter). The functions are wide-ranging. An ECU having a diagnosis function (diagnosis) is also known.

As means for writing data to an ECU attached to a vehicle, for example, as described in Patent Document 1 below, it is stored in a database by connecting a terminal device such as a personal computer to a diagnostic communication line of the vehicle. The data is written to the ECU of each vehicle.
JP 2003-120413 A

  The work of writing data to the ECU for each vehicle on a vehicle production line or the like requires considerable effort and time. Therefore, data used for the most shipped vehicles among various vehicles is stored in advance as defaults in each ECU, and rewritten to specific data for each vehicle for vehicles with a small number of shipped vehicles. Is considered.

  However, when the ECU hardware of multiple types of vehicles is common, the ECU has the same external appearance and only the software is different. Therefore, an ECU that is not written with proper data suitable for the vehicle specifications is attached to the vehicle. Such a vehicle cannot exhibit its original performance.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an electronic control system for a vehicle that can prevent data other than normal data from being stored in an ECU, and an assembling method for assembling the electronic control device for a vehicle to the vehicle.

  An electronic control system for a vehicle according to the present invention is an electronic control system for a vehicle including an electronic control device including a storage area for storing data for electrically controlling equipment mounted on the vehicle. A terminal connected to a writing device for rewriting written data stored in the area, and a warning operating means for transmitting a signal for operating the warning means in a state in which the electronic control unit is attached to the vehicle And warning canceling means for canceling the warning by the warning means after the written data is rewritten to data corresponding to the vehicle.

An example of the warning means is a warning lamp provided on the instrument panel of the vehicle.
In the storage area, data corresponding to the specification of the vehicle with the largest number of shipments among a plurality of types of vehicles in which an electronic control device having the same hardware as the electronic control device is used may be stored in advance.

  A method of assembling a vehicle electronic control device according to the present invention is a method of assembling an electronic control device to a vehicle having warning means for issuing a warning, wherein the electronic control device is attached to a predetermined position of the vehicle. In this state, it is necessary to operate the warning means to issue a warning, to read the written data stored in advance in the storage area of the electronic control unit, and to update the written data A determination step for determining whether or not the write-in data is rewritten to data corresponding to the vehicle when it is determined in the determination step that the written data needs to be updated; And a warning canceling step for stopping the operation of the warning means after the writing step is completed.

  In the assembling method of the present invention, whether or not the written data is correct by comparing the written data with the verification data when it is determined in the determining step that the written data need not be updated. A collation step for determining whether or not the written data is correct in the collation step, and proceeds to the warning release step, and when the written data is determined to be incorrect in the collation step, You may make it progress to a writing step.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, it can prevent that data other than normal is memorize | stored in the electronic control apparatus attached to the vehicle, and regular data according to a vehicle can be memorize | stored in an electronic control apparatus. For example, common data used for a vehicle with a large number of shipments is stored in the electronic control device as a default in advance, the vehicle with a large number of shipments uses the common data as it is, and only the vehicle with a small number of shipments stores the common data. When updating, it is possible to prevent forgetting to update data by mistake. By doing so, regular data can be efficiently stored in the electronic control unit.

  Hereinafter, an electronic control system for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention and a method for assembling the electronic control device for a vehicle will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4.

  FIG. 1 shows an example of a vehicle 10. The vehicle 10 includes a vehicle body 11, an engine 12 that is an example of equipment mounted on the vehicle 10, and an exhaust purification device 13 that purifies exhaust gas discharged from the engine 12. The exhaust purification device 13 is, for example, a diesel particulate filter (DPF).

  In addition, the vehicle 10 includes a battery 14 that functions as an in-vehicle power source, an instrument panel 16 that is disposed in the front of the cab 15, a warning lamp 17 that is an example of warning means for issuing a warning, and a lamp driving circuit. 18 and a switch 19 such as an ignition switch for turning on and off the power. Reference numeral 20 in FIG. 1 indicates a front wheel. As other devices mounted on the vehicle 10, for example, an anti-lock brake system (ABS), an airbag device (both not shown), and the like may be provided.

  FIG. 2 shows an example of the instrument panel 16. Various indicators 31, indicator lamps 32, warning lamps 17, and the like that are operated according to the state of the vehicle 10 are arranged at predetermined positions on the instrument panel 16, including the speedometer 30. Instead of providing the ECU warning lamp 17, one of the indicator lamps 32 may also serve as the ECU warning lamp.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle 10 includes a vehicle electronic control system 40. The vehicle electronic control system 40 includes, for example, an engine electronic control device (ECU 41), an airbag electronic control device (ECU 42), and a DPF electronic control device (ECU 43), depending on the device to be controlled. And an electronic control unit (ECU 44) for ABS. Although ECUs other than the ECUs 41 to 44 are used according to the specifications of the vehicle 10, the description thereof is omitted in this specification.

  FIG. 3 shows an example of the ECU 41. In the ECU 41, software that performs the following processing is programmed in a hardware memory including an integrated circuit made of a semiconductor chip or the like. The ECU 41 includes a harness 45 for flowing an electric signal when inputting / outputting data.

  The ECUs 41, 42, 43, and 44 include storage areas 41a, 42a, 43a, and 44a, respectively. In these storage areas 41a to 44a, data for electrically controlling the device to be controlled can be stored. In the storage areas 41a to 44a, common data corresponding to the specifications of the vehicle with the largest number of shipments among a plurality of types of vehicles in which the ECUs having the same hardware as the ECUs 41 to 44 are used is stored in advance. In this specification, this common data is referred to as written data. Further, software for a diagnostic function (diagnosis) is installed in the ECUs 41 to 44 as necessary.

  The vehicle electronic control system 40 includes a terminal portion 50. The terminal unit 50 is shared with, for example, a diagnosis terminal, and can be connected to an external device (not shown) for diagnosis and to an external writing device 60. ing. The terminal unit 50 and the ECUs 41 to 44 are electrically connected to each other via a CAN (Control Area Network) communication line.

  The writing device 60 uses a personal computer or the like. A database 61 is connected to the writing device 60. The database 61 stores ECU data corresponding to each vehicle type. By connecting the terminal 62 of the writing device 60 to the terminal section 50 and operating the writing device 60, the ECU data read from the database 61 can be written to the ECUs 41 to 44. That is, the terminal unit 50 can be used when the written data (common data) stored in advance in the ECUs 41 to 44 is rewritten.

  The vehicle electronic control system 40 includes a warning lamp 17 as an example of warning means, a warning actuating means (step ST3 in a computer program to be described later), and a warning canceling means (step to be described later) for releasing the warning by the warning lamp 17. Software for executing ST8) and the like is provided. The warning actuating means (step ST3) has a function of outputting a signal for operating the warning lamp 17 to the lamp driving circuit 18 in a state where the writing device 60 is connected to the terminal portion 50.

Hereinafter, a procedure for assembling the electronic control unit (ECUs 41 to 44) to the vehicle 10 will be described with reference to FIG.
First, in step ST <b> 1, the ECUs 41 to 44 are attached to predetermined positions of the vehicle 10. Further, the terminal 62 of the writing device 60 is connected to the terminal unit 50. In addition, you may perform the connection to this terminal part 50 in step ST2 or step ST3 mentioned later.

  In step ST2, by turning on the power supply (for example, the switch 19), the ECUs 41 to 44 can be made to function. If it does so, it will progress to step ST3, the signal which operates the lamp drive circuit 18 will be output, and the warning lamp 17 which is a warning means will light (or blink).

  A signal for operating the lamp driving circuit 18 may be output from each of the ECUs 41 to 44 or may be output from the writing device 60. By outputting from each of the ECUs 41 to 44, it is determined that data is written in a writing step ST7 described later for all ECUs that need to be written, or written data is correct in a checking step ST6 described later. Until this is done, since the warning lamp 17 is not turned off, there is an advantage that it is possible to effectively prevent the ECU from forgetting to write.

Thereafter, in step ST4, written data (common data) stored in advance in the storage areas 41a to 44a of the ECUs 41 to 44 is read.
In determination step ST5, it is determined whether or not the written data needs to be updated. In the case of a vehicle with the largest number of shipments, the written data stored in advance in the storage areas 41a to 44a are used as they are, so the process proceeds to the collation step ST6 without updating the data.

  In collation step ST6, the written data is collated with the collation data stored in the database 61 to determine whether or not the data is regular written data (data correct / incorrect). Instead of collating all the data, it is possible to judge whether the data is correct by collating only the data for collation (for example, checksum).

  When it is determined in the collation step ST6 that the written data is correct, the process proceeds to the warning cancellation step ST8. When it is determined in the verification step ST6 that the written data is not correct, the process proceeds to the writing step ST7, and the regular data stored in the database 61 is written.

  In the determination step ST5, when it is determined that it is necessary to update the written data, that is, when the vehicle has a small number of shipments, the written data stored in the storage areas 41a to 44a in advance is stored. It is necessary to rewrite at least some of them. For this reason, it progresses to writing step ST7.

  In the writing step ST7, an operation of rewriting at least a part of the written data stored in the storage areas 41a to 44a into individual specific data corresponding to the vehicle is performed. That is, data corresponding to the vehicle is written from the database 61 to at least a part of the storage areas 41a to 44a.

  After the writing step ST7 is completed, the process proceeds to the warning release step ST8, and a signal for stopping the warning operation by the warning lamp 17 is output to the lamp driving circuit 18. As a result, the warning lamp 17 is extinguished, so that a worker on the production line can confirm that regular data corresponding to the vehicle has been written in the ECUs 41 to 44.

  According to the present embodiment, it is possible to prevent non-normal data from being stored in the ECUs 41 to 44 attached to the vehicle 10, and normal data corresponding to the vehicle 10 can be stored in the ECUs 41 to 44. In addition, common data used for vehicles with a large number of shipments is stored in advance in the ECUs 41 to 44 as a default, the vehicles with a large number of shipments use the common data as they are, and only the vehicles with a small number of shipments store the common data. By updating, regular data according to the vehicle can be efficiently stored in the ECUs 41 to 44, and in this case, it is possible to prevent the data from being forgotten to be updated.

  Needless to say, in implementing the present invention, the components of the present invention can be appropriately modified and implemented, including data stored in the ECU, the terminal section, the warning actuating means, the warning canceling means, and the electronic control unit. For example, the warning means may be arranged at a place other than the instrument panel, and may be provided in the writing device, for example. The warning means need not be dedicated to the ECU, and the indicator lamp may also serve as the warning lamp, for example, by blinking any of various indicator lamps arranged on the instrument panel.

The side view which shows typically a part of vehicle provided with the electronic control apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. The front view of a part of instrument panel of the vehicle shown in FIG. The perspective view which shows an example of the electronic control apparatus shown by FIG. The flowchart which shows an example of the procedure which attaches the electronic control apparatus shown by FIG. 1 to a vehicle.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Vehicle 16 ... Instrument panel 17 ... Warning lamp (an example of warning means)
40: Electronic control system for vehicles 41, 42, 43, 44 ... Electronic control unit (ECU)
41a, 42a, 43a, 44a ... storage area 50 ... terminal part ST3 ... warning operation step (warning operation means)
ST8 ... Warning cancel step (release means)

Claims (5)

An electronic control system for a vehicle including an electronic control device including a storage area for storing data for electrically controlling equipment mounted on the vehicle,
A terminal unit connected to a writing device for rewriting written data stored in the storage area;
Warning activation means for transmitting a signal for activating warning means in a state where the electronic control unit is attached to the vehicle;
Warning release means for releasing the warning by the warning means after the written data is rewritten to data corresponding to the vehicle;
An electronic control system for a vehicle, comprising:   2. The vehicle electronic control system according to claim 1, wherein the warning means is a warning lamp provided on an instrument panel of the vehicle.   In the storage area, data corresponding to the specification of the vehicle with the largest number of shipments among a plurality of types of vehicles in which an electronic control device having the same hardware as the electronic control device is used is stored in advance. The vehicle electronic control system according to claim 1 or 2. A method of assembling an electronic control unit in a vehicle equipped with a warning means for issuing a warning,
Activating the warning means in a state where the electronic control device is attached to a predetermined position of the vehicle, and issuing a warning;
Reading written data stored in advance in a storage area of the electronic control unit;
A determination step of determining whether the written data needs to be updated;
A writing step of rewriting the written data to data corresponding to the vehicle when it is determined in the determining step that the written data needs to be updated;
A warning release step of stopping the operation by the warning means after the writing step is completed;
A method for assembling the vehicle electronic control device.   A collation step for judging whether the written data is correct or not by collating the written data with the collation data when it is judged that the written data does not need to be updated in the judging step; The process proceeds to the warning release step when the written data is determined to be correct in the collating step, and proceeds to the writing step when the written data is determined to be incorrect in the collating step. A method for assembling the vehicle electronic control device according to claim 4.

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