CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is based on and claims priority under 35 USC 119 from Japanese Patent Application No. 2019-162239 filed on Sep. 5, 2019, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to a vehicle on-board communication device and communication method.

Related Art

An invention relating to a vehicle on-board updating device is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application (JP-A) No. 2017-123012 (Patent Document 1). In this vehicle on-board updating device, updating processing of an ECU that is connected to a communication line is achieved as a result of a relay device transmitting updating data via the communication line to the ECU. The relay device determines the communication state of the communication line, and divides the updating data between plural communication lines in accordance with the result of this determination, thereby enabling the ECU updating processing to be performed efficiently.

However, in the case of the structure disclosed in Patent Document 1, if the processing load of the relay device increases, there is a possibility that delays will be generated when the relay device is transmitting the updating data via the communication line. In conjunction with this, there is also a possibility that delays will also be generated in the transmission of control data that is transmitted and received by vehicle on-board devices in order to control the vehicle, and that this will have an effect on operations of that vehicle. Accordingly, there is room for improvement in the above-described prior technology regarding these points.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure was conceived in view of the above-described circumstances and it is an object thereof to provide a vehicle on-board communication device and communication method that enable updating processing to be performed without this having any effect on vehicle operations.

A vehicle on-board communication device according to a first aspect has vehicle on-board instruments that are mounted in a vehicle and are connected to a communication line, and that have a storage that stores data, an acquisition unit that acquires divided updating data that is created by dividing updating data which updates the data stored in the storage of the vehicle on-board instruments, a relay unit that delivers the divided updating data acquired by the acquisition unit to the vehicle on-board instruments via the communication line, an instrument load transmission interval deciding unit that determines a processing load based on a processing state of at least one of the vehicle on-board instruments, the acquisition unit, and the relay unit, and selects a transmission interval for the divided updating data based on this processing load, and a delivery control unit that controls the relay unit such that the divided updating data is delivered to the vehicle on-board instruments at transmission intervals which are equal to or greater than the transmission interval selected by the instrument load transmission interval deciding unit.

According to the first aspect, a vehicle on-board communication device has vehicle on-board instruments, an acquisition unit, a relay unit, an instrument load transmission interval deciding unit, and a delivery control unit. The vehicle on-board instruments are mounted in a vehicle and are connected to a communication line, and also have a storage that stores data. The acquisition unit acquires divided updating data. This divided updating data is created by dividing updating data which is used to update the data stored in the storages of the vehicle on-board devices. The relay unit delivers the divided updating data acquired by the acquisition unit to the vehicle on-board devices via the communication line. During this delivery, the delivery control unit controls the transmission intervals at which this divided updating data is transmitted. More specifically, the instrument load transmission interval deciding unit selects the transmission interval from the processing load of at least one of the vehicle on-board instruments, the acquisition unit, or the relay unit. Additionally, the delivery control unit performs control so as to ensure that the divided updating data is delivered at a transmission interval that is equal to or greater than the transmission interval selected by the instrument load transmission interval deciding unit. Accordingly, because the transmission interval is selected based on the processing loads of the vehicle on-board instruments, the acquisition unit, and the relay unit, it is possible to inhibit a delay in the transmission of control data that is needed for a vehicle to travel that is caused by the delivery of the divided updating data.

A vehicle on-board communication device according to a second aspect is characterized in that, in the first aspect, there is further provided a communication line load transmission interval deciding unit that determines a load of the communication line based on a communication state of the communication line, and selects a transmission interval for the divided updating data based on this load, wherein the delivery control unit compares the transmission interval selected by the communication line load transmission interval deciding unit with the transmission interval selected by the instrument load transmission interval deciding unit, and controls the relay unit such that the divided updating data is delivered to the vehicle on-board instruments at a transmission interval that is equal to or greater than the longer of these transmission intervals.

According to the second aspect, a communication line load transmission interval deciding unit selects a transmission interval from the load of the communication line. Additionally, the delivery control unit compares the transmission interval selected by the communication line load transmission interval deciding unit with the transmission interval selected by the instrument load transmission interval deciding unit, and performs control such that the divided updating data is delivered at a transmission interval that is equal to or greater than the longer of these transmission intervals. Accordingly, because the transmission interval is selected based not only on the processing loads of the vehicle on-board instruments, the acquisition unit, and the relay unit, but also on the load of the communication line, it is possible to inhibit even further a delay in the transmission of control data that is needed for a vehicle to travel that is caused by the delivery of the divided updating data.

A vehicle on-board communication device according to a third aspect is characterized in that, in the first or second aspects, the instrument load transmission interval deciding unit determines a processing load by again acquiring the processing state of at least one of the vehicle on-board instruments, the acquisition unit, and the relay unit after the relay unit has delivered a portion of the divided updating data, and then selects again the transmission interval for the divided updating data based on this new processing load, and the delivery control unit compares the transmission interval for the divided updating data after the divided updating data has been partially delivered with the transmission interval selected again by the instrument load transmission interval deciding unit, and controls the relay unit such that the remaining divided updating data is delivered to the vehicle on-board instruments at a transmission interval that is equal to or greater than the longer of these transmission intervals.

According to the third aspect, the instrument load transmission interval deciding unit again selects the transmission interval for the divided updating data from the processing load of at least one of the vehicle on-board instruments, the acquisition unit, and the relay unit after the relay unit has delivered a portion of the divided updating data, and the delivery control unit compares the transmission interval for the divided updating data after the divided updating data has been partially delivered with the transmission interval selected again by the instrument load transmission interval deciding unit, and performs control such that the remaining divided updating data is delivered at a transmission interval that is equal to or greater than the longer of these transmission intervals. Accordingly, even if the processing load of at least one of the vehicle on-board instruments, the acquisition unit, and the relay unit increases as a result of the divided updating data being delivered, it is still possible to alter the transmission interval in accordance with this. Because of this, it is possible to inhibit a delay in the transmission of control data that is needed for a vehicle to travel that is caused by the delivery of the divided updating data.

A vehicle on-board communication device according to a fourth aspect is characterized in that, in the invention of the second aspect or of the third aspect which cites the second aspect, the communication line load transmission interval deciding unit determines the load of the communication line by again acquiring the communication state of the communication line after the relay unit has delivered a portion of the divided updating data, and again selects the transmission interval for the divided updating data based on this load, and the delivery control unit compares the transmission interval for the divided updating data after the divided updating data has been partially delivered with the transmission interval selected again by the communication line load transmission interval deciding unit, and controls the relay unit such that the remaining divided updating data is delivered to the vehicle on-board instruments at a transmission interval that is equal to or greater than the longer of these transmission intervals.

According to the fourth aspect, the communication line load transmission interval deciding unit again selects the transmission interval for the divided updating data from the load of the communication line after the relay unit has delivered a portion of the divided updating data, and the delivery control unit compares the transmission interval for the divided updating data after the divided updating data has been partially delivered with the transmission interval selected again by the communication line load transmission interval deciding unit, and performs control such that the remaining divided updating data is delivered at a transmission interval that is equal to or greater than the longer of these transmission intervals. Accordingly, even if the load of the communication line increases as a result of the divided updating data being delivered, it is still possible to alter the transmission intervals in accordance with this. Because of this, it is possible to inhibit a delay in the transmission of control data that is needed for a vehicle to travel that is caused by the delivery of the divided updating data.

A vehicle on-board communication device according to a fifth aspect is characterized in that, in the invention of any one of the first aspect through the fourth aspect, the acquisition unit acquires the divided updating data wirelessly.

According to the fifth aspect, because the acquisition unit acquires the divided updating data wirelessly, when this divided updating data is being acquired, it is not necessary for the vehicle to be stopped. Because of this, it is possible to acquire the divided updating data even when a vehicle is traveling and the like.

A communication method according to a sixth aspect is applied to a vehicle on-board communication device which is provided with vehicle on-board instruments that are mounted in a vehicle and are connected to a communication line, and that have a storage that stores data, an acquisition unit that acquires divided updating data which is created by dividing updating data that updates the data stored in the storage of the vehicle on-board instruments, a relay unit that delivers the divided updating data acquired by the acquisition unit to the vehicle on-board instruments via the communication line, a communication line load transmission interval deciding unit that determines a load of the communication line based on a communication state of the communication line, and selects a transmission interval for the divided updating data based on this load, an instrument load transmission interval deciding unit that determines a processing load based on a processing state of at least one of the vehicle on-board instruments, the acquisition unit, and the relay unit, and selects a transmission interval for the divided updating data based on this processing load, and a delivery control unit that controls a delivery control unit that controls deliveries of the divided updating data by the relay unit. In this communication method, the transmission interval selected by the communication line load transmission interval deciding unit are compared with the transmission interval selected by the instrument load transmission interval deciding unit, and the divided updating data is delivered to the vehicle on-board instruments at a transmission interval that is equal to or greater than the longer of these transmission intervals.

According to the sixth aspect, in the same way as in the invention of the first aspect, the transmission interval selected by the communication line load transmission interval deciding unit is compared with the transmission interval selected by the instrument load transmission interval deciding unit, and the divided updating data is delivered at a transmission interval that is equal to or greater than the longer of these transmission intervals. Accordingly, because the transmission interval is selected based not only on the load of the communication line, but also on the processing loads of the vehicle on-board instruments, the acquisition unit, and the relay unit, it is possible to inhibit a delay in the transmission of control data which is required for a vehicle to travel that is caused by the delivery of the divided updating data.

The vehicle on-board communication device according to the first through fourth aspects has the superior effect of enabling updating processing to be performed without this having any effect on vehicle operations.

The vehicle on-board communication device according to the fifth aspect has the superior effect of enabling updating processing to be performed easily.

The communication method according to the sixth aspect has the superior effect of enabling updating processing to be performed without this having any effect on vehicle operations.

