US-12625533-B2 - Setting execution mode for electronic control units based on remaining battery level after stopping vehicle

US12625533B2US 12625533 B2US12625533 B2US 12625533B2US-12625533-B2

Abstract

This disclosure reduces power consumption of a vehicle. An information processing apparatus of this disclosure acquires information on a remaining battery level of a vehicle. The information processing apparatus determines, for each of multiple types of processing executed by one or more electronic control units of the vehicle, an execution mode to be set after a running system of the vehicle stops, according to the remaining battery level.

Inventors

Hiroki Kawasaki
Noriaki Ito
Hiroto Nakagawa
Satoru Ikeda

Assignees

TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
DENSO TEN LIMITED

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20220920
Priority Date: 20210921

Claims (18)

1 . An information processing apparatus comprising a controller including at least one processor configured to: acquire information on a remaining battery level of a vehicle; and determine, based on the remaining battery level, an execution mode to be set after a running system of the vehicle stops for: each individual electronic control unit of a plurality of electronic control units of the vehicle, each individual electronic control unit of the plurality of electronic control units being configured to perform processing of multiple functions, and each functional module of multiple functional modules of a data communication module of the vehicle, the multiple functional modules being associated with the plurality of electronic control units, wherein the execution mode establishes a designated operation state for each function performed by each individual electronic control unit of the plurality of electronic control units, wherein the execution mode includes at least one of a first mode in which execution of corresponding processing is permitted and a second mode in which the execution of the corresponding processing is not permitted, wherein the execution mode for each functional module of the multiple functional modules is determined based on a type of target data transmitted to and received from each functional module of the multiple functional modules, and wherein the at least one processor is further configured to determine, for a predetermined functional module of the multiple functional modules, the first mode as the execution mode to be set regardless of the remaining battery level, the predetermined functional module being determined based on the type of the target data transmitted to and received from each functional module of the multiple functional modules.
2 . The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the controller acquires the information from an electronic control unit managing a battery of the vehicle, of the plurality of electronic control units.
3 . The information processing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the controller determines the execution mode for each functional module of the multiple functional modules based on data associating a relationship between the remaining battery level and the execution mode with each of the type of the target data, and wherein the controller determines the execution mode for each function of each individual electronic control unit of the plurality of electronic control units based on data associating a relationship between the remaining battery level and the execution mode with each function performed by each individual electronic control unit of the plurality of electronic control units.
4 . The information processing apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the target data is data in which the execution mode is defined so that the lower the remaining battery level is, the less power consumption by the plurality of electronic control units is.
5 . The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the controller stops execution of processing to which the second mode is assigned, during a period when the running system of the vehicle is stopped.
6 . The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the controller postpones execution of processing to which the second mode is assigned, until the running system is restarted.
7 . The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is installed in the vehicle and capable of providing a predetermined connected service.
8 . The information processing apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the execution mode includes at least one of the first mode, the second mode, and a third mode in which frequency of communication with an external apparatus is made lower than in the first mode.
9 . A vehicle system comprising a first device comprising one or more processors configured to perform multiple types of processing related to a vehicle and a second device comprising one or more processors configured to acquire information on a remaining battery level of the vehicle, wherein the one or more processors of the second device are configured to transmit the information on the remaining battery level of the vehicle to the first device, and the one or more processors of the first device are configured to determine, based on the remaining battery level, an execution mode to be set after a running system of the vehicle stops for; each individual electronic control unit of a plurality of electronic control units of the vehicle, each individual electronic control unit of the plurality of electronic control units being configured to perform processing of multiple functions, and each functional module of multiple functional modules of a data communication module of the vehicle, the multiple functional modules being associated with the plurality of electronic control units, wherein the execution mode establishes a designated operation state for each function performed by each individual electronic control unit of the plurality of electronic control units, wherein the execution mode includes at least one of a first mode in which execution of corresponding processing is permitted and a second mode in which the execution of the corresponding processing is not permitted, wherein the execution mode for each functional module of the multiple functional modules is determined based on a type of target data transmitted to and received from each functional module of the multiple functional modules, and wherein the one or more processors of the first device are further configured to determine, for a predetermined functional module of the multiple functional modules, the first mode as the execution mode to be set regardless of the remaining battery level, the predetermined functional module being determined based on the type of the target data transmitted to and received from each functional module of the multiple functional modules.
10 . The vehicle system according to claim 9 , further comprising a storage configured to store data associating a relationship between the remaining battery level and the execution mode with each of the type of the target data and with each function performed by each individual electronic control unit of the plurality of electronic control units.
11 . The vehicle system according to claim 10 , wherein the target data is data in which the execution mode is defined so that the lower the remaining battery level is, the less power consumption by an electronic control unit managing a battery of the vehicle, of the plurality of electronic control units, is.
12 . The vehicle system according to claim 9 , wherein the first apparatus stops execution of processing to which the second mode is assigned, during a period when the running system of the vehicle is stopped.
13 . The vehicle system according to claim 9 , wherein the first device postpones execution of processing to which the second mode is assigned, until the running system is restarted.
14 . The vehicle system according to claim 9 , wherein the first device is installed in the vehicle and configured to provide a predetermined connected service.
15 . The vehicle system according to claim 14 , wherein the execution mode includes at least one of the first mode, the second mode, and a third mode in which frequency of communication with an external apparatus is made lower than in the first mode.
16 . An information processing method comprising: acquiring information on a remaining battery level of a vehicle; and determining, based on the remaining battery level, an execution mode to be set after a running system of the vehicle stops for; each individual electronic control unit of a plurality of electronic control units of the vehicle, each individual electronic control unit of the plurality of electronic control units being configured to perform processing of multiple functions, and each functional module of multiple functional modules of a data communication module of the vehicle, the multiple functional modules being associated with the plurality of electronic control units, wherein the execution mode establishes a designated operation state for each function performed by each individual electronic control unit of the plurality of electronic control units, wherein the execution mode includes at least one of a first mode in which execution of corresponding processing is permitted and a second mode in which the execution of the corresponding processing is not permitted, wherein the execution mode for each functional module of the multiple functional modules is determined based on a type of target data transmitted to and received from each functional module of the multiple functional modules, and wherein the information processing method further comprises determining, for a predetermined functional module of the multiple functional modules, the first mode as the execution mode to be set regardless of the remaining battery level, the predetermined functional module being determined based on the type of the target data transmitted to and received from each functional module of the multiple functional modules.
17 . The information processing method according to claim 16 , wherein the information is acquired from an electronic control unit managing a battery of the vehicle, of the one or more electronic control units.
18 . The information processing method according to claim 17 , wherein the execution mode for each functional module of the multiple functional modules is determined based on data associating a relationship between the remaining battery level and the execution mode with each of the type of the target data, and wherein the execution mode for each function of each individual electronic control unit of the plurality of electronic control units is determined based on data associating a relationship between the remaining battery level and the execution mode with each function performed by each individual electronic control unit of the plurality of electronic control units.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO THE RELATED APPLICATION This application claims the benefit of Japanese Patent Application No. 2021-153653, filed on Sep. 21, 2021, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. BACKGROUND Technical Field This disclosure relates to vehicle control. Description of the Related Art There are technologies for reducing the consumption of batteries of vehicles. In relation to this, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2010-186253 discloses a vehicle system in which in-vehicle equipment switches to a power-saving mode depending on the remaining battery level of the vehicle. [Patent document 1] Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2010-186253. SUMMARY One or more aspects of this disclosure are directed to reduce power consumption of a vehicle. An aspect of an embodiment of this disclosure may be an information processing apparatus including a controller including at least one processor configured to acquire information on a remaining battery level of a vehicle, and determine, for each of multiple types of processing executed by one or more electronic control units of the vehicle, an execution mode to be set after a running system of the vehicle stops, according to the remaining battery level. An aspect of an embodiment of this disclosure may be a vehicle system including a first apparatus configured to perform multiple types of processing related to a vehicle and a second apparatus configured to acquire information on a remaining battery level of the vehicle, in which the second apparatus transmits the information on the remaining battery level of the vehicle to the first apparatus, and the first apparatus determines, for each of multiple types of processing executed by one or more electronic control units of the vehicle, an execution mode to be set after a running system of the vehicle stops, according to the remaining battery level. An aspect of an embodiment of this disclosure may be an information processing method including acquiring information on a remaining battery level of a vehicle, and determining, for each of multiple types of processing executed by one or more electronic control units of the vehicle, an execution mode to be set after a running system of the vehicle stops, according to the remaining battery level. According to this disclosure, power consumption of a vehicle can be reduced. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a vehicle system according to a first embodiment; FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating components of a vehicle 10 according to the first embodiment; FIG. 3A is a schematic diagram illustrating functional modules of a controller; FIG. 3B is a schematic diagram illustrating data stored in a storage unit; FIG. 4 illustrates an example of a mode list in the first embodiment; FIG. 5 is a flow diagram of processing in the first embodiment; FIG. 6A illustrates an example of a power-saving mode in the first embodiment; FIG. 6B is a diagram for explaining the power-saving mode in the first embodiment; FIG. 7 is a flowchart of processing performed by a DCM while the vehicle is parked; FIG. 8 illustrates an example of a mode list in a second embodiment; FIG. 9 illustrates an example of a mode list in a third embodiment; and FIG. 10 is a flow diagram of processing in the third embodiment. DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS Electronic control units in a vehicle generally stop operating once a running system of the vehicle is shut down. However, with recent improvements in vehicle functionality, an increasing number of electronic control units continues to standby while the vehicle is parked. Such electronic control units include those that provide security functions, remote control functions, and emergency alert functions. As more electronic control units remain on standby while the vehicle is parked, power consumption increases, placing a load on the battery of the vehicle. A known countermeasure to this is to put any electronic control unit to sleep during standby according to the remaining battery level of the vehicle. However, when the operation of the electronic control units is uniformly stopped, important functions such as security and emergency alert functions may also be stopped. An information processing apparatus according to this disclosure solves such problems. An information processing apparatus according to an aspect of this disclosure may include a controller that acquires information on a remaining battery level of a vehicle, and determines, for each of multiple types of processing executed by one or more electronic control units of the vehicle, an execution mode to be set after a running system of the vehicle stops, according to the remaining battery level. The information on the remaining battery level of the vehicle is, for example, information indicating the remaining level of a battery (such as an auxiliary battery) for operating the electrical components of the vehicle. This information can be acquired, for examp