IP Library Granted Patent US 12,413,552
Granted Patent B2
US 12,413,552 · App. 17/970,000 · Granted Sep 9, 2025

In-vehicle control apparatus

Inventors: Kazuki Yahata (Tokyo, JP); Takeshi Okuno (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
H04L63/0209G06F8/65H04L45/02
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,413,552
App. No.
17/970,000
Granted
Sep 9, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

An in-vehicle control system mounted on a vehicle includes: a first control unit; a second control unit connected to the first control unit via a first communication path; and a third control unit connected to the second control unit via a second communication path. The second control unit has an internal communication path configured to be able to connect the first communication path and the second communication path and connects the first communication path and the second communication path via the internal communication path when the vehicle is in a predetermined operation state.

Claims (26)

1. An in-vehicle control system mounted on a vehicle, the in-vehicle control system comprising:

a first electronic control unit configured to implement an advanced driver-assistance function of the vehicle;

a second electronic control unit connected to the first electronic control unit via a first communication path;

a third electronic control unit connected to the second control unit via a second communication path, and

a communication unit capable of communicating with an external device outside the vehicle, wherein

the second electronic control unit has a first internal communication path configured to be able to connect the first communication path and the second communication path and a network switch switching the first internal communication path between a connected state and a disconnected state, controls the network switch to set the first internal communication path to the connected state when receiving an update command for updating software of the first electronic control unit while an ignition switch is turned off, and controls the network switch to set the first internal communication path to the disconnected state when receiving the update command while the ignition switch is turned on,

the third electronic control unit includes a second internal communication path configured to be able to connect the second communication path and a fourth communication path connecting the third electronic control unit and the communication unit, and

the second electronic control unit, the third electronic control unit and the communication unit include a firewall, respectively, and wherein

the firewall of the second electronic control unit is installed on the first internal communication path,

the firewall of the third electronic control unit is installed on the second internal communication path, and

the third electronic control unit supplies, via the second internal communication path, the second communication path, the first internal communication path and the first communication path, the first electronic control unit with update data for updating a program of the first electronic control unit acquired via the firewall of the communication unit and the fourth communication path from the external device.

2. The in-vehicle control system according to claim 1 , wherein

the first electronic control unit, the second electronic control unit and the third electronic control unit are connected to each other via a third communication path whose communication capacity is smaller than the communication capacity of each of the first communication path, the second communication path and the first internal communication path.

3. The in-vehicle control system according to claim 2 ,

wherein

the third electronic control unit and the communication unit are connected via the fourth communication path whose communication capacity is larger than the third communication path.

4. The in-vehicle control system according to claim 3 , wherein

the third electronic control unit acquires the update data from the external device via the communication unit.

5. The in-vehicle control system according to claim 1 , wherein

the second electronic control unit is an electronic control unit generating map data.

6. The in-vehicle control system according to claim 5 , wherein

the second electronic control unit supplies the map data to the first electronic control unit via the first communication path.

7. The in-vehicle control system according to claim 2 , wherein

the second electronic control unit is an electronic control unit recognizing a traveling path of the vehicle, is connected to an image capturing unit outputting captured image data of a surrounding area of the vehicle via a fifth communication path whose communication capacity is larger than the third communication path, and acquires the captured image data from the image capturing unit via the fifth communication path to supply the captured image data to the first control unit via the first communication path.

8. The in-vehicle control system according to claim 1 , wherein

the second electronic control unit controls the network switch to set the first internal communication path to the disconnected state when the update command is not received.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 8, 2022
From: YAHATA, KAZUKI; OKUNO, TAKESHI
To: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 061691/0273 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2021-174395 · Oct 26, 2021 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230128557A1 · Apr 27, 2023
References Cited (60)
US 6161071A · Shuman · 2000 [cited by examiner]
US 6353785B1 · Shuman · 2002 [cited by examiner]
US 6577937B1 · Shuman · 2003 [cited by examiner]
US 6675081B2 · Shuman · 2004 [cited by examiner]
US 9374355B2 · Schwarz · 2016 [cited by examiner]
US 10427655B2 · Nix · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 10668929B2 · Tochioka · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 10764134B2 · Barrett · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 10991175B2 · Zhang · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 11290437B2 · Zhang · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US 11360762B2 · Teraoka · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US 11538287B2 · Fang · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US 11539727B2 · Haga · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US 11546363B2 · Haga · 2023 [cited by examiner]
US 11563726B2 · Green · 2023 [cited by examiner]
US 11645062B2 · Nakaguma · 2023 [cited by examiner]
US 11671463B2 · Leuwer · 2023 [cited by examiner]
US 11721137B2 · Fang · 2023 [cited by examiner]
US 11736357B2 · Fang · 2023 [cited by examiner]
US 11765016B2 · Park · 2023 [cited by examiner]
US 11972248B2 · Ishikawa · 2024 [cited by examiner]
US 12046085B2 · Fang · 2024 [cited by examiner]
US 12046086B2 · Fang · 2024 [cited by examiner]
US 12073664B2 · Fang · 2024 [cited by examiner]
US 12073665B2 · Fang · 2024 [cited by examiner]
US 12118830B2 · Fang · 2024 [cited by examiner]
US 12142091B2 · Fang · 2024 [cited by examiner]
US 12164902B2 · Sakurai · 2024 [cited by examiner]
US 20030065432A1 · Shuman · 2003 [cited by examiner]
US 20150121070A1 · Lau et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20150121071A1 · Schwarz · 2015 [cited by examiner]
US 20170113664A1 · Nix · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 20170353350A1 · Gussen · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 20180107473A1 · Ahmed · 2018 [cited by examiner]
US 20180281810A1 · Tochioka · 2018 [cited by examiner]
US 20180281812A1 · Tochioka · 2018 [cited by examiner]
US 20190354363A1 · Nakaguma · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20190394089A1 · Barrett · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20200137099A1 · Haga · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20200174778A1 · David · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20200211301A1 · Zhang · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20200213287A1 · Zhang · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20200249937A1 · Teraoka · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20200304532A1 · Haga · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20210176092A1 · Frischmuth · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 20210192867A1 · Fang · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 20210291821A1 · Dakemoto · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 20220004375A1 · Satoh · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US 20220063585A1 · Tabata · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US 20220253304A1 · Tamachi · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US 20230004376A1 · Ishikawa · 2023 [cited by examiner]
US 20230005305A1 · Sakurai · 2023 [cited by examiner]
US 20230033167A1 · Sakurai · 2023 [cited by examiner]
US 20240086174A1 · Nakamura · 2024 [cited by examiner]
US 20240134628A1 · Teraoka · 2024 [cited by examiner]
US 20240231798A9 · Teraoka · 2024 [cited by examiner]
US 20240267221A1 · Yoshimi · 2024 [cited by examiner]
JP 2020088568A · 2020 [cited by applicant]
JP 2021105924A · 2021 [cited by applicant]
Japanese office action; Application 2021-174395; Oct. 15, 2024. [cited by applicant]