ELECTRONIC CONTROL DEVICE AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL DEVICE

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an electronic control device which reduces consumption of power when entering a sleep state. SOLUTION: The electronic control device includes: a sleep state switching means; a recording means; and a failure determining means. The sleep state switching means determines whether or not the device can enter a sleep state by communicating with the other electronic control devices, and enters the sleep state when it is possible. The recording means records a communication state with the other electronic control devices after a connection is made with a network. The failure determining means determines whether or not there is a failure in the communication with the other electronic control devices. When the failure determining means determines a failure and a communication record exists in the recording means, the sleep state switching means sets the sleep state after a first predetermined time has elapsed. When the failure determining means determines a failure and no communication records exist in the recording means, the sleep state switching means sets the sleep state after a second predetermined time has elapsed. COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT