System and method for real time wireless ECU monitoring and reprogramming

• US 10,037,633 B2
• Filed: 01/30/2018
• Issued: 07/31/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: EZ Lynk SEZC
• Original Assignee: EZ Lynk SEZC
• Inventors: Gintz, Brad, Wood, Thomas, Savage, Frederick Hershel
• Primary Examiner(s): Donabed, Ninos
• Application Number:
  US15/884,246
• Publication Number:
  US 20180151004A1
• Time in Patent Office: 182 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0841 Registering performance data recording measured values G01D; information storage G11B
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/40 for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/48 for in-vehicle communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

Disclosed are methods, systems, and apparatus for managing firmware, settings, and parameters of an automotive controller using a local device, a client device, and a system server. The local device is connected to the automotive controller and is wirelessly connected to the client device. The client device is connected to the system server. The client device receives engine data from the local device that receives the engine data from the automotive controller and the client device sends the engine data to the server system. Firmware, settings, and parameter updates are selected with the client device, sent to the local device, and then sent to the automotive controller.

Claims

1. A system for delivering information from a vehicle connected to a network, the network including a server, a client device, a local device, and a vehicle device, the system comprising:

a processor in the client device;

a memory operably connected to the processor;

the memory including a set of instructions that, when executed by the processor, causes the system to perform the steps of;

generating a token acquisition request alert;

transmitting the token acquisition request alert to the server;

receiving a token acquisition approval from the server;

processing the token acquisition approval to identify a number of approved tokens;

making an approval identification based on the number of approved tokens associated with the client device;

displaying the approval identification;

displaying the number of approved tokens;

selecting an identified customer from a set of customers, an identified vehicle from a set of vehicles, and an identified function from a set of functions;

generating a function request alert that includes the identified customer, the identified vehicle, and the identified function;

transmitting the function request alert to the server;

receiving a function request approval from the server in response to the function request alert;

retrieving a set of logged vehicle data from the vehicle;

generating a logged vehicle data request;

transmitting the logged vehicle data request to the server;

receiving, by the local device, the logged vehicle data request;

filtering, by the local device, the set of logged vehicle data based on the logged vehicle data request to generate a set of filtered logged vehicle data;

transmitting, by the local device, the set of filtered logged vehicle data to the server.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the memory includes a further set of instructions that when executed by the processor causes the system to perform the steps of:

receiving the set of filtered logged vehicle data; and

,

displaying the set of filtered logged vehicle data.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the step of displaying the set of filtered logged vehicle data further comprises:

displaying the set of filtered logged vehicle data as a scrolling display using a set of vehicle controls, a playback chart, and a set of playback controls; and

,

displaying a graph for at least one vehicle control of the set of vehicle controls.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the memory includes a further set of instructions that, when executed by the processor causes the system to perform the step of:

displaying, by a technician device, the logged vehicle data.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the system further comprises a technician device, and the memory includes further instructions that cause the system to perform the steps of:

generating an active engine control unit (ECU) profile request;

transmitting the active ECU profile request to the server;

receiving, by the local device, the active ECU profile request;

generating, by the local device, a set of ECU profile instructions;

transmitting, by the local device, the set of ECU profile instructions to the vehicle device;

transmitting, by the vehicle device, an active ECU profile to the local device;

transmitting, by the local device, the active ECU profile to the server;

transmitting, by the server, the active ECU profile to the technician device; and

,

displaying the active ECU profile.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the system further comprises a technician device, the memory includes further instructions that cause the system to perform the steps of:

generating, by the technician device, an available ECU profile request;

transmitting, by the technician device, the available ECU profile request to the server;

transmitting, by the server, the available ECU profile request to a third party server;

transmitting, by the third party server and in response to the available ECU profile request, a set of available ECU profiles to the server;

transmitting, by the server, the set of available ECU proviles to the technician device;

generating, by the technician device, an updated ECU profile from one available ECU profile from the set of available ECU profiles;

transmitting, by the technician device, the updated ECU profile to the server;

transmitting, by the server, the updated ECU profile to the local device;

receiving, by the local device, the updated ECU profile; and

,

transmitting, by the local device, the updated ECU profile to the vehicle device.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the memory includes further instructions that cause the system to perform the steps of:

displaying the updated ECU profile with one or more of a graph view and a chart view;

displaying the graph view with a number of dimensions based on a type of data selected;

displaying the chart view as a table based on the type of data selected; and

,

revising the updated ECU profile based on one or more adjustments made to data displayed in the one or more of the graph view and the chart view.

8. A system for delivering information from a vehicle, connected to a network, the network including a server, a local device, a vehicle device, and a client device, the client device comprising:

a processor;

a memory operably connected to the processor;

the memory including a set of instructions that, when executed by the processor causes the system to perform the steps of;

generating a token acquisition request alert;

transmitting the token acquisition request alert to the server;

receiving a token acquisition approval from the server;

processing the token acquisition approval to identify a number of approved tokens;

making an approval identification based on the number of approved tokens associated with the client device;

displaying the approval identification;

displaying the number of approved tokens;

selecting an identified customer from a set of customers, an identified vehicle from a set of vehicles, and an identified function from a set of functions;

generating a function request alert that includes the identified customer, the identified vehicle, and the identified function;

transmitting the function request alert to the server;

receiving a function request approval from the server in response to the function request alert;

retrieving a set of live vehicle data from the vehicle;

generating a start live vehicle data request;

transmitting the start live vehicle request to the local device;

receiving, by the local device, the start live vehicle data request;

filtering, by the local device, the set of live vehicle data based on the start live vehicle data request to generate a set of filtered live vehicle data; and

,

transmitting, by the local device, the set of filtered live vehicle data to the server.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the memory includes further instructions that cause the system to perform the step of:

displaying the set of filtered live vehicle data, and, wherein the step of displaying further comprises;

displaying a scrolling graph of the set of filtered live vehicle data.

10. A system for delivering information from a vehicle, connected to a network, the network including a server, a client device, a local device, and a vehicle device, the system comprising:

a processor in the client device;

a memory operably connected to the processor;

the memory including a set of instructions that, when executed by the processor, causes the system to perform the steps of;

generating a token acquisition request alert;

transmitting the token acquisition request alert to the server;

receiving a token acquisition approval from the server;

processing the token acquisition approval to identify a number of approved tokens;

making an approval identification based on the number of approved tokens associated with the client device;

displaying the approval identification;

displaying the number of approved tokens;

selecting an identified customer from a set of customers, an identified vehicle from a set of vehicles, and an identified function from a set of functions;

generating a function request alert that includes the identified customer, the identified vehicle, and the identified function;

transmitting the function request alert to the server;

receiving a function request approval from the server in response to the function request alert;

retrieving a set of live vehicle data from the vehicle;

generating a start live vehicle data request;

transmitting the start live vehicle data request to the server;

receiving, by the local device, the start live vehicle data request;

filtering, by the local device, the set of live vehicle data based on the start live vehicle data request to generate a set of filtered live vehicle data;

transmitting, by the local device, the set of live vehicle data;

receiving the set of live vehicle data from at least one of a customer device, the local device, and the server; and

,

displaying the set of live vehicle data.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the set of instructions further causes the system to perform the steps of:

generating a stop live vehicle data request;

transmitting the stop live vehicle data request to the server;

receiving, by the at least one of the client device and the local device, the stop live vehicle data request; and

,

ceasing transmission, by at the least one of the client device and the local device, of the set of filtered live vehicle data.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the set of instructions further causes the system to perform the steps of:

displaying the set of filtered live vehicle data as a scrolling display using at least one of the group of a set of vehicle controls, a playback chart, and a set of playback controls; and

,

displaying a graph for at least one vehicle control of the set of vehicle controls.

13. A system for communicating between a server, a client device, a technician device, an ECU, and a local device, the local device comprising:

a processor;

a memory operably connected to the processor;

a GSM module operably connected to the processor;

a first network connection to a mobile network established by the GSM module;

a second network connection to a vehicle network;

a third network connection to the ECU;

the memory including a set of instructions that, when executed by the processor, causes the local device to perform the steps of;

receiving vehicle data from the vehicle device over the third network connection;

generating a set of logged vehicle data from the vehicle data;

receiving a logged vehicle data request over one of the first network connection and the second network connection;

generating a logged vehicle data response to the logged vehicle data request that includes the set of logged vehicle data; and

,

transmitting the logged vehicle data response using a one of the first network connection and the second network connection, wherein transmitting the logged vehicle data response using one of the first network connection and the second network connection occurs after the further steps of;

generating, by the client device, a token acquisition request alert;

transmitting the token acquisition request alert to the server;

receiving a token acquisition approval from the server;

processing the token acquisition approval to identify a number of approved tokens;

making an approval identification based on the number of approved tokens associated with the client device;

displaying the approval identification;

displaying the number of approved tokens;

selecting an identified customer from a set of customers, an identified vehicle from a set of vehicles, and an identified function from a set of functions;

generating a function request alert that includes the identified customer, the identified vehicle, and the identified function;

transmitting the function request alert to the server;

receiving a function request approval from the server in response to the function request alert;

retrieving the set of logged vehicle data from the vehicle;

generating, by the technician device, a logged vehicle data request;

transmitting, by the technician device, the logged vehicle data request to the server;

receiving, by the local device, the logged vehicle data request;

filtering, by the local device, the set of logged vehicle data based on the logged vehicle data request to generate a set of filtered logged vehicle data; and

transmitting, by the local device, the set of filtered logged vehicle data to the server.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the memory includes further instructions that cause the local device to perform the steps of:

receiving a start live vehicle data request over one of the first network connection and the second network connection; and

,

transmitting a set of live vehicle data over one of the first network connection and the second network connection.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the memory includes further instructions that cause the local device to perform the steps of:

receiving a stop live vehicle data request over one of the first network connection and the second network connection; and

,

ceasing transmission of the set of live vehicle data in response to the stop live vehicle data request.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein the memory includes further instructions that cause the local device to perform the steps of:

receiving an active ECU profile request over one of the first network connection and the second network connection; and

,

receiving an active ECU profile over the third network connection.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the memory includes further instructions that cause the local device to perform the steps of:

generating an active ECU profile alert from the active ECU profile;

transmitting the active ECU profile alert over one of the first network connection and the second network connection; and

,

receiving an updated ECU profile alert, in response to the active ECU profile alert over one of the first network connection and the second network connection.