Method for programming vehicle electronic control modules

• US 10,409,587 B2
• Filed: 04/25/2018
• Issued: 09/10/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Inventors: Elizalde, Ricardo Martinez, Pashby, Ronald W, Fabregas, Antoni Ferre
• Primary Examiner(s): Khatri, Anil
• Application Number:
  US15/963,037
• Publication Number:
  US 20180246713A1
• Time in Patent Office: 503 Days
• Field of Search: 717168-178, 709203
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0075 Automatic parameter input, automatic initialising or calibrating means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0083 Setting, resetting, calibration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/45 External transmission of data to or from the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/00 Details of control systems for road vehicle drive control not related to the control of a particular sub-unit , e.g. process diagnostic or vehicle driver interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/41 Compilation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/63 Image based installation; Cloning; Build to order
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/654 using techniques specially adapted for alterable solid state memories, e.g. for EEPROM or flash memories

Abstract

A method for generating a reprogramming file for reprogramming a target electronic control unit (ECU) in a target vehicle converts high-to-low level command conversions specific for the target ECU to generate Unified Diagnostic Services (UDS) operation transactions. The method converts high-level language diagnostic sequence commands into imperative language instructions that are compiled into binary code corresponding to handling routines. A binary image of the target ECU is segmented into a plurality of data blocks that are compiled along with respective the UDS operation transactions to provide a plurality of UDS stages. The plurality of UDS stages and the handling routines are assembled into the reprogramming file.

Claims

1. A method for generating a reprogramming file for reprogramming a target electronic control unit (ECU) in a target vehicle, said method comprising:

providing access to a first file comprising high level language commands in a standardized specification language for reprogramming said target ECU, said high level language commands are generated utilizing a standardized specification language editor;

providing access to vehicle data for a plurality of vehicles and to a plurality of binary memory images and respective mapping of a corresponding plurality of ECU memories of each vehicle of said plurality of vehicles;

providing access to a dictionary database to convert high-level language commands-to standardized operation transactions;

utilizing high-to-low level command conversions specific for said target ECU from said dictionary database to generate standardized operation transactions from said high-level language commands;

converting high-level language diagnostic sequence commands into imperative language instructions;

compiling said imperative language instructions into binary code corresponding to handling routines;

segmenting a binary image of said target ECU into a plurality of data blocks;

compiling said plurality of data blocks and respective said operation transactions to provide a plurality of stages, each stage of said plurality of stages comprises one corresponding data block of said plurality of data blocks;

executing said plurality of stages and said handling routines into said reprogramming file.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising:

assembling said reprogramming file to comprise a header portion comprising general parameters, general execution conditions, and the number of said plurality of stages.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said reprogramming file comprises;

steps to create a re-flashing scenario for reprogramming said target ECU;

steps to control said reprogramming; and

steps to send said reprogramming data to said target ECU.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein:

said reprogramming file comprises;

steps to verify success of said reprogramming on a block-by-block basis; and

steps to initiate error handling operations.

5. A method for reprogramming of a target Electronic Control Unit (ECU) disposed within a target vehicle, said method comprises:

accessing a reprogramming sequence file comprising a script of high-level language diagnostic sequence commands and a data file comprising a dictionary database and vehicle descriptive data comprising a binary image of the memory of said target ECU;

extracting high-to-low level command conversions specific for said target ECU from said dictionary database to generate operation transactions;

converting said high-level language diagnostic sequence commands into imperative language instructions;

compiling said imperative language instructions into binary code corresponding to handling routines;

segmenting said binary code for said target ECU memory into a plurality of memory reflashing data blocks;

compiling said plurality of memory reflashing data blocks and respective said operation transactions to provide a plurality of stages;

assembling said plurality of stages and said handling routines into a reprogramming file for reprogramming said target ECU; and

executing said reprogramming file by said target vehicle on a stage-by-stage basis to reflash said memory of said target ECU on a data block by data block basis.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein:

said imperative language instructions comprise C language instructions.

7. The method of claim 6, comprising:

assembling said reprogramming file to comprise a header portion comprising general parameters, general execution conditions, and the number of said plurality of stages.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein:

said reprogramming file comprises;

a plurality of steps to create a re-flashing scenario for reprogramming said target ECU;

steps to control said reprogramming; and

steps to send said reprogramming data to said target ECU.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein:

said reprogramming file comprises;

steps to verify success of said reprogramming on a block-by-block basis; and

steps to initiate error handling operations.

10. The method of claim 5, comprising:

arranging at least some stages of said plurality of stages are to each comprise a corresponding one block of binary data for reflashing a corresponding block of said target ECU memory.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said target vehicle comprises an electronic module comprising a processor and an associated memory, said method comprising:

transmitting said reprogramming file to said vehicle;

storing said reprogramming file in said associated memory; and

utilizing said electronic module processor to execute said reprogramming file on a stage-by-stage basis to reflash said ECU memory on a block-by-block basis.

12. A method for reprogramming of a target Electronic Control Unit (ECU) disposed within a target vehicle by reflashing a memory of said ECU, said method comprising:

accessing a reprogramming sequence file comprising a script of high-level language diagnostic sequence commands;

accessing a data file comprising a dictionary database, vehicle descriptive data, and a binary image of said memory of said target ECU;

extracting high-to-low level command conversions specific for said target ECU from said dictionary database to generate operation transactions;

converting said high-level language diagnostic sequence commands into imperative language instructions;

compiling said imperative language instructions into binary code corresponding to handling routines;

extracting said binary image;

segmenting said binary image into a plurality of data blocks;

compiling said plurality of data blocks and respective said operation transactions to provide a plurality of stages;

assembling said plurality of stages and said handling routines into a reprogramming file for reprogramming said target ECU;

transmitting said reprogramming file to said target vehicle; and

executing said reprogramming file by said target vehicle on a stage-by-stage basis to reflash said memory of said target ECU on a data block by data block basis.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein:

said imperative language instructions comprise C language instructions.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein:

said reprogramming file comprises a header portion comprising general parameters, general execution conditions, and the number of said plurality of stages.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein:

said handling routines comprises;

a plurality of steps to create a re-flashing scenario for reprogramming said target ECU;

steps to control said reprogramming; and

steps to send said reprogramming data to said target ECU.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein:

said handling routines comprise;

steps to verify success of said reprogramming on a block-by-block basis; and

steps to initiate error handling operations.

17. The method of claim 12, comprising:

forming at least some stages of said plurality of stages to each comprise a corresponding one said data block of said plurality of data blocks for reflashing a corresponding block of said memory of said target ECU.

18. The method of claim 12, comprising:

transmitting said reprogramming file to said target vehicle via a wireless link.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said vehicle comprises an electronic module comprising a memory and a processor, and said method comprises:

storing said reprogramming file in said electronic module memory; and

utilizing said electronic module to execute said reprogramming file on a stage-by-stage basis to reprogram memory of said target ECU on a data block by data block basis.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein said vehicle comprises an electronic module comprising a memory and a processor, and said method comprises:

storing said reprogramming file in said electronic module memory; and

utilizing said electronic module to execute said reprogramming file on a stage-by-stage basis to reflash flash memory of said target ECU on a data block by data block basis.