Remote programming system and method for replacement vehicle keys
DCFirst Claim
1. A method comprising:
- coupling an onboard diagnostic interface device with an engine control unit of a vehicle that is programmed to accept a tangible first key for starting the vehicle;
communicatively linking the interface device with a mobile, hand held device;
communicatively linking, via one or more communication networks, the hand-held device with a back-end programming machine that is remotely located from the vehicle;
communicating identifying information about the vehicle to the programming machine via the interface device, the hand-held device, and the one or more communication networks by obtaining the identifying information from the engine control unit using the interface device, the identifying information including at least a vehicle identification number;
determining, at the programming machine, one or more actions and programming information needed to program the engine control unit of the vehicle to accept a tangible replacement key for starting the vehicle;
sending the one or more actions and programming information from the programming machine to the hand-held device via the one or more communication networks; and
programming the engine control unit of the vehicle to accept the replacement key for starting the vehicle using the one or more actions and programming information.
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Abstract
A remote programming system for engine control units of vehicles operates by coupling an onboard diagnostic interface device with an engine control unit of a vehicle, communicatively linking the interface device with a hand held device, communicatively linking the hand held device with a back end programming machine that is remotely located from the vehicle, communicating identifying information about the vehicle to the programming machine via the interface device, the hand held device, and the communication network(s), determining an action and programming information needed to program the engine control unit of the vehicle to accept a replacement key, sending the action and programming information from the programming machine to the hand held device via the communication network(s), and programming the engine control unit of the vehicle to accept the replacement key to activate the vehicle using or responsive to use of the action and programming information.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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coupling an onboard diagnostic interface device with an engine control unit of a vehicle that is programmed to accept a tangible first key for starting the vehicle; communicatively linking the interface device with a mobile, hand held device; communicatively linking, via one or more communication networks, the hand-held device with a back-end programming machine that is remotely located from the vehicle; communicating identifying information about the vehicle to the programming machine via the interface device, the hand-held device, and the one or more communication networks by obtaining the identifying information from the engine control unit using the interface device, the identifying information including at least a vehicle identification number; determining, at the programming machine, one or more actions and programming information needed to program the engine control unit of the vehicle to accept a tangible replacement key for starting the vehicle; sending the one or more actions and programming information from the programming machine to the hand-held device via the one or more communication networks; and programming the engine control unit of the vehicle to accept the replacement key for starting the vehicle using the one or more actions and programming information. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method comprising:
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coupling an onboard diagnostic interface device with an engine control unit of a vehicle that is programmed to accept a tangible first key for starting the vehicle; communicatively linking, via one or more communication networks, the interface device with a back-end programming machine that is remotely located from the vehicle; communicating identifying information about the vehicle to the programming machine via the interface device and the one or more communication networks, wherein communicating the identifying information about the vehicle to the programming machine via the interface device includes obtaining the identifying information from the engine control unit using the interface device, wherein the identifying information includes at least a vehicle identification number; determining, at the programming machine, programming information needed to program the engine control unit of the vehicle to accept a tangible replacement key for starting the vehicle; sending the programming information from the programming machine to the interface device via the one or more communication networks; and programming the engine control unit of the vehicle to accept the replacement key for starting the vehicle using the one or more actions and programming information. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A system comprising:
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a back-end programming machine including hardware circuitry and one or more processors configured to establish a communication connection with an engine control unit of a vehicle that is remotely located from the programming machine via an onboard diagnostic interface device and one or more communication networks, the engine control unit configured to start the vehicle responsive to a tangible first key being used to start the vehicle, wherein the one or more processors are configured to receive identifying information about the vehicle from the engine control unit via the interface device and the one or more communication networks, the one or more processors configured to receive the identifying information about the vehicle by obtaining the identifying information from the engine control unit using the interface device, wherein the identifying information includes at least a vehicle identification number, the one or more processors also configured to determine programming information needed to program the engine control unit of the vehicle to accept a tangible replacement key to start the vehicle, wherein the one or more processors are configured to send the programming information to the interface device via the one or more communication networks and to program the engine control unit of the vehicle to accept the replacement key to start the vehicle using the programming information. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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Specification