Control unit and method of operating a control unit

• US 20050240837A1
• Filed: 04/27/2005
• Published: 10/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Arvinmeritor Light Vehicle Systems FRA (Meritor, Inc. (Nevada))
• Original Assignee: Arvinmeritor Light Vehicle Systems FRA (Meritor, Inc. (Nevada))
• Inventors: Dubois, Laurent, Raoul, Philippe, Mersch, Gerhard
• Application Number:
  US11/115,562
• Publication Number:
  US 20050240837A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 714/712
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2236 to test CPU or processors
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/24 Testing correct operation

Abstract

A method of operating a control unit (CU) begins by performing a power on reset. If the CU receives a start-up message within a predefined time period after the reset, then the CU enters a diagnostic mode in which a diagnostic communication can be established with a diagnostic unit. If no start-up message is received within the predefined time period, the CU enters a normal mode of operation. The CU includes a memory designated to store data unique for a respective vehicle type, a first communication module allowing communication via a bus system under a first protocol for normal operation of the CU, and a second communication module allowing communication via the bus system under a second protocol for accessing the memory.

Claims

1. A method of operating a control unit comprising the following steps:

performing a power on reset;

entering a diagnostic mode in which a diagnostic communication can be established with a diagnostic unit if the control unit receives a start-up message within a predefined time period after the reset; and

entering a normal mode of operation if no start-up message is received within the predefined time period.

2. The method according to claim 1 including using a first protocol to communicate with the control unit in the normal mode of operation, and using a second protocol different from the first protocol to communicate with the control unit in the diagnostic mode.

3. The method according to claim 2 wherein the first protocol is a local interconnect network (LIN) protocol.

4. The method according to claim 2 wherein the second protocol is a serial connection interface (SCI) protocol.

5. The method according to claim 2 wherein the first protocol is a local interconnect network (LIN) protocol and the second protocol is a serial connection interface (SCI) protocol.

6. The method according to claim 1 including verifying whether or not diagnostic data is continuing to be received after entering the diagnostic mode, and terminating the diagnostic mode when no diagnostic data is received for a predefined time period.

7. The method according to claim 1 including verifying whether or not a diagnostic session open message is being periodically received after entering the diagnostic mode, and terminating the diagnostic mode if no diagnostic session open message is received for a predefined diagnostic time period.

8. The method according to claim 1 including terminating the diagnostic mode after receiving a diagnostic mode termination message.

9. The method according to claim 1 including allowing the diagnostic mode to modify parameters of operation of the control unit.

10. The method according to claim 9 wherein the control unit controls operation of a system associated with a vehicle door and wherein the parameters of operation comprise parameters of an anti-squeeze function.

11. The method according to claim 1 including communicating with the control unit with a bus system.

12. The method according to claim 10 wherein the bus system is a local interconnect network (LIN) bus.

13. The method according to claim 11 including sending the start-up message via the bus system.

14. The method according to claims 1 including defining the start-up message by a specific condition on an input of the control unit.

15. A control unit comprising:

a memory designated to store data unique for a respective vehicle type;

a first communication module allowing communication via a bus system under a first protocol for normal operation of the control unit; and

a second communication module allowing communication via the bus system under a second protocol for accessing the memory.

16. The control unit according to claim 15 wherein the memory is an EEPROM.

17. The control unit according to claim 15 wherein the memory is a flash controller adapted to simulate an EEPROM.

18. The control unit according to claim 15 wherein the control unit is a vehicle door control unit.

19. The control unit according to claim 15 wherein the first protocol comprises a local interconnect network (LIN) protocol and the second protocol comprises a serial connection interface (SCI) protocol.