Automotive scanner with advanced module programming options

• US 20060271254A1
• Filed: 05/27/2005
• Published: 11/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bosch Automotive Service Solutions LLC (SPX Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Bosch Automotive Service Solutions LLC (SPX Corporation)
• Inventors: Shah, Hemang, Dahanaike, Poojitha, Story, Brant
• Granted Patent: US 8,874,302 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/29
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 17/007 Wheeled or endless-tracked vehicles G01M17/08 takes precedence
• 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

Abstract

Exemplary embodiments of an improved scanning tool with a module reprogramming capability are disclosed. In various embodiments, the improved scanning tool uses sophisticated identification software to identify automotive functional modules to identify the modules'"'"' part-numbers and resident software revisions. The appropriate update software can then be uploaded and programmed onto the modules of interest with minimal delay and human interaction.

Claims

1. An enhanced scanning apparatus for communicating with automotive electronic systems and being adapted to improve ease of use and decrease the time required by an operator to program an automotive functional module, the scanning apparatus comprising:

a first communication interface adapted to communicate with one or more automotive functional modules over a control/data bus;

a module identification device configured to interact with the one or more automotive functional modules via the first communication interface, the module identification device being configured to identify the part-number of a first module of interest; and

a programming device configured to program the first module with update software designed to change the operation of the first module, the update software being selected for programming based on the identified part number.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a memory containing a plurality of identification codes used by the module identification device to identify modules, the identification codes containing information relating part numbers to respective module traits.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein at least some identification codes take the form of a template database of records with each record containing information associating a particular module with a respective set of identifying traits.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a second interface for communicating with an external computer, wherein the scanning apparatus is configured to receive the update software from the external computer via the second interface based on the identified part number.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the scanning apparatus is configured to display the identified part-number to an operator via a first display, and the scanning apparatus receives the update software from the external computer as a result of the operator providing the identified part-number to the external computer.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the scanning apparatus is configured to provide the identified part-number to the external computer via the second interface, and the scanning apparatus receives the update software from the external computer as a result of the operator providing the identified part-number to the external computer.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the module identification device and programming device are configured to interact with General Motors vehicles.

8. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the scanning apparatus is configured to receive an indication of functional module type, and wherein the module identification device identifies the part-number of the functional module of the received indication type.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the module identification device identifies both the part-number and a software revision residing in the first module.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein either the scanning apparatus or an external computer determines whether the resident software is a current version.

16. The method of claim 4, further comprising providing the identified part-number to the external computer via the second interface, and the scanning apparatus receives the update software from the external computer as a result of the operator providing the identified part-number to the external computer.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying a software revision of software residing in the first module.

11. A method for reprogramming an automotive functional module residing in an automobile, comprising:

performing a module identification process on a first module over a control/data bus in the automobile to identify a part-number of the module, wherein the identification process includes extracting data from the module and analyzing the extracted data for features associated with the part number; and

reprogramming the first module with update software designed to change the operation of the module, the update software being selected based on the identified part number.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein performing a module identification process includes the step of comparing response information derived from the first module with a plurality of records relating part numbers to respective module traits.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein performing a module identification process includes comparing at least one of response codes, embedded parameters and embedded instruction code of the first module with a plurality of records, each record containing information relating to response codes, embedded parameters and embedded instruction code.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising receiving the update software from an external computer via a second interface, wherein the update software is provided based on the identified part number.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising displaying the identified part-number to an operator via a first display, and wherein receiving the update software is contingent on an operator entering the identified part-number to the external computer.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the module is a portion of a General Motors vehicle.

19. An enhanced scanning apparatus for communicating with automotive electronic systems, comprising:

a first communication interface adapted to communicate with one or more automotive functional modules over a control/data bus; and

an identification means for identifying an automotive functional module to provide a part-number for a first module.

a programming device configured to program the first module with update software designed to change the operation of the first module, the update software being selected for programming based on the identified part number.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising a programming device configured to program the first module with update software designed to change the operation of the first module, the update software being selected for programming based on the identified part number.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the module identification means identifies both the part-number and a software revision residing in the first module.