Memory readout system for vehicle control device

• US 20080234892A1
• Filed: 03/19/2008
• Published: 09/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Asada, Tadatoshi, Abe, Kunihiro, Suzuki, Tatsuya
• Granted Patent: US 8,452,488 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/35
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/004 Error avoidance G06F11/07 and subgroups take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database

Abstract

A memory readout system comprised of a vehicle control device and a readout device to be detachably connected to the vehicle control device. The readout device reads out dialogue information stored in a built-in nonvolatile memory in the vehicle control device when connected to the vehicle control device and a predetermined certification condition is satisfied. The vehicle control device is comprised of the built-in nonvolatile memory and a dialogue information readout unit. In particular, the nonvolatile memory has a un-rewritable area which allows a dialogue information writing, but inhibits a dialogue information deletion. The dialogue information readout unit reads out the dialogue information stored in the un-rewritable area when a password certification judges that the readout device is an authorized one, and then transfers the dialogue information to the readout device.

Claims

1. A memory readout system comprising a vehicle control device and a readout device which is detachably connected to the vehicle control device,

the vehicle control device comprising:

a non-volatile memory that has at least un-rewritable area which allows a data writing and inhibits a data deletion;

a vehicle information write means that generates and writes vehicle information into the un-rewritable area in the non-volatile memory; and

a vehicle information readout means that reads out the vehicle information stored in the un-rewritable area in the non-volatile memory and to transfer the readout device when the readout device is connected to the vehicle control device.

2. The memory readout system according to claim 1, wherein the non-volatile memory comprises the un-rewritable area and a rewritable area which allows both of a data writing and a data deletion, and the vehicle information write means writes the vehicle information into both of the un-rewritable area and the rewritable are in the non-volatile memory, and the vehicle information readout means reads out the vehicle information from one of the un-rewritable area and the rewritable are in the non-volatile memory, and transfers the vehicle information to the readout device.

3. The memory readout system according to claim 2, further comprising certification means that performs a predetermined certification for the readout device or an operator who uses the readout device, wherein

the vehicle information readout means reads out the vehicle information stored in the un-rewritable area when the certification means judges that the readout device is an authorized one or the operator is a formal user, and the vehicle information readout means reads out the vehicle information stored in the rewritable area when the certification means judges the readout device is not any authorized one or the operator is not any formal user.

4. The memory readout system according to claim 3, wherein the vehicle information is failure information which is collected or generated when a failure occurs, the vehicle control device further comprises a counter means that counts the number of failure occurrences, and the vehicle information write means adds the number of failure occurrences counted by the counter means into the vehicle information to be written into the un-rewritable area in the non-volatile memory.

5. The memory readout system according to claim 3, wherein the vehicle information is failure information that is collected or generated when a failure occurs in a vehicle, and the vehicle information write means adds, into the vehicle information, simultaneous information, which distinguishes each of failures which simultaneously occur from other failures.

6. The memory readout system according to claim 3, wherein the vehicle information is failure information that is collected or generated when a failure occurs in a vehicle, and the vehicle information write means adds, into the vehicle information, vehicle state information which represents a vehicle state at the failure occurrence.

7. The memory readout system according to claim 6, wherein the vehicle state information includes control state information that represents a control state obtained by the vehicle control device at the failure occurrence.

8. The memory readout system according to claim 6, wherein the vehicle state information includes electric power source state information representing an electric power source condition at the failure occurrence.

9. The memory readout system according to claim 3, wherein the certification means performs the certification every reading of the vehicle information by the vehicle information readout means.

10. The memory readout system according to claim 9, wherein the readout device comprises a password input means that allows the operator to input a password when the operator performs a predetermined operation, and the certification means initiates the certification of the password which is input through the password input means.

11. The memory readout system according to claim 3, wherein the certification means initiates the certification when the vehicle control device detects an occurrence of a special condition which is hardly thought of actually happened in an actual vehicle.

12. The memory readout system according to claim 3, wherein a readable state, which is initiated by the authorization of the certification means and in which the vehicle information stored in the un-rewritable area is readable, is terminated when a vehicle ignition key is turned OFF.

13. The memory readout system according to claim 3, wherein a readable state, which is initiated by the authorization of the certification means and in which the vehicle information stored in the un-rewritable area is readable, is terminated when the readout device is detached from the vehicle control device.

14. The memory readout system according to claim 11, wherein the special condition is established by detecting a vehicle speed signal of not less than a predetermined vehicle speed is transferred from the vehicle.