ENHANCED REFLASH USING MODULAR DISCRIMINATION

• US 20110130892A1
• Filed: 12/02/2009
• Published: 06/02/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Dulzo, Jeffrey J., Turski, Karin L.
• Granted Patent: US 8,428,789 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/654 using techniques specially adapted for alterable solid state memories, e.g. for EEPROM or flash memories

Abstract

An improved system, method, and mechanism for executing and reconfiguring a reflash procedure maintains a vehicle state of charge while avoiding defective reflash operations. In an aspect of the invention, the technique includes receiving a reflash request, i.e., at a controller associated with the vehicle, the reflash request identifying one or more target modules and specifying replacement information. A reflash procedure in accordance with the received request is then begun. However, when and if the charge state of the vehicle drops below a predetermined threshold, the controller modifies the reflash procedure by first categorizing individual ongoing reflash operations and stopping any reflash operations belonging to the second class, while continuing any reflash operations belonging to the first class.

Claims

1. A method of enhancing a reflash procedure via modular discrimination to maintain a vehicle state of charge while avoiding defective reflash operations comprising:

receiving a reflash request at a controller associated with the vehicle, the reflash request identifying one or more target modules and specifying replacement information;

commencing a reflash procedure in accordance with the received request, wherein the reflash procedure entails execution of a plurality of individual reflash operations;

while performing the reflash procedure, evaluating a charge state of the vehicle to determine whether the charge state of the vehicle has dropped below a predetermined threshold; and

modifying the reflash procedure if the charge state of the vehicle has dropped below the predetermined threshold by;

categorizing individual ongoing reflash operations within the reflash procedure into at least a first class and a second class;

ceasing any reflash operations pertaining to individual ongoing reflash operations categorized as belonging to the second class; and

completing any reflash operations pertaining to individual ongoing reflash operations categorized as belonging to the first class.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the reflash request is received at the controller via a wireless network.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the reflash request is first received over the wireless network at a vehicle telematics unit.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the charge state of the vehicle corresponding to the predetermined threshold is a charge state below which the reflash operations specified in the reflash request cannot be completed without the occurrence of one or more defective operations.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the charge state of the vehicle corresponding to the predetermined threshold is a charge state below which the vehicle will not have sufficient power left to start the vehicle if all reflash operations specified in the reflash request are executed.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of individual reflash operations pertain to at least two separate electronic modules.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the individual ongoing reflash operations categorized as belonging to the first class are operations without which the vehicle would not function.

8. A computer-readable medium having thereon computer-executable instructions for enhancing a reflash procedure via modular discrimination to maintain a vehicle state of charge while avoiding defective reflash operations, the instructions comprising:

instructions for receiving a reflash request at a controller associated with the vehicle, the reflash request identifying one or more target modules and specifying replacement information;

instructions for commencing a reflash procedure in accordance with the received request, wherein the reflash procedure entails execution of a plurality of individual reflash operations;

instructions for evaluating a charge state of the vehicle to determine whether the charge state of the vehicle has dropped below a predetermined threshold while performing the reflash procedure; and

instructions for modifying the reflash procedure if the charge state of the vehicle has dropped below the predetermined threshold by;

categorizing individual ongoing reflash operations within the reflash procedure into at least a first class and a second class;

ceasing any reflash operations pertaining to individual ongoing reflash operations categorized as belonging to the second class; and

completing any reflash operations pertaining to individual ongoing reflash operations categorized as belonging to the first class.

9. The medium according to claim 8, wherein the reflash request is received at the controller via a wireless network.

10. The medium according to claim 9, wherein the reflash request is first received over the wireless network at a vehicle telematics unit.

11. The medium according to claim 8, wherein the charge state of the vehicle corresponding to the predetermined threshold is a charge state below which the reflash operations specified in the reflash request cannot be completed without the occurrence of one or more defective operations.

12. The medium according to claim 8, wherein the charge state of the vehicle corresponding to the predetermined threshold is a charge state below which the vehicle will not have sufficient power left to start the vehicle if all reflash operations specified in the reflash request are executed.

13. The medium according to claim 8, wherein the plurality of individual reflash operations pertain to at least two separate electronic modules.

14. The medium according to claim 8, wherein the individual ongoing reflash operations categorized as belonging to the first class are operations without which the vehicle would not function.

15. A method of updating an electronic module in a vehicle by performing one or more reflash operations, the method comprising:

receiving a reflash request at the vehicle, the reflash request specifying a plurality of reflash operations to be executed relative to the electronic module;

determining that execution of all reflash operations specified in the reflash request would result in a state of charge for the vehicle that is lower than a predetermined threshold;

reducing the set of reflash operations to be executed; and

executing the reduced set of reflash operations.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the reflash request is received at the controller via a wireless network.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the reflash request is first received over the wireless network at a vehicle telematics unit.

18. The method according to claim 15, wherein the charge state of the vehicle corresponding to the predetermined threshold is a charge state below which the reflash operations specified in the reflash request cannot be completed without the occurrence of one or more defective operations.

19. The method according to claim 15, wherein the charge state of the vehicle corresponding to the predetermined threshold is a charge state below which the vehicle will not have sufficient power left to start the vehicle if all reflash operations specified in the reflash request are executed.

20. The method according to claim 15, wherein the individual ongoing reflash operations categorized as belonging to the first class are operations without which the vehicle would not function.