METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MATCHING VEHICLE ECU PROGRAMMING TO CURRENT VEHICLE OPERATING CONDITIONS
First Claim
1. A method of changing ECU programming that limits maximum vehicle speed, the method, the comprising the steps of:
- (a) coupling a wireless data link to a vehicle data bus logically coupled to the ECU responsible for setting maximum vehicle speed;
(b) enabling a driver of the vehicle to request changing the maximum vehicle speed setting; and
(c) determining if the speed change request is approved; and
(d) if the speed change request is approved, reprogramming the ECU in the vehicle using the new ECU programming to implement a new maximum vehicle speed setting.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed herein are techniques for implementing vehicle ECU reprograming, so the ECU programming, which plays a large role in vehicle performance characteristics, is tailored to current operational requirements, which may be different than the operational characteristics selected by the manufacturer when initially programming the vehicle ECU (or ECUs) with specific instruction sets, such as fuel maps. In one embodiment, a controller monitors the current operational characteristics of the vehicle, determines the current ECU programming, and determines if a different programming set would better suited to the current operating conditions. In the event that the current programming set should be replaced, the controller implements the ECU reprogramming. In a related embodiment, users are enabled to specify the ECU programming to change, such as changing speed limiter settings.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of changing ECU programming that limits maximum vehicle speed, the method, the comprising the steps of:
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(a) coupling a wireless data link to a vehicle data bus logically coupled to the ECU responsible for setting maximum vehicle speed; (b) enabling a driver of the vehicle to request changing the maximum vehicle speed setting; and (c) determining if the speed change request is approved; and (d) if the speed change request is approved, reprogramming the ECU in the vehicle using the new ECU programming to implement a new maximum vehicle speed setting. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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12. A system for changing programming for a vehicle controller that limits a maximum vehicle speed, the system comprising:
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(a) a vehicle controller that limits a maximum vehicle speed; (b) a user interface that enables a driver of the vehicle to request changing the maximum vehicle speed setting; and (c) an authorization controller that determines if the speed change request is approved. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of matching the programming of a vehicle controller that controls at least one performance characteristic of a vehicle to current vehicle operational requirements, the comprising the steps of:
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(a) enabling a user to define current vehicle operational requirements; (b) using a processor to analyze the vehicle operational requirements in real-time to determine if different programming would lead to improved performance, and (c) if the analysis so indicates, changing the programming of the vehicle controller to improve the performance of the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification