METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REPROGRAMMING A VEHCILE COMPONENT

• US 20150269401A1
• Filed: 03/20/2014
• Published: 09/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc. (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc. (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Hagedorn Maillard, Jurgen Christian, Morales Rodriguez, Irving, Togo Peraza, Luis Roberto, Benitez Sosa, Jorge, Navarro Hurtado, Alberto
• Granted Patent: US 10,030,590 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/20 Means to switch the anti-theft system on or off
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 29/02 peculiar to engines driving vehicles; peculiar to engines driving variable pitch propellers

Abstract

A method for reprogramming an automotive device writes a programming sequence to a transponder read/write memory, interfaces the transponder with at least one vehicle system while the at least one vehicle system is installed in a vehicle, and transfers the programming sequence to the at least one vehicle system.

Claims

1. A method for reprogramming an automotive device comprising:

writing a programming sequence to a transponder read/write memory;

interfacing the transponder with at least one vehicle system while the at least one vehicle system is installed in a vehicle; and

transferring the programming sequence to the at least one vehicle system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the transponder is a vehicle ignition key transponder.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein interfacing with at least one vehicle system comprises inserting the vehicle ignition key in a vehicle ignition and thereby providing vehicle power to at the transponder in the vehicle ignition key.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein interfacing with at least one vehicle system comprises transmitting a programming sequence preset signal from the transponder, receiving the programming sequence present signal at the at least one vehicle system, and initiating a communicative coupling between the transponder and the at least one vehicle system.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a transfer in progress notification to a user while the programming sequence is being transferred.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the transfer in progress notification is at least one of a textual notification and a graphical notification displayed on a screen.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising updating at least one of program parameters and program software of the at least one vehicle system using the programming sequence.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein transferring the programming sequence to the at least one vehicle system includes wirelessly transferring at least a portion of the programming sequence from the transponder to the at least one vehicle part.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising repeating the steps of interfacing the transponder with at least one vehicle system while the at least one vehicle system is installed in a vehicle, and transferring the programming sequence to the at least one vehicle system for multiple vehicles in a fleet of vehicles using a single transponder.

10. A vehicle control system comprising:

a vehicle engine controller;

at least one electronic component communicatively coupled to said vehicle engine controller;

at least one of said electronic component and said vehicle engine controller including a wireless communication signal receiver, an update recognition module, and a tangible memory storing instructions for causing at least one of the vehicle engine controller and the electronic component to perform the steps of;

interfacing at least one of the vehicle engine controller and the electronic component with a transponder while the at least one electronic component is installed in a vehicle; and

transferring a programming sequence to the at least one electronic component from the transponder.

11. The vehicle control system of claim 10, wherein said at least one electronic component includes an immobilizer, and wherein said tangible memory is an immobilizer memory.

12. The vehicle control system of claim 10, wherein said transponder is a key transponder and wherein said key is interfaced with an vehicle ignition.

13. The vehicle control system of claim 12, wherein said key transponder includes a unique vehicle identification number, and wherein said programming sequence is tied to said unique vehicle identification number.

14. The vehicle control system of claim 12, wherein said key transponder includes a unique vehicle identification number, and wherein said programming sequence is independent of said vehicle identification number.

15. The vehicle control system of claim 10, wherein said update recognition module comprises a hardware module operable to receive and interpret an update sequence present signal from a transponder.

16. The vehicle control system of claim 10, wherein said update recognition module comprises a software module operable to decode an output signal of a transponder and recognize an update sequence present signal.

17. The vehicle control system of claim 10, further comprising a vehicle console including a display screen and wherein the tangible memory further stores instructions for causing said display screen display at least one of an update sequence in progress message and an update sequence completed message.

18. The vehicle control system of claim 17, wherein the update sequence in progress message is at least one of a text message and a graphical image.

19. A vehicle comprising:

An engine;

an ignition coupled to an immobilizer and operable to start said ignition; and

a vehicle control system comprising;

a vehicle engine controller, wherein the immobilizer is communicatively coupled to said vehicle engine controller;

at least one of said immobilizer and said vehicle engine controller including a wireless communication signal receiver, an update recognition module, and a tangible memory storing instructions for causing at least one of the vehicle engine controller and the electronic component to perform the steps of;

interfacing at least one of the vehicle engine controller and the immobilizer with a

transponder while the immobilizer is installed in a vehicle; and

transferring a programming sequence to the immobilizer from the transponder.