SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR REAL TIME WIRELESS ECU MONITORING AND REPROGRAMMING

• US 20170039059A1
• Filed: 08/04/2016
• Published: 02/09/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: EZ Lynk SEZC
• Original Assignee: EZ Lynk SEZC
• Inventors: Gintz, Brad, Wood, Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 10,621,796 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0841 Registering performance data recording measured values G01D; information storage G11B
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/40 for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/48 for in-vehicle communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

Disclosed are methods, systems, and apparatus for managing firmware, settings, and parameters of an automotive controller using a local device, a client device, and a system server. The local device is connected to the automotive controller and is wirelessly connected to the client device. The client device is connected to the system server. The client device receives engine data from the local device that receives the engine data from the automotive controller and the client device sends the engine data to the server system. Firmware, settings, and parameter updates are selected with the client device, sent to the local device, and then sent to the automotive controller.

Claims

1. A method of a local device that is directly connected to an automotive controller, the method comprising:

establishing a data connection with an automotive controller;

establishing a wireless network connection with a client device;

receiving updated firmware from the client device; and

,

loading the updated firmware onto the automotive controller.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a parameter identifier (PID) request from the client device;

recording the PID request; and

,

receiving PID data from the automotive controller that relates to the PID request.

3. The method of claim 2:

wherein the PID request relates to one of engine coolant temperature, speed, revolutions per minute, battery voltage, transmission temperature, boost, calculated load, injector pressure, injector pulse width, and throttle position sensor.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

sending the PID data to the client device after recording the PID request.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

receiving an engine check request from the client device;

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

retrieving an engine code from the automotive controller; and

,

retrieving frozen data associated with the engine code from the automotive controller.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

sending a check engine response to the client device that includes the engine code and the frozen data.

8. A method of a system server, the method comprising:

receiving engine data from a client device, wherein the engine data was generated by an automotive controller;

receiving a request from the client device for updated firmware;

sending the updated firmware to the client device; and

,

receiving engine data from the client device after the updated firmware is loaded to the automotive controller.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

sending a request to a calibration writer server for updated firmware.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving the updated firmware from the calibration writer server.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving an updated engine setting from the client device.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving engine data from a first client device after the updated engine setting is loaded to the automotive controller.

13. A method of a client device, the method comprising:

establishing a wireless network connection with a local device connected to an automotive controller;

displaying the PID data received from the local device on a gauge view of a multiple gauge view in a user interface on the client device;

receiving a response from the system server that includes updated firmware;

sending the updated firmware to the local device; and

,

receiving the PID data from the local device after the updated firmware is loaded onto the automotive controller by the local device.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

sending a parameter identifier (PID) request to the local device for PID data.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving the PID data from the local device after the PID request is recorded by the local device.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

sending an engine check request to the local device.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

receiving an engine check response from the local device.

18. The method of claim 17:

wherein the engine check response comprises an engine code and frozen data associated with the engine code.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

displaying the engine code.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

sending the engine code and the frozen data to a system server;

sending a request for updated firmware to the system server based on the engine code;

storing the updated firmware on the client device;

receiving a selection of an updated engine setting by the client device from a user of the client device; and

,

including the updated engine setting in the updated firmware.