Method and arrangement for reloading processor control programs

• US 5,406,484 A
• Filed: 09/13/1993
• Issued: 04/11/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Wurzenberger, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Teska, Kevin J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MCFADDEN, SUSAN IRIS
• Application Number:
  US08/119,547
• Time in Patent Office: 575 Days
• Field of Search: 364/426.01, 364/426.02, 364/426.03, 364/191, 364/449, 371/24, 371/30, 340/825.04, 180/168
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0968 Systems involving transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle

Abstract

In a read only memory protected against erasure in processor-controlled apparatus, the loading occurs via a wireless data transmission interface. The processor-controlled apparatus is a mobile apparatus in which a loader provided for loading the read only memory is installed. This loader controls the communication of the data transmission interface as well as the erasing and reprogramming of the read only memory. The processor control program or program parts thereof to be reloaded are requested by the processor-controlled apparatus in blocks from a reloading station which likewise has a wireless data transmission interface and are written into the read only memory. The individual program blocks are protected by check sums in the block-by-block transmission. After the end of the programming, the processor control program that has been reloaded is checked by length comparison and check sum comparison to ensure that the data transmission was error-free.

Claims

1. A method for a reloading processor control program into a read only memory protected against erasing in processor-controlled apparatus, comprising the steps of:

providing a wireless data transmission interface in the processor-controlled apparatus, the processor-controlled apparatus being a mobile apparatus having a means for loading and a read only memory, said means for loading controlling the communication of the data transmission interface as well as erasing and reprogramming the read only memory;

providing a wireless data transmission interface in a reloading station;

informing, via the wireless data transmission interface in the reloading station, the mobile apparatus of the presence of a processor control program or parts thereof;

requesting, via the wireless data transmission interface in the processor-controlled apparatus, the processor control program or program parts thereof to be reloaded in blocks by the processor-controlled apparatus from the reloading station;

loading said processor-controlled program or program parts thereof into the read only memory via a communication link between said data transmission interfaces of said processor-controlled apparatus and of said reloading station;

protecting individual program blocks by check sums during block-by-block transmission; and

after an end of the reprogramming, checking said reloaded processor control program or program parts thereof by length comparison and check sum comparison to ensure that data transmission of the processor-controlled program or program parts thereof occurred error-free.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the reloading station offers available programs or program versions for reloading by cyclical transmission of an information block to said mobile apparatus.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the data transmission ensues by infrared light.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said processor-controlled apparatus is a vehicle and wherein said method is employed in a predetermined traffic routing and information system having transmission beacons, said vehicle being informed of the presence of a reloading control program via said transmission beacons of said system.

5. An arrangement for reloading a processor control program into a read only memory protected against erasing in processor-controlled apparatus of a vehicle, comprising:

a fixed reloading station having a computer connected to a wireless data transmission interface and having a display;

processor-controlled apparatus of the vehicle having an on-board computer with a read only memory and having a wireless data transmission interface; and

said data transmission interfaces of said fixed reloading station and said vehicle being coupled by a communication link, the on-board computer of the vehicle controlling communication of the data transmission interface of the vehicle, as well as the erasing and reprogramming of the read only memory;

wherein the reloading station informs the vehicle of the presence of a processor control program to be reloaded or program parts thereof, wherein the processor control program to be reloaded or program parts thereof are requested in blocks by the on-board computer from the reloading station and are loaded into the read only memory via the communication link, wherein individual program blocks are protected by check sums during block-by-block transmission, and wherein after an end of the reprogramming, the reloaded processor control program or program parts thereof is checked by length comparison and check sum comparison to ensure that data transmission of the processor-controlled program or program parts thereof occurred error-free.

6. The arrangement according to claim 5, wherein the reloading station comprises at least a one-lane drive-through configuration.

7. The arrangement according to claim 5, wherein the reloading station is a gasoline station.

8. The arrangement according to claim 5, wherein the data transmission interface of the vehicle is an infrared transmission interface already present therein and the data transmission interface of the reloading station is an infrared transmission interface of a predetermined traffic routing and information system having infrared beacons.

9. The arrangement according to claim 5, wherein the display means of the reloading station indicates a reloading event.

10. The arrangement according to claim 5, wherein the infrared beacons of the traffic routing and information system are provided instead of the reloading station, whereby the processor control program to be loaded is transmitted into a moving vehicle in sections from beacon to beacon.

11. The arrangement according to claim 5, wherein the vehicle has a display means for indicating a reloading event.

12. An arrangement for reloading a processor control program into a read only memory protected against erasing in processor-controlled apparatus of a vehicle, comprising:

a fixed reloading station having a computer connected to an infrared data transmission interface and having a display;

processor-controlled apparatus of the vehicle having an on-board computer with a read only memory, having an infrared data transmission interface, and having a display means;

said data transmission interfaces of said fixed reloading station and said vehicle being coupled by a communication link, the on-board computer of the vehicle controlling communication of the data transmission interface of the vehicle, as well as the erasing and reprogramming of the read only memory;

the data transmission interface of the vehicle and the data transmission interface of the reloading station also being components of a predetermined traffic routing and information system having infrared beacons;

the display means of the reloading station as well as the display means of the vehicle indicating a reloading event;

means for informing, via the wireless data transmission interface in the reloading stations, the mobile apparatus of the presence of a processor control program or parts thereof;

means for requesting by the on-board computer that the processor control program be reloaded or program parts thereof in blocks from the reloading station; and

wherein the processor control program to be reloaded on parts thereof are loaded into the read only memory via the communication link, wherein individual program blocks are protected by check sums during block-by-block transmission, and wherein after an end of the reprogramming, the reloaded processor control program or program parts thereof is checked by length comparison and check sum comparison to ensure that data transmission of the processor-controlled program or program parts thereof occurred error-free.

13. The arrangement according to claim 12, wherein the reloading station comprises at least a one-lane drive-through configuration.

14. The arrangement according to claim 12, wherein the reloading station is a gasoline station.

15. The arrangement according to claim 12, wherein the infrared beacons of the traffic routing and information system are provided instead of the reloading station, whereby the processor control program to be loaded is transmitted into a moving vehicle in sections from beacon to beacon.