System for downloading software

• US 5,444,861 A
• Filed: 10/04/1994
• Issued: 08/22/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: United Technologies Corporation (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: United Technologies Corporation (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Cox, Robert E., Adamec, William B., Gigandet, Scott A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kriess, Kevin A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Richey, Michael T.
• Application Number:
  US08/317,984
• Time in Patent Office: 322 Days
• Field of Search: 395/650, 395/700
• US Class Current: 717/178
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/177 Initialisation or configuration control processor initialisation G06F9/4405
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation

Abstract

An improved system is disclosed for downloading, verifying, and/or testing software from a remote programmer to an Electronic Engine Control ("E.E.C.") unit on a gas turbine engine. The invention includes a remote programmer that communicates with the E.E.C. unit through a serial communications link. The E.E.C. unit receives the communications through a serial memory that transmits them to a shared memory and on through a central processing unit ("C.P.U.") to a program memory. A redundant control circuit is controlled by the remote programmer and directs the E.E.C. unit through three operational modes. In a first, or download/verify, mode of operation, the E.E.C. unit may receive and store a boot program. In a second, or program memory, mode, the C.P.U. executes the boot program to allow the C.P.U. to read from and/or write to the program memory in response to communications from the serial channel. In a third, or normal, mode of operation, the C.P.U. can only read from the program memory and an on-board or host computer may replace the remote programmer, so that the C.P.U. executes software stored in the program memory in response to communications received from the host computer to control multiple actuators on the engines, but the host computer cannot access the E.E.C. unit'"'"'s program memory.

Claims

1. A system for downloading software from a remote programmer to an Electronic Engine Control ("E.E.C.") unit comprising:

a. a serial channel within the E.E.C. unit that receives, communications from and transmits communications to the remote programmer;

b. a shared memory within the E.E.C. unit that receives, stores, and transmits communications from the serial channel;

c. a central processing unit ("C.P.U.") within the E.E.C. unit that receives, stores, executes, and transmits communications from the shared memory, and generates control signals for transmission out of the E.E.C. unit by way of an in/out port in the E.E.C. unit;

d. a program memory within the E.E.C. unit that receives and stores communications from the C.P.U. and transmits communications to the C.P.U.; and

e. control circuit means for enabling the remote programmer to select either;

i. a first E.E.C unit operating means for operating the E.E.C. unit in a first mode of operation, wherein the serial channel receives incoming code as serial data words and stores the code in the shared memory;

the shared memory is written and/or read by the serial channel; and

the C.P.U. is idle, so that the remote programmer can download a boot program through the serial channel for storage in the shared memory, or

ii. a second E.E.C. unit operating means for operating the E.E.C unit in a second mode of operation, wherein the C.P.U. automatically executes code in the shared memory and is enabled to read and/or write to the shared memory and program memory, so that the remote programmer can download software code through the serial channel, shared memory, C.P.U. to the program memory;

or

iii. a third E.E.C. unit operating means for operating the E.E.C. unit in a third mode of operation, wherein the C.P.U. controls the serial channel;

the C.P.U. and the serial channel can read and/or write to the shared memory; and

, the C.P.U. reads from, but cannot write to, the program memory, so that the C.P.U. can execute software code stored in the program memory, and the remote programmer cannot access the program memory.

2. The system for downloading software of claim 1, further comprising a host computer means for replacing the remote programmer in said third mode of operation of the E.E.C. unit, so that the host computer transmits communications through the serial channel and shared memory to the C.P.U., and the host computer cannot access the program memory.

3. The system for downloading software of claim 2, wherein the control circuit means includes a plurality of circuits between the remote programmer and the E.E.C. unit.

4. The system for downloading software of claim 3, wherein the shared memory comprises a random access shared memory.

5. The system for downloading software of claim 4, wherein the program memory comprises an electrically erasable, programmable read only memory.

6. The system for downloading software of claim 5, wherein the C.P.U. is adapted to not transmit the boot program from the shared memory to the program memory, so that the boot program is erased from the shared memory when the host computer replaces the remote programmer.

7. In a system for downloading software from a remote programmer to an Electronic Engine Control ("E.E.C.") unit having a serial channel within the E.E.C. unit that receives communications from and transmits communications to the remote programmer;

a central processing unit ("C.P.U.") within the E.E.C. unit that receives, stores, executes, and transmits communications from the serial channel, and generates control signals for transmission out of the E.E.C. unit by way of an in/out port;

a shared memory within the E.E.C. unit that stores and transmits communications received from the serial channel or C.P.U.;

a method of controlling the E.E.C. unit from the remote programmer comprising the steps of;

a. operating a control circuit to place the E.E.C. unit in a first mode of operation, wherein the serial channel receives incoming code as serial data words and stores the code in the shared memory;

the shared memory is written and/or read by the serial channel; and

the C.P.U. is idle, so that the remote programmer can download a boot program through the serial channel for storage in the shared memory;

b. operating a control circuit to place the E.E.C. unit in a second mode of operation, wherein the C.P.U. automatically executes code in the shared memory and is enabled to read and/or write to the shared memory and program memory so that the remote programmer can download software code through the serial channel, shared memory, C.P.U. to the program memory;

c. operating a control circuit to place the E.E.C. unit in a third mode of operation, wherein the C.P.U. runs the serial channel;

the C.P.U. and the serial channel can read and/or write to the shared memory; and

the C.P.U. reads from, but cannot write to, the program memory so that the C.P.U. can execute software code stored in the program memory, and the remote programmer cannot access the program memory.

8. The method of controlling the E.E.C. unit of claim 7, including the further step of replacing the remote programmer with a host computer in said third mode of operation of the E.E.C. unit so that the host computer transmits communications through the serial channel and shared memory to the C.P.U., and the host computer cannot access the program memory.

9. The method of controlling the E.E.C. unit of claim 8, including the further step of erasing the boot program stored in the shared memory after the E.E.C. unit is placed in said third mode of operation so that the boot program is no longer resident in the E.E.C. unit.

10. A system for downloading software from a remote programmer to an Electronic Engine Control ("E.E.C.") unit comprising:

a. a serial channel within the E.E.C. unit that receives, communications from and transmits communications to the remote programmer;

b. a shared memory within the E.E.C. unit that receives, stores, and transmits communications from the serial channel;

c. a central processing unit ("C.P.U.") within the E.E.C. unit that receives, stores, executes, and transmits communications from the shared memory, and generates control signals for transmission out of the E.E.C. unit by way of an in/out port in the E.E.C. unit;

d. a program memory within the E.E.C. unit that receives and stores communications from the C.P.U. and transmits communications to the C.P.U.; and

e. a first control circuit, a second control circuit and a third control circuit that transmit varying voltages between the remote programmer and three separate pins on the C.P.U. for operating the E.E.C. unit in;

i. a first mode of operation, wherein the serial channel receives incoming code as serial data words and stores the code in the shared memory;

the shared memory is written and/or read by the serial channel; and

the C.P.U. is idle, so that the remote programmer can download a boot program through the serial channel for storage in the shared memory, or

ii. a second mode of operation, wherein the C.P.U. automatically executes code in the shared memory and is enabled to read and/or write to the shared memory and program memory, so that the remote programmer can download software code through the serial channel, shared memory, C.P.U. to the program memory;

or

iii. a third mode of operation, wherein the C.P.U. controls the serial channel, the C.P.U. and the serial channel can read and/or write to the shared memory; and

, the C.P.U. reads from, but cannot write to, the program memory, so that the C.P.U. can execute software code stored in the program memory, and the remote programmer cannot access the program memory.

11. The system for downloading software of claim 10, wherein, in the first mode of operation, the three C.P.U. pins have been tied to grounds by the first, second and third control circuits.

12. The system for downloading software of claim 10, wherein, in the second mode of operation, two C.P.U. pins have been tied to grounds by the first and second control circuits, and a voltage has been applied to a third C.P.U. pin by the third control circuit.

13. The system for downloading software of claim 10, wherein, in the third mode of operation, a voltage has been applied to the three C.P.U. pins by the first, second and third control circuits.

14. The system for downloading software of claim 10, further comprising a host computer for replacing the remote programmer in the third mode of operation of the E.E.C. unit, so that the host computer transmits communications through the serial channel and shared memory to the C.P.U., and the host computer cannot access the program memory.

15. The system for downloading software of claim 10, wherein the shared memory comprises a random access shared memory.

16. The system for downloading software of claim 10, wherein the program memory comprises an electronically erasable, programmable read only memory.

17. The system for downloading software of claim 10, wherein the C.P.U. does not transmit the boot program from the shared memory to the program memory and the boot program memory is erased from the shared memory when the E.E.C. unit is in the third mode of operation.