Method for re-initializing vehicle parameters after a power loss in a motor vehicle

• US 5,801,621 A
• Filed: 07/17/1995
• Issued: 09/01/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: FCA US LLC (Stellantis NV)
• Original Assignee: Chrysler Corporation (Stellantis NV)
• Inventors: Issa, Nabil M., Holbrook, Gerald L.
• Primary Examiner(s): SWARTHOUT, BRENT
• Application Number:
  US08/503,357
• Time in Patent Office: 1,142 Days
• Field of Search: 340/439, 364/424.01, 364/424.04, 364/431.12, 365/228, 701/35, 701/115
• US Class Current: 340/439
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0231 Circuits relating to the driving or the functioning of the vehicle monitoring tyres B60C23/00; indicating overspeed B60K31/00; for dash boards B60K37/00, B60Q3/10; for indicating emergencies B60Q1/52; brake control systems B60T; registering or indicating the working of vehicles G07C5/00; measuring distance G01C, e.g. combinations of speed and distance G01C23/00; engine indicators G01L; measuring speed or acceleration G01P
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0063 Manual parameter input, manual setting means, manual initialising or calibrating means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0085 Setting or resetting initial positions
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/00 Details of control systems for road vehicle drive control not related to the control of a particular sub-unit , e.g. process diagnostic or vehicle driver interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/035 Bringing the control units into a predefined state, e.g. giving priority to particular actuators
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2061/0053 Initializing the parameters of the controller

Abstract

A method for reinitializing vehicle parameters stored in a memory of a controller in a motor vehicle after a power loss to the controller includes the steps of determining whether predetermined conditions are right for transferring at least one vehicle parameter stored in a volatile memory of a controller, transferring the vehicle parameter stored in the volatile memory to a non-volatile memory if the predetermined conditions are right for transferring the vehicle parameter, determining whether predetermined conditions are right for re-initializing the vehicle parameter after a power loss to the controller, transferring the vehicle parameter from the non-volatile memory to the volatile memory if the predetermined conditions are right for re-initializing the vehicle parameter, and initializing the vehicle parameter with a predetermined initial value stored in the non-volatile memory to the volatile memory if the predetermined conditions are not right for re-initializing the vehicle parameter.

Claims

1. A method for reinitializing vehicle parameters stored in memory of a controller in a motor vehicle after a power loss to the controller, said method comprising the steps of:

determining whether predetermined conditions are right for transferring, at least one vehicle parameter stored in a volatile memory of a controller;

transferring the vehicle parameter stored in the volatile memory to a non-volatile memory of the controller if the predetermined conditions are right for transferring the vehicle parameter;

determining whether predetermined conditions are right for re-initializing the vehicle parameter after a power loss to the controller;

performing a validity check of the vehicle parameter stored in the non-volatile memory by determining whether a predetermined number of vehicle parameters stored in the non-volatile memory is equal to a predetermined number of vehicle parameters stored in a read only memory;

transferring the vehicle parameter from the non-volatile memory to the volatile memory if the predetermined conditions are right for re-initializing the vehicle parameter and the validity check is valid; and

initializing the vehicle parameter with a predetermined initial value stored in the non-volatile memory to the volatile memory if the predetermined conditions are not right for re-initializing the vehicle parameter and the validity check is not valid.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said step of determining if the predetermined conditions are right for transferring a vehicle parameter comprises:

determining if the ignition is OFF at least a predetermined period of time; and

continuing said method if the ignition has been OFF at least the predetermined period of time.

3. A method as set forth in claim 2 wherein said step of determining whether the predetermined conditions are right for transferring the vehicle parameter further comprises determining whether the non-volatile memory needs updating.

4. A method for reinitializing vehicle parameters stored in memory of a controller in a motor vehicle after a power loss to the controller, said method comprising the steps of:

determining whether predetermined conditions are right for transferring at least one vehicle parameter stored in a volatile memory of a controller;

transferring the vehicle parameter stored in the volatile memory to a non-volatile memory of the controller if the predetermined conditions are right for transferring the vehicle parameter;

determining whether predetermined conditions are right for re-initializing the vehicle parameter after a power loss to the controller;

transferring the vehicle parameter from the non-volatile memory to the volatile memory if the predetermined conditions are right for re-initializing the vehicle parameter;

initializing the vehicle parameter with a predetermined initial value stored in the non-volatile memory to the volatile memory if the predetermined conditions are not right for re-initializing the vehicle parameter;

wherein said step of determining whether the predetermined conditions are right for transferring comprises;

determining if the ignition is OFF at least a predetermined period of time;

continuing said method if the ignition has been OFF at least the predetermined period of time;

determining whether the non-volatile memory needs updating;

checking if a counter equals a predetermined number if the non-volatile memory does not need updating;

updating the counter if the counter does not equal the predetermined number; and

determining whether the non-volatile memory is currently being written to if the counter does equal the predetermined number.

5. A method as set forth in claim 4 including the steps of writing the vehicle parameter into the non-volatile memory.

6. A method as set forth in claim 4 including the step of determining whether more vehicle parameters are to be transferred into the non-volatile memory if the non-volatile memory needs updating.

7. A method as set forth in claim 6 including the step of transferring more vehicle parameters to the non-volatile memory if more vehicle parameters are to be transferred into the non-volatile memory.

8. A method for reinitializing vehicle parameters stored in memory of a controller in a motor vehicle after a power loss to the controller, said method comprising the steps of:

determining whether predetermined conditions are right for transferring, at least one vehicle parameter stored in a volatile memory of a controller;

transferring the vehicle parameter stored in the volatile memory to a non-volatile memory of the controller if the predetermined conditions are right for transferring the vehicle parameter;

determining whether predetermined conditions are right for re-initializing the vehicle parameter after a power loss to the controller;

transferring the vehicle parameter from the non-volatile memory to the volatile memory if the predetermined conditions are right for re-initializing the vehicle parameter;

initializing the vehicle parameter with a predetermined initial value stored in the non-volatile memory to the volatile memory if the predetermined conditions are not right for re-initializing the vehicle parameter; and

performing a validity check of the vehicle parameters by determining if a number of vehicle parameters stored in the non-volatile memory is equal to a predetermined number stored in the non-volatile memory prior to said step of transferring.

9. A method for reinitializing vehicle parameters stored in memory of a controller in a motor vehicle after a power loss to the controller, said method comprising the steps of:

determining whether predetermined conditions are right for copying at least one vehicle parameter stored in a volatile memory of a controller;

checking whether a non-volatile memory of the controller is ready for updating if the predetermined conditions are right for copying the vehicle parameter;

copying at least one vehicle parameter stored in the volatile memory to the non-volatile memory if the non-volatile memory is ready for updating;

during a next start-up of the vehicle, checking if the power was disconnected to the controller;

performing a validity check of the vehicle parameter stored in the non-volatile memory by determining if a number of vehicle parameters stored in the non-volatile memory is equal to a predetermined number stored in the non-volatile memory;

copying vehicle parameters into random access memory from non-volatile memory if the validity check is positive; and

copying initial values for vehicle parameters from a read only memory to the volatile memory if the validity check is negative.

10. A method for reinitializing vehicle parameters stored in memory of a controller in a motor vehicle after a power loss to the controller, said method comprising the steps of:

determining whether predetermined conditions are right for transferring, at least one vehicle parameter stored in a volatile memory of a controller;

transferring the vehicle parameter stored in the volatile memory to a non-volatile memory of the controller after a predetermined number of engine starts if the predetermined conditions are right for transferring the vehicle parameter;

determining whether predetermined conditions are right for re-initializing the vehicle parameter after a power loss to the controller;

performing a validity check of the vehicle parameter stored in the non-volatile memory by determining whether a predetermined number of vehicle parameters stored in the non-volatile memory is equal to a predetermined number of vehicle parameters stored in a read only memory;

transferring the vehicle parameter from the non-volatile memory to the volatile memory if the predetermined conditions are right for re-initializing the vehicle parameter and the validity check is valid; and

initializing the vehicle parameter with a predetermined initial value stored in the non-volatile memory to the volatile memory if the predetermined conditions are not right for re-initializing the vehicle parameter and the validity check is not valid.

11. A method for reinitializing vehicle parameters stored in memory of a controller in a motor vehicle after a power loss to the controller, said method comprising the steps of:

determining whether predetermined conditions are right for transferring a plurality of vehicle parameters stored in a volatile memory of a controller;

transferring the vehicle parameters stored in the volatile memory to a non-volatile memory of the controller if the predetermined conditions are right for transferring the vehicle parameters;

determining whether predetermined conditions are right for re-initializing the vehicle parameters after a power loss to the controller;

performing a validity check of the vehicle parameters stored in the non-volatile memory by calculating a checksum of the vehicle parameters stored in the non-volatile memory;

transferring the vehicle parameters from the non-volatile memory to the volatile memory if the predetermined conditions are right for re-initializing the vehicle parameters and the validity check is valid; and

initializing the vehicle parameters with a predetermined initial value stored in the non-volatile memory to the volatile memory if the predetermined conditions are not right for re-initializing the vehicle parameters and the validity check is not valid.