Control apparatus and method having program rewriting function

• US 6,285,948 B1
• Filed: 04/06/2000
• Issued: 09/04/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Takagi, Noboru, Nomura, Hajime
• Primary Examiner(s): WOLFE JR, WILLIS RAY
• Application Number:
  US09/543,897
• Time in Patent Office: 516 Days
• Field of Search: 701/101, 701/102, 701/103, 701/114, 701/115, 307/10.1, 307/10.3, 307/10.4, 307/10.5, 340/5.2, 340/5.23, 340/5.26, 340/5.72, 340/5.61, 340/5.64
• US Class Current: 701/115
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/04 operating on the propulsion system, e.g. engine or drive motor

Abstract

In an engine control apparatus, a control program is stored in a non-volatile rewritable memory such as EEPROM. The control program is rewritten by a rewriting tool. Specifically, a key identification code is retrieved from a vehicle key, and compared with a key reference code stored in the memory. If the compared codes are the same, a program identification code is retrieved from the rewriting tool, and compared with a program reference code stored in the memory. If the compared codes are the same, a new control program is transmitted from the rewriting tool to the memory to rewrite the control program with the new control program.

Claims

1. An electronic control apparatus comprising:

a memory having a first storage area for storing an attestation data, and a second storage area for storing a control content required for controlling a control object and capable of rewriting the control content;

input means for inputting a code data transmitted from an external device which allows an operation of the control object;

checking means for checking for an agreement between the transmitted code data and the stored attestation data; and

rewriting means for rewriting the control content in the second storage area in response to a check result of the checking means.

2. A program rewriting method for an electronic control unit comprising:

connecting a rewriting tool to the electronic control unit which stores a program therein;

transmitting a first code from a transponder to the electronic control unit;

checking for, within the electronic control unit, an agreement between the first code and a second code stored in the electronic control unit;

transmitting a third code from the rewriting tool to the electronic control unit;

checking for, within the electronic control unit, an agreement between the third code and a fourth code stored in the electronic control unit;

transmitting a new program from the rewriting tool to the electronic control unit, when check results of the checking steps are in predetermined relations, respectively; and

rewriting the stored program by the new program.

3. An electronic control apparatus comprising:

a first non-volatile memory storing an attestation reference data of a key;

a second non-volatile memory storing a control content required for controlling a control object, the second memory being capable of rewriting the control content in response to a predetermined operation of the key and an external rewriting command;

retrieving means for retrieving an attestation data of the key;

checking means for checking for an agreement between the retrieved attestation data and the stored reference data; and

disabling means for disabling rewriting of the control content stored in the second non-volatile memory, when a check result of the checking means indicates a disagreement between the retrieved attestation data and the stored reference data.

4. An electronic control apparatus of claim 3, wherein the control content includes at least one of a control program and a data used in execution of the control program.

5. An electronic control apparatus of claim 3, wherein the first non-volatile memory is a rewritable type capable of rewriting the stored reference data.

6. An electronic control apparatus of claim 3, wherein the first non-volatile memory is incapable of rewriting the stored reference data.

7. An electronic control apparatus of claim 3, further comprising:

a circuit for transmitting a request signal to a transponder associated with the key and receiving a response signal including the attestation data from the transponder.

8. An electronic control apparatus comprising:

a non-volatile memory storing a program and an attestation data of the stored program, and capable of rewriting the stored program;

retrieving means for retrieving from an external device an attestation data of a new program to be written over the stored program;

checking means for checking for an agreement between the retrieved attestation data of the new program and the stored identification data; and

disabling means for disabling rewriting of the new program into the non-volatile memory, when a check result of the checking means indicates a disagreement between the retrieved attestation data and the stored attestation data.

9. An electronic control apparatus of claim 8, wherein the attestation data is a predetermined identification data.

10. An electronic control apparatus of claim 8, wherein the attestation data is a predetermined ciphered function data.

11. An electronic control apparatus of claim 8, wherein:

the non-volatile memory is for further storing a reference data;

the retrieving means is for further retrieving a key data form the key;

the checking means is for further checking for an agreement between the retrieved key data and the reference data; and

disabling means for further disabling rewriting of the new program into the non-volatile memory, when a check result of the checking means indicates a disagreement between the retrieved key data and the stored reference data.

12. An electronic control apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

prohibiting means for prohibiting execution of the program stored in the non-volatile memory when the check result of the checking means indicates the disagreement between the retrieved key data and the stored reference data.

13. An electronic control apparatus comprising:

a memory having a first storage area for storing an attestation data, and a second storage area for storing a control content required for controlling a control object and capable of rewriting the control content;

input means for inputting a code data transmitted from an external transponder;

checking means for checking for an agreement between the transmitted code data and the stored attestation data; and

rewriting means for rewriting the control content in the second storage area in response to a check result of the checking means.

14. An electronic control apparatus of claim 13, wherein the rewriting means is for disabling rewriting of the control content in the second storage area, when a check result of the checking means indicates a disagreement between the transmitted code data and the stored attestation data.

15. An electronic control apparatus of claim 13, wherein the rewriting means is for enabling rewriting of the control content in the second storage area, only when a check result of the checking means indicates the agreement between the transmitted code data and the stored attestation data.

16. An electronic control apparatus of claim 13, wherein the memory includes, as the first storage area, a non-volatile memory device capable of rewriting the stored attestation data.

17. An electronic control apparatus of claim 13, wherein the memory includes, as the first storage area, a non-volatile memory device incapable of rewriting the stored attestation data.

18. An electronic control apparatus of claim 13, wherein:

the transmitted code data is stored in the transponder;

the input means is for further transmitting a request signal to the transponder; and

the transponder is for transmitting the code data to the input means in response to the request signal.

19. An electronic control apparatus of claim 13, wherein a predetermined program sequence is repeated without rewriting, when a check result of the checking means indicates a disagreement between the transmitted code data and the stored attestation data.

20. An electronic control apparatus of claim 13, wherein a power supply is shut down, when a check result of the checking means indicates a disagreement between the transmitted code data and the stored attestation data.

21. An electronic control apparatus of claim 13, wherein the control content includes at least one of a control program and a data used in execution of the control program.

22. An electronic control apparatus of claim 21, wherein:

the second storage area is for further storing the data used in execution of the control program as another code data;

the first storage area is for further storing program attestation data;

the checking means is for further checking an agreement between the another code data and the program attestation data; and

the rewriting means is for further disabling rewriting of the control program into the second storage area, when a check result of the checking means indicates a disagreement between the another code data and the program attestation data.

23. An electronic control apparatus of claim 22, wherein the another code data is a ciphered function data.

24. An electronic control apparatus of claim 13, wherein the control content is a control program for controlling an engine of a vehicle.

25. An electronic control apparatus of claim 24, wherein the transponder is integrated with a key for operating the engine.

26. An electronic control apparatus of claim 25, wherein the rewriting means is for further rewriting the control data when the key is inserted into a key cylinder and before the engine is operated.