System for programming a vehicle control computer with selectable features and/or trim values

• US 6,321,142 B1
• Filed: 05/16/2000
• Issued: 11/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cummins Engine Company Incorporated (Cummins Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Cummins Engine Company Incorporated (Cummins Incorporated)
• Inventors: Shutty, John V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hernandez, Olga
• Application Number:
  US09/571,233
• Time in Patent Office: 553 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/36, 701/24, 701/29, 340/825.31
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0005 Processor details or data handling, e.g. memory registers or chip architecture
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0045 using databus protocols
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0064 using a remote, e.g. cordless, transmitter or receiver unit, e.g. remote keypad or mobile phone
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0075 Automatic parameter input, automatic initialising or calibrating means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0082 for initialising the control system
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/45 External transmission of data to or from the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/2422 Selective use of one or more tables
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/2425 Particular ways of programming the data
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/2432 Methods of calibration
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/2435 characterised by the writing medium, e.g. bar code
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/26 using computer, e.g. microprocessor
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23306 Load program from host, remote load, non volatile card to volatile, ram
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2637 Vehicle, car, auto, wheelchair
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/34038 Web, http, ftp, internet, intranet server

Abstract

A system for programming a vehicle control computer with selectable features and/or trim values includes a first computer maintaining a web site containing vehicle control computer calibration information and a second computer operable to access the web site whereby the first computer is responsive to information provided by a user to generate a set of feature and/or trim values and to create a file of the set of feature and/or trim values along with a loading program therefore. In one embodiment, the file and loading program may be loaded onto a memory disk for subsequent transfer to a third computer configured for communicating with a vehicle control computer. In another embodiment, the file and loading program may be transferred directly to the third computer via a wired or wireless communications link. In still another embodiment, the third computer may access the web site and the file and loading program may accordingly be transferred directly to the third computer from the web site. In still a further embodiment, the loading program may be resident within, or provided by an external source, to the third computer so that transfer of only the file thereto is necessary. In any case, the file of feature and/or trim values is loaded onto the vehicle control computer by the third computer according to the loading program.

Claims

1. A method of programming a vehicle control computer, comprising the steps of:

accessing a web site containing vehicle control computer calibration information;

generating a set of vehicle control computer data from the vehicle control computer calibration information based on user input to said web site; and

loading said set of vehicle control computer data into a vehicle control computer carried by a vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1 further including the step of providing the web site with information relating to a type of internal combustion engine carried by the vehicle, said user input to the web site including said information relating to a type of internal combustion engine carried by the vehicle.

3. The method of claim 2 further including the step of providing the web site with information relating to a vehicular application of internal combustion engine, said user input to the web site including said information relating to a vehicular application of internal combustion engine.

4. The method of claim 2 further including the step of providing the web site with information relating to a desired performance level of the engine, said user input to the web site including said information relating to a desired performance level of the engine.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the generating step includes the steps of:

generating a recommended set of vehicle control computer data from the vehicle control computer calibration information based on user input to said web site;

modifying at least some of said recommended set of vehicle control computer data; and

generating said set of vehicle control computer data based on said recommended set of vehicle control computer data modified according to the modifying step.

6. The method of claim 1 further including the step of creating a file of said set of vehicle control computer data;

and wherein the load step includes loading said file of said set of vehicle control computer data into the vehicle control computer.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the creating step further includes creating a loading program corresponding to said file;

and wherein the loading step includes loading said file of said set of vehicle control computer data into the vehicle control computer according to said loading program.

8. A method of programming a vehicle control computer, comprising the steps of:

providing a web site containing vehicle control computer calibration information;

creating a file of vehicle control computer data based on at least some of said vehicle control computer calibration information contained in said web site; and

loading said file of vehicle control computer data into a vehicle control computer carried by a vehicle.

9. The method of claim 8 further including the step of accessing the web site;

and wherein the creating step includes creating a file of vehicle control computer data based on at least some of said vehicle control computer calibration information contained in said web site and on user input to said web site.

10. The method of claim 9 further including the step of providing the web site with information relating to a type of internal combustion engine carried by the vehicle, said user input to the web site including said information relating to a type of internal combustion engine carried by the vehicle.

11. The method of claim 10 further including the step of providing the web site with information relating to a vehicular application of internal combustion engine, said user input to the web site including said information relating to a vehicular application of internal combustion engine.

12. The method of claim 10 further including the step of providing the web site with information relating to a desired performance level of the engine, said user input to the web site including said information relating to a desired performance level of the engine.

13. The method of claim 8 further including the steps of:

generating a recommended set of vehicle control computer data from the vehicle control computer calibration information based on user input to said web site; and

modifying at least some of said recommended set of vehicle control computer data;

and wherein the creating step includes creating said file based on said recommended set of vehicle control computer data modified according to the modifying step.

14. The method of claim 8 wherein the creating step further includes creating a loading program corresponding to said file;

and wherein the loading step includes loading said file into the vehicle control computer according to said loading program.

15. A system for programming a vehicle control computer, comprising:

a web site containing vehicle control computer information;

a first computer including means for accessing said web site;

a medium for storing vehicle control computer data;

wherein said first computer is operable to access said web site and download a set of said vehicle control computer data from said web site to said medium, said set of vehicle control computer data based on at least some of said vehicle control computer information contained in said web site and on user information provided thereto; and

means for loading said set of vehicle control computer data from said medium to a vehicle control computer.

16. The system of claim 15 further including means for establishing electronic communications between said means for loading said set of vehicle control computer data from said medium to a vehicle control computer and said vehicle control computer.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein said medium is a memory disk;

and wherein said means for loading said set of vehicle control computer data from said medium to a vehicle control computer includes a second computer operable to transfer said set of vehicle control computer data from said memory disk to said vehicle control computer.

18. The system of claim 15 wherein said medium is a memory unit internal to a second computer;

and wherein said means for loading said set of vehicle control computer data from said medium to a vehicle control computer includes said second computer operable to transfer said set of vehicle control computer data from said memory unit to said vehicle control computer.

19. The system of claim 15 further including a serial data link connected to said vehicle control computer;

and wherein said means for loading said set of vehicle control computer data from said medium to a vehicle control computer includes means for transferring said set of vehicle control computer data to said vehicle control computer via said serial data link.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein said serial data link is one of a SAE J-1587 and a SAE J-1939 data link.