Memory writing device for an electronic device

• US 6,477,626 B1
• Filed: 07/25/2000
• Issued: 11/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Ishida, Takashi, Kawase, Yoshihiro, Kida, Yoshiaki, Terada, Yukari
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Matthew
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Denise
• Application Number:
  US09/625,403
• Time in Patent Office: 833 Days
• Field of Search: 710/29, 710/33, 710/10-11, 709/228, 709/233-234, 709/230, 709/245, 711/103, 711/154, 711/115, 711/163, 717/11
• US Class Current: 711/154
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/2487 Methods for rewriting
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/60 Software deployment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/654 using techniques specially adapted for alterable solid state memories, e.g. for EEPROM or flash memories
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 16/102 External programming circuits, e.g. EPROM programmers; In-circuit programming or reprogramming; EPROM emulators

Abstract

To provide a memory-writing device which can simply and reliably write desired data to a nonvolatile memory of an electronic device, connection is made with an ECU to perform write processing to write write data from the memory-writing device to a flash ROM by copying a write-control program from the external portion to a RAM and executing the write-control program, and by sequentially sending the foregoing write-control program and write data to this ECU together with sending, at a predetermined timing, write-control information required for the ECU to execute the write-control program, the write-control program and the write-control information are stored in a freely attachable and removable first ROM and the write-control information stored in the first ROM is read and sent to the ECU at a memory-rewriting device to cause the write processing to be performed in the ECU. According to this device, an ECU of differing specifications can be supported merely by exchanging the first ROM.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a memory writing device including

a first storage medium for storing a write control program therein;

a second storage medium for storing write control data therein; and

write control means, connected to the first and second storage media, for

reading write parameter data from one of the first and second storage media and sending the write parameter data to an external device,

reading the write control program from the first storage medium and sending the write control program to the external device, and

reading the write control data from the second storage medium and sending the write control data to the external device;

wherein the write parameter data is stored in one of the first and second storage media, and includes at least one of address information indicative of a storage destination of the write control program to be stored in the external device and communication protocol information governing communication with the external device.

2. The system of claim 1, the external device comprising:

a memory section; and

external device control means for

receiving the write parameter data, write control program and write control data from the memory writing device, and

storing at least one of the write parameter data, write control program and write control data in the memory section.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein:

the write parameter data is stored in the first storage medium and includes the address information indicative of a storage destination of the write control program in the memory section; and

the external device control means is for storing the write control program in a location in the memory section corresponding to the address information.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein:

the write parameter data is stored in the first storage medium and includes address information indicative of a storage destination of the write control data in the memory section; and

the external device control means is for storing the write control data in a location in the memory section corresponding to the address information.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein:

the write parameter data is stored in the first storage medium and includes the communication protocol information, the communication protocol information governing sending of the write parameter data, write control program and write control data from the memory writing device and receiving of the same by the external device;

the write control means is for sending the write parameter data, write control program and write control data according to the communication protocol information; and

the external device control means is for receiving the write parameter data, write control program and write control data according to the communication protocol information.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein:

the memory section includes a nonvolatile memory; and

the external device control means is for storing the write control data in the nonvolatile memory.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the write parameter data is stored in the first storage medium.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the write parameter data is stored in the second storage medium.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the memory write control means is for sending the write parameter data, write control program and write control data to the external device at a predetermined timing.

10. A system comprising:

a memory writing device including

a storage medium for storing a write control program and write control data therein;

write control means, connected to the storage mediums for

reading write parameter data from the storage medium and sending the write parameter data to an external device,

reading the write control program from the storage medium and sending the write control program to the external device, and

reading the write control data from the storage medium and sending the write control data to the external device;

wherein the write parameter data is stored in the storage medium, and includes at least one of address information indicative of a storage destination of the write control program to be stored in the external device and communication protocol information governing communication with the external device.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the storage medium is detachably provided in the memory writing device.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the storage medium is one of a plurality of storage mediums which corresponds to different types of the external device.

13. A method comprising:

storing a write control program, write control data and write parameter data including addresses of the write control program and the write control data in a storage medium of a memory writing device;

transmitting a copy-destination address of the write control program from the memory writing device to an electronic control unit;

receiving the write control program in a memory specified by the received copy destination address;

executing the write control program stored in the memory of the electronic control unit by;

transmitting write data and a write destination address of the write data from the memory writing device to the electronic control unit; and

writing the received write data in a second memory of the electronic control unit specified by the received write destination address.

14. A method comprising:

storing a write control program, write control data and write parameter data in a storage medium of a memory writing device;

reading write parameter data from the storage medium and sending the write parameter data to an external device;

reading the write control program from the storage medium and sending the write control program to the external device;

reading the write control data from the storage medium and sending the write control data to the external device;

wherein the write parameter data includes at least one of address information indicative of a storage destination of the write control program to be stored in the external device and communication protocol information governing communication with the external device.

15. A method of writing write data in a control unit, the write data being stored in a storage medium of a memory writing device with a write control program and write parameter data including addresses of the write control program and the write data, the method comprising:

receiving a copy destination address of the write control program from the memory writing device;

storing the write control program in a first memory specified by the received copy destination address;

receiving the write data and a write destination address of the write data from the memory writing device; and

writing the received write data in a second memory specified by the received write destination address.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the first memory is a volatile memory and the second memory is a non-volatile memory.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

sending the write data written in the second memory to the memory writing device upon request from the memory writing device.