Method and device for programming a controller, in particular in a motor vehicle

• US 6,490,491 B1
• Filed: 10/28/1999
• Issued: 12/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mannesmann VDO AG (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Mannesmann VDO AG (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Volkmar, Kai, Hartmann, Stefan
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, RAMESH B
• Application Number:
  US09/429,547
• Time in Patent Office: 1,132 Days
• Field of Search: 700/18-20, 700/86, 700/87, 700/88, 700/89-90, 700/170, 701/24, 701/29, 701/31, 701/58, 701/68, 701/9
• US Class Current: 700/86
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0004 In digital systems, e.g. discrete-time systems involving sampling
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/2425 Particular ways of programming the data
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/2487 Methods for rewriting
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/26 using computer, e.g. microprocessor
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0426 Programming the control sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23305 Transfer program into prom with passwords
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23323 Select between entry and execution of program
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25032 CAN, canbus, controller area network bus
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2637 Vehicle, car, auto, wheelchair
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57

Abstract

A method for programming a controller, in particular in a motor vehicle, which is switched from the operating mode to the programming mode by a signal which is supplied externally to the controller. In a method which ensures adequate protection against unauthorized reprogramming of the controller and is nevertheless simple to handle, the external signal is used to produce switching information in a programmable read only memory, which stores at least one operating program and/or data (which is updated at predetermined intervals) for the controller and causes the changeover to the programming mode when the controller is activated.

Claims

1. A method for programming a controller, in particular in a motor vehicle, which controller is switched from an operating mode to a programming mode by means of a signal which is supplied externally to the controller, wherein the external signal is used to produce switching information in a programmable read only memory (4), which stores at least one operating program and/or data, said operating program and/or data being updated at predetermined intervals, for the controller (1) and causes the changeover to the programming mode when the controller (1) is activated.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the signal for switching the controller (1) is used to change the contents of a memory location in the programmable read only memory (4).

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the switching information is produced by changing a diagnosis bit in the programmable read only memory (4).

4. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein, after identifying the switching information, a program loading algorithm in the controller (1) is activated, and a new operating program for the controller (1) is then read in.

5. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein, once the programming process has been completed, the switching information is deleted from the programmable read only memory (4).

6. A device for programming a controller, in particular in a motor vehicle, in which case the controller has an microcontroller, which is connected to a programmable read only memory and a diagnosis interface, and the controller is supplied via the diagnosis interface with a signal for switching the controller from the operating mode to the programming mode, wherein the signal for switching the controller (1) to the operating mode produces switching information in the programmable read only memory (4), which is connected via the micro-controller (2) to the diagnosis interface (5) and stores an operating program and/or data, said operating program and/or data being updated at predetermined intervals, for the controller (1), and, after activation of the arithmetic unit (2), the switching information is read by this microcontroller (2) in the programmable read only memory (4), and, after reading the switching information, the microcontroller (2) activates the programming mode.

7. The device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the signal for switching the controller (1) is able to be deleted by means of a diagnosis apparatus (6).

8. The device as claimed in claim 6, wherein, after setting the programming mode, a new operating program for the controller (1) is initially transferred to a random access memory (3) in the microcomputer (2) and, after deleting those memory locations in the programmable read only memory (4) which contain a previous operating program, the new operating program is then transferred to the programmable read only memory (4).

9. The device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the new operating program is transferred from an external arithmetic unit (8), via a controller matching unit (9), to the controller (1) to be programmed.

10. The device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the controller matching unit (9) is freely configurable for matching to different interfaces and bus systems (10,11,12).