Apparatus for storing data in a motor vehicle

• US 6,516,256 B1
• Filed: 10/13/1999
• Issued: 02/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mannesmann VDO AG (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Mannesmann VDO AG (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Hartmann, Stefan, Gnatzy, Dieter, Hohrein, Stefan
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MANCHO, RONNIE M
• Application Number:
  US09/416,792
• Time in Patent Office: 1,210 Days
• Field of Search: 701/35, 701/36, 701/33, 701/24, 342/70, 342/109, 365/185.08, 365/185.07, 365/185.06, 365/185.09, 340/870.02, 340/870.03, 340/459, 340/721, 340/722, 340/901, 340/903, 340/905, 340/907, 340/908, 340/942
• US Class Current: 701/35
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1433 during software upgrading
• 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 29/74 using duplex memories, i.e. using dual copies

Abstract

An apparatus for storing data of a device, in particular of a motor vehicle, which is to be monitored, in which apparatus the data are preferably stored by means of a control unit in a memory unit.

In an apparatus which permits a plurality of data which change continuously during the service life of the motor vehicle to be stored in an operationally reliable way and with a high processing speed, the fixed data and the continuously updated data of the apparatus which is to be monitored are stored in the memory unit 15 which contains the open-loop and/or closed-loop control processes.

Claims

1. An apparatus for storing data of a device which is to be monitored, in particular of a motor vehicle, in which apparatus the data are advantageously stored in a memory unit by means of a control unit, wherein fixed data and continuously updated data of the device (1) which is to be monitored are stored in the same memory unit (15) which contains open-loop and/or closed-loop control processes.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the data are stored in a region (B) of the memory unit (15) which is permanently defined by addresses of individual memory locations (B11-B38).

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the region (B) of the memory unit (15) is divided into first and second sectors (B11-B24;

B25-B38).

5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein operational data are alternately written to the two Sectors (B11-B24;

B25-B38) of the defined region (B) of the memory unit (15).

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the memory unit (15) is an electrically clearable memory circuit.

7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control unit is a device (3) in the motor vehicle (1) for controlling a distance between vehicles, which device stores, in a predefined time set pattern, object data and data relating to vehicle dynamics as operational data in the memory unit (15).

4. An apparatus for storing data of a device which is to be monitored, in particular of a motor vehicle, in which apparatus the data are advantageously stored in a memory unit by means of a control unit, wherein fixed data and continuously updated data of the device (1) which is to be monitored are stored in the same memory unit (15) which contains open-loop and/or closed-loop control processes;

wherein the data are stored in a region (B) of the memory unit (15) which is permanently defined by addresses of individual memory locations (B11-B38), and the region (B) of the memory unit (15) is divided into first and second sectors (B11-B24;

B25-B38); and

the first sector (B11-B24) of the defined region (B) is completely filled with the data, and the first sector (B11-B24) is not completely cleared until after data have been written to individual memory locations of the second sector (B25-B38).