Method and device for modifying the memory contents of control equipment

• US 6,546,455 B1
• Filed: 07/07/2000
• Issued: 04/08/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Seyfang, Robert, Hurich, Martin, Tenbusch, Eberhard
• Primary Examiner(s): Thai, Tuan V.
• Application Number:
  US09/611,866
• Time in Patent Office: 1,005 Days
• Field of Search: 711/100, 711/103, 711/154, 365/222, 365/189.05
• US Class Current: 711/103
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1433 during software upgrading
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1451 by selection of backup contents
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 16/102 External programming circuits, e.g. EPROM programmers; In-circuit programming or reprogramming; EPROM emulators
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 16/105 Circuits or methods for updating contents of nonvolatile memory, especially with 'security' features to ensure reliable replacement, i.e. preventing that old data is lost before new data is reliably written

Abstract

A method and a device for modifying data and programs and for writing the data and programs into at least one first non-volatile memory of a computer system, in particular a memory of a control unit of a vehicle. In this context, the data and programs are divided into at least first and second data and programs, at least the second data and programs being worthy of backup, or containing backup-worthy data and programs. However, the old second data and programs in the assigned original sector are not erased until new second data and programs are written into a second memory sector not corresponding to the original sector, and a copying program is written into a second volatile memory. The copying program writes the new second data and programs from the second memory sector into the original sector. As a result, there is no need to create a backup copy of the backup-worthy data and programs. Thus, the old second data and programs are not erased by an erase command sent by a programming unit, and they then assume execution of the sequencing control.

Claims

1. A method for performing at least one of a modification and a writing in at least one of data and programs in at least one non-volatile memory of a computer system comprising the steps of:

dividing the at least one of data and programs into an old first set of the at least one of data and programs and an old second set of the at least one of data and programs, wherein the old second set of the at least one of data and programs is worthy of being backed up;

writing the old second set of the at least one of data and programs to an assigned original sector of the non-volatile memory;

writing a copying program into a volatile memory, the copying program being able to copy a new second set of the at least one of data and programs from a second memory sector of the non-volatile memory into the assigned original sector;

erasing the old second set of the at least one of data and programs written to the assigned original sector of the non-volatile memory only after the new second set of the at least one of data and programs is written to the second memory sector; and

after the erasing, copying the new second set of the at least one of data and programs from the second memory sector to the assigned original sector.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one of data and programs corresponds to at least one of data and programs for controlling operational sequences in a vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one non-volatile memory corresponds to a memory of a control unit in the vehicle.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

executing the second set of the at least one of data and programs only in the assigned original sector.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

containing the copying program in the second set of the at least one of data and programs; and

loading the copying program into the volatile memory via the second set of at least one of data and programs.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

containing the copying program in a third set of the at least one of data and programs that is able to perform a start procedure for the computer system; and

loading the copying program into the volatile memory via the third set of the at least one of data and programs.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of:

executing the second set of the at least one of data and programs only in the assigned original sector.

8. A method for performing at least one of a modification and a writing in at least one of data and programs in at least one non-volatile memory of a computer system, comprising the steps of:

erasing an old set of the at least one of data and programs already contained in the at least one non-volatile memory in a memory sector before a new set of the at least one of data and programs is at least one of modified and written;

erasing the old set of the at least one of data and programs without creating a backup copy of the old set of the at least one of data and programs; and

after the old set of the at least one of data and programs is erased, executing a copying program that is written into a volatile memory to write the new set of the at least one of data and programs into the memory sector without creating a back up copy of the old set of the at least one of data and programs.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein:

the at least one of data and programs corresponds to at least one of data and programs for controlling operational sequences in a vehicle.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein:

the at least one non-volatile memory corresponds to a memory of a control unit in the vehicle.

11. A method for performing at least one of a modification and a writing in at least one of data and programs in at least one non-volatile memory of a computer system, comprising the steps of:

dividing the at least one of data and programs into an old first set of the at least one of data and programs and an old second set of the at least one of data and programs, wherein the old second set of the at least one of data and programs is worthy of being backed up;

writing the old first set of the at least one of data and programs to a first sector of the non-volatile memory;

writing the old second set of the at least one of data and programs to an assigned original sector of the non-volatile memory; and

erasing only the old first set of the at least one of data and programs by an initial erase command before a new set of the at least one of data and programs is written to the non-volatile memory, the initial erase command requesting erasure of portions of the memory including the old first set of the at least one of data and programs and the old second set of the at least one of data and programs.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein:

the at least one of data and programs corresponds to at least one of data and programs for controlling operational sequences in a vehicle.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein:

the at least one non-volatile memory corresponds to a memory of a control unit in the vehicle.

14. A device, comprising:

a non-volatile memory;

at least one volatile memory;

a first arrangement for performing one of a modification on at least one of data and programs and a writing of the at least one of data and programs into the non-volatile memory, wherein the first arrangement erases an old set of the at least one of data and programs contained in the non-volatile memory in an assigned original sector before a new set of the at least one of data and programs is at least one of modified and written, the at least one of data and programs being divided into a first set of the at least one of data and programs and a second set of the at least one of data and programs, at least the second set of data being worthy of backup; and

a second arrangement including the at least one volatile memory, wherein the first arrangement avoids erasing an old second set of the at least one of data and programs in the assigned original sector of the non-volatile memory until the first arrangement has written a new second set of the at least one of data and programs into a second memory sector of the non-volatile memory that differs from the assigned original sector, and wherein after the erasing, the second arrangement copies the new second set of the at least one of data and programs from the second memory sector of the non-volatile memory into the assigned original sector.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein:

the device is arranged in a vehicle.

16. A devices comprising:

at least one non-volatile memory;

at least one volatile memory;

a first arrangement for performing at least one of a modification on at least one of data and programs and a writing of the at least one of data and programs into the at least one non-volatile memory, wherein;

the at least one of data and programs in the at least one non-volatile memory is divided into a first set of the at least one of data and programs and a second set of the at least one of data and programs, the second set of the at least one of data and programs being backup-worthy,

the first arrangement, in accordance with an erase command, erases only the first set of the at least one of data and programs and retains the second set of the at least one of data and programs, the erase command requesting an erasure of a portion of the at least one non-volatile memory including both the first set of the at least one of data and programs, and the second set of the at least one of data and programs; and

a second arrangement for performing one of a modification and a writing of the at least one of data and programs following the erase command, the second arrangement including an old second set of the least one of data and programs and the assigned memory sector.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein:

the device is arranged in a vehicle.

18. The device of claim 16, wherein:

the at least one of data and programs corresponds to at least one of data and programs for controlling operational sequences in a vehicle.