Electronic control apparatus for vehicle

• US 6,604,027 B1
• Filed: 12/03/2002
• Issued: 08/05/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Kawakami, Takeshi, Matsumoto, Norio
• Primary Examiner(s): Camby, Richard M.
• Application Number:
  US10/307,915
• Time in Patent Office: 245 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/24, 701/36, 701/29, 701/37, 701/41, 701/51, 701/58, 701/67, 701/68, 701/70, 701/82, 701/101, 701/102, 701/115, 700/1, 700/79, 700/80, 700/81, 365/185-1-1, 713/2, 711/103, 714/2, 714/7, 714/23
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/1466 Key-lock mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/572 Secure firmware programming, e.g. of basic input output system [BIOS]
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 16/102 External programming circuits, e.g. EPROM programmers; In-circuit programming or reprogramming; EPROM emulators
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 16/22 Safety or protection circuits preventing unauthorised or accidental access to memory cells

Abstract

An electronic control apparatus for a vehicle performs a rewrite execution permission/refusal determination while preventing leakage of a keyword or passcode without the need of grasping the keyword or passcode on the part of external equipment that requests rewriting the contents of the electronic control apparatus. Control programs and control data for controlling the vehicle are stored in a nonvolatile memory. The contents of the memory are rewritten by a rewriting part according to a request from the outside. A rewrite execution permission/refusal determination part creates a passcode which is uniquely defined in accordance with a prescribed rule from identification data which is decided upon receipt of a rewrite request, and makes a rewrite execution permission/refusal determination based on the result of collation between a passcode which has been created similarly by an external device from the identification data which has been sent to the external device and returned therefrom.

Claims

1. An electronic control apparatus for a vehicle comprising:

a nonvolatile memory for storing control programs and control data for controlling the vehicle;

rewriting means for rewriting the contents of said nonvolatile memory in accordance with a request from the outside; and

rewrite execution permission/refusal determination means for creating a passcode which is uniquely defined in accordance with a prescribed rule from identification data which is decided upon receipt of a rewrite request, and for making a rewrite execution permission/refusal determination based on the result of collation between a passcode which has been created similarly by external equipment from said identification data which has been sent to said external device and returned therefrom.

2. The electronic control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising timing means for controlling the vehicle, wherein said identification data decided upon receipt of the rewrite request is created by utilizing said timing means.

3. The electronic control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising rewrite execution permission/refusal determination storage means for recording identification data response histories, wherein said rewrite execution permission/refusal determination means omits the creation of a passcode for which a corresponding identification data response history has been already stored, or said rewrite execution permission/refusal determination means deletes the record of an identification data response history for which the collation of a corresponding passcode results in disagreement.

4. The electronic control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 2, further comprising rewrite execution permission/refusal determination storage means for recording identification data response histories, wherein said rewrite execution permission/refusal determination means omits the creation of a passcode for which a corresponding identification data response history has been already stored, or said rewrite execution permission/refusal determination means deletes the record of an identification data response history for which the collation of a corresponding passcode results in disagreement.