Control device for a vehicle engine

• US 6,735,514 B2
• Filed: 10/15/2001
• Issued: 05/11/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Magneti Marelli Powertrain S.p.A. (Magneti Marelli S.p.A.), STMicroelectronics SRL (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Original Assignee: Magneti Marelli S.p.A., STMicroelectronics SRL (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Inventors: Ferrari, Alberto, Pepi, Alessandro, Marceca, Paolo, Pezzini, Saverio
• Primary Examiner(s): Wolfe, Willis R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hoang, Johnny H.
• Application Number:
  US09/977,563
• Publication Number:
  US 20020089883A1
• Time in Patent Office: 939 Days
• Field of Search: 701/114, 701/115, 701/35, 701/29, 701/31, 702/31, 123/406.12, 123/406.13, 123/406.18, 123/406.33, 123/674, 123/480, 123/486, 123/339.2
• US Class Current: 701/114
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/2422 Selective use of one or more tables
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/2435 characterised by the writing medium, e.g. bar code
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/266 the computer being backed-up or assisted by another circuit, e.g. analogue
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 16/102 External programming circuits, e.g. EPROM programmers; In-circuit programming or reprogramming; EPROM emulators
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 7/1045 Read-write mode select circuits

Abstract

A control device for a vehicle engine includes a memory unit for storing engine configuration parameters, a processing unit for sending control signals to the engine in accordance with the configuration parameters, and an input/output unit connectible to an external computer to modify the configuration parameters. The control device includes a first portion and a second portion of the memory unit, with each portion being alternately used in an active state for storing a current version of the configuration parameters or in an inactive state for the writing of a new version of the configuration parameters. The processing unit accesses the portion which is in the active state for reading, and the input/output unit accesses the portion which is in the inactive state for writing. An interconnection unit selectively switches one of the portions to the active state and the other of the portions to the inactive state.

Claims

1. A control device for a vehicle engine comprising:

a memory unit for storing engine configuration parameters, and comprising first and second memory portions being alternately used in an active state for storing a current version of the engine configuration parameters and in an inactive state for storing a new version of the engine configuration parameters;

a processing unit for sending control signals to the engine based upon the engine configuration parameters, and for accessing one of said first and second memory portions in the active state for reading the current version of the engine configuration parameters therefrom; and

an input/output unit connectable to an external device for modifying the engine configuration parameters, and for accessing one of said first and second memory portions in the inactive state for writing the new version of the engine configuration parameters thereto.

2. A control device according to claim 1, wherein said memory unit comprises a EEPROM memory comprising first and second banks of memory cells, and wherein said first memory portion includes the first bank of memory cells and said second memory portion includes the second bank of memory cells.

3. A control device according to claim 1, further comprising switching means for selectively switching one of said first and second memory portions to the active state and switching the other memory portion to the inactive state.

4. A control device according to claim 3, wherein the current version of the engine configuration parameters is accessed by said processing unit based upon a first location of addresses, and the new version of the engine configuration parameters is accessed by said input/output unit based upon a second location of address;

and wherein said switching means comprises;

an indicator for indicating a state of said first and second memory portions; and

means for associating with each address of the first and second locations a corresponding location of said first and second memory portions based upon the respective states.

5. A control device according to claim 4, wherein said input/output unit sends an interrupt signal to said processing unit after the new version of the engine configuration parameters has been written to one of said first and second memory portions in the inactive state, and wherein said processing unit switches said indicator in response to the interrupt signal.

6. A control device according to claim 5, wherein the engine configuration parameters are organized into data structures which cannot be modified during a reading operation, and wherein the interrupt signal is masked during the reading operation.

7. A control device according to claim 1, further comprising a dedicated connection path between said memory unit and said input/output unit, wherein said memory unit provides a completion signal to said input/output unit via the dedicated connection path indicating completion of a writing operation, and wherein said input/output unit accepts a writing command from the external device if the completion signal is activated.

8. A control device according to claim 1, wherein said processing unit and said input/output unit are activated in response to a request signal from the external device.

9. A control device according to claim 1, further comprising at least one peripheral unit comprising an internal register for interfacing with the engine, and wherein said input/output unit modifies data in said register in response to a request signal from the external device.

10. A control device according to claim 9, wherein said input/output unit comprises:

a test interface for exchanging information with the external device; and

a processor for accessing at least one of said memory unit and said at least one peripheral unit independently of said processing unit.

11. A control device for a vehicle engine comprising:

a EEPROM for storing engine configuration parameters, and comprising first and second memory portions being alternately used in an active state for storing a current version of the engine configuration parameters and in an inactive state for storing a new version of the engine configuration parameters;

a processing unit for sending control signals to the engine based upon the engine configuration parameters, and for accessing one of said first and second memory portions in the active state for reading the current version of the engine configuration parameters therefrom;

an input/output unit connectable to an external device for modifying the engine configuration parameters, and for accessing one of said first and second memory portions in the inactive state for writing the new version of the engine configuration parameters thereto; and

switching means for selectively switching one of said first and second memory portions to the active state and switching the other memory portion to the inactive state.

12. A control device according to claim 11, wherein said EEPROM comprises first and second banks of memory cells, and wherein said first memory portion includes the first bank of memory cells and said second memory portion includes the second bank of memory cells.

13. A control device according to claim 11, wherein the current version of the engine configuration parameters is accessed by said processing unit based upon a first location of addresses, and the new version of the engine configuration parameters is accessed by said input/output unit based upon a second location of address;

and wherein said switching means comprises;

an indicator for indicating a state of said first and second memory portions; and

means for associating with each address of the first and second locations a corresponding location of said first and second memory portions based upon the respective states.

14. A control device according to claim 13, wherein said input/output unit sends an interrupt signal to said processing unit after the new version of the engine configuration parameters has been written to one of said first and second memory portions in the inactive state, and wherein said processing unit switches said indicator in response to the interrupt signal.

15. A control device according to claim 14, wherein the engine configuration parameters are organized into data structures which cannot be modified during a reading operation, and wherein the interrupt signal is masked during the reading operation.

16. A control device according to claim 11, further comprising at least one peripheral unit comprising an internal register for interfacing with the engine, and wherein said input/output unit modifies data in said register in response to a request signal from the external device.

17. A vehicle comprising:

an engine; and

a control device connected to said engine and comprising

a memory unit for storing engine configuration parameters, and comprising first and second memory portions being alternately used in an active state for storing a current version of the engine configuration parameters and in an inactive state for storing a new version of the engine configuration parameters,

a processing unit for sending control signals to the engine based upon the engine configuration parameters, and for accessing one of said first and second memory portions in the active state for reading the current version of the engine configuration parameters therefrom, and

an input/output unit connectable to an external device for modifying the engine configuration parameters, and for accessing one of said first and second memory portions in the inactive state for writing the new version of the engine configuration parameters thereto.

18. A vehicle according to claim 17, wherein said memory unit comprises a EEPROM memory comprising first and second banks of memory cells, and wherein said first memory portion includes the first bank of memory cells and said second memory portion includes the second bank of memory cells.

19. A vehicle according to claim 17, wherein said control device further comprises an interconnection unit for selectively switching one of said first and second memory portions to the active state and switching the other memory portion to the inactive state.

20. A vehicle according to claim 19, wherein the current version of the engine configuration parameters is accessed by said processing unit based upon a first location of addresses, and the new version of the engine configuration parameters is accessed by said input/output unit based upon a second location of address;

and wherein said interconnection unit comprises;

an indicator for indicating a state of said first and second memory portions; and

at least one multiplexer for associating with each address of the first and second locations a corresponding location of said first and second memory portions based upon the respective states.

21. A vehicle according to claim 20, wherein said input/output unit sends an interrupt signal to said processing unit after the new version of the engine configuration parameters has been written to one of said first and second memory portions in the inactive state, and wherein said processing unit switches said indicator in response to the interrupt signal.

22. A vehicle according to claim 17, wherein said control device further comprises at least one peripheral unit comprising an internal register for interfacing with said engine, and wherein said input/output unit modifies data in said register in response to a request signal from the external device.

23. A vehicle according to claim 22, wherein said input/output unit comprises:

a test interface for exchanging information with the external device; and

a processor for accessing at least one of said memory unit and said at least one peripheral unit independently of said processing unit.

24. A method for controlling a vehicle engine comprising:

storing engine configuration parameters in a memory unit comprising first and second memory portions being alternately used in an active state for storing a current version of the engine configuration parameters and in an inactive state for storing a new version of the engine configuration parameters;

sending control signals from a processing unit to the vehicle engine based upon the engine configuration parameters, with the processing unit accessing one of the first and second memory portions in the active state for reading the current version of the engine configuration parameters therefrom; and

modifying the engine configuration parameters using an input/output unit connectable to an external device, the input/output unit accessing one of the first and second memory portions in the inactive state for writing the new version of the engine configuration parameters thereto.

25. A method according to claim 24, further comprising selectively switching one of the first and second memory portions to the active state and switching the other memory portion to the inactive state.

26. A method according to claim 24, wherein the memory unit comprises a EEPROM memory comprising first and second banks of memory cells, and wherein the first memory portion includes the first bank of memory cells and the second memory portion includes the second bank of memory cells.

27. A method according to claim 24, wherein the current version of the engine configuration parameters is accessed by the processing unit based upon a first location of addresses, and the new version of the engine configuration parameters is accessed by the input/output unit based upon a second location of address.

28. A method according to claim 27, further comprising:

indicating a state of the first and second memory portions; and

associating with each address of the first and second locations a corresponding location of the first and second memory portions based upon the respective states.

29. A method according to claim 28, further comprising:

sending an interrupt signal from the input/output unit to the processing unit after the new version of the engine configuration parameters has been written to one of the first and second memory portions in the inactive state; and

switching the state of the first and second memory portions in response to the interrupt signal.

30. A method according to claim 29, wherein the engine configuration parameters are organized into data structures which cannot be modified during a reading operation, and further comprising masking the interrupt signal during the reading operation.

31. A method according to claim 24, further comprising:

providing a completion signal from the memory unit to the input/output unit via a dedicated connection path therebetween indicating completion of a writing operation; and

accepting a writing command by the input/output unit from the external device if the completion signal is activated.

32. A method according to claim 24, further comprising:

interfacing the engine with at least one peripheral unit comprising at least one internal register storing data; and

modifying the data in the at least one register in response to a request signal from the external device.