Chipped engine control unit system having copy protected and selectable multiple control programs

• US 7,236,877 B2
• Filed: 10/27/2004
• Issued: 06/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: RTK Technologies Limited
• Original Assignee: RTK Technologies Limited
• Inventors: Dudel, Frank, Simmons, Mitchell W., Williams, Todd G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wolfe; Willis R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hoang; Johnny H.
• Application Number:
  US10/973,459
• Publication Number:
  US 20050086539A1
• Time in Patent Office: 972 Days
• Field of Search: 701/114, 701/115, 700/90, 711/100, 711/103, 711/163
• US Class Current: 701/115
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/04 operating on the propulsion system, e.g. engine or drive motor
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/604 Engine control mode selected by driver, e.g. to manually start particle filter regeneration or to select driving style
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2400/11 After-sales modification devices designed to be used to modify an engine afterwards
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/2416 Interpolation techniques
• 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 41/2487 Methods for rewriting
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/26 using computer, e.g. microprocessor
• CPC Class Codes: F02P 5/1514 with means for optimising the use of registers or of memories, e.g. interpolation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/121 Restricting unauthorised execution of programs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/572 Secure firmware programming, e.g. of basic input output system [BIOS]

Abstract

The present invention discloses a method for preventing a control program written in a first engine control unit (ECU) from running in a second ECU, comprising obtaining an ID number from the first ECU; encrypting the ID number; writing the encrypted ID number into a flash memory of the first ECU; encrypting the ID number again and writing the encrypted ID number into an EEPROM of the first ECU; and requiring the control program to match the encrypted ID number placed in the flash memory and the EEPROM before running the program, and if the match fails, terminating the control program from running further.

Claims

1. A method for providing a user a range of performance levels based on first and second performance lookup tables written into an engine control unit (ECU), comprising:

a) providing first and second performance lookup tables in the ECU;

b) assigning first and second constants corresponding to the first and second performance lookup tables, respectively;

c) providing a range of variables disposed numerically between the first and second constants for selection by the user; and

d) generating a third performance lookup table corresponding to the variable chosen by the user by linear interpolation between the first and second performance lookup tables.

2. A method as claim 1, wherein said first and second performance lookup tables are 2-dimensional lookup tables.

3. A method as in claim 2, wherein said first performance lookup table is a stock specified engine load (SEL) lookup table and said second performance lookup table is a chipped SEL lookup table.

4. A method as in claim 1, wherein said first performance lookup table is a stock 3-dimensional lookup table and said second performance lookup table is a chipped 3-dimensional lookup table.

5. A method as in claim 4, wherein said linear interpolation comprises:

a) multiplying the stock 3-dimensional lookup table by (1-variable);

b) multiplying the chipped 3-dimensional lookup table by the variable; and

c) adding the results of a) and b), where the variable is 0.0 for the stock 3-dimensional lookup table to 1.0 for the chipped 3-dimensional lookup table.

6. A method as in claim 4, wherein said stock and chipped 3-dimensional lookup tables are ignition advance lookup tables.

7. A method as in claim 1, wherein the variable is selected through an external device connected to a communications port of the ECU.

8. A method as in claim 7, wherein the variable is transferred to the ECU EEPROM.

9. A method as in claim 7, and further comprising providing feedback to the user that the variable has been accepted by the ECU.

10. A method as in claim 7, and further comprising the step of keying the device to the ECU.

11. A method as in claim 10, wherein said keying includes recording an ID number from the ECU into memory in the device.

12. A method for reprogramming an engine control unit (ECU) having a stock performance lookup table, comprising:

a) establishing communication with a communications port of said ECU;

b) reprogramming the ECU with a chipped performance lookup table through the communication port; and

c) said reprogramming includes allowing a user to choose at least the stock performance lookup table or the chipped performance lookup table or another performance lookup table generated by linear interpolation between said stock and chipped performance lookup tables, such that the user can select to operate the ECU at least at the stock performance lookup table or the chipped performance lookup table, or in between the stock and chipped performance lookup tables.

13. A method as in claim 12, wherein said allowing is implemented by an external device connected to the communication port;

and said external device includes a switch to select to operate said ECU at least at said stock performance lookup table or said chipped performance lookup table, or in between said stock and chipped performance lookup tables.

14. A method as in claim 13, wherein said external device includes an audible signal to inform the user that the selection has been accepted by said ECU.

15. A method as in claim 12, wherein said reprogramming includes allowing the user to run the ECU at least at the chipped performance lookup table, or in between the stock and chipped performance lookup tables for a predetermined period of time.

16. A method as in claim 15, wherein said reprogramming includes reverting the ECU to the stock performance stock table when the predetermined period of time runs out.

17. A method for preventing a control program written in a first engine control unit (ECU) from running in a second ECU, comprising:

a) obtaining an ID number from the first ECU;

b) writing the ID number into a first memory location of the first ECU;

c) requiring the control program to match the ID number placed in the first memory location before running the program, and if the match fails, terminating the control program from running further.

18. A method as in claim 17, wherein the ID number is obtained from the first ECU EEPROM.

19. A method as in claim 18, wherein the ID number is a manufacturer'"'"'s immobilizer code.

20. A method as in claim 17, wherein said obtaining the ID number comprises generating an ID number.

21. A method as in claim 17, wherein:

a) the first ECU includes an original control program; and

b) the first memory location is a flash memory area unused by the original control program.

22. A method as in claim 17, wherein the ID number is encrypted before being written into the first memory location.

23. A method as in claim 17, and further comprising:

a) writing the ID number into a second memory location of the first ECU; and

b) requiring the control program to match the ID number placed in the second memory location before running the program, and if the match fails, termination the control program from running further.

24. A method as in claim 23, wherein the second memory location is an EEPROM area unused by the original control program.

25. A method as in claim 23, wherein the ID number is encrypted before being written into the second memory location.

26. A method as in claim 25, wherein the ID number is encrypted before being written into the first memory location.

27. A method as in claim 26, wherein said requiring step comprises:

a) obtaining the ID number from the ECU in which the control program is written;

b) encrypting the ID number; and

c) matching the encrypted ID number with data in the first memory location, and if the match fails, the control program is not allowed to run further.