Method and system for remote reflash

• US 7,366,589 B2
• Filed: 05/13/2004
• Issued: 04/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Habermas, Stephen C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin; Gary
• Application Number:
  US10/845,506
• Publication Number:
  US 20050256614A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,447 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/29, 701/33, 709/203, 717171-173, 717176-178
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/40 related to technical updates when adding new parts or software
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0023 Detecting, eliminating, remedying or compensating for drive train abnormalities, e.g. failures within the drive train
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/12 Recording operating variables ; Monitoring of operating variables
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57

Abstract

A system and method for remote reflashing of software for electronic control units (ECUs). A method includes identifying vehicle groups for software updating 200, determining vehicles within the vehicle groups, each of the vehicles having a telematics device and a plurality of ECUs 202, preparing a software update package for each of the vehicles 204, transmitting the software update package over a wireless carrier system to the telematics device of each of the vehicles 206, and installing the software update package in at least one target ECU for each of the vehicles 208.

Claims

1. A method for remote reflashing of software for electronic control units (ECUs), the method comprising:

identifying one or more vehicles selected to receive updated ECU software using a database of vehicle information located at a remote facility, wherein the identifying step comprises searching the database using at least one key parameter associated with the vehicle information in the database;

preparing a software update package that includes the updated ECU software for each of the one or more identified vehicles;

transmitting the software update package over a wireless carrier system to a telematics device of each of the identified vehicles; and

installing the updated ECU software in at least one target ECU for each of the identified vehicles.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising performing preliminary software update planning.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of preparing a software update package comprises:

determining a target software version for each of a plurality of ECUs installed on the vehicle;

determining an installed software version for each of the plurality of ECUs using the database;

comparing the target software version to the installed software version for each of the plurality of ECUs;

obtaining target ECU software and ECU flash instructions for each of the plurality of ECUs for which the target software version is not the installed software version;

determining reflash execution instructions; and

assembling the software update package such that it includes the target ECU software, the ECU flash instructions, and the reflash execution instructions.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising obtaining ECU diagnostic tests for each of the plurality of ECUs for which the target software version is not the installed software version, and including the ECU diagnostic tests in the software update package.

5. The method of claim 3 further comprising determining update control parameters selected from the group consisting of required vehicle state and vehicle diagnostic tests, and including the update control parameters in the software update package.

6. The method of claim 3 further comprising securing the software update package by a process selected from the group consisting of encrypting, compressing, and signing.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the software update package includes reflash execution instructions, first target ECU software, first ECU flash instructions, second target ECU software, and second ECU flash instructions, and the step of installing the software update package in at least one target ECU for each of the identified vehicles comprises:

executing the reflash execution instructions at the telematics device for a specific vehicle;

transmitting the first target ECU software and the first ECU flash instructions to a first target ECU in response to the reflash execution instructions;

installing the first target ECU software in the first target ECU in response to the first ECU flash instructions;

transmitting the second target ECU software and the second ECU flash instructions to a second target ECU in response to the reflash execution instructions; and

installing the second target ECU software in the second target ECU in response to the second ECU flash instructions.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the installing the software update package in at least one target ECU for each of the identified vehicles further comprises performing checking selected from the group consisting of pre-installation checking and post-installation checking.

9. The method of claim 1 farther comprising the step of updating an installed software version for each of a plurality of ECUs for each of the identified vehicles.

10. A system for remote reflashing of software for electronic control units (ECUs), the system comprising:

means for identifying one or more vehicles selected to receive updated ECU software using a database of vehicle information located at a remote facility, wherein the identifying step comprises searching the database using at least one key parameter associated with the vehicle information in the database;

means for preparing a software update package that includes the updated ECU software for each of the one or more identified vehicles;

means for transmitting the software update package over a wireless carrier system to a telematics device of each of the identified vehicles; and

means for installing the updated ECU software in at least one target ECU for each of the identified vehicles.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the means for preparing a software update package comprises:

means for determining a target software version for each of a plurality of ECUs installed on the vehicle;

means for determining an installed software version for each of the plurality of ECUs using the database;

means for comparing the target software version to the installed software version for each of the plurality of ECUs;

means for obtaining target ECU software and ECU flash instructions for each of the plurality of ECUs for which the target software version is not the installed software version;

means for determining reflash execution instructions; and

means for assembling the software update package such that it includes the target ECU software, the ECU flash instructions, and the reflash execution instructions.

12. The system of claim 11 further comprising means for obtaining ECU diagnostic tests for each of the plurality of ECUs for which the target software version is not the installed software version, and means for including the ECU diagnostic tests in the software update package.

13. The system of claim 11 further comprising means for securing the software update package by a process selected from the group consisting of encrypting, compressing, and signing.

14. The system of claim 10 wherein the software update package includes reflash execution instructions, first target ECU software, first ECU flash instructions, second target ECU software, and second ECU flash instructions, and the means for installing the software update package in at least one target ECU for each of the identified vehicles comprises:

means for executing the reflash execution instructions at the telematics device for a specific vehicle;

means for transmitting the first target ECU software and the first ECU flash instructions to a first target ECU in response to the reflash execution instructions;

means for installing the first target ECU software in the first target ECU in response to the first ECU flash instructions;

means for transmitting the second target ECU software and the second ECU flash instructions to a second target ECU in response to the reflash execution instructions; and

means for installing the second target ECU software in the second target ECU in response to the second ECU flash instructions.

15. A method for remote reflashing of software for electronic control units (ECUs), comprising the steps of:

wirelessly receiving a software update package at a vehicle via a telematics unit;

obtaining from the software update package a set of reflash execution instructions that identify either an ECU reflash sequence or a required vehicle state, or both;

obtaining from the software update package an ECU update containing new ECU operating software or calibration data, or both;

carrying out the reflash execution instructions by placing the vehicle in any required vehicle state and reprogramming one or more ECUs with the ECU update, wherein reprogramming of multiple ECUs is carried out according to any ECU reflash sequence contained in the software update package.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of carrying out the reflash execution instructions further comprises reprogramming a plurality of the ECUs in an order specified by the reflash execution instructions.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of preparing the reflash execution instructions by selecting the specified order of reprogramming of ECUs such that software compatibility among the ECUs is maintained.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the reflash execution instructions specify both the ECU reflash sequence and the required vehicle state.