Updating and/or expanding the functionality of sequence control of at least one control unit

• US 7,899,558 B2
• Filed: 09/08/2006
• Issued: 03/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Original Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Inventors: Kuhls, Burkhard, Kiessling, Horst, Knechtel, Harry, Kalverkamp, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Khoi
• Assistant Examiner(s): JEN, MINGJEN
• Application Number:
  US11/517,252
• Publication Number:
  US 20070021844A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,635 Days
• Field of Search: 717/170, 713/157, 707/200, 342/5.21
• US Class Current: 700/11
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57

Abstract

A method, system, and computer program product for updating and/or expanding the functionality of the sequence control of at least one control unit of a motor vehicle are provided. In accordance with the method, a first data may be read from a first control unit and a second data may be read from a second control unit. A first check in the vehicle may be performed to ascertain whether the version of the sequence control currently running in the second control unit corresponds to a predetermined version of a sequence control or is even more current than the predetermined version. If the outcome of the first check is positive, a more current version in comparison with the version of the sequence control currently running in the first control unit may be saved and/or a version which expands the functionality may be saved in the first control unit.

Claims

1. A method for upgrading or expanding functionality of a sequence control of at least one control unit of a motor vehicle, comprising the acts of:

reading a first data from a first control unit, and determining a version of the sequence control currently running in the first control unit based upon the first data,

reading a second data from a second control unit, and determining a version of the sequence control currently running in the second control unit based upon the second data,

determining, in a first check, whether the version of the sequence control currently running in the second control unit corresponds to a predetermined version of the sequence control or is more current than the predetermined version,

if the result of the first check is positive, saving a more current version of the sequence control with respect to the version currently running in the first control unit or a version which expands the functionality, or saving an additional sequence control or saving additional data versions in the first control unit, and

releasing the more current version of the sequence control, the version which expands the functionality, the additional sequence control, or the additional data versions for use in the motor vehicle only after receiving a payment for use thereof,

wherein the versions of the sequence controls in the control units of the motor vehicle and a versions of the control units of the motor vehicle in the vehicle are determined periodically and stored in the vehicle.

2. The method claimed in claim 1, further comprising the acts of:

reading the first data from the first control unit, and determining a version of the first control unit based upon the first data,

reading the second data from the second control unit, and determining a version of the second control unit based upon the second data,

determining, in a second check, whether the first or second control unit corresponds to a predetermined control unit version or is even more current than the predetermined control unit version, and

if the result of the second check is positive, saving a more current version of the sequence control in comparison with the version of the sequence control running in the first control unit or the version expanding the functionality, or saving another sequence control or saving additional data versions in the first control unit.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein target versions of the sequence controls in the control units and their sequence controls are transmitted into the motor vehicle from the outside and are stored there.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein target versions of the sequence controls are signed for the purpose of checking for tampering and are transmitted to the vehicle via a data medium, which has additional map information for a navigation system provided in the motor vehicle or via a wireless interface between the motor vehicle and the outside world, via a network connection in the form of a vehicle repair shop, or via a telecommunications link.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein target versions of the sequence controls are compared with the versions of the sequence controls in the vehicle, and when there is a deviation from an updating instance provided in the vehicle, a database of measures imported into the vehicle from the outside and stored there is accessed, said database specifying the measures that must be taken and the order in which they must be taken to save the data for the update.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first check performed in the motor vehicle is performed by using a first database provided in the motor vehicle, indicating which version of the sequence control must be provided in the second control unit to be compatible with the version or expansion of the sequence control or the additional data versions provided for storage in the first control unit.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second check is performed in the motor vehicle using a second database provided in the motor vehicle, indicating which control unit version the second control unit must have to be compatible with the version or expansion of the sequence control or the additional data versions provided for storage in the first control unit.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a blocking device is provided in the motor vehicle, preventing storage of the more current version of the sequence control or the expansion of the sequence control or the additional data versions in the first control unit if the first or second check has turned out negative.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a releasing device is provided in the motor vehicle and the more current version of the sequence control or the expansion of the sequence control or the additional data versions can be executed by the first control unit only upon having been released by the releasing device, using one or more release codes.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein entries in first or second databases are provided with a digital signature which is checked for authenticity before being used for the first or second check as part of a first signature test provided in the motor vehicle.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the more current version of the sequence control or the expansion of the sequence control or the additional data versions can be executed by the first control unit only if the first signature test of the digitally signed entries of the first or second databases has shown that the entries in the first or second databases are authentic.

12. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the more current version of the sequence control or the expansion of the sequence control or the additional data versions are each signed digitally and checked for their authenticity prior to their execution by the first control unit as part of a second signature test provided in the motor vehicle.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the more current version of the sequence control or the expansion of the sequence control or the additional data versions can be executed by the first control unit only when the second signature test has shown that they are authentic.

14. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the first or second signature test performed in the vehicle is performed as part of a public key method using a public key which is complementary to a secret key and the public key is stored in at least two different locations in the motor vehicle so that it can be read out but is protected from tampering.

15. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein a key test is performed in the motor vehicle, checking for the presence of, and identifying, the public key stored in the at least two different locations, wherein the public key can be used as part of the public key proceedings only if the key test has turned out positive.

16. A system for updating or expanding functionality of sequence control of at least one control unit of a motor vehicle, the system comprising:

a first control unit configured to operate with a first sequence control version, and

a second control unit configured to operate with a second sequence control version,

wherein a first check determines whether the version of the sequence control currently running in the second control unit corresponds to a predetermined version of the sequence control or is more current than the predetermined version, and

if the result of the first check is positive, a more current version of the sequence control with respect to the version currently running in the first control unit or a version which expands the functionality is saved, or another sequence control or additional data versions are saved, in the first control unit.

17. A computer program product for updating or expanding functionality of a sequence control of at least one control unit of a motor vehicle, the computer program product stored on a computer readable medium and adapted to perform operations comprising:

reading a first data from a first control unit, and determining a version of the sequence control currently running in the first control unit based upon the first data,

reading a second data from a second control unit, and determining a version of the sequence control currently running in the second control unit based upon the second data,

determining, in a first check, whether the version of the sequence control currently running in the second control unit corresponds to a predetermined version of the sequence control or is more current than the predetermined version,

if the result of the first check is positive, saving a more current version of the sequence control with respect to the version currently running in the first control unit or a version which expands the functionality, or saving an additional sequence control or saving additional data versions in the first control unit, and

releasing the more current version of the sequence control, the version which expands the functionality, the additional sequence control, or the additional data versions for use in the motor vehicle only after receiving a payment for use thereof,

wherein the versions of the sequence controls in the control units of the motor vehicle and a versions of the control units of the motor vehicle in the vehicle are determined periodically and stored in the vehicle.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, further comprising:

outputting the first data from the first control unit, and determining a version of the first control unit based upon the first data,

outputting the second data from the second control unit, and determining a version of the second control unit based upon the second data,

determining, in a second check, whether the first or second control unit corresponds to a predetermined control unit version or is even more current than the predetermined control unit version, and

if the result of the second check is positive, saving a more current version of the sequence control in comparison with the version of the sequence control running in the first control unit or the version expanding the functionality, or saving another sequence control or saving additional data versions in the first control unit.