Method for activating functions of a tachograph

• US 8,689,323 B2
• Filed: 09/08/2009
• Issued: 04/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Gut, Michael, Mattes, Edmund
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoffman, Brandon
• Assistant Examiner(s): SONG, HEE K
• Application Number:
  US13/119,087
• Publication Number:
  US 20110173694A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,666 Days
• Field of Search: 726/20, 726/21, 726/3, 713/193, 713/189, 455/426.1, 455/411, 710/301, 715/771, 701/33, 701/35, 701/115
• US Class Current: 726/20
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 9/005 Solid-state data loggers
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 1/122 Speed recorders
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0858 wherein the data carrier is removable
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 7/00 Details or accessories common to the registering or indicating apparatus of groups G07C3/00 and G07C5/00

Abstract

A method for activating functions of at least one tachograph having a control unit and an interface. The control unit is activated by a program to perform a first group of functions. First, a connection of an external storage medium to the interface of the at least one tachograph is established. The storage medium has at least one instruction for activating a function, which can be read out by the control unit. An authentication between the external storage medium and the control unit also takes place. The function associated with the at least one instruction is activated in such a way that the function is associated with the first group of the control unit. Next, the connection between the external storage medium and the interface of the at least one tachograph is released.

Claims

1. A method for enabling at least one function of at least one tachograph that comprises a control unit and an interface connected to the control unit, wherein the control unit is enabled by programming to perform a first group of functions, the method comprising:

connecting an external storage medium to the interface of the at least one tachograph, wherein the external storage medium includes at least one instruction that can be read by the control unit to enable a function;

performing authentication between the external storage medium and the control unit;

enabling the function associated with the at least one instruction;

associating the function with the first group; and

breaking the connection between the external storage medium and the interface of the at least one tachograph, wherein the at least one instruction comprises another function, wherein the another function enables an available further interface of the tachograph,

wherein the function can be enabled on a number of tachographs, the number of tachographs determined by a magnitude of a difference between a number stipulated by the external storage medium stored on the external storage medium and a number of enabling operations already performed by the external storage medium.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising displaying on a display of the at least one tachograph one of a successful enabling of the function and a failed enabling of the function.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the external storage medium is arranged on a memory card, and the interface of the at least one tachograph is a memory card reader.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one instruction comprises a function that one of replaces and updates a function associated with the first group.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured by programming to perform a second group of functions.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the at least one instruction associates a function from the second group with the first group.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprises displaying on a display of the at least one tachograph one of a successful enabling of the function and a failed enabling of the function.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the further interface is accessible from a side of the tachograph that faces the vehicle interior and configured to interchange data wirelessly.