Method and system for preventing loss of trip data in vehicle

• US 9,063,901 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2012
• Issued: 06/23/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive Technologies GmbH (Continental AG), Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group), Kia Motors Corporation (Kia Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Continental Automotive Electronics LLC (Continental AG), Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group), Kia Motors Corporation (Kia Corp.)
• Inventors: Lee, Kang Ho, Oh, Won Taek, Kim, Kyoung Ha
• Primary Examiner(s): Bonzo, Bryce
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mehrmanesh, Elmira
• Application Number:
  US13/715,966
• Publication Number:
  US 20140053030A1
• Time in Patent Office: 921 Days
• Field of Search: 714/15, 714/49
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/08 Error detection or correction by redundancy in data representation, e.g. by using checking codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1004 to protect a block of data words, e.g. CRC or checksum G06F11/1076 takes precedence; security arrangements for protecting computers or computer systems against unauthorized activity G06F21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1441 Resetting or repowering
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/16 Protection against loss of memory contents contains no material, see G06F11/00

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a method for preventing a loss of trip data of a vehicle during a substantial instantaneous voltage drop in a vehicle cluster. In the method, the trip data calculated by a processor of a trip computer are stored in a clear region of a memory and the trip data stored in the clear region are backed up in a nonvolatile region of the memory when new trip data is generated. The processor collects the trip data backed up in the nonvolatile region to rewrite the trip data in the clear region after a substantially instantaneous voltage drop occurs.

Claims

1. A method for preventing a loss of trip data of a vehicle upon a substantially instantaneous voltage drop in a vehicle cluster, the method comprising:

calculating, by a processor of a trip computer, trip data from a plurality of signals;

storing, by the processor, the calculated trip data in a clear region of a memory and backing up the trip data stored in the clear region into a nonvolatile region of the memory when new trip data is generated; and

collecting, by the processor, the trip data backed up in the nonvolatile region to rewrite the trip data in the clear region after a substantially instantaneous voltage drop occurs,

wherein the storing of the trip data further includes;

calculating, by the processor, a checksum from the trip data,

storing, by the processor, the checksum in the clear region, and

backing up, by the processor, the trip data stored in the clear region and the checksum calculated therefrom into the nonvolatile region when a new checksum calculated from the generated new trip data is substantially different from the checksum stored in the clear region.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, in the collecting of the trip data, the processor displays the trip data rewritten in the clear region on a display.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the nonvolatile region is disposed in a portion of the memory and is configured to temporarily store, by the processor, data during the voltage drop.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the collecting of the trip data further comprises:

recalculating, by the processor, a checksum from the trip data backed up in the nonvolatile region in the storing of the trip data; and

comparing, by the processor, the recalculated checksum with the checksum stored in the nonvolatile region in the storing of the trip data and collecting the trip data backed up in the nonvolatile region to rewrite the trip data in the clear region when the recalculated checksum is substantially identical to the checksum.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of signals may be selected from a group consisting of:

an engine controller signal, a transmission controller signal, an automatic brake system signal, and a vehicle speed sensor signal.

6. A non-transitory computer readable medium containing program instructions executed by a processor, the computer readable medium comprising:

program instructions that calculate trip data of a vehicle using a plurality of controller signals and a vehicle speed sensor signal;

program instructions that store the trip data in a clear region of a memory and backing up the trip data stored in the clear region into a nonvolatile region of the memory when new trip data is generated; and

program instructions that collect the trip data backed up in the nonvolatile region to rewrite the trip data in the clear region after a substantially instantaneous voltage drop,

wherein the program instructions that store the trip data further include;

program instructions that calculate a checksum from the trip data,

program instructions that store the checksum in the clear region, and

program instructions that back up the trip data stored in the clear region and the checksum calculated therefrom into the nonvolatile region when a new checksum calculated from the generated new trip data is substantially different from the checksum stored in the clear region.

7. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 6, further comprising program instructions that collect the trip data to display the trip data rewritten in the clear region on a display.

8. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 6, further comprising computer instructions that temporarily store data during the voltage drop in the nonvolatile region disposed in the memory.

9. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 6, wherein the program instructions that collect the trip data further comprise:

program instructions that recalculate a checksum from the trip data backed up in the nonvolatile region in the storing of the trip data; and

program instructions that compare the recalculated checksum with the checksum stored in the nonvolatile region in the storing of the trip data and collecting the trip data backed up in the nonvolatile region to rewrite the trip data in the clear region when the recalculated checksum is substantially identical to the checksum.

10. The non-transitory computer medium of claim 6, wherein the plurality of signals may be selected from a group consisting of:

an engine controller signal, a transmission controller signal, an automatic brake system signal, and a vehicle speed sensor signal.

11. A system for preventing a loss of trip data of a vehicle upon a substantially instantaneous voltage drop in a vehicle cluster, the system comprising:

a processor configured to calculate trip data using a plurality of signals;

a clear region of a memory, on which a processor stores the trip data;

a nonvolatile region of the memory, on which the processor backs up the trip data stored in the clear region when new trip data is generated; and

a display on which the processor displays rewritten trip data in the clear region after a substantially instantaneous voltage drop occurs,

wherein the processor is further configured to;

calculate a checksum from the trip data,

store a checksum in the clear region of the memory, and

back up the trip data stored in the clear region and the checksum calculated therefrom into the nonvolatile region when a new checksum calculated from new trip data that is generated is substantially different form the checksum stored in the clear region of the memory.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the nonvolatile region is configured to temporarily store data during the voltage drop.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to:

recalculate a checksum from the trip data backed up in the nonvolatile region in the storing of the trip data; and

compare the recalculated checksum with the checksum stored in the nonvolatile region in the storing of the trip data and collect the trip data backed up in the nonvolatile region to rewrite the trip data in the clear region when the recalculated checksum is substantially identical to the checksum.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the plurality of signals may be selected from a group consisting of:

an engine controller signal, a transmission controller signal, an automatic brake system signal, and a vehicle speed sensor signal.