Device for switching a mode of a vehicle

• US 9,751,422 B2
• Filed: 01/15/2014
• Issued: 09/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Original Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Inventors: Buecherl, Gunther
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G
• Assistant Examiner(s): LI, CE LI
• Application Number:
  US14/155,867
• Publication Number:
  US 20150197160A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,329 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/10 for monitoring or controlling batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0231 Circuits relating to the driving or the functioning of the vehicle monitoring tyres B60C23/00; indicating overspeed B60K31/00; for dash boards B60K37/00, B60Q3/10; for indicating emergencies B60Q1/52; brake control systems B60T; registering or indicating the working of vehicles G07C5/00; measuring distance G01C, e.g. combinations of speed and distance G01C23/00; engine indicators G01L; measuring speed or acceleration G01P
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/50 Control strategies for responding to system failures, e.g. for fault diagnosis, failsafe operation or limp mode
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0045 using databus protocols
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/035 Bringing the control units into a predefined state, e.g. giving priority to particular actuators
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

A device for switching a mode of a vehicle is provided. The device includes a connector that is configured to interface with an on-board diagnostic system of the vehicle; a switch that is configured to indicate a transport mode or an application mode; a memory; and a processor coupled to the memory. The processor includes determination logic that determines the mode of the vehicle based on a state of the switch; and activation logic that activates the mode of the vehicle by sending a first message to the vehicle according to a first protocol, and sending a second message to the vehicle according to a second protocol.

Claims

1. A method of activating an application mode of a vehicle, the method comprising:

connecting a mode switching device to an on-board diagnostic system of the vehicle;

activating, by the mode switching device, the application mode on a plurality of first electronic control units (ECUs) of the vehicle by sending a first message with a first application mode activation code to the vehicle according to a first protocol, wherein the first application mode activation code is sent automatically by the mode switching device;

activating, by the mode switching device, the application mode on a plurality of second ECUs of the vehicle different from the first ECUs by sending a second message with a second application mode activation code to the vehicle according to a second protocol, wherein the second application mode activation code is sent automatically by the mode switching device, and

determining, by the mode switching device, whether all of the plurality of first ECUs are in the application mode, and

when the mode switching device determines that all of the plurality of first ECUs are in the application mode, deleting, by the mode switching device, fault memories of the first ECUs, wherein the fault memories of the first ECUs are erroneous faults caused by mode switch.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the determining whether all of the plurality of first ECUs are in the application mode further comprises:

sending, by the mode switching device, a third message to the vehicle according to the first protocol;

receiving, by the mode switching device, confirmation messages from the vehicle in response to the third message according to the first protocol; and

determining, by the mode switching device, whether each of the confirmation messages includes an application mode indicator.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising, if each of the confirmation messages includes the application mode indicator:

deleting, by the mode switching device, the fault memories of the first ECUs by sending a fourth message to the vehicle according to the first protocol;

deleting, by the mode switching device, fault memories of the second ECUs by sending a fifth message to the vehicle according to the first protocol; and

emitting, by the mode switching device, a first signal indicating that the application mode has been activated.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the first signal is at least one of a visual signal or an audible signal.

5. The method according to claim 2, further comprising, if only one of the confirmation messages does not include the application mode indicator:

resending, by the mode switching device, the first message to the vehicle according to the first protocol.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising:

resending, by the mode switching device, the third message to the vehicle according to the first protocol;

receiving, by the mode switching device, additional confirmation messages from the vehicle in response to the third message according to the first protocol; and

determining, by the mode switching device, whether each of the additional confirmation messages includes the application mode indicator.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising, if each of the additional confirmation messages includes the application mode indicator:

deleting, by the mode switching device, the fault memories of the first ECUs by sending a fourth message to the vehicle according to the first protocol;

deleting, by the mode switching device, fault memories of the second ECUs by sending a fifth message to the vehicle according to the first protocol; and

emitting, by the mode switching device, a second signal indicating that the application mode has been activated.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the second signal is at least one of a visual signal or an audible signal.

9. The method according to claim 6, further comprising, if more than one of the additional confirmation messages does not include the application mode indicator:

emitting, by the mode switching device, a signal indicating that the application mode has not been activated until the mode switching device is disconnected from the vehicle.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first protocol is a Uniform Diagnostic Services protocol, and the second protocol is a Keyword Protocol 2000 protocol.

11. The method according to claim 1, further comprising waiting a predetermined time between activating the application mode on the first ECUs and activating the application mode on the second ECUs.

12. A device for switching a mode of a vehicle, the device comprising:

a connector that is configured to interface with an on-board diagnostic system of the vehicle;

a switch that is configured to indicate a transport mode or an application mode;

a memory; and

a processor coupled to the memory, the processor comprising;

determination logic that determines the mode of the vehicle based on a state of the switch;

activation logic that activates the mode of the vehicle by;

sending a first message with a first transport mode activation code or a first application mode activation code to the vehicle according to a first protocol and activating the mode on a plurality of first electronic control units (ECUs), wherein the first transport mode activation code or the first application mode activation code is sent automatically by the activation logic,

sending a second message with a second transport mode activation code or a second application mode activation code to the vehicle according to a second protocol and activing the mode on a plurality of second ECUs, wherein the second transport mode activation code or the second application mode activation code is sent automatically by the activation logic, and

wherein the activation logic determines whether all of the plurality of first ECUs are in the application mode; and

a memory clearing logic, when the mode switching device determines that all of the plurality of first ECUs are in the application mode, deletes;

fault memories of the first ECUs,

wherein the fault memories of the first ECUs are erroneous faults caused by the switching of the mode.

13. The device according to claim 12, wherein if the switch indicates the application mode, the activation logic:

sends a third message to the vehicle according to the first protocol;

receives confirmation messages from the vehicle in response to the third message according to the first protocol; and

determines whether each of the confirmation messages includes an application mode indicator.

14. The device according to claim 13, wherein the memory clearing logic, if each of the confirmation messages includes the application mode indicator, deletes the fault memories of the first ECUs by sending a fourth message to the vehicle according to the first protocol, and deletes fault memories of the second ECUs by sending a fifth message to the vehicle according to the first protocol.

15. The device according to claim 12, further comprising a speaker that emits a first signal if the mode has been activated, and a second signal if the mode has not been activated.

16. The device according to claim 12, further comprising a power source that transforms a first voltage from the vehicle to a second voltage required by the device.

17. The device according to claim 12, wherein the first protocol is a Uniform Diagnostic Services protocol, and the second protocol is a Keyword Protocol 2000 protocol.