Protect information stored in ECU from unintentional writing and overwriting
First Claim
1. A system that facilitates protecting vehicle event data from overwrite while selectively permitting access to the event data, comprising:
- an electronic control unit (ECU) having a processor that records event data related to vehicle operation; and
a memory that stores the event data, the memory being partitioned into a plurality of dedicated sections;
a remote electronic tool that, upon coupling to the ECU after recording of the event data, communicates with the ECU and comprises a data locking module that sends a data lock signal to the ECU;
wherein the ECU, in response to the data lock signal, stores the event data as locked data, which cannot be overwritten, in one or more selected dedicated sections of the memory to preserve the event data for subsequent review, the one or more of the plurality of dedicated sections being selected as a function of a purpose for which event data was collected, and wherein the stored event data comprises event data recorded for a predetermined time period before and after a trigger event detected by the ECU;
wherein the electronic tool comprises an authentication module that prompts a user to enter authentication information to access one of the plurality of dedicated sections, verifies the authentication information, and permits the user to at least one of lock the event data and unlock the locked data in the accessed dedicated section.
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Abstract
Systems and methods that facilitate protecting vehicle impact event data from overwrite include an electronic control unit (ECU) having a processor that records event data related to vehicle operation, a memory that stores the event data, and an electronic tool that communicates with the ECU and comprises a data locking module that sends a data lock signal to the ECU to lock the stored event data as locked data such that the stored event data cannot be overwritten. The ECU, in response to the data lock signal, stores the event data as locked data in a dedicated portion of the memory to preserve the event data for subsequent review.
27 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A system that facilitates protecting vehicle event data from overwrite while selectively permitting access to the event data, comprising:
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an electronic control unit (ECU) having a processor that records event data related to vehicle operation; and a memory that stores the event data, the memory being partitioned into a plurality of dedicated sections; a remote electronic tool that, upon coupling to the ECU after recording of the event data, communicates with the ECU and comprises a data locking module that sends a data lock signal to the ECU; wherein the ECU, in response to the data lock signal, stores the event data as locked data, which cannot be overwritten, in one or more selected dedicated sections of the memory to preserve the event data for subsequent review, the one or more of the plurality of dedicated sections being selected as a function of a purpose for which event data was collected, and wherein the stored event data comprises event data recorded for a predetermined time period before and after a trigger event detected by the ECU; wherein the electronic tool comprises an authentication module that prompts a user to enter authentication information to access one of the plurality of dedicated sections, verifies the authentication information, and permits the user to at least one of lock the event data and unlock the locked data in the accessed dedicated section. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. An electronic control unit (ECU) that facilitates protecting vehicle event data from overwrite while selectively permitting access to the event data, comprising:
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a processor that records event data related to vehicle operation; a memory that stores the event data, the memory being partitioned into a plurality of dedicated sections; wherein the ECU, in response to a data lock signal received from an associated remote electronic tool upon coupling to the remote electronic tool after recording the event data, stores the event data as locked data in one or more selected dedicated sections of the memory to preserve the event data for subsequent review, the one or more of the plurality of dedicated sections being selected as a function of a purpose for which event data was collected, and wherein the stored event data comprises event data recorded for a predetermined time period before and after a trigger event detected by the ECU; wherein the ECU, upon receiving a data unlock signal comprising authentication information associated with one of the plurality of dedicated sections from the associated electronic tool, unlocks the locked data in the dedicated section associated with the authentication information. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An electronic tool that facilitates protecting vehicle event data from overwrite while selectively permitting access to the event data, comprising:
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a processor that communicates with an associated electronic control unit (ECU) in a vehicle, the ECU having stored therein event data related to vehicle operating conditions, wherein the stored event data comprises event data recorded for a predetermined time period before and after a trigger event detected by the ECU, wherein the processor is communicatively coupled to the ECU after recording of the event data; a data locking module that sends a data lock signal to the ECU to lock stored event data as locked data in one or more of a plurality of dedicated sections of a partitioned memory such that the stored event data cannot be overwritten; and a data unlocking module that sends a data unlock signal to the ECU to unlock the locked event data of a specified partitioned section of the memory for analysis; and an authorization module that verifies user-entered authorization information prior to sending one of the data lock signal and the data unlock signal to the ECU; and an authentication module that prompts a user to enter authentication information to access one of the plurality of dedicated sections, verifies the authentication information, and permits the user to at least one of lock the event data and unlock the locked data in the accessed dedicated section. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of protecting vehicle event data from overwrite while selectively permitting access to the event data, comprising:
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recording, in one or more of a plurality of dedicated sections of an electronic control unit (ECU) memory, event data related to vehicle operation, wherein the event data comprises event data recorded for a predetermined time period before and after a trigger event detected by the ECU; receiving from a remote electronic tool, after coupling to the remote electronic tool and after recording of the event data, an authorized data lock signal from the remote electronic tool; and in response to the authorized data lock signal, storing the event data as locked data in a selected dedicated portion of the ECU memory that cannot be overwritten in order to preserve the event data for subsequent review, the one or more of the plurality of dedicated sections being selected as a function of a purpose for which event data was collected; and upon receiving a data unlock signal comprising authentication information associated with one of the plurality of dedicated sections from the associated electronic tool, unlocking the locked data in the dedicated section associated with the authentication information. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. An apparatus for protecting vehicle event data from overwrite while selectively permitting data access to the event data, comprising:
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recording means for recording, in one or more of a plurality of dedicated sections of an electronic control unit (ECU) memory, event data related to vehicle operation; receiving means for receiving from a remote electronic tool, after coupling to the remote electronic tool and after recording of the event data, an authorized data lock signal from the remote electronic tool; and processing means configured to, in response to the authorized data lock signal, store the event data as locked data in a selected dedicated portion of the ECU memory that cannot be overwritten in order to preserve the event data for subsequent review, the one or more of the plurality of dedicated sections being selected as a function of a purpose for which event data was collected, and wherein the stored event data comprises event data recorded for a predetermined time period before and after a trigger event detected by the ECU; and authentication means for prompting a user to enter authentication information to access one of the plurality of dedicated sections, verifying the authentication information, and permitting the user to at least one of lock the event data and unlock the locked data in the accessed dedicated section.
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Specification