Memory flashing and data collection device for motor vehicles

• US 20070162186A1
• Filed: 12/12/2005
• Published: 07/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Chrysler Group LLC (Stellantis NV)
• Original Assignee: Chrysler Group LLC (Stellantis NV)
• Inventors: Rastenis, Ronald, Baugher, Geoff
• Application Number:
  US11/299,916
• Publication Number:
  US 20070162186A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/275
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers

Abstract

A portable, hand-carriable access device for communicating with a vehicular electronic control unit is coupled to a vehicular communication bus of the vehicle. The device includes a microprocessor, a bus interface unit coupled to the microprocessor and adapted to be coupled to the vehicular communication bus, a memory card port coupled to the microprocessor and adapted to receive a memory card and operative to send script files resident on the memory card to the microprocessor, and a host communication port coupled to the microprocessor and operative to enable data communication between the microprocessor and a remote host computer. The microprocessor is operative to carry out various operations with the vehicular electronic control unit via the vehicular communication bus in accordance with instructions received via the memory card port and/or the host communication port.

Claims

1. A portable, hand carriable access device for communicating with a vehicular electronic control unit coupled to a vehicular communication bus, the device comprising:

a microprocessor;

a bus interface unit coupled to the microprocessor and adapted to be coupled to the vehicular communication bus;

a memory card port coupled to the microprocessor, adapted to receive a memory card and operative to send script files resident on the memory card to the microprocessor; and

a host communication port coupled to the microprocessor and operative to enable data communication between the microprocessor and a remote host computer;

the microprocessor operative to carry out various operations with the vehicular electronic control unit via the vehicular communication bus in accordance with instructions received via the memory card port and/or the host communication port.

2. The access device of claim 1 wherein the various operations include flashing a memory unit of the vehicular electronic control unit.

3. The access device of claim 1 wherein the various operations include capturing data from a memory unit of the vehicular electronic control unit.

4. The access device of claim 3 wherein the microprocessor writes captured data to a memory card resident in the memory card port.

5. The access device of claim 3 wherein the microprocessor writes captured data to a remote computer communicating with the microprocessor via the host communication port.

6. The access device of claim 1 wherein the various operations include clearing a fault in the vehicular electronic control unit.

7. The access device of claim 1 wherein the bus interface unit further comprises:

a bus driver having first and second input/output ports; and

a connector coupled to the first input/output port and adapted to removably mate with a vehicular connector associated with the vehicular communication bus, the second input/output port coupled to the microprocessor.

8. The access device of claim 1 wherein the memory card port is adapted to removably receive a secure digital memory card.

9. The access device of claim 1 wherein the host communication port comprises a USB port.

10. The access device of claim 1 further comprising a real time clock coupled to the microprocessor.

11. The access device of claim 1 further comprising at least one indicator of an operating status of the access device.

12. The access device of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of visual indicator elements for indicating an operating status of the access device.

13. The access device of claim 12 wherein the microprocessor causes the plurality of visual indicator elements to present a plurality of patterns of visual indications, each pattern representing a different operating status of the access device.