Memory writing device for an electronic device

• US 6,505,280 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2001
• Issued: 01/07/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Ishida, Takashi, Kawase, Yoshihiro, Kida, Yoshiaki, Terada, Yukari
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Matthew
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Denise
• Application Number:
  US09/843,821
• Publication Number:
  US 20010032289A1
• Time in Patent Office: 617 Days
• Field of Search: 711/102-103, 711/164, 711/168, 365/185.33, 713/202, 713/183, 713/187, 717/172-173, 717/177-178, 701/24-26, 701/32
• US Class Current: 711/164
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/2487 Methods for rewriting
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/60 Software deployment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/654 using techniques specially adapted for alterable solid state memories, e.g. for EEPROM or flash memories
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 16/102 External programming circuits, e.g. EPROM programmers; In-circuit programming or reprogramming; EPROM emulators

Abstract

To provide a memory-writing device which can simply and reliably write desired data to a nonvolatile memory of an electronic device, connection is made with an ECU to perform write processing to write write data from the memory-writing device to a flash ROM by copying a write-control program from the external portion to a RAM and executing the write-control program, and by sequentially sending the foregoing write-control program and write data to this ECU together with sending, at a predetermined timing, write-control information required for the ECU to execute the write-control program, the write-control program and the write-control information are stored in a freely attachable and removable first ROM and the write-control information stored in the first ROM is read and sent to the ECU at a memory-rewriting device to cause the write processing to be performed in the ECU. According to this device, an ECU of differing specifications can be supported merely by exchanging the first ROM.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a control unit mounted in a vehicle including

a volatile memory;

a nonvolatile memory;

discriminating information storage means for storing first discriminating information;

determining means for receiving second discriminating information sent from a memory rewriting device and for determining, responsive to a rewrite command from the memory rewriting device, whether the second discriminating information sent from the memory rewriting device coincides with the first discriminating information stored in the discriminating information storage means;

rewrite control program receiving means for receiving a rewrite control program sent from the memory rewriting device and for storing the rewrite control program in the volatile memory; and

transferring means for writing the rewrite control program stored in the volatile memory in the nonvolatile memory;

wherein each of the first and second discriminating information is established for at least a type and specification of each control object which is controlled by the control unit, or a model name and grade name of the vehicle, and

wherein use of the rewrite control program is enabled and disabled based on a determination of whether or not the second discriminating information coincides with the first discriminating information.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the memory rewriting device includes:

an external memory storing data to be sent to the control unit; and

sending means, connected to the external memory, for sending the data stored in the external memory to the control unit as the second discriminating information.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the determining means is for receiving the second discriminating information before receiving the rewrite control program and is for determining whether the second discriminating information received from the memory rewriting device coincides with the first discriminating information stored in the discriminating information storage means.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said determining means receives said second discriminating information and determines whether said second discriminating information coincides with said first discriminating information by comparing said second discriminating information and said first discriminating information.

5. The system of claim 4 further comprising means for storing data written in said nonvolatile memory to cause new data to correspond to discriminating information indicating a device conforming to said new data and store said new data, and together therewith, to send said discriminating information corresponding to said new data to said control unit before sending said rewrite control program.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising

error signal sending means for sending an error signal to the memory rewriting device in response to a determination that the second discriminating information sent from the memory rewriting device does not coincide with the first discriminating information so that the memory rewriting device provides an error message externally from the memory rewriting device, and

wherein rewrite control program receiving means is responsive only to a determination by the determining means that the second discriminating information sent from the memory rewriting device coincides with the first discriminating information.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the control object is an engine.

8. A control unit mounted in a vehicle, the control unit comprising:

a volatile memory;

a storage medium for storing a first identifier;

a comparator for comparing (i) a second identifier sent from a memory rewriting device external to the control unit and (ii) the stored first identifier to determine whether the first and second identifiers coincide with one another;

a receiver for receiving a rewrite control program from the memory rewriting device;

wherein each of the first and second identifiers is established for at least a type and specification of each device which is controlled by the control unit, or a model name and grade name of the vehicle; and

use of the rewrite control program is enabled and disabled based on a determination of whether or not the second identifier coincides with the first identifier.

9. The control unit of claim 8 further comprising a transfer circuit and a nonvolatile memory, the transfer circuit writing the rewrite control program stored in the volatile memory in the nonvolatile memory.

10. The control unit of claim 8, further comprising an error signal generator for generating an output error signal if the first and second identifiers do not coincide with one another.

11. A method of controlling a device, the method comprising:

storing a first identifier in a storage medium of a device controller;

comparing the first identifier with a second identifier sent from a memory rewriting device and receiving by the device controller to determine whether the received second identifier coincides with the first identifier stored in the storage medium; and

in the first and second identifiers do coincide, transmitting a rewrite control program from the memory rewriting device to a receiver of the device controller, and storing the rewrite control program in a volatile memory of the device controller;

wherein each of the first and second identifiers is established for at least a type and specification of each device which is controlled by the device controller, or a model name and grade name of the vehicle; and

use of the rewrite control program is enabled and disabled based on a determination of whether or not the second identifier coincides with the first identifier.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising writing any

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

if the first and second identifiers do not coincide, sending an error signal from the device controller to the memory rewriting device.