# US 12,222,693 B1 · System for reconfiguring vehicle systems to modify corresponding vehicle functions > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,222,693 B1 - Document ID: US12222693B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 17/585,034 - Filed: 2022-01-26 - Granted: 2025-02-11 - Earliest claimed: 2021-01-26 - Assignees: IPF Tuning - Applicants: IPF Tuning - Inventors: Todd Zuccone; Arno Schindler - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12222693B1 ## CPC - G05B 19/0426: {Programming the control sequence} - B60K 35/00: Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles - B60W 50/00: Details of control systems for road vehicle drive control not related to the control of a particular sub-unit {, e.g. process diagnostic or vehicle driver interfaces} - B60W 50/0098: {Details of control systems ensuring comfort, safety or stability not otherwise provided for} - B60W 50/14: Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention - G07C 5/008: {communicating information to a remotely located station (transmission systems for measured values G08C)} - G07C 5/0808: {Diagnosing performance data (testing of vehicles G01M17/00; testing of electrical installation on vehicles G01R31/005)} - B60K 35/28: characterised by the type of the output information, e.g. video entertainment or vehicle dynamics information; characterised by the purpose of the output information, e.g. for attracting the attention of the driver - B60K 2360/167: Vehicle dynamics information - B60W 10/06: including control of combustion engines - B60W 10/10: including control of change-speed gearings - B60W 10/22: including control of suspension systems - B60W 2050/0062: {Adapting control system settings} - B60W 2050/0083: {Setting, resetting, calibration} - B60W 2050/146: {Display means} - B60W 2556/45: External transmission of data to or from the vehicle - G05B 2219/2637: Vehicle, car, auto, wheelchair - G07C 2205/02: using a vehicle scan tool - G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G) - B60K: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES - B60W: CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT - G07C: TIME OR ATTENDANCE REGISTERS; REGISTERING OR INDICATING THE WORKING OF MACHINES; GENERATING RANDOM NUMBERS; VOTING OR LOTTERY APPARATUS; ARRANGEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS FOR CHECKING NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE ## Abstract A system for reprogramming vehicle performance control and/or display systems is provided. The system may allow for automatically flashing various vehicle controllers and provide diagnostic capabilities. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system for reconfiguring vehicle systems of a vehicle to modify corresponding vehicle functions during a vehicle system modification session, wherein the vehicle includes a vehicle control system configured to control various functions of the vehicle and a vehicle diagnostic port operably connected to a data bus of the vehicle, the system comprising: a provider-side system, including: at least one server having server memory storing multiple control programs, wherein at least one of the multiple control programs is storable on a memory storage device in the vehicle control system and used by the vehicle control system to control a corresponding vehicle function; a user-side system, including: an information gateway (IG) device configured to convey information during the vehicle system modification session, wherein the IG device is configured as a human-machine-interface (HMI) through which a user interacts with the system from within the user-side system to facilitate the vehicle system modification session; and a vehicle operator (VO) device that is: removably connected to the vehicle diagnostic port; in communication with the IG device for: displaying information at the HMI for user receipt within the user-side system; conveying information corresponding to the vehicle and the vehicle control system being modified to the provider-side system during the vehicle system modification session. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle control system includes a vehicle controller defined by at least one of: an engine control unit (ECU); a transmission control unit (TCU); a body control module (BCM); a shock control module (SCM); and a dashboard cluster module (DCM). ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein the vehicle controller is an ECU and the multiple control programs include multiple engine tunes usable by the ECU to control an engine of the vehicle, and wherein: the VO device automatically conveys information corresponding to the ECU and the vehicle to the provider-side system during an identification phase of the vehicle system modification session to the IG; and the provider-side system determines a set of engine tunes that is suitable for use with vehicle based on the information corresponding to the ECU and the vehicle that was communicated from the VO device through the IG to the provider-side system. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein the vehicle controller is a TCU and the multiple control programs include multiple transmission tunes usable by the TCU to control a transmission of the vehicle, and wherein: the VO device automatically conveys information corresponding to the TCU and the vehicle through the IG device to the provider-side system during an identification phase of the vehicle system modification session; and the provider-side system determines a set of transmission tunes that is suitable for use with vehicle based on the information corresponding to the TCU and the vehicle that was communicated from the VO device through the IG device to the provider-side system. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein the vehicle controller is a BCM and the multiple control programs include multiple body accessory programs usable by the BCM to control a function of a body accessory, and wherein: the VO device automatically conveys information corresponding to the BCM and the vehicle through the IG device to the provider-side system during an identification phase of the vehicle system modification session; and the provider-side system determines a set of body accessory programs that is suitable for use with vehicle based on the information corresponding to the BCM and the vehicle that was communicated from the VO device through the IG device to the provider-side system. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein the vehicle controller is an SCM and the multiple control programs include multiple shock absorber tunes usable by a dashboard display to control a function of a shock absorber, and wherein: the VO device automatically conveys information corresponding to the shock absorber and the vehicle through the IG device to the provider-side system during an identification phase of the vehicle system modification session; and the provider-side system determines a set of shock absorber tunes that is suitable for use with vehicle based on the information corresponding to the shock absorber and the vehicle that was communicated from the VO device through the IG device to the provider-side system. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein the vehicle controller is a DCM and the multiple control programs include multiple dashboard display programs usable by a dashboard display to control a function of the dashboard display, and wherein: the VO device automatically conveys information corresponding to the dashboard display and the vehicle through the IG device to the provider-side system during an identification phase of the vehicle system modification session; and the provider-side system determines a set of dashboard display programs that is suitable for use with vehicle based on the information corresponding to the dashboard display and the vehicle that was communicated from the VO device through the IG device to the provider-side system. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising multiple operational platforms including a dealer platform and a retail platform, and wherein: a first VO device defines a workshop VO device that is configured for use through the dealer platform; a second VO device defines a retail VO device that is configured for use through the retail platform; and the retail VO device has fewer permissions and access to fewer control programs stored at the provider-side system than the workshop VO device. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the VO device is one of multiple VO devices and the provider-side system is configured to configure each of the VO devices into at least one of multiple modes to unlock or lock at least one feature of the respective VO device. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein multiple modes of each VO device define: a workshop mode in which the VO device defines a workshop VO device that is configured to tune multiple vehicles; and a retail purchaser mode in which the VO device defines a retail VO device that is restricted to use with a single vehicle. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising multiple operational platforms including a dealer platform and a retail platform, and wherein: a first user of the dealer platform defines a first dealer with a first dealer account associated with the dealer platform; the first dealer has multiple locations with a corresponding number of multiple dealer VO devices; and each of the multiple dealer VO devices at the multiple locations is associated with the first dealer account. ### Claim 12 A system for reconfiguring vehicle systems of a vehicle to modify corresponding vehicle functions during a vehicle system modification session, wherein the vehicle includes a vehicle control system with a control system program configured to control various functions of the vehicle and a vehicle diagnostic port operably connected to a data bus of the vehicle, the system comprising: a provider-side system, including: a server storing an updated control program to control a corresponding vehicle function; a user-side system, including: a human-machine-interface (HMI) through which a user interacts with the system from within the user-side system; a master controller device defined by a vehicle operator (VO) device that: is removably connected to the vehicle diagnostic port; communicates with the server of the provider-side system; upon removable connection between the VO device and the vehicle diagnostic port, the VO device automatically: determines whether firmware of the VO device requires updating; and transmits information corresponding to the vehicle to the provider-side system; and wherein based on the information automatically transmitted from the VO device to the provider-side system, the provider-side system: automatically determines whether the updated control program is suitable for implementation with the vehicle; and if suitable for implementation with the vehicle, automatically transmits at least one of: the updated control program to the VO device for installation onto the vehicle control system; and a list that includes the updated control program for display on the HMI. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the VO device is configured to automatically: determine whether firmware of the VO device requires updating; update the VO device firmware, if required; analyze the vehicle for specific corresponding vehicle and vehicle control system information; transmit the vehicle and vehicle control system information to the provider side system; before a user selection through the user-side system. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein: the VO device defines an HMI of an HMI system; and the VO device includes at least one status indicator configured to indicate statuses or phases of the vehicle system modification session independent of the IG device; and the HMI system further includes the at least one status indicator of the VO device.