Method and device for programming operating data into vehicle components

A device for programming data into a vehicle component, particularly a vehicle spare part, the device comprising:

• a central office having memories for vehicle-related data and for vehicle-component-related code data;
• a coding device for encoding said vehicle-related data to be programmed into the vehicle component into encoded data;
• at least one service center connected via a data transmission line with the central office, each one of said at least one service center having a programming device to which the vehicle component to be programmed is connectable for supplying it with said encoded data received by the at least one service center;
• wherein the vehicle component to be programmed with the vehicle-related data includes a decoder for decoding the encoded data that are fed-in and was encoded at the central office with the code that is related to the vehicle component.

A device for programming data into an individual vehicle component, particularly a vehicle spare part, comprising:

• a central office having memories for vehicle-related data, for coded data related to an intermediate storage component, and for code data related to the individual vehicle component, as well as an encoder for successive encoding of the code data to be programmed into the individual vehicle component firstly with an individual code related to the individual vehicle component to provide encoded data and then with a further code related to the intermediate storage component to provide a doubly encoded data;
• at least one service center connected via a data transmission line with the central office and having a programming device to which the intermediate storage component is connectable to supply it with the doubly encoded data received by the at least one service center;
• wherein the intermediate storage component includes a decoder for decoding the doubly encoded data supplied with regard to the code related to the intermediate storage component, and then storing on an intermediate basis the encoded data that are still encoded with the code related to the individual vehicle component, wherein after connection to a data transmission system on the vehicle to which the vehicle component to be programmed with the data is connected, said encoded data being fed into the individual vehicle component;
• and
• wherein the individual vehicle component to be programmed with the data has a decoder for decoding the encoded data still encoded with the code related to the individual vehicle component that is fed in.

A method for programming data into a vehicle component, the method comprising the steps of:

• requesting data from a central office;
• encoding said data at the central office with an individual vehicle-component-related code to obtain encoded data;
• transmitting said encoded data from the central office through the requesting location and into said vehicle component;
• and
• decoding only in said vehicle component itself said encoded data received through the requesting location with a code that is related to the vehicle component.