Method and control unit for operating a non-volatile memory, in particular for use in motor vehicles

A method for operating a nonvolatile memory, wherein the nonvolatile memory is configured so that an erased data pattern is read out when reading out a memory area that has not been written in, the method comprising:

• setting a memory area for storing operating variable data that are to be written;
• providing operating variable data to be written in the nonvolatile memory;
• checking whether the operating variable data to be written correspond to the erased data pattern of the memory area set;
• writing the operating variable data in the determined memory area if the operating variable data that are to be written are different from the erased data pattern;
• preventing the writing of the operating variable data in the determined memory area if the operating variable data that are to be written correspond to the erased data pattern;
• analyzing, after the occurrence of a fault case, the memory areas of the nonvolatile memory to determine the memory areas in which the erased data pattern is stored;
• and
• providing at least one of the determined memory areas for a subsequent writing of operating variable data that are to be written.

A control device for a motor vehicle, comprising:

• a nonvolatile memory configured to read out an erased data pattern in response to reading out a memory area that has not been written in;
• and
• a control unit configured to perform the following:
• determine a memory area for storing operating variable data that are to be written, wherein the memory area is ascertained by an address counter in the control unit,
• provide operating variable data to be written in the nonvolatile memory,
• check whether the operating variable data to be written correspond to the erased data pattern of the determined memory area,
• write the operating variable data consecutively in the determined memory area if the operating variable data that are to be written are different from the erased data pattern, and
• prevent the writing of the operating variable data in the determined memory area if the operating variable data to be written correspond to the erased data pattern.

A control device for a motor vehicle, comprising:

• a nonvolatile memory configured to read out an erased data pattern in response to reading out a memory area that has not been written in;
• and
• a control unit configured to perform the following:
• determine a memory area for storing operating variable data that are to be written,
• provide operating variable data to be written in the nonvolatile memory,
• check whether the operating variable data to be written correspond to the erased data pattern of the determined memory area,
• write the operating variable data in the determined memory area if the operating variable data that are to be written are different from the erased data pattern,
• prevent the writing of the operating variable data in the determined memory area if the operating variable data to be written correspond to the erased data pattern,
• analyze the memory areas of the nonvolatile memory after an occurrence of a fault case, so as to determine those memory areas in which the erased data pattern is stored, and
• set at least one of the determined memory areas for the subsequent writing of operating variable data that are to be written.

A non-transitory computer readable medium having program code that is executable by a processor, comprising:

• a program code arrangement for controlling a control unit to operate a nonvolatile memory, wherein the nonvolatile memory is configured so that an erased data pattern is read out when reading out a memory area that has not been written in, by performing the following:
• setting a memory area for storing operating variable data that are to be written, the memory area being ascertained by an address counter of the control unit;
• providing operating variable data to be written in the nonvolatile memory;
• checking whether the operating variable data to be written correspond to the erased data pattern of the memory area set;
• writing the operating variable data consecutively in the determined memory area if the operating variable data that are to be written are different from the erased data pattern;
• preventing the writing of the operating variable data in the determined memory area if the operating variable data that are to be written correspond to the erased data pattern;
• and
• incrementing the address counter after one of the writing or the preventing of the writing of operating variable data.

A non-transitory computer readable medium having program code that is executable by a processor, comprising:

• a program code arrangement for controlling a control unit to operate a nonvolatile memory, wherein the nonvolatile memory is configured so that an erased data pattern is read out when reading out a memory area that has not been written in, by performing the following:
• setting a memory area for storing operating variable data that are to be written;
• providing operating variable data to be written in the nonvolatile memory;
• checking whether the operating variable data to be written correspond to the erased data pattern of the memory area set;
• writing the operating variable data in the determined memory area if the operating variable data that are to be written are different from the erased data pattern;
• preventing the writing of the operating variable data in the determined memory area if the operating variable data that are to be written correspond to the erased data pattern;
• analyzing, after the occurrence of a fault case, the memory areas of the nonvolatile memory to determine the memory areas in which the erased data pattern is stored;
• and
• providing at least one of the determined memory areas for a subsequent writing of operating variable data that are to be written.