US 8,930,710 B2 · Using a manifest to record presence of valid software and calibration

Abstract

A system and method for verifying that operating software and calibration files are present and valid after a bootloader flashes the files into the memory on a vehicle ECU before allowing the operating software to execute. The ECU memory defines a memory segment for the operating software and the calibration files. A software manifest is provided in a memory slot before the operating software segment in the memory. Likewise, a calibration manifest is provided in a memory slot before the calibration segment in the ECU memory. After the software has been flashed into the ECU memory, a software flag is set in the software manifest memory slot and each time a calibration file is flashed, a calibration flag for the particular calibration file is set in the calibration manifest.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method for verifying that operating software and calibration files have been properly flashed into a controller before allowing the operating software to be executed in the controller, said method comprising:

defining a memory segment in a controller memory for storing the operating software and one or more calibration files;
reserving a software memory section for the operating software and one or more calibration file memory sections for the one or more calibration files in the memory segment;
flashing the operating software into the software memory section;
setting a software flag in a software manifest memory slot in the software memory section that indicates that the operating software has been properly flashed and verified;
flashing the one or more calibration files into the one or more calibration file memory sections;
setting a calibration flag for each separate calibration file in at least one calibration file manifest memory slot in the one or more calibration file memory sections that indicates that the particular calibration file has been properly flashed and verified;
and
verifying that all of the operating software and calibration file flags have been properly set before allowing the operating software to be executed by the controller.

5 more elements

A method for verifying that one or more software files has been properly flashed into a memory of an electronic control unit (ECU) on a vehicle before allowing the one or more software files to be executed in the ECU, said method comprising:

defining at least one memory segment in the memory of the ECU for storing at least one software file;
reserving a memory section for the at least one software file in the memory segment;
flashing the at least one software file into the memory section;
setting at least one software flag in a software manifest memory slot in the software memory section that indicates that the at least one software file has been properly flashed;
and
verifying that the software flag has been properly set before allowing the software file to be executed by the controller.

3 more elements

A system for verifying that one or more software files has been properly flashed into a memory of the controller before allowing the one or more software files to be executed in the controller, said system comprising:

means for defining at least one memory segment in the memory of the controller for storing at least one software file;
means for reserving a memory section for the at least one software file in the memory segment;
means for flashing the at least one software file into the memory section;
means for setting at least one software flag in a software manifest slot in the software memory section that indicates that the at least one software file has been properly flashed;
and
means for verifying that the software flag has been properly set before allowing the software file to be executed by the controller.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Using a manifest to record presence of valid software and calibration

Life of this patent

Using a manifest to record presence of valid software and calibration

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20