Device and method for managing an electronic control unit of a vehicle

A method for managing an electronic control unit (ECU) of a vehicle having one or more of said ECU, a communication network linked thereto for circulating data related to the one or more ECU, and a user interface integrated in the vehicle and communicating with the communication network, the vehicle further having a vehicle interface communicating with the communication network, the method comprising:

• a) generating a user-interface control signal, by means of a controller in an add-on device, the user-interface control signal being addressed to the user interface of the vehicle in order to manipulate said user interface;
• b) sending the user-interface control signal, by means of a transceiver communicatively connecting the controller with the vehicle interface, onto the communication network of the vehicle, in order to present on said user interface, command options prompting a user to enter a command selection in response thereto;
• c) receiving the command selection, at the controller, via the communication network and vehicle interface, the command selection being representative of an operation to be executed with respect to a targeted one of the one or more ECU;
• d) generating, by means of the controller, an ECU control signal in response to the command selection received;
• and
• e) sending the ECU control signal, by means of the transceiver, to the communication network for executing said operation, in order to manage the targeted ECU from the user interface of the vehicle.

A non-transitory processor-readable storage medium for managing an electronic control unit (ECU) of a vehicle having one or more of said ECU, a communication network linked thereto for circulating data related to the one or more ECU, and a user interface integrated in the vehicle and communicating with the communication network, the vehicle further having a vehicle interface communicating with the communication network, the processor-readable storage medium comprising data and instructions for execution by a controller in an add-on device to:

• a) generate a user-interface control signal being addressed to the user interface of the vehicle in order to manipulate said user interface;
• b) send the user-interface control signal, by means of a transceiver communicatively connecting the controller with the vehicle interface, onto the communication network of the vehicle, in order to present on said user interface, command options prompting a user to enter a command selection in response thereto;
• c) receive the command selection, the command selection being representative of an operation to be executed with respect to a targeted one of the one or more ECU;
• d) generate an ECU control signal in response to the command selection received;
• and
• e) send the ECU control signal, by means of the transceiver, to the communication network for executing said operation, in order to manage the targeted ECU from the user interface of the vehicle.