# US 9,751,474 B2 · Method for configuring a control unit, control unit and vehicle > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,751,474 B2 - Document ID: US9751474B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/435,271 - Filed: 2013-10-04 - Published: 2015-08-27 - Granted: 2017-09-05 - Earliest claimed: 2012-10-12 - Assignees: Audi AG - Applicants: Audi AG - Inventors: Juergen Meyer - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9751474B2 ## CPC - B60R 16/023: for transmission of signals between vehicle parts or subsystems - B60R 16/02: electric {constitutive elements} - H04L 12/4625: {Single bridge functionality, e.g. connection of two networks over a single bridge} - B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract In order to configure a control unit for a vehicle, a method is provided which involves: transmission of a functional cluster assignment by a data source to the control unit, the functional cluster assignment assigning the control unit to a selection of functional clusters; reception of the functional cluster assignment by the control unit; preparation of the control unit for the use of the functional cluster assignment; activating the validity of the functional cluster assignment in the control unit, and use of the functional cluster assignment in the control unit. The functional cluster assignment is transmitted via a data network, preferably formed using a CAN bus, LIN bus, MOST bus or FlexRay bus system. The downloading of the functional cluster assignment to the control unit makes software releases that are specific to vehicle type and the time spent on their associated program maintenance superfluous. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for configuring a control unit in a vehicle, comprising: transmitting a vehicle-type-specific function cluster assignment for the vehicle from a data source to the control unit, the function cluster assignment allocating the control unit to a vehicle-type-specific selection of function clusters, the function cluster assignment allocating one of the different subsets of function clusters that can be allocated to the control unit, such that with the subset of function clusters allocated to the control unit, the control unit is assigned to perform functions for one function cluster or to simultaneously perform functions for a plurality of function clusters; receiving the function cluster assignment by the control unit; preparing the control unit for use of the function cluster assignment; validating the function cluster assignment in the control unit; and controlling the allocated function cluster assignment subset. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the function cluster assignment is transmitted via at least one of a data network and a data bus. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the function cluster assignment is transmitted via a data bus, and the data bus is selected from the group consisting of a CAN bus, a LIN bus, a MOST bus and a FlexRay bus. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control unit prepares for use of the function cluster assignment upon receiving a command for preparing for use of the function cluster assignment, and the command is transferred to the control unit via at least one of a data network and a data bus. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control unit validates the function cluster assignment upon receiving a command for validating the function cluster assignment, and the command is transferred to the control unit via at least one of a data network and a data bus. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising reading, at a data sink, the function cluster assignment received via at least one of a data network and a data bus. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the function cluster assignment is transmitted based on a protocol selected from the group consisting of a diagnosis protocol, a network management protocol, a monitoring protocol and a measurement protocol. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the control unit prepares for use of the function cluster assignment upon receiving a command for preparing for use of the function cluster assignment, and the command for preparing for use of the function cluster assignment is transferred to the control unit based on a protocol selected from the group consisting of a diagnosis protocol, a network management protocol, a monitoring protocol or a measurement protocol. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the control unit validates the function cluster assignment upon receiving a command for validating the function cluster assignment, and the command for validating the function cluster assignment is transferred to the control unit based on a protocol selected from the group consisting of a diagnosis protocol, a network management protocol, a monitoring protocol or a measurement protocol. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising erasing an older function cluster assignment that was stored in the control unit. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein erasing the older function cluster assignment is prompted by at least one of transmission of the function cluster assignment, preparing the control unit for use of the function cluster assignment and validating the function cluster assignment in the control unit. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein there are a plurality of control units, each having a respective function cluster assignment, and the method comprises at least one of: simultaneously receiving the respective function cluster assignment at each of the plurality of control units, simultaneously preparing each of the plurality of control units for he use of he respective function cluster assignment, and simultaneously validating the respective function cluster assignment in each of the plurality of control units. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein there are plurality of control units each having a respective function cluster assignment, and the plurality of control units are configured such that each begins using the respective function cluster assignment simultaneously with a remainder of the control units. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control unit is a generic control unit used in a plurality of different vehicle types, the generic control unit operates using generic controller software that is generic to the plurality of different vehicle types, and the function cluster assignment provides for different function clusters to be controlled in different vehicle types, using the generic control unit and the generic controller software. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the function clusters are associated with at least one of drive functions, chassis functions, safely functions, telematics functions, man/machine interface functions, body work functions and added convenience functions. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a single control unit is assigned to at least two function clusters. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein there are a plurality of control units, and at least two control units are assigned to the same function cluster. ### Claim 18 A control unit in a vehicle, the control unit comprising a control processor to: receive a vehicle-type-specific function cluster assignment from a data source, to allocate the control unit to a vehicle-type-specific selection of function clusters, the vehicle-type-specific function cluster assignment being specific to the vehicle type of the vehicle in which the control unit is installed, the function cluster assignment being one of the different subsets of function clusters that can be allocated to the control unit, such that with the subset of function clusters allocated to the control unit, the control unit is assigned to perform functions for one function cluster or to simultaneously perform functions for a plurality of function clusters; prepare the control unit for use of the function cluster assignment; validate the function cluster assignment in the control unit; and control the function cluster assignment subset. ### Claim 19 A vehicle comprising at least one control unit, each control unit comprising a control processor to: receive a vehicle-type-specific function cluster assignment from a data source, to allocate the control unit to a vehicle-type-specific selection of function clusters, the vehicle-type-specific function cluster assignment being specific to the vehicle type of the vehicle in which the control unit is installed, the function cluster assignment being one of the different subsets of function clusters that can be allocated to the control unit, such that with the subset of function clusters allocated to the control unit, the control unit is assigned to perform functions for one function cluster or to simultaneously perform functions for a plurality of function clusters; prepare the control unit for use of the function cluster assignment; validate the function cluster assignment in the control unit; and control the function cluster assignment subset.