Data processing: vehicles – navigation – and relative location – Vehicle control – guidance – operation – or indication – Vehicle subsystem or accessory control
Reexamination Certificate
1999-01-14
2001-02-27
Cuchlinski, Jr., William A. (Department: 3661)
Data processing: vehicles, navigation, and relative location
Vehicle control, guidance, operation, or indication
Vehicle subsystem or accessory control
C701S033000, C701S035000, C701S036000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06195602
ABSTRACT:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application relates to and incorporates herein by reference Japanese Patent Application No. 10-58562 filed on Mar. 10, 1998.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system and method capable of automatically storing a vehicle identification code among electronic control units in each vehicle and, more particularly, to a system and method for communicating vehicle information along with the vehicle identification code with an external management station through a radio signal.
2. Related Art
It is known to transmit vehicle information such as a vehicle inspection result (diagnosis information regarding an abnormality in an engine-related devices) on the vehicle side from the vehicle to a management station via a radio signal communication. The management station is thus enabled to instruct the user of the vehicle to repair the vehicle in response to the received vehicle inspection result.
In this type of centralized system, each vehicle is required to transmit the inspection result along with a vehicle identification code, which specifies the vehicle. As this code must be set to differ from vehicle to vehicle, it is stored in a non-volatile memory of an electronic control unit (ECU) such as an engine ECU of each vehicle when the ECU is mounted on the vehicle.
In the event that the ECU has to be replaced by a new one because of failure or malfunction, for instance, it is necessary to check the vehicle identification code stored in the non-volatile memory of the old ECU and to store it again in a non-volatile memory of the new ECU.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a communication system for a vehicle, in which a vehicle identification code is automatically stored even when an old ECU is to be replaced by a new ECU.
According to the present invention, a plurality of electronic control units is provided in a vehicle so that the control units communicate with each other through a communication line. Each control unit stores therein a vehicle identification code which varies from vehicle to vehicle. Each control unit checks whether the vehicle identification code is stored in response to a turn-on of power supply. If one control unit does not store the vehicle identification code, it requests a transmission of the vehicle identification code stored in other control units of the vehicle. The other control units responsively transmit the respective stored vehicle identification code to the one control unit. The one control unit which receives the vehicle identification code writes the transmitted vehicle identification code into its non-volatile memory.
Preferably, each control unit not only controls a vehicle-mounted device, but also diagnoses the vehicle-mounted device. The diagnosis result is transmitted to an external management station through a radio communication together with the stored vehicle identification code, so that the management station may determine what a repair instruction should be issued.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5189617 (1993-02-01), Shiraishi
patent: 5422473 (1995-06-01), Kamata
patent: 5583765 (1996-12-01), Kleehammer
patent: 5699250 (1997-12-01), Kobayashi
patent: 6067495 (2000-05-01), Fliearman et al.
patent: 6067516 (2000-05-01), Levay et al.
patent: 5-332888 (1993-12-01), None
patent: 7-93676 (1995-04-01), None
Hazama Koji
Hozuka Minoru
Nomura Hajime
Shigyo Masakatsu
Arthur Gertrude
Cuchlinski Jr. William A.
Denso Corporation
Nixon & Vanderhye P.C.
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