Patent ID: 7155324
Filing Date: 2006-12-26
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for programming a plurality of non-programmed generic electronic control units of a vehicle, each non-programmed generic electronic control unit being coupled to at least one device within the vehicle, and, after programming, each programmed electronic control unit being adapted to control the functioning of the device connected thereto in response to a software program stored in a memory of the programmed electronic control unit, the apparatus comprising: a host module positioned within the vehicle, said host module being coupled to each of the non-programmed generic electronic control units, and said host module including a memory that stores software programs to be downloaded for controlling the functioning of the devices; a software down load enabler included in said host module, said software down load enabler being coupled to said memory of said host module, and said software down load enabler being responsive to an externally generated control signal to cause said host module to download at least one of said software programs from said memory thereof so that the program can be stored in the memory of at least one of the non-programmed generic electronic control units; and a software down load initiator located external to the vehicle and selectively coupled to said software down load enabler, said software down load initiator providing said externally generated control signal to said down load enabler to initiate said download of said software program from said memory of said host module to the memory of each non-programmed generic electronic control unit so that each programmed electronic control unit can control the functioning of the device connected thereto.