Patent ID: 6138059
Filing Date: 2000-10-24
Classification: G11C

Abstract:
A vehicle control unit comprising:an electronic control unit (ECU) having a re-programmable nonvolatile memory and powered by a vehicle battery, the ECU normally carrying out vehicle control processing in accordance with a control program stored in the nonvolatile memory, and carrying out re-program processing for overwriting data in the nonvolatile memory with re-program data upon receiving a re-program command; anda power supply regulator located between the ECU and the vehicle battery for supplying power to the ECU from the battery when a designated vehicle switch is closed;the power supply regulator continuing to supply power to the ECU from the battery until the power supply receives a cutoff command, even if the switch is open;the ECU detecting the state of the switch after finishing the re-program processing, and outputting the cutoff command to the power supply regulator if the switch is open.