Patent ID: RE43619

Claim:
A universal computer for a vehicle, said universal computer comprising: a microprocessor for processing control programs; a storage unit for data calculated during processing of the control programs; an interface for connecting the computer to a vehicle data bus; control programs for controlling devices provided in the vehicle, wherein control instructions are transmitted via device interfaces to the devices to be controlled; reconfigurable hardware which permits subsequent reconfiguration of peripheral components or of an interface in an installed state of the computer; transmission means which transmit an algorithm, for reconfiguring the hardware, to the storage unit whereby a process for reconfiguring the hardware with regard to the peripheral components or to the interface can be carried out; a storage control unit which automatically transmits the algorithm for reconfiguring the hardware to the storage unit; and a memory in which a plurality of data pages for configuring the hardware are stored, wherein only one of the data pages is classified as valid in a present device configuration and wherein the storage control unit retrieves applicable data pages during a reconfiguration.