Chrysler Corporation

Chrysler Motors Corporation

Daimlerchrysler Corporation

William V Luitje

Frederick O Miesterfeld

John M McCambridge

Thomas R Wroblewski

Robert J Randel

Richard A Halter

Thomas H Pruett

Andrij A Birko

A flashloader having a standard module for receiving programming instructions and an application program via a communications port of a vehicle controller, where the flashloader further provides an MCU module for writing the received application program to reprogrammable memory within the vehicle controller, and an ECU module for determining whether a valid application program has been stored in the reprogrammable memory. Upon detection of a valid application program a microprocessor of the vehicle controller executes instructions from the reprogrammable memory and upon detection of an invalid application program the microprocessor continues to execute instructions from the bootloader.

Flash loader for vehicle electronic control units

A circuit monitors both digital and analog sensor readings by polling them from a single wire bus multiplex system. The circuit operates to sequentially address a plurality of smart sensor interfaces, each having an associated sensor, connected to the single wire bus. A voltage signal is supplied on the line that produces a current corresponding to the presence of a sensor at the polled interface and a current corresponding to a sensed digital or analog value where the sensor is of the digital or analog type, respectively. The currents on the bus are copied in a current mirror whose current output is applied to a resistor to produce a voltage, which in turn is converted into a digital number to be analyzed to determine the presence of a sensor at the addressed interface and its status. The current in the circuit is also measured to produce a voltage corresponding to circuit component variations and one corresponding to the contributions of the currents from the power supplies of the interfaces. These voltages correct the calculation of the voltage corresponding to the sensor analog value.

Analog sensor status detection single wire bus multiplex system

Microcontrollers, e.g. those located within a vehicle or factory, are connected over a local area network (LAN). The microcontrollers broadcast messages on the LAN tagged with an identifier (ID) which identifies the contents of the message, rather than a destination address. Microcontrollers on the network are provided with read only memory (ROM) containing a table of message IDs and accompanying data, wherein the table address of each message ID was initially determined by applying a hash function to the ID. Upon receipt of a message, a microcontroller applies the hash function to the message ID. Using the result as a pointer into the table, the microcontroller compares the message ID stored in that pointer location with the received message ID. If they are equal, the microcontroller performs a predetermined function. If the message IDs are not equal, the message is ignored.

Intra-vehicular LAN and method of routing messages along it using hash

A symbol encoder and decoder device for use with a microcontroller and a transceiver (forming a node) for encoding and decoding defined symbols made up of digital bits of various lengths and for transferring to and recovering symbol messages on a single wire bus of a multi-node multiplexed data link.

Automatic multiplex data link system, symbol encoder decoder therefor

A firmware/hardware apparatus for controlling with digital signals the smooth operation of a needle of an electronic analog gauge meter even when the measurand data is provided intermittently.

Digital system for controlling mechanical instrument gauges

A method and firmware/hardware system for updating an analog odometer using a pulse rate rather than an absolute number of updating pulse signals. The pulse rate is developed from a number that represents an accumulation of a series of pulses that represent distance traveled by a vehicle during a chosen interval.

Vehicle serial bus, mechanical instrument cluster odometer therefor

A firmware/hardware electronic digital speedometer connected to a vehicle multi-measurand data communications system maintains virtually no flicker in the display of digital numbers in a digital display unit such as a vacuum fluorescent display during movement of a vehicle when no change in speed is apparent. A speed sensor supplies speed information to a first computing unit which establishes an accumulated count of speed during a first interval. Then the first computing unit supplies over a communications link the speed count to a second computing unit at a rate that approximates the update rate of the display unit. The second computing unit processes the speed data in a particular manner to effect the virtually flicker-free updating of the display and improved accuracy.

Electronic digital speedometer for a multi-measurand data communication

A quick ranging technique controlled by a microcomputer, makes predetermined stepped adjustments to the charge times in a ranging circuit to bring the charge time into a required range, thusly minimizing calibration time for an electronic compass; a digital filter also controlled by the microcomputer smooths out the magnetic field component signals.

Microcomputer controlled quick ranging technique and digital filter

A fundamental interval of time is derived from a clock signal of an inherent frequency emanating from an untrimmed crystal oscillator. Firmware and hardware of the time-of-day clock system are used to control and modify the time interval between interrupt signals generated upon the occurrence of a specified count of clock cycles of the clock signals emanating from the crystal oscillator.

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Ann Arbor, MI, United States of America

William V Luitje