The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 23, 2003
Filed:
Mar. 31, 2000
Brentt Curtus Duff, Carmel, IN (US);
Delphi Technologies, Inc., Troy, MI (US);
Abstract
A method ( ) for reprogramming application software in a microcontroller ( ) without making the microcontroller vulnerable to failure. The method ( ) divides the application memory space ( ) into five distinct regions including a reset vector space ( ), a pre-boot software space ( ), and an application software space ( ) that is further divided into a main application boot space ( ) and a back-up application boot space ( ). In another embodiment of the present invention, the application software space ( ) is programmed to contain a reset vector jump table ( ). The back-up space ( ) is programmed ( ) to contain data necessary to reprogram the microcontroller until the main application space ( ) has been reprogrammed ( ) as desired. The back-up boot space ( ) cannot be erased until the main application space ( ) has been properly reprogrammed. Thereafter, the back-up boot space ( ) can be erased ( ) and reprogrammed as desired.