Protect information stored in ecu from unintentional writing and overwriting

Abstract

Systems and methods that facilitate protecting vehicle impact event data from overwrite include an electronic control unit (ECU) having a processor that records event data related to vehicle operation, a memory that stores the event data, and an electronic tool that communicates with the ECU and comprises a data locking module that sends a data lock signal to the ECU to lock the stored event data as locked data such that the stored event data cannot be overwritten. The ECU, in response to the data lock signal, stores the event data as locked data in a dedicated portion of the memory to preserve the event data for subsequent review.

Having thus described the preferred embodiments, the invention is now claimed to be: 
     
         1 . A system that facilitates protecting vehicle event data from overwrite, comprising:
 an electronic control unit (ECU) having a processor that records event data related to vehicle operation;   a memory that stores the event data; and   an electronic tool that communicates with the ECU and comprises a data locking module that sends a data lock signal to the ECU to lock the stored event data as locked data such that the stored event data cannot be overwritten;   wherein the ECU, in response to the data lock signal, stores the event data as locked data in a dedicated portion of the memory to preserve the event data for subsequent review.   
     
     
         2 . The system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a serial bus via which the electronic tool communicates with the ECU. 
     
     
         3 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the electronic tool communicates with the ECU wirelessly. 
     
     
         4 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the electronic tool comprises a data unlocking module that sends a signal to the ECU to unlock locked data. 
     
     
         5 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the electronic tool comprises an authentication module that prompts a user to enter authentication information, verifies the authentication information, and permits the user to at least one of lock the event data and unlock the locked data. 
     
     
         6 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the electronic tool comprises:
 a global positioning system that retrieves coordinate information describing the location of the electronic tool; and   a processor that appends the coordinate information to the event data whenever the event data is locked or unlocked.   
     
     
         7 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the processor retrieves local weather condition information for the location of the vehicle and appends weather condition information to the event data stored by the ECU. 
     
     
         8 . An electronic control unit (ECU) that facilitates protecting vehicle event data from overwrite, comprising:
 a processor that records event data related to vehicle operation;   a memory that stores the event data; and   wherein the ECU, in response to an authorized data lock signal received from an electronic tool, stores the event data as locked data in a dedicated portion of the memory that cannot be overwritten to preserve the event data for subsequent review.   
     
     
         9 . The ECU according to  claim 8 , wherein the ECU communicates with the electronic tool wirelessly. 
     
     
         10 . The ECU according to  claim 8 , wherein the ECU subsequently receives a data unlock signal from the electronic tool, in response to which the ECU unlocks the locked data. 
     
     
         11 . The ECU according to  claim 8 , wherein the ECU comprises:
 a global positioning system that retrieves coordinate information describing the location of the electronic tool; and   a processor that appends the coordinate information to the event data whenever the event data is locked or unlocked.   
     
     
         12 . The ECU according to  claim 8 , wherein the processor retrieves local weather condition information for the location of the vehicle and appends weather condition information to the event data stored by the ECU. 
     
     
         13 . A electronic tool that facilitates protecting vehicle event data from overwrite, comprising:
 a processor that communicates with an electronic control unit in a vehicle, wherein the ECU stores event data related to vehicle operating conditions;   a data locking module that sends a data lock signal to the ECU to lock stored event data as locked data such that the stored event data cannot be overwritten; and   a data unlocking module that sends a data unlock signal to the ECU to unlock the locked event data for analysis; and   an authorization module that verifies user-entered authorization information prior to sending one of the data lock signal and the data unlock signal to the ECU.   
     
     
         14 . The electronic tool according to  claim 13 , further comprising a serial bus via which the electronic tool communicates with the ECU. 
     
     
         15 . The electronic tool according to  claim 13 , wherein the electronic tool communicates with the ECU wirelessly. 
     
     
         16 . The electronic tool according to  claim 13 , wherein the electronic tool comprises:
 a global positioning system that retrieves coordinate information describing the location of the electronic tool; and   a processor that appends the coordinate information to the event data whenever the event data is locked or unlocked.   
     
     
         17 . The electronic tool according to  claim 13 , wherein the processor retrieves local weather condition information for the location of the vehicle and appends weather condition information to the event data stored by the ECU when the event data is locked. 
     
     
         18 . A method of protecting vehicle event data from overwrite, comprising:
 recording, in an electronic control unit, event data related to vehicle operation;   receiving an authorized data lock signal from an electronic tool; and   in response to the authorized data lock signal, storing the event data as locked data in a dedicated portion of a vehicle ECU memory that cannot be overwritten, in order to preserve the event data for subsequent review.   
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 18 , further comprising receiving the authorized data lock signal from the electronic tool via a wireless connection. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 18 , further comprising receiving the authorized data lock signal from the electronic tool via a serial bus connection. 
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 18 , further comprising receiving a data unlock signal from the electronic tool, and unlocking the locked data in response to in response to the data unlock signal. 
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 18 , further comprising:
 retrieving coordinate information describing the location of at least one of the electronic tool and the ECU; and   appending the coordinate information to the event data whenever the event data is locked or unlocked.   
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 18 , further comprising:
 retrieving local weather condition information for the location of at least one of the vehicle and the electronic tool; and   appending the weather condition information to the event data stored by the ECU.   
     
     
         24 . An apparatus for protecting vehicle event data from overwrite, comprising:
 recording means, in a data storage device, for recording event data related to vehicle operation;   receiving means for receiving an authorized data lock signal from an electronic tool; and   storing means for storing, in response to the authorized data lock signal, the event data as locked data in a dedicated portion of a the data storage device memory that cannot be overwritten, in order to preserve the event data for subsequent review.