System and method for preventing unauthorized modification to engine control software or an engine control system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9920733-B2
Application number	US-201615370402-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 6, 2016
Priority date	Apr 1, 2013
Publication date	Mar 20, 2018
Grant date	Mar 20, 2018

Abstract

A system and method for preventing unauthorized modification to engine control software or an engine control system of, for example, a refrigerated transport application is provided. Particularly, the embodiments described herein prevent unauthorized parties from inadvertently or intentionally making changes to the engine control software used for controlling the engine or the engine control system that could, for example, potentially bypass emission strategies implemented in the refrigerated transport application. Accordingly, emission strategies such as, for example, EPA Tier IV not-to-exceed (“NTE”) regulations can be maintained.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An engine control system comprising:
a power unit that includes an engine; and
a controller configured to activate the engine via an engine activation signal and control the engine using an engine control software, the controller including a relay connected to the power unit,
wherein the controller is configured to detect an unauthorized modification event,
wherein the controller is configured to send the engine activation signal to the relay,
wherein the controller is configured to send an engine implementation signal to the relay when the controller does not detect the unauthorized modification event,
wherein the relay is configured to prevent the engine activation signal from passing to the power unit when the controller detects the unauthorized modification event, and
wherein the power unit includes an engine activation device, the relay is connected to the engine activation device, and the relay is configured to send the engine activation signal to the engine activation device when the relay receives the engine implementation signal.

2. The engine control system of claim 1 , wherein the unauthorized modification event is an unauthorized modification to the engine control software.

3. The engine control system of claim 1 , wherein the unauthorized modification event is an unauthorized modification to the engine control system.

4. The engine control system of claim 1 , wherein the engine activation device is a stop solenoid.

5. The engine control system of claim 1 , wherein the controller includes a circuit board connected to the relay, the circuit board being configured to send the engine implementation signal to the relay when the controller does not detect the unauthorized modification event.

6. The engine control system of claim 5 , wherein the relay includes a switch having an ON state and an OFF state, and a solenoid configured to receive the engine implementation signal from the circuit board and configured to change the switch to the ON state upon receipt of the engine implementation signal.

7. The engine control system of claim 6 , wherein the relay is configured to send the engine activation signal to the power unit when the switch is in the ON state and is configured to prevent the engine activation signal from passing to the power unit when the switch is in the OFF state.

8. The engine control system of claim 6 , wherein the controller includes a first connection configured to pass the engine implementation signal from the circuit board to the solenoid, and a second connection configured to pass the engine activation signal from the circuit board to the switch.

9. An engine control system comprising:
a power unit that includes an engine; and
a controller configured to activate the engine via an engine activation signal and control the engine using an engine control software, the controller including a relay connected to the power unit,
wherein the controller is configured to detect an unauthorized modification event,
wherein the relay is configured to prevent the engine activation signal from passing to the power unit when the controller detects the unauthorized modification event,
wherein the power unit includes an engine activation device, the relay is connected to the engine activation device, and the relay is configured to send the engine activation signal to the engine activation device when the controller does not detect the unauthorized modification event,
wherein the controller includes a circuit board connected to the relay, the circuit board being configured to send an engine implementation signal to the relay when the controller does not detect the unauthorized modification event, and
wherein the controller includes a feedback connection configured to send the engine activation signal from the relay to the circuit board when the relay passes the engine activation signal to the power unit.

10. A method for an engine control system that includes a power unit having an engine, and a controller configured to activate the engine via an engine activation signal and control the engine using an engine control software, the controller including a relay connected to the power unit, the method comprising:
activating the relay to an ON state when the relay receives an engine implementation signal from the controller; and
the relay sending an engine activation signal to the power unit for starting the engine when the relay is in the ON state and upon receipt of the engine activation signal from the controller.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
changing the relay to an OFF state when the relay does not receive an engine implementation signal; and
the relay preventing the engine activation signal from passing to the power unit when the relay is in the OFF state.

12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
sending the engine activation signal from the relay to a circuit board of the controller via a feedback connection when the relay is in the ON state and the relay is sending the engine activation signal to the power unit.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
the controller determining an engine control system error when the circuit board sends the engine implementation signal and the engine activation signal to the relay, and the circuit board does not receive the engine activation signal from the relay via a feedback connection.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
notifying a user of the engine control system error when the controller determines the engine control system error.

15. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
a circuit board of the controller sending the engine implementation signal to an engine activation device of the relay to activate a switch of the relay to the ON state;
the circuit board of the controller sending the engine activation signal to the switch; and
the switch sending the engine activation signal to the power unit for starting the engine when the switch is in the ON state and upon receipt of the engine activation signal.

16. The method of claim 10 , further comprising the relay sending the engine activation signal to an engine activation device of the power unit when the controller does not detect an unauthorized modification event.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the engine activation device is a solenoid.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the unauthorized modification event bypasses an emissions strategy.

19. The engine control system of claim 1 , wherein the unauthorized modification event bypasses an emissions strategy.

20. The engine control system of claim 1 , wherein the engine implementation signal is at least one of a large engine implementation signal and a small engine implementation signal,
wherein the large engine implementation signal is configured to implement a large engine control algorithm when the engine is a greater than 25 horsepower engine, and
wherein the small engine implementation signal is configured to implement a small engine control algorithm when the engine is a less than or equal to 25 horsepower engine.

Assignees

• Thermo King Corp

Inventors

• Hall Cullen Evan
• Mcginley Gary
• Lucht Erich Albert
• Vanous Michael James
• Turnquist Michael Dean

Classifications

• F02N11/101 Primary

  for preventing engine starter actuation or engagement · CPC title

• F02N11/087

  Details of the switching means in starting circuits, e.g. relays or electronic switches · CPC title

• F02D41/2487

  Methods for rewriting · CPC title

• B60R2025/041

  Preventing use of engine operating on the fluid supply · CPC title

• B60R25/045

  by limiting or cutting the electrical supply to the propulsion unit · CPC title