DE102018205676A1 - Method for storing and / or retrieving setpoint axle data of a vehicle and corresponding vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for depositing and / or retrieving desired axle data of a vehicle, wherein a code which contains all relevant information for the target axle data on the equipment of the vehicle, electronically in or out of a vehicle key, which for a Use of the vehicle is required, deposited or read out, and wherein by means of this code from a database relevant for a vehicle equipped such appropriate target axle data can be retrieved. Also claimed is a corresponding vehicle with a vehicle key.

Description

The invention relates to a method for depositing and / or retrieving setpoint axle data of a vehicle and to a corresponding vehicle. The prior art is by way of example on the DE 10 2004 025 886 A1 or the EP 788 946 A2 directed.

It is state of the art to store vehicle data electronically on integrated vehicle components or removable or external memory elements. Thus, the first-mentioned document describes a vehicle key which includes a storage means for storing data and a coupled interface for connecting a transmission line for reading or writing. The peculiarity of this key is that no elaborate read-out device (for example in a workshop) is required, but the vehicle owner himself can read the data (for example via a USB-capable terminal). The second mentioned document describes a method for the safe programming of operating data into vehicle components (for example vehicle keys). The data is kept available at a central office, fed into the respective vehicle component with the help of a code if necessary and decoded only in the component itself.

This is to show how the basically known storage of vehicle data on a vehicle key can be advantageously used further (= object of the present invention). The solution to this problem arises with the features of the independent claims (in the form of a method claim and a device claim).
It is therefore proposed to make the so-called target axis data of a vehicle, for example a two-lane motor vehicle, accessible to an authorized group of persons via the vehicle key. The person skilled in the art is familiar with the term "desired axis data" or "axis data". For example, the values specified by the vehicle manufacturer for lane, camber and ride height are needed for optimum suspension adjustment both during production and also during service in workshops. To adjust and check the chassis of vehicles there are test benches and wheel aligners.

In the present case, it is now proposed to deposit the target axis data in a database and to make it available via a special code. The database is preferably maintained by the vehicle manufacturer and is preferably only available to an authorized group of persons, namely workshops in which the vehicles are serviced and possibly also the manufacturers of wheel aligners or corresponding test benches. Said special code, which provides access to the desired axle data of a specific vehicle, is stored on the vehicle key of the specific vehicle whose desired axle data is required or requested. This code contains the information or information about the equipment of the respective vehicle, which are relevant for its target axis data. In this code, which may be a sequence of numbers and / or letters, information about what type of vehicle it is (what is usually already stored in the vehicle key today) and thus, for example, about it, can thus be contained, as it were, in encrypted form. Whether this vehicle is equipped with the usual standard suspension or with a sports suspension (representing an optional extra) or whether the vehicle body was lowered in the chassis or if the chassis contains special active or semiactive actuators such as variable dampers or active roll stabilization. Further, in the said code, the type of installed suspension (steel springs or air springs) may be specified, as well as a possibly specific country version (for example, for ECE or US). Other relevant information may relate to the steering of the respective vehicle, such as whether it is equipped with a conventional steering or with a power steering and whether active actuators for changing the steering angle are present. Also important are details of the current tires of the vehicle, such as the tire cross section and the rim diameter.

Thus, there exists a desired axle data code (= code according to the invention), which contains all relevant information for the unambiguous identification of the optimal suspension setting of a vehicle. In the already mentioned database, which is preferably maintained by the vehicle manufacturer, each code is uniquely assigned the desired axis data. This code should, as soon as the assignment between the vehicle and the vehicle key has been made, be stored on the electronic keys of the vehicles. The main advantage of this proposal is that no error-prone operating data must be passed on, but that a clearly process-capable and unique chassis coding exists in relation to the desired axle data assignment. Due to the proposed unambiguous and vehicle-specific digitization of all relevant data centrally on the vehicle key, there is no longer any need for faulty manual transmission of desired axle data from data sheets since the authorized group of persons has access to the database which assigns the respective axle setting parameters to each desired axle data code. It should be pointed out in this connection that explicitly a desired axle data code and not inflexible vehicle data are stored on the vehicle key. The kind the electronic vehicle key is insignificant for this proposal and it can be used on known hardware. The latter also applies in particular to devices for storing data or the code according to the invention in or retrieving data or the code from a vehicle key.

Advantageously, the present proposal significantly increases the flexibility with any necessary changes or adjustments. If the optimum axle setpoint data for a particular vehicle configuration is changed, then only the value in the said database needs to be changed, while the coding on the associated vehicle keys remains identical. A change in the code on the vehicle key is only necessary if a change in the vehicle configuration is made (for example, when installing a sports suspension), which affects the Achtsolldaten code.

All of this is achievable according to the invention with a method for storing and / or retrieving setpoint axle data of a vehicle, wherein a code which contains all information relevant to the setpoint axle data about the equipment of the vehicle, electronically in or out of a vehicle key, which is required for use of the vehicle, deposited or read out, and wherein by means of this code from a database relevant for a vehicle equipped such appropriate target axle data can be retrieved. Also claimed is a corresponding vehicle with a vehicle key required for use of the vehicle, in or from which a code can be stored or retrieved electronically, which contains all relevant information for target axle data of the vehicle information about the equipment of the vehicle and with the a database that is relevant for a thus equipped vehicle relevant target axle data can be retrieved. Furthermore claimed is an electronic control and processing unit or on such an installable computer program or computer program product, which (s) executable program code and is designed to carry out a method according to the invention.

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant has been generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• DE 102004025886 A1 [0001]
• EP 788946 A2 [0001]

Claims (4)

A method for storing and / or retrieving setpoint axle data of a vehicle, wherein a code which contains all relevant information for the target axle data on the equipment of the vehicle, electronically in or out of a vehicle key, which is required for use of the vehicle is, deposited or read out, and wherein by means of this code from a database relevant for a vehicle equipped such appropriate target axle data can be retrieved. Vehicle with a vehicle key required for use of the vehicle, in or from which a code can be stored or retrieved electronically, which contains all relevant information for target axle data of the vehicle information about the equipment of the vehicle and with the from a database for a thus equipped vehicle relevant target axis data can be retrieved. Method according to Claim 1 or vehicle after Claim 2 where the code contains at least some of the following information about the vehicle: • type of suspension (standard, sport version, lowering, active actuators) • type of suspension (steel spring, air spring) • country version (Europe, USA, Japan, .... .) • Steering (conventional, power steering, active actuators) • Tires (tire cross section, rim diameter) Electronic control and processing unit or on such an installable computer program or computer program product, which (s) comprises executable program code and designed, a method according to Claim 1 perform.