Internal combustion engine for vehicles, in particular a diesel engine

Abstract

The invention relates to an internal combustion engine for vehicles on which a device (1) is mounted comprising a semiconductor-based read-only memory (1a), which contains data which are destined to be used for a given purpose of the device (1), and comprising an interface (6) enabling an access to the read-only memory (1a). In addition to the data which are destined to be used for the given purpose of the device (1) there are engine-specific data stored in non-volatile manner in the device (1), the engine-specific data being neither necessary nor destined for the given purpose of the device (1), and that the engine-specific data, too, can be read out electronically via the said interface (6).

Description

Claims

1. An internal combustion engine for vehicles on which a device is mounted comprising a semiconductor-based read-only memory, which contains data which are destined to be used for a given purpose of the device, and comprising an interface enabling an access to the read-only memory, characterized in that in addition to the data which are destined to be used for the given purpose of the device there are engine-specific data stored in non-volatile manner in the device, the engine-specific data being neither necessary nor destined for the given purpose of the device, and that the engine-specific data, too, can be read out electronically via the said interface.

2. The engine as defined in claim 1, in which the engine-specific data are stored in the same read-only memory containing the data which are destined to be used for the given purpose of said device.

3. The engine as defined in claim 1, in which said device is a control device and its given purpose is a control purpose.

4. The engine as defined in claim 3, the engine being a Diesel engine comprising glow plugs and characterized in that the read-only memory is part of a control device for the glow plugs of the Diesel engine.

5. The engine as defined in claim 1, in which the engine-specific data are calibration data that are needed by an engine control unit provided for engine control purposes and provided separately from said device in a vehicle driven by said engine, and in which the read-only memory is provided with an interface for connecting the engine control unit to the read-only memory.

6. The engine as defined in claim 5, the engine being a common rail Diesel engine with injectors and the engine-specific data being trimming data of the injectors.

7. The engine as defined in claim 1, in which the engine-specific data are identification data.

8. A device mounted on an internal combustion engine for vehicles, the device having a given purpose and comprising a semiconductor-based read-only memory in which there are stored data which are destined for said given purpose and can be read out electronically via an interface, adapted for additionally storing in non-volatile manner engine-specific data, which are neither required nor destined for said given purpose of the device.

9. The device as defined in claim 8 connected to a separate control unit which has access to the engine-specific data stored in the read-only memory of the device.

10. A control device mounted on an internal combustion engine for vehicles, the control device having a given control purpose and comprising a semiconductor-based read-only memory in which there are stored data which are destined for said given control purpose and can be read out electronically via an interface, adapted for additionally storing in non-volatile manner engine-specific data, which are neither required nor destined for said given control purpose of the control device.

11. The control device as defined in claim 10 connected to a separate control unit which has access to the engine-specific data stored in the read-only memory of the control device.

12. Internal combustion engine for vehicles on which a semiconductor-based read-only memory is mounted, which contains engine-specific data and which comprises an interface through which the data can be read out electronically.

13. The engine as defined in claim 12, which is a Diesel engine and characterized in that the read-only memory is part of a control device for the glow plugs of the Diesel engine.

14. The engine as defined in claim 12, characterized in that the engine-specific data are calibration data that are needed by an engine control unit provided for engine control purposes, and characterized in that the read-only memory is provided with an interface for connecting the engine control unit to the read-only memory.

15. The engine as defined in claim 14, which is a common rail Diesel engine with injectors and characterized in that the engine-specific data are trimming data of the injectors.

16. The engine as defined in claim 12, characterized in that the engine-specific data are identification data.

17. A control device mounted on an internal combustion engine for vehicles, comprising a semiconductor-based read-only memory in which engine-specific data are stored and further comprising an interface through which data stored in said control device can be read out electronically.

18. The control device as defined in claim 17 connected to a separate control unit having access to the engine-specific data stored in said read-only memory of said control device via said interface.