Patent Application

App. No. 12/197,550

Abstract

Claims (33)

1 . A method of managing a code module that generates output information for a computer system, the method comprising:

searching for the output information in the computer system;

if the output information is not detected by the searching step, executing the code module;

generating the output information in response to executing the code module; and

removing the code module from the computer system in response to generating the output information.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the output information comprises cryptographic key information and the code module creates cryptographic information.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the cryptographic information comprises key pair information.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the computer system is disposed in a vehicle.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the output information comprises calibration information used to operate the vehicle.

6 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the output information comprises authenticity information used to identify a component of the vehicle.

7 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the output information comprises odometer information for the vehicle.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein removing the code module comprises deleting a file corresponding to the code module.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein removing the code module comprises reflashing a memory address corresponding to the memory location of the code module.

10 . A method of managing a code module that is adapted to generate output information for a vehicle-based computer system, the method comprising:

searching for the code module in the computer system;

executing the code module if the searching step detects the code module;

generating output information in response to executing the code module; and

thereafter removing the code module from the computer system.

11 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising examining the output information for completeness prior to removing the code module.

12 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising re-executing the code module if the examining step detects incomplete output information.

13 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising re-examining the output information for completeness after re-executing the code module.

14 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising searching for the output information after executing the code module.

15 . The method of claim 10 , wherein removing the code module from the computer system comprises detecting a location of the code module in a file system.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein removing the code module from the computer system further comprises overwriting the file system in the location of the code module.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein overwriting the file system in the location of the code module comprises overwriting the location with a bit pattern more than once, thereby inhibiting recovery of the code module.

18 . A method of operating an onboard computer system for a vehicle, the method comprising:

executing a code module of the computer system to produce output information specific to the vehicle;

confirming the existence of the output information in the computer system; and

removing the code module from the computer system after confirming the existence of the output information.

19 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising examining the output information for completeness prior to removing the code module.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein

examining the output information results in determination of incomplete output information; and

the method further comprises re-executing the code module in response to the determination of incomplete output information.

Assignments (12)