How Personalities Work

lolachampcar · Posted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 8:14 am Post subject: How Personalities Work

The idea of field upgradeability is built into the core product architecture at EFIDude. The overall system consists of three parts. The first part is the ProLogger software. You can download this for free from the download link. I will try to post some example log files under the ProLogger section so you can view some real data.

The second part of the system is the physical hardware. This is the item pictured on the main page of the web site and is no bigger than a standard OBDii connector. For those not familiar with OBDii and the like, please see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OBD-II#OBD-II and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Table_of_OBD-II_Codes. Technically speaking, the hardware is a high speed USB2 to CAN device that has four megabytes of on board storage and can operate autonomously. That stand alone capability allows the hardware bit to record data (ProLogger), record CAN bus traffic (Sniffer) or program a tune file onto a car (ReFlasher). The same hardware can act as a high speed USB2 to CAN interface when you want to use a laptop or PC to “talk” to your car (PassThrough device).

The last element of the overall system is the personality functionality. Although this capability is wrapped up inside ProLogger, I have broken it out as it is its own bit of functionality to better explain how things work today and how additional features are added tomorrow. In short, the hardware can be completely reprogrammed at any time by ProLogger to perform certain tasks. Reprogramming the hardware to perform a task is called putting a personality on the hardware. There are currently three personalities available and they are the ProLogger for RX-8, ReFlasher for RX-8 and the generic PassThrough device. The first two are self explanatory and the third is simply a hardware bridge that allows anyone to write a PC or laptop based program to speak with any CAN bus equipped device (including, of course, cars). The ProLogger support for personalities is in final test as I write and should be available shortly.

The personality approach allows ease of upgrading and installing new firmware and functions. Every time you start ProLogger with an internet connection, the software checks the EFIDude server to see if there is a newer version. If there is, it downloads and installs the latest software. The new version may include bug fixes for ProTune but it can also include bug fixes for personalities and completely new personalities. All of this occurs automatically and at no additional charge to the user. That is not to say that all personalities are free but only that they are all updated constantly at no charge.

I hope this helps explain some of the thought that the EFIDude guys put into their products. Please feel free to ask any questions. I’ll answer them if I can or get the Dudes involved if it is over my head.

Rote8

I have heard a few explanations on the "correct" use of the flash and logger:
When making a log,; how long after shutting the car off do you wait to remove the logger?

How many minutes will the logger record data?

How long will the data remain on the logger:
(I assume it's permanent till removed by the software?)

Can you tell exactly how to use the flash function?
(ie. start with the car off, install the flasher unit, turn key to position X, wait till ? LED blinks x times)

Is there documentation on this somewhere?

	EFIdude Forum Index -> What are they and How do they work?	All times are GMT - 5 Hours
Page 1 of 1