INTRODUCTION Page 1 of 4

INTRODUCTION
About WinKFPT
WinKFPT is a program for flash programming (program and data) electronic control units (ECUs) used
in the automotive industry.

WinKFPT was originally conceived purely as a reference tool for verifying the programmability of
control units in the course of program and data programming.

Thanks to continuous expansion of its functionality, WinKFPT is now used as a development tool for
suppliers of BMW who are involved in the development of control units.

The possibilities opened up by the Batch mode and the multiple instancing capability of WinKFPT have
in the meantime enabled the range of application of the program to be expanded to cover production and
service.

WinKFPT is the first tool that uses the COAPI functions for a boot sector update (BSU), and therefore
facilitates ECU updates (exchange of boot sectors, programs, data) that go beyond the boundaries of
ECU families. This reduces the need to exchange control units in e.g. the Service Department.

As of Version 4.6.0, WinKFPT uses the import/export functionality of the COAPI to manage
development and tool-relevant data, ECU-specific and general logistics files and assembly line data sets
for saving and loading development configurations in order to improve error tracing during development
and flash verification of the control units.

Possibilities in WinKFPT

Multiple Instancing Capability

To shorten programming times by means of parallel programming of several control units via various
HW interfaces or diagnosis channels, it is possible to call a separate WinKFPT instance for each HW
interface connected that can be initialized via the EDIABAS interface.

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Operating Modes

WinKFPT has two main operating modes

1. Dialog mode

2. Batch mode

and one special operating mode

3. Compile mode.

The table below contains a brief description of each of WinKFPT's operating modes.

Operating mode Description

Dialog mode = Standard operating mode – all ECU flash programming entries are
made by the user in Dialog mode.

Batch mode Can be started from Dialog mode or by being called with appropriate
calling parameters.

The programming of ECUs is configured and started by means of

specific control files.

Compile mode This operating mode is started by means of a special calling parameter
and is used only to translate a PABD in source code (XXX.IPS).

The object code file (XXX.IPO) of the PABD is then located following
translation as a resident file in the PABD directory "<root>\sgdat".

Table: Operating modes of WinKFPT

Programming of ECUs in Dialog Mode

There are three possibilities for flash programming a control unit using the Dialog mode of WinKFPT.

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The two possibilities in Comfort Mode:

1. Entry or selection of the assembly identification number (ZUSB No.), selection of any number of
integration positions offered for the ZUSB No., entry of the vehicle identification number (VIN)
when a UIF is written, and subsequent flash programming of the control unit or control units in
Comfort mode.

2. Selection of a control unit family and of any number of integration positions offered for this family,
and subsequent updating of the control unit or control units in Comfort mode to the latest assembly
identification within the respective series of compatible hardware releases. If a transition between
non-compatible hardware releases is possible by means of a boot sector update, updating of the
assembly identification code goes beyond just changing the hardware, actually potentially involving
changing the ECU family.

One possibility in Expert Mode:

3. Selection of the necessary PABDs, P-SGBDs and data set names and subsequent flash programming
of the control unit in Expert mode.

In addition to be able to flash program control units, a number of special and diagnostics functions, such
as "Read UIF" or "ECU Status" are supported.

Programming of ECUs in Batch Mode

Batch mode is used to flash program any number of control units one after the other.

WinKFPT can be started from an external application in Batch mode; in this case, flash programming of
the control units is initiated by means of a control file.

Architecture of WinKFPT
The following diagram shows the architecture of communication between two WinKFPT instances that
have been called from an external application:

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Fig.: Communication architecture in WinKFPT

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