Method and apparatus for multiple vehicle software module reflash

• US 10,061,574 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Issued: 08/28/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Mueller, Paul, Throop, Medville J., Tillman, Brian David, Johnson, April Deneane, Farrey, Gregory William, Miller, Jason Michael, Dolinsky, John, Nagi, Charles Henry, Svenson, Thomas Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): Dascomb, Jacob D
• Application Number:
  US13/803,850
• Publication Number:
  US 20140282467A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,993 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/654 using techniques specially adapted for alterable solid state memories, e.g. for EEPROM or flash memories
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/66 of program code stored in read-only memory [ROM]

Abstract

A system includes a processor configured to wirelessly receive update requests from a plurality of vehicles. The processor is also configured to, for each request, determine if any vehicle modules require updating. Also, the processor is configured to retrieve an updated version and sending the updated version to a vehicle for reflashing, for each module that requires updating. The processor is additionally configured to receive confirmation for each module that has been reflashed and update a vehicle configuration with a version identifier corresponding to the updated version for each reflashed module.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a processor that;

receives a plurality of wireless update requests from a plurality of vehicles; and

for each of the plurality of wireless update requests;

retrieves vehicle data based on an identifier of a respective vehicle, wherein the vehicle data comprises one or more identifiers that identify one or more aftermarket hardware components installed in the respective vehicle;

determines, based on the one or more identifiers, which of the one or more aftermarket hardware components require updating;

aggregates software updates for each of the one or more aftermarket hardware components that require updating;

transmits the aggregated software updates to the respective vehicle;

receives, from the respective vehicle, a notification of software modules of one or more aftermarket hardware components that failed to update; and

re-transmits software updates for the failed one or more software modules of the one or more aftermarket hardware components that failed to update to the respective vehicle; and

each of the plurality of vehicles configured to;

receive, from the processor, the aggregated software updates;

flash software modules corresponding to the aggregated software updates;

determine the one or more of the aftermarket hardware components that failed to update;

restore the software modules of the one or more aftermarket hardware components that failed to update to a previous state;

wirelessly transmit a notification of the one or more aftermarket hardware components that failed to update to the processor;

receive, from the processor, the re-transmitted software updates; and

re-flash the software modules of the one or more aftermarket hardware components that failed to update.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to compare received module versions against stored module versions from a module database to determine which modules require updating.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the processor is further configured to determine which stored module versions from the module database are appropriate for comparison purposes based at least in part on the one or more aftermarket hardware components installed in each respective vehicle.

4. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving, by a server, a plurality of wireless update requests from a plurality of vehicles; and

for each of the plurality of wireless update requests;

retrieving, by the server, vehicle data based on an identifier of a respective vehicle, wherein the vehicle data comprises one or more identifiers that identify one or more aftermarket hardware components installed in the respective vehicle;

determining, by the server, based on the one or more identifiers, which of the one or more aftermarket hardware components require updating;

aggregating, by the server, software updates for each of the one or more aftermarket hardware components that require updating;

transmitting, by the server, the aggregated software updates to the respective vehicle;

receiving, by the respective vehicle, from the server, the aggregated software updates;

flashing, by the respective vehicle, software modules corresponding to the aggregated software updates;

determining, by the respective vehicle, one or more of the aftermarket hardware components that failed to update;

restoring, by the respective vehicle, software modules of the one or more aftermarket hardware components that failed to update to a previous state;

wirelessly transmitting, by the respective vehicle, a notification of the one or more aftermarket hardware components that failed to update to the server;

receiving, by the server, the notification of one or more aftermarket hardware components that failed to update;

re-transmitting, by the server, software updates for the failed one or more software modules of the one or more aftermarket hardware components;

receiving, by the respective vehicle, the re-transmitted software updates; and

re-flashing, by the respective vehicle, the software modules of the one or more aftermarket hardware components that failed to update.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein received module versions are compared against stored module versions from a module database to determine which modules require updating.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising determining which stored module versions from the module database are appropriate for comparison purposes based at least in part on the one or more aftermarket hardware components installed in each respective vehicle.

7. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium, storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method comprising:

receiving, by the processor, a plurality of wireless update requests from a plurality of vehicles; and

for each of the plurality of wireless update requests;

retrieving, by the processor, vehicle data based on an identifier of a respective vehicle, wherein the vehicle data comprises one or more identifiers that identify one or more aftermarket hardware components installed in the respective vehicle;

determining, by the processor, based on the one or more identifiers, which of the one or more aftermarket hardware components require updating;

aggregating, by the processor, software updates for each of the one or more aftermarket hardware components that require updating;

transmitting, by the processor, the aggregated software updates to the respective vehicle;

receiving, by the respective vehicle, from the processor, the aggregated software updates;

flashing, by the respective vehicle, software modules corresponding to the aggregated software updates;

determining, by the respective vehicle, one or more of the one or more aftermarket hardware components that failed to update;

restoring, by the respective vehicle, software modules of the one or more aftermarket hardware components that failed to update to a previous state;

wirelessly transmitting, by the respective vehicle, a notification of the one or more aftermarket hardware components that failed to update to the processor;

receiving, by the processor, the notification of the one or more aftermarket hardware components that failed to update;

re-transmitting, by the processor, software updates for the one or more aftermarket hardware components that failed to update;

receiving, by the respective vehicle, the re-transmitted software updates; and

re-flashing, by the respective vehicle, the software modules of the one or more aftermarket hardware components that failed to update.

8. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 7, wherein received module versions are compared against stored module versions from a module database to determine which modules require updating.