Method and Apparatus for Software Updating

• US 20130318517A1
• Filed: 07/30/2013
• Published: 11/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Davey, Christopher K., Adibhatla, Rajya, Esselink, Chad Evert, Humphreys, Gerald P., Ishac, Salwan H.
• Granted Patent: US 9,626,175 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/170
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416

Abstract

A computer-implemented method includes receiving a restore command to restore a vehicle computing system (VCS) system state. The method further includes restoring a base system state to a known, functional state and obtaining a list of applications previously installed on the VCS. The method also includes for each application previously installed on the VCS, finding a version of the application compatible with the restored base system state. Also, the method includes installing the version of each application compatible with the restored base system state.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a processor configured to;

receive a remote software monitoring module notification that vehicle computer software has an available update;

responsive to the notification, present a user with at least one of an option to select from compatible newer versions of the vehicle computer software or an option to upload a most recent compatible version of the vehicle computer software; and

process an update selection to update the vehicle computer software.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the user is at least provided with an option to select from compatible newer versions of the vehicle computer software and the processor is further configured to present selectable options corresponding to newer compatible updates to the vehicle computer software.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the newer compatible updates are updates along multiple branching lineages of software, wherein at least one lineage corresponds to a current lineage of the vehicle computer software and wherein at least one other lineage corresponds to a lineage different from the current lineage.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the processor is further configured to obtain a most recent compatible update, in a selected lineage, for installation.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the user is at least provided with an option to upload a most recent compatible version of the vehicle computer software and the processor is configured to obtain a most recent compatible update for installation.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein there are a plurality of software lineages for the vehicle computer software, wherein the vehicle computer software version corresponds to a particular lineage, distinct from at least one other lineage, and wherein the processor is configured to obtain the most recent compatible update from the lineage corresponding to the vehicle computer software version.

7. A computer implemented method comprising:

receiving a remote software monitoring module notification that vehicle computer software has an available update;

responsive to the notification, presenting a user with at least one of an option to select from compatible newer versions of the vehicle computer software or an option to upload a most recent compatible version of the vehicle computer software; and

processing, via a vehicle computer, an update selection to update the vehicle computer software.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the user is at least provided with an option to select from compatible newer versions of the vehicle computer software and the method further includes presenting selectable options corresponding to newer compatible updates to the vehicle computer software.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the newer compatible updates are updates along multiple branching lineages of software, wherein at least one lineage corresponds to a current lineage of the vehicle computer software and wherein at least one other lineage corresponds to a lineage different from the current lineage.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the method further includes obtaining a most recent compatible update, in a selected lineage, for installation.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the user is at least provided with an option to upload a most recent compatible version of the vehicle computer software and the method further includes obtaining a most recent compatible update for installation.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein there are a plurality of software lineages for the vehicle computer software, wherein the vehicle computer software version corresponds to a particular lineage, distinct from at least one other lineage, and wherein the method further includes obtaining the most recent compatible update from the lineage corresponding to the vehicle computer software version.

13. A computer readable storage medium, storing instructions that, when executed by a vehicle computer, cause the computer to perform a method comprising:

receiving a remote software monitoring module notification that vehicle computer software has an available update;

responsive to the notification, presenting a user with at least one of an option to select from compatible newer versions of the vehicle computer software or an option to upload a most recent compatible version of the vehicle computer software; and

processing, via a vehicle computer, an update selection to update the vehicle computer software.

14. The computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the user is at least provided with an option to select from compatible newer versions of the vehicle computer software and the method further includes presenting selectable options corresponding to newer compatible updates to the vehicle computer software.

15. The computer readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the newer compatible updates are updates along multiple branching lineages of software, wherein at least one lineage corresponds to a current lineage of the vehicle computer software and wherein at least one other lineage corresponds to a lineage different from the current lineage.

16. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the method further includes obtaining a most recent compatible update, in a selected lineage, for installation.

17. The computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the user is at least provided with an option to upload a most recent compatible version of the vehicle computer software and the method further includes obtaining a most recent compatible update for installation.

18. The computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein there are a plurality of software lineages for the vehicle computer software, wherein the vehicle computer software version corresponds to a particular lineage, distinct from at least one other lineage, and wherein the method further includes obtaining the most recent compatible update from the lineage corresponding to the vehicle computer software version.