CONTROL SYSTEM HAVING AUTOMATIC COMPONENT SOFTWARE MANAGEMENT

• US 20140208306A1
• Filed: 01/23/2013
• Published: 07/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: HALDER, Bibhrajit, Vitale, Andrew Joseph
• Application Number:
  US13/748,042
• Publication Number:
  US 20140208306A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/172
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57

Abstract

A component software management system for a machine is disclosed. The component software management system has a software driven component located on-board the machine, a data system located off-board the machine, and a data system controller in communication with the software driven component and the data system. The data system controller is configured to detect a software or hardware mismatch, send a mismatch notification to the data system, and determine a current software update. The component software management system may then derive, from the current software update, a software calibration file, transmit the software calibration file, and install the software calibration file on the software driven component.

Claims

1. A component software management system for a machine, comprising:

a software driven component located on-board the machine;

a data system located off-board the machine; and

a data system controller in communication with the software driven component and the data system located off-board the machine, the data system controller being configured to;

detect a mismatched software;

send a mismatch notification to the data system located off-board the machine;

determine a current software update;

derive, from the current software update, a software calibration file;

transmit the software calibration file; and

install the software calibration file on the software driven component.

2. The component software management system of claim 1, wherein the data system controller is located on-board the machine and is in communication with the software driven component via a machine controller.

3. The component software management system of claim 1, wherein the software calibration file is derived by:

comparing bytes of the current software update to bytes of the mismatched software; and

creating the software calibration file, wherein the software calibration file;

omits bytes of information from the current software update found to be identical to corresponding bytes of information on the mismatched software;

includes bytes of information from the current software update found to be different from corresponding bytes of information on the mismatched software; and

includes instructions to remove any bytes of information that are not part of the current software update.

4. The component software management system of claim 1, wherein the data system controller is configured to automatically perform a safety check prior to installing the software calibration file on the software driven component.

5. The component software management system of claim 4, wherein the data system controller is further configured to:

determine whether the machine is in a non-operational state; and

install the software calibration file when the data system controller has determined that the machine is in the non-operational state.

6. The component software management system of claim 5, wherein the data system controller is configured to:

restore the mismatched software to the software driven component when installation of the software calibration file renders the software driven component at least partly inoperative; and

send a notification to the data system located off-board the machine.

7. The component software management system of claim 3, wherein the data system controller is configured to:

authenticate an authorized user;

request user input regarding whether the current software update creates any known software and hardware mismatches;

receive either an affirmative or a negative user confirmation; and

proceed with installation in response to the affirmative user confirmation.

8. The component software management system of claim 4, wherein the data system controller is configured to determine if the current software update is manufacturer-authorized software.

9. The component software management system of claim 1, wherein the data system controller is further configured to:

update a master record with information related to software installed on the software driven component; and

automatically send the master record to the data system located off-board the machine.

10. The component software management system of claim 1, wherein the software calibration file includes software for a plurality of software driven components.

11. A computer-implemented method of managing a software version of a software driven component for a machine, comprising:

analyzing, by one or more processors on a data system controller, the software driven component for at least one of a software and hardware version mismatch;

sending a notification to a data system located off-board the machine when a mismatched software is detected;

determining, using the one or more processors, a current software update;

deriving, using the one or more processors, a software calibration file from the current software update;

transmitting the software calibration file; and

installing, using the one or more processors, the software calibration file on the software driven component.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the software calibration file is derived by:

comparing bytes of the current software update to bytes of the mismatched software; and

creating the software calibration file, wherein the software calibration file;

omits bytes of information from the current software update found to be identical to corresponding bytes of information on the mismatched software;

includes bytes of information from the current software update found to be different from corresponding bytes of information on the mismatched software; and

includes instructions to remove any bytes of information that are not part of the current software update.

13. The method of claim 11, further including performing a safety check prior to installation of the software calibration file on the software driven component.

14. The method of claim 13, including:

determining whether the machine is in a non-operational state; and

installing the software calibration file when the data system controller has determined that the machine is in the non-operational state.

15. The method of claim 14, further including:

restoring the mismatched software to the software driven component when the installation of the software calibration file renders the software driven component at least partly inoperative; and

notifying the data system located off-board the machine.

16. The method of claim 14, including:

authenticating an authorized user;

requesting input from the authorized user regarding whether the current software update creates a software and hardware version mismatch;

receiving either an affirmative or a negative user confirmation; and

proceeding with the installation in response to the affirmative user confirmation.

17. The method of claim 13, including determining if the current software update is manufacturer-authorized software.

18. The method of claim 13, including

automatically updating a master record with information related to software installed on the software driven component;

and

automatically sending the master record to the data system located off-board the machine.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the software calibration file includes software for a plurality of software driven components.

20. A control system for a machine, comprising:

a software driven component;

a data system controller in communication with the software driven component and configured to automatically collect information comprising at least one of a software and hardware version of the software driven component;

a data system located off-board the machine; and

a data system controller located on-board the machine in communication with the software driven component, the data system controller and the data system located off-board the machine, the data system controller being configured to;

detect a software and hardware mismatch;

send a mismatch notification to the data system located off-board the machine;

determine a current software update;

derive, from the current software update, a software calibration file;

transmit the software calibration file;

determine whether the machine is in a non-operational state; and

install the software calibration file on the software driven component when the machine is in the non-operational state.