Vehicle Configuration Driven Loading of Software Parts

• US 20150293765A1
• Filed: 04/11/2014
• Published: 10/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Angus, Ian Gareth, Walker, Olga C.
• Granted Patent: US 9,542,180 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1433 during software upgrading
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3013 where the computing system is an embedded system, i.e. a combination of hardware and software dedicated to perform a certain function in mobile devices, printers, automotive or aircraft systems testing or monitoring of control systems or parts thereof G05B23/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/60 Software deployment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/71 Version control security arrangements therefor G06F21/57; Configuration management

Abstract

A system and method of loading software parts on a vehicle. Information identifying a desired software configuration for active software parts on the vehicle is received by a processor unit. The processor unit identifies a current software configuration of the active software parts on the vehicle. The processor unit determines a dataload plan for loading the software parts on the vehicle based on a difference between the desired software configuration and the current software configuration. The dataload plan identifies an order for loading the software parts on the vehicle. The dataload plan is used for loading the software parts on the vehicle to make the software parts active on the vehicle.

Claims

1. A method of loading software parts on a vehicle, comprising:

receiving, by a processor unit, information identifying a desired software configuration for active software parts on the vehicle;

identifying, by the processor unit, a current software configuration of the active software parts on the vehicle;

determining, by the processor unit, a dataload plan for loading the software parts on the vehicle based on a difference between the desired software configuration and the current software configuration, wherein the dataload plan identifies an order for loading the software parts on the vehicle; and

using the dataload plan for loading the software parts on the vehicle to make the software parts active on the vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving, by the processor unit, a configuration software part on the vehicle, wherein the configuration software part comprises a list of the software parts for the desired software configuration;

identifying, by the processor unit, the desired software configuration using the configuration software part; and

loading the configuration software part on the vehicle, wherein the configuration software part becomes part of the current software configuration when the configuration software part is loaded on the vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the current software configuration comprises identifying the current software configuration using a documented software configuration comprising a list of the active software parts on the vehicle.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein identifying the current software configuration comprises identifying the current software configuration using a current configuration software part comprising the list of the active software parts on the vehicle, wherein the current configuration software part is part of the current software configuration of the vehicle.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the current software configuration comprises checking systems on the vehicle to identify the software parts that are actually active on the systems on the vehicle.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the dataload plan comprises:

comparing the desired software configuration to the current software configuration to identify the software parts that need to be loaded on the vehicle to change the active software parts on the vehicle from the current software configuration to the desired software configuration; and

determining the order for loading the software parts on the vehicle.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

identifying a hardware configuration of hardware on the vehicle; and

determining the dataload plan based on the hardware configuration, the desired software configuration, and the current software configuration.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the dataload plan comprises determining a rollback plan for restoring the active software parts on the vehicle to the current software configuration after using the dataload plan to load the software parts on the vehicle has begun but is not completed.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein using the dataload plan for loading the software parts on the vehicle comprises at least one of:

sending the dataload plan to the vehicle;

displaying the dataload plan to a user on the vehicle; and

automatically following the dataload plan and loading the software parts on the vehicle by a dataloader.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle comprises an aircraft and the software parts comprise software parts for line-replaceable units on the aircraft.

11. An apparatus, comprising:

a dataload planner configured to receive information identifying a desired software configuration for active software parts on a vehicle, identify a current software configuration of the active software parts on the vehicle, and determine a dataload plan for loading software parts on the vehicle to make the software parts active on the vehicle based on a difference between the desired software configuration and the current software configuration, wherein the dataload plan identifies an order for loading the software parts on the vehicle.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the dataload planner is configured to receive a configuration software part comprising a list of the software parts for the desired software configuration and identify the desired software configuration using the configuration software part, wherein the configuration software part becomes part of the current software configuration when the configuration software part is loaded on the vehicle.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the dataload planner is configured to identify the current software configuration using a documented software configuration comprising a list of the active software parts on the vehicle.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the dataload planner is configured to identify the current software configuration using a current configuration software part comprising the list of the active software parts on the vehicle, wherein the current configuration software part is part of the current software configuration of the vehicle.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the dataload planner is configured to identify the current software configuration by checking systems on the vehicle to identify the software parts that are actually active on the systems on the vehicle.

16. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the dataload planner is configured to:

compare the desired software configuration to the current software configuration to identify the software parts that need to be loaded on the vehicle to change the active software parts on the vehicle from the current software configuration to the desired software configuration; and

determine the order for loading the software parts on the vehicle.

17. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the dataload planner is configured to:

identify a hardware configuration of hardware on the vehicle; and

determine the dataload plan based on the hardware configuration, the desired software configuration, and the current software configuration.

18. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the dataload planner is configured to determine a rollback plan for restoring the active software parts on the vehicle to the current software configuration after using the dataload plan to load the software parts on the vehicle has begun but is not completed.

19. The apparatus of claim 11 further comprising:

a dataloader configured to use the dataload plan for loading the software parts on the vehicle to make the software parts active on the vehicle.

20. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the vehicle comprises an aircraft and the software parts comprise software parts for line-replaceable units on the aircraft.