System and method for providing software upgrades to a vehicle

• US 6,975,612 B1
• Filed: 06/14/1999
• Issued: 12/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Densmore, Owen M., Martin, Guy W., Razavi, Behfar
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Wellington
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAM, BRENDA H
• Application Number:
  US09/332,348
• Time in Patent Office: 2,374 Days
• Field of Search: 370/310, 370/338, 370352-358, 370/313, 370/401, 709/216, 709/217, 709/219, 709/229, 709/315, 709/316, 455/418, 455/419, 455/420
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/48 for in-vehicle communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/245 from a network towards a terminal

Abstract

An system and method for providing software upgrades to components of a vehicle, wherein the labor, time and expense of providing the upgrades are minimized. In one embodiment, a network is installed in the vehicle, wherein the network comprises a transmission medium and one or more network devices coupled thereto. The network devices are addressable using IP addresses or object terminology. Data, software or service upgrades may be provided to the devices coupled to the network. The data, software and services may be delivered to the network through a first device, such as a wireless communication device, and then transmitted through the network to the device which is to be upgraded. The network may join an external network which is configured to query the in-vehicle network and/or automatically download data to the in-vehicle network.

Claims

1. A system for providing software upgrades to a vehicle comprising:

a network transmission medium configured to be installed in said vehicle;

a first network device coupled to said network transmission medium; and

a second network device coupled to said network transmission medium, wherein said second network device is configured to receive said software upgrade from a source external to said network and wherein said second network device is further configured to convey said software upgrade to said first network device;

wherein said first network device is configured to accept software upgrades, wherein accepting software upgrades includes;

retrieving information from said vehicle regarding said second network device;

determining whether said second network device requires said upgrade data;

transmitting said upgrade data to said first network device in response to determining that said second network device requires said upgrade data; and

delivering said upgrade data from said first network device via said transmission medium to said second network device.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein each of said first and second network devices is configured to transmit data to devices having corresponding IP addresses and to receive data having an IP address corresponding to said each of said first and second network devices.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said first and second network devices are each configured to transmit and receive data using object terminology.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said first and second network devices are each configured to transmit and receive data according to a predetermined network protocol.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein said predetermined network protocol is defined by IEEE standard 802.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein said second network device comprises a wireless communications device.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein said wireless communications device comprises one of the group consisting of:

a CDPD modem;

a wireless ethernet transceiver, a wireless modem and a cellular phone.

8. A method for providing software upgrades to a vehicle comprising:

providing a vehicle having a network installed therein wherein said network comprises a transmission medium, a first network device connected to said transmission medium and a second network device connected to said transmission medium;

retrieving information from said vehicle regarding said second network device;

determining whether said second network device requires said upgrade data;

transmitting said upgrade data to said first network device in response to determining that said second network device requires said upgrade data; and

delivering said upgrade data from said first network device via said transmission medium to said second network device.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein delivering said upgrade data from said first network device via said transmission medium to said second network device comprises:

forming a packet containing said upgrade data;

addressing said packet to an IP address corresponding to said second network device; and

conveying said packet to said transmission medium.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising said second device identifying said packet on said transmission medium and retrieving said packet from said transmission medium.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein said first network device comprises a wireless communication device and wherein the method further comprises transmitting said upgrade data from an external wireless device to said first network device.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said first network device comprises a wireless ethernet device.