Starting up an application in a mobile client

• US 7,801,853 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2004
• Issued: 09/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Laedke, Michael, Poechmueller, Werner, De Boer, Gerrit
• Primary Examiner(s): Trujillo; James
• Assistant Examiner(s): Casanova; Jorge A
• Application Number:
  US10/584,782
• Publication Number:
  US 20080306960A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,099 Days
• Field of Search: 701/200, 342/357.12, 707/617
• US Class Current: 707/617
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/564 Enhancement of application control based on intercepted application data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

A method for starting up an application in a mobile data processing device, for the operation of which an information database is required in the device. The inventive method includes the following steps:

• a) provision of a permanent portion and a temporary portion of the information database;
• b) wire-bound transmission of the permanent portion from a central server to an intermediate server;
• c) transmission of the permanent portion from the intermediate server to the device via a first transmission path and storage in the device;
• d) transmission of the temporary portion via wireless communication, the wireless communication representing a second transmission path that is distinct from the first transmission path; and
• e) execution of the application.

Claims

1. A method for starting up an application in a mobile data processing device, an information database being required in a device for operating the application, comprising:

a) providing a permanent portion and a temporary portion of the information database;

b) receiving a request input by a user of the device to transmit the permanent portion;

c) identifying an intermediate server located in the vicinity of the device;

d) performing wire-bound transmission of the permanent portion from a central server to the intermediate server;

e) transmitting the permanent portion from the intermediate server to the device for operating the application via a portable data carrier and storing the permanent portion in the device for operating the application;

f) checking the central server to ascertain if the device is authorized to access the temporary portion;

g) transmitting the temporary portion via wireless communication, the wireless communication representing a second transmission path that is distinct from the first transmission path; and

h) executing the application.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein step d) is triggered by a transmission of a request from one of the intermediate server and the device for operating the application to the central server.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the transmission in step d) takes place via a dial-up connection.

4. The method as recited in claim 2, further comprising:

before step d) is carried out, transmitting data containing information about one of an identity of the mobile device and a location of the mobile device from the device for operating the application to the central server.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein, based on transmitted data about the identity of the mobile device, one version is selected for transmission out of a plurality of versions of the temporary portion made available on the central server.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

before step g), transmitting information specific to the mobile device via wireless communication from the mobile device to the central server, wherein step g) is carried out only if the central server recognizes, based on the specific information, that the mobile device is suited to receiving the temporary portion.

7. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein the transmission of the specific information takes place in such a way that it is controlled by the permanent portion of the information database.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

calculating the temporary portion by the central server based on data transmitted previously from the device for operating the application via wireless communication.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the application is a testing program for testing a functionality and diagnosing malfunctions of one of the mobile device and another device connected thereto.

10. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the mobile device is part of an electronic system of a motor vehicle.

11. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein steps f)-h) are continuously repeated while the motor vehicle is operating.

12. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the temporary portion includes geographic information.

13. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein the geographic information includes geographic information that has only temporary validity.

14. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

updating the temporary portion from time to time while the device for operating the application is operating.

15. A data transmission system used to start up an application in a mobile data processing device, the system comprising:

a plurality of intermediate servers;

a central server storing a permanent and a temporary portion of the information database;

a wire-bound communications network connecting the central server to the plurality of intermediate servers, the central server identifying a nearest one of the intermediate servers and transmitting the permanent portion to the nearest intermediate server after a user input request and via the wire-bound communications network, the intermediate servers transmitting the permanent portion to a portable data carrier via which the permanent portion is transferred to the mobile data processing device;

a cellular mobile wireless communication system having an output connecting to the central server, the cellular mobile wireless communication system transmitting the temporary portion after the central server is checked for authorization;

an on-board computer for receiving instructions to operate the system, the on-board computer having a data transmission interface to enable a connection with the central server;

a plurality of sensors for detecting a plurality of operating parameters in a motor vehicle, the plurality of sensors being connected to the on-board computer through a bus; and

a human-machine interface device for displaying a plurality of functionalities of the data transmission system, the human-machine interface device having an input and an output arrangement, wherein the output arrangement displays the plurality of operating parameters detected by the sensors.

16. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein the plurality of intermediate servers are computers.

17. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein the cellular mobile wireless communication system is a GSM or a UMTS network that includes a plurality of geographically distributed base stations.

18. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein the permanent portion of the central server contains program instructions sent to the on-board computer.

19. A method for starting up an application in a mobile data processing device, an information database being required in the device for operating the application, the method comprising:

providing a permanent portion and a temporary portion of the information database;

performing wire-bound transmission of the permanent portion from a central server to an intermediate server;

transmitting the permanent portion from the intermediate server to the device via a portable data carrier;

storing the permanent portion in the device;

transmitting the temporary portion via a radio path; and

executing the application.