Method of updating electronic operating instructions of a vehicle and an operating instructions updating system

• US 7,957,849 B2
• Filed: 08/01/2008
• Issued: 06/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Original Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Inventors: Reichart, Guenter, Heider, Andreas
• Primary Examiner(s): Zanelli; Michael J.
• Application Number:
  US12/184,826
• Publication Number:
  US 20090037701A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,040 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce

Abstract

A method and system for updating electronic operating instructions of a vehicle is provided. Local operating instruction data objects are stored in a local storage device arranged in the vehicle so that they can be used by the driver. Corresponding current operating instruction data objects are stored in an external storage device. One data object category, respectively, is assigned to the operating instruction data objects. For updating, a current operating instruction data object is transmitted from the external storage device to the local storage device in order to modify the corresponding local operating instruction data object in the local storage device The frequency of the updating of a local operating instruction data object depends on the data object category assigned to the data object.

Claims

1. A method of updating electronic operating instructions of a vehicle, the method comprising the acts of:

storing local operating instruction data objects in a local storage device arranged in the vehicle for use by a user;

storing corresponding current operating instruction data objects in an external storage device;

assigning one data object category, respectively, to the operating instruction data objects;

updating a current operating instruction data object, in accordance with an update frequency, from the external storage device to the local storage device in order to modify the corresponding local operating instruction data object in the local storage device; and

wherein said update frequency of the local operating instruction data object depends on the data object category assigned to the data object.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the acts of:

automatically determining in the vehicle a utilization factor of the operating instruction data objects and of the corresponding data object category; and

wherein the update frequency of the operating instruction data object depends on the utilization factor of the data object.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the utilization factor for the data object corresponds to a utilization quantity for at least one of the data object and the data object category assigned to the data object.

4. The method according to claim 1,

wherein one current status element respectively is assigned to the operating instruction data objects;

and

wherein updating is a function of at least one of;

(a) the current status element assigned to the local operating instruction data object, and (b) the current status element that is assigned to the current operating instruction data object.

5. An operating instruction updating system, comprising:

a local storage device arranged in a vehicle for storing local operating instruction data objects usable by a vehicle user;

an external storage device arranged outside the vehicle for storing current operating instruction data objects, which correspond to the local operating instruction objects, one data object category respectively being assigned to the operating instruction data objects;

a transmission system for transmitting current operating instruction data objects from the external storage device to the local storage device in order to update, in accordance with an update frequency, the corresponding local operating instruction data objects in the local storage device; and

a control device of the transmission system, which is arranged such that the update frequency of an operating instruction data object is a function of the data object category assigned to the data object.

6. The operating instruction updating system according to claim 5, wherein the update frequency of the operating instruction data object further depends on a utilization factor for the data object, and wherein the utilization factor for the data object corresponds to a utilization quantity for at least one of the data object and the data object category assigned to the data object.

7. A method of updating electronic operating instructions of a vehicle having stored therein local operating instruction data objects, the method comprising the acts of:

assigning one data object category respectively to the operating instruction data objects;

updating, at an update frequency, one or more of the local operating instruction data objects with a current operating instruction data object received from outside the vehicle, wherein the update frequency is dependent upon the assigned data object category.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the electronic operating instructions provide an electronic user'"'"'s manual for the vehicle.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein the update frequency of the operating instruction data object further depends on a utilization factor for the data object, and wherein the utilization factor for the data object corresponds to a utilization quantity for at least one of the data object and the data object category assigned to the data object.