Method and apparatus for software updating

• US 9,626,175 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2013
• Issued: 04/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Davey, Christopher K., Adibhatla, Rajya, Esselink, Chad Evert, Humphreys, Gerald P., Ishac, Salwan H.
• Primary Examiner(s): DAM, TUAN QUANG
• Assistant Examiner(s): Smith, Cheneca
• Application Number:
  US13/954,194
• Publication Number:
  US 20130318517A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,358 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• 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

Abstract

A computer-implemented method includes receiving a restore command to restore a vehicle computing system (VCS) system state. The method further includes restoring a base system state to a known, functional state and obtaining a list of applications previously installed on the VCS. The method also includes for each application previously installed on the VCS, finding a version of the application compatible with the restored base system state. Also, the method includes installing the version of each application compatible with the restored base system state.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method comprising:

receiving vehicle computer software update availability notification;

responsive to the notification, presenting a user with an option to select an update to an instance of software from multiple compatible newer software versions along branching software lineages, wherein one version lineage corresponds to a current installed software lineage and another version lineage is different from the current lineage; and

processing, via a vehicle computer, a received update selection to update the software.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further includes obtaining a most recent compatible update, in a selected lineage, for installation.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the user is at least provided with an option to upload a most recent compatible version of the software and the method further includes obtaining a most recent compatible update for installation.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the one version lineage corresponds to the current installed software lineage, distinct from the another version lineage, and wherein the method further includes obtaining the most recent compatible update from the current installed software lineage.

5. A system comprising:

a processor configured to;

receive vehicle computer software update availability notification;

responsive to the notification, present a user with an option to select an update to an instance of software from multiple compatible newer software versions along branching software lineages, wherein one version lineage corresponds to a current installed software lineage and another version lineage is different from the current lineage; and

process a received update selection to update the software.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the processor is further configured to obtain a most recent compatible update, in a selected lineage, for installation.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the user is at least provided with an option to upload a most recent compatible version of the software and the processor is configured to obtain a most recent compatible update for installation.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the one version lineage corresponds to the current installed software lineage, distinct from the another version lineage, and wherein the processor is configured to obtain the most recent compatible update from the current installed software lineage.

9. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium, storing instructions that, when executed by a vehicle computer, cause the computer to perform a method comprising:

receiving vehicle computer software update availability notification;

responsive to the notification, presenting a user with an option to select an update to an instance of software from multiple compatible newer software versions along branching software lineages, wherein one version lineage corresponds to a current installed software lineage and another version lineage is different from the current lineage; and

processing, via a vehicle computer, a received update selection to update the vehicle computer software.

10. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the method further includes obtaining a most recent compatible update, in a selected lineage, for installation.

11. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the user is at least provided with an option to upload a most recent compatible version of the software and the method further includes obtaining a most recent compatible update for installation.

12. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the one version lineage corresponds to the current installed software lineage, distinct from the another version lineage, and wherein the method further includes obtaining the most recent compatible update from the current installed software lineage.