Autonomous global software update

• US 9,766,874 B2
• Filed: 01/09/2014
• Issued: 09/19/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Rork, Joseph Paul, Petersen, Brian, Pandya, Ritesh, Yalavarty, Praveen
• Primary Examiner(s): MITCHELL, JASON D
• Application Number:
  US14/151,526
• Publication Number:
  US 20150193220A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,349 Days
• Field of Search: 717189-178
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/20 Administration of product repair or maintenance

Abstract

A computer-implemented method may include subscribing to a first topic tree topic associated with an installed vehicle software component version; identifying a desired software component version based on a published notification retrieved from the first topic; and when the desired version and the installed version differ, updating a software component using a software update retrieved from a second topic tree topic associated with software updates to the installed version.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

subscribing to a configuration subtopic of a version topic of a topic tree, the version topic corresponding to an installed vehicle software component version;

identifying a desired software component version based on a published notification retrieved from the configuration subtopic; and

when the desired version and the installed version differ, updating a software component using an incremental software update to a next version retrieved from the version topic.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

unsubscribing from the configuration subtopic; and

subscribing to a second configuration subtopic of a second version topic of the topic tree, the second version topic corresponding to the next version of the software component after application of the software update.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising subscribing to the version topic of the topic tree upon determining that the desired version and the installed version differ in order to retrieve the incremental software update.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising unsubscribing from the version topic of the topic tree upon successful updating of the software component to the next version using the incremental software update.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising ignoring a software update published to the version topic of the topic tree until receiving the notification of the desired version in the configuration subtopic.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the published notification in the configuration subtopic includes a configuration file, and further comprising determining the desired version according to a version level of the software with which the configuration file is compatible.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising identifying the version level of the software with which the configuration file is compatible according to a version indication included in the configuration file.

8. A vehicle, comprising:

a vehicle-based computing system including a processor programmed to;

subscribe to a configuration subtopic of a version topic of a topic tree, the version topic corresponding to an installed vehicle software component version;

identify a desired software component version based on a published notification retrieved from the configuration subtopic; and

when the desired version and the installed version differ, update a software component using an incremental software update to a next version retrieved from the version topic.

9. The vehicle of claim 8, wherein the vehicle-based computing system is further configured to:

unsubscribe from the configuration subtopic; and

subscribe to a second configuration subtopic corresponding to the next version of the software component after application of the software update.

10. The vehicle of claim 8, wherein the vehicle-based computing system is further configured to subscribe to the version topic of the topic tree upon determining that the desired version and the installed version differ in order to retrieve the incremental software update.

11. The vehicle of claim 10, wherein the vehicle-based computing system is further configured to unsubscribe from the version topic of the topic tree upon successful updating of the software component to the next version using the incremental software update.

12. The vehicle of claim 8, wherein the vehicle-based computing system is further configured to ignore a software update published to the version topic of the topic tree until receiving the notification of the desired version in the configuration subtopic.

13. The vehicle of claim 8, wherein the published notification in the configuration subtopic includes a configuration file, and wherein the vehicle-based computing system is further configured to determine the desired version according to a version level of the software with which the configuration file is compatible.

14. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein the vehicle-based computing system is further configured to identify the version level of the software with which the configuration file is compatible according to a version indication included in the configuration file.

15. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium, storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, configure the processor to:

subscribe to a configuration subtopic of a version topic of a topic tree, the version topic corresponding to an installed vehicle software component version;

identify a desired software component version based on a published notification retrieved from the configuration subtopic; and

when the desired version and the installed version differ, update a software component using an incremental software update to a next version retrieved from the version topic.

16. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15 additionally storing instructions to configure the processor to:

unsubscribe from the configuration subtopic; and

subscribe to a second configuration subtopic of a second version topic of the topic tree, the second version topic corresponding to the next version of the software component after application of the software update.

17. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15 additionally storing instructions to configure the processor to subscribe to the version topic of the topic tree upon determining that the desired version and the installed version differ in order to retrieve the incremental software update.

18. The computer readable storage medium of claim 17 additionally storing instructions to configure the processor to unsubscribe from the version topic of the topic tree upon successful updating of the software component to the next version using the incremental software update.

19. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15 additionally storing instructions to configure the processor to ignore a software update published to the version topic of the topic tree until receiving the notification of the desired version in the configuration subtopic.

20. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the published notification in the configuration subtopic includes a configuration file, and additionally storing instructions to configure the processor to determine the desired version according to a version level of the software with which the configuration file is compatible.