Method and apparatus for installing data in a memory on a work machine

• US 20030061435A1
• Filed: 09/25/2001
• Published: 03/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: OʼNeal, Steven W., Wood, Daniel C., Ferguson, Alan L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,506,097 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/103
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/60 Software deployment

Abstract

Method and apparatus for installing data stored on electronic control modules on a remotely-located machine. The control modules installed on the machine store information regarding the data which should be stored on the other installed control modules. A processor may poll the control modules to determine if a control module is missing or blank and, if so, determine which data is missing from the machine based upon the information stored on the other control modules. The processor may communicate with an off board system to identify the appropriate software for the blank control module. The software is downloaded and flashed into the blank control module.

Claims

1. A method for storing data in a non-volatile memory on a machine, the machine including a plurality of non-volatile memories, comprising:

storing in at least a portion of a first memory an identifier associated with data desired to be stored in a second memory;

reviewing said stored identifier for missing data;

requesting said missing data from a data storage system; and

storing said missing data in at least one of said plurality of memories when said missing data is received from said data storage system.

2. The method, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said reviewing step includes the steps of:

determining a desired configuration by identifying said desired data from said identifier stored in said first memory;

determining a current configuration by identifying data currently stored in the plurality of memories; and

comparing said desired configuration to said current configuration to determine said missing data.

3. The method, as set forth in claim 2, wherein said requesting step includes requesting said missing data from said data storage system by relaying said identifier associated with said missing data.

4. The method, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said first determining step includes the step of polling said plurality of memories to retrieve said identifier stored in said first memory.

5. A method for storing data in a non-volatile memory on a machine, the machine including a plurality of non-volatile memories, at least one of said memories having data stored therein, comprising:

reviewing onboard the machine the plurality of memories for missing data;

obtaining said missing data from a data storage system located remotely from said machine through a communications system; and

storing said missing data in at least one of said plurality of said memories onboard the machine.

6. The method, as set forth in claim 5, wherein said reviewing step includes the steps of:

determining onboard the machine a desired configuration by identifying data desired to be stored in said plurality of memories;

determining onboard the machine a current configuration by identifying data currently stored in said plurality of memories; and

comparing onboard the machine said desired configuration and said current configuration to identify said missing data not present in the current configuration but present in the desired configuration.

7. The method, as set forth in claim 5, further including a first step of:

storing in at least a portion of at least a first memory at least one identifier associated with data desired to be stored in at least a second memory, and

wherein said first determining step includes determining said desired configuration by identifying said desired data from said at least one identifier stored in said at least first memory.

8. The method, as set forth in claim 7, wherein said first determining step includes polling said plurality of memories to retrieve said at least one identifier stored in said at least first memory.

9. An apparatus for storing data in a non-volatile memory in a machine, the machine including a plurality of non-volatile memories, comprising:

a data storage system located remotely from the machine for storing data associated with the machine; and

a processor onboard the machine for reviewing the plurality of memories for missing data, requesting from said data storage system said missing data, and storing said requested data in at least one of said plurality of memories.

10. The apparatus, as set forth in claim 9, wherein said processor determines a desired configuration by identifying data desired to be stored in said plurality of memories and determines a current configuration by identifying data currently stored in said plurality of memories.

11. The apparatus, as set forth in claim 10, wherein said missing data is data not present in the current configuration but present in the desired configuration.

12. The apparatus, as set forth in claim 9, wherein said processor further stores in at least a portion of at least a first memory at least one identifier associated with data desired to be stored in at least a second memory and wherein said processor determines said desired configuration by identifying said desired data from said at least one identifier stored in said at least one memory.

13. The apparatus, as set forth in claim 12, wherein said processor polls said plurality of memories to retrieve said at least one identifier stored in said at least one memory.

15. An apparatus for storing data in a non-volatile memory in a machine, comprising:

a plurality of non-volatile memories on the machine, at least one of said memories having data stored therein, at least a portion of at least one of said memories storing at least one identifier associated with data desired to be stored in at least a second memory;

a data storage system for storing said at least one identifier and associated data; and

a processor for reviewing said at least one stored identifier for missing data, requesting from said data storage system said missing data by relaying said associated identifier to said data storage system, and storing said requested data in at least one of said plurality of memories when received from said data storage system.

14. The apparatus, as set forth in claim 15, further including:

a communications system for communicating between said processor and said data storage system.

16. The apparatus, as set forth in claim 15, wherein said processor determines a desired configuration by identifying data desired to be stored on the machine in the plurality of memories from said at least one identifier stored in said at least one memory and determines a current configuration by identifying said data currently stored in said plurality of memories.

17. The apparatus, as set forth in claim 16 wherein said missing data is data not present in the current configuration but present in the desired configuration.

18. The apparatus, as set forth in claim 15, wherein said processor further polls said plurality of memories to retrieve said at least one identifier stored in said at least one memory.

19. The apparatus, as set forth in claim 15, wherein said processor is located on said machine.

20. The apparatus, as set forth in claim 15, further including:

a communications system for communicating between said processor and said data storage system.