US 2020/0089487 A1Published application

Update courier for vehicular computing devices

AssigneeGoogle Inc.

InventorsHaris Ramic, Nicholas Sauer

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Abstract

The present disclosure is generally directed to systems and methods for updating functionality of vehicular computing devices. In particular, these systems and methods utilize an intermediary courier device to propagate update packages from an update server to a vehicular computing device. The courier device obtains the update package while connected to a first network, e.g., the Internet, and transfers the update package to the vehicular computing device when in communication with the vehicular computing device. The vehicular computing device then installs the update package when doing so is compatible with an operation state of the vehicle (or an operation state of the vehicular computing device). The vehicular computing device may schedule installation of the update package for a time when the operation state is compatible with installation of the update package.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A system to update functionality of vehicular computing devices, comprising:

a mobile computing device, independent from a vehicular computing device installed in a vehicle, the mobile computing device comprising a re-writeable computer-readable memory, one or more communication interfaces, and a processor to:
responsive to detection of a first connection to a communication network via at least one of the one or more communication interfaces:
transmit an update request, via the communication network, to an update server;
receive an update package responsive to the update request;
and
store the received update package in the re-writeable computer-readable memory;
and
responsive to detection of a second connection to the vehicular computing device via at least one of the one or more communication interfaces:
transfer the stored update package from the re-writeable computer-readable memory to the vehicular computing device for installation;
and
the vehicular computing device configured to:
schedule installation of the update package for a time where the installation is compatible with at least one of operation of the vehicular computing device and operation of the vehicle, wherein the time where the installation is compatible with at least one of operation of the vehicular computing device and operation of the vehicle includes a parameter for the vehicle being parked;
and
determine that the vehicle is parked based on a location sensor in at least one of the vehicle and the vehicular computing device indicating that the vehicle is at a parking location at which the vehicle is regularly or routinely parked.

11 more elements

A method to update functionality of vehicular computing devices, comprising:

detecting, by a mobile computing device independent from a vehicular computing device installed in a vehicle, a first connection to a communication network;
transmitting, by the mobile computing device responsive to detecting the first connection, an update request, via the communication network, to an update server;
receiving an update package responsive to the update request;
storing the received update package in a memory element of the mobile computing device;
detecting, by the mobile computing device, a second connection to the vehicular computing device;
and
transferring the stored update package from the memory element of the mobile computing device to the vehicular computing device for installation,
wherein the vehicular computing device is configured to:
schedule installation of the update package for a time where the installation is compatible with at least one of operation of the vehicular computing device and operation of the vehicle, wherein the time where the installation is compatible with at least one of operation of the vehicular computing device and operation of the vehicle includes a parameter for the vehicle being parked;
and
determine that the vehicle is parked based on a location sensor in at least one of the vehicle and the vehicular computing device indicating that the vehicle is at a parking location at which the vehicle is regularly or routinely parked.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.