Vehicle software upgrade techniques

Abstract

System and method for maintaining functionality of software includes initially providing the vehicle with software resident on computer-readable medium to enable it to operate and interact with components thereof and updating the vehicle software by receiving a wireless transmission from one or more remote locations, e.g., a location maintained by a dealer or manufacturer of the vehicle. The software may be diagnostic software for a diagnostic module which diagnoses operability of components of the vehicle. Different remote locations may be responsible for different portions of the vehicle-resident software and may therefore provide different software upgrades, based on need.

1 - 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A method for providing status data for vehicle maintenance, comprising:
 monitoring for a triggering event on a vehicle during operation of the vehicle on a road having a wireless communications unit, the triggering event relating to a diagnostic or prognostic analysis of at least one of a plurality of different components or subsystems of the vehicle; and   initiating a wireless transmission between the communications unit and a remote site separate and apart from the vehicle in response to the triggering event, the transmission including a diagnostic or prognostic message about the at least one component or subsystem;   wherein the diagnostic or prognostic message includes an identification of the at least one component or subsystem and an identification of whether the at least one component or subsystem should be either repaired or replaced.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the triggering event is a failure, predicted failure or fault code generation of the at least one component or subsystem. 
     
     
         18 . A system for providing status data for vehicle maintenance, comprising:
 a diagnostic module including at least one sensor for monitoring a plurality of different components or subsystems of the vehicle during operation of the vehicle on a road, the diagnostic module being arranged to analyze monitoring data provided by the at least one sensor and detect a triggering event relating to a diagnostic or prognostic analysis of at least one of the plurality of different components or subsystems of the vehicle; and   a wireless communications unit arranged to interface with a wireless communications network, the communications unit being coupled to the diagnostic module and initiating a wireless transmission between the communications unit and a remote site separate and apart from the vehicle in response to the triggering event, the transmission including a diagnostic or prognostic message about the at least one component or subsystem, wherein the diagnostic or prognostic message includes an identification of the at least one of the plurality of different components or subsystems of the vehicle and an identification of whether the at least one of the plurality of different components or subsystems of the vehicle should be either repaired or replaced.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the triggering event is a failure, predicted failure or fault code generation of the at least one component or subsystem. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the step of monitoring for the triggering event comprises providing at least one sensor that monitors the at least one component or subsystem. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the at least one sensor is part of a diagnostic module on the vehicle, further comprising configuring the diagnostic module to analyze data obtained by the at least one sensor in order to diagnose operability of the at least one component of subsystem and generate the triggering event based on diagnostic criteria. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the step of monitoring for the triggering event comprises providing a plurality of different sensors that monitor the at least one component or subsystem. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the diagnostic module is arranged to analyze monitoring data provided by the at least one sensor and detect the triggering event relating to predictive, prognostic analysis of the at least one component. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the diagnostic module is arranged to analyze monitoring data provided by the at least one sensor and detect the triggering event relating to diagnostic analysis of the at least one component or subsystem of the vehicle. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the diagnostic module comprises a plurality of different sensors.