Module updating device

Abstract

An automobile, vehicle, vessel or other device may include a plurality of modules, software applications, computer program products, controllers or other logically executing entities to facilitate controlling, implementing or otherwise enabling various operations according to computer-readable instructions, code or other information stored within a memory, such as within a file or other memory construct. A controller having capabilities sufficient to facilitate updating, modifying, creating or otherwise manipulating such stored files and/or corresponding instructions is contemplated.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for updating an old file stored within a memory of a module included within an automobile, the module being operable to facilitate an automobile related operation based at least in part on a first plurality of computer-readable instructions included within the old file, the method comprising:
 determining a new file to be stored within the memory of the module in order to facilitate the automobile related operation, the new file including a second plurality of computer-readable instructions different in at least content and/or form than the first plurality of computer-readable instructions;   generating update instructions with a controller, the update instructions sufficient for commanding the module to replace the old file stored within the memory with the new file such that the module thereafter facilitates the automobile related operation at least based in part on the second plurality of computer-readable instructions.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 determining a state of the automobile to be at least one of a first state and a second state, the first state corresponding with automobile being in park or turned off, the second state corresponding with automobile being actively driven or in motion; 
 transmitting the update instructions from the controller to the module following determination of the first state; and 
 delaying transmitting the update instructions from the controller to the module following determination of the second state at least until subsequently determining the first state. 
 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  further comprising determining a capacity of a battery included within the automobile to power at least the module, wherein the first state additionally requires the capacity to be greater than a threshold and the second state requires the capacity to be less than the threshold. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  further comprising:
 determining an update time, the update time including a first length of time representative of time needed for the module to replace the old file stored within the memory with the new file; and 
 determining the threshold based at least in part on the update time, including determining the threshold to be greater when the update time is longer and the threshold to be less when the update time is shorter. 
 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  further comprising determining the update time to include the first length of time plus a second length of time, the second length of time being proportional to a communication rate of a medium used to communicate the update instructions from the controller to the module. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  further comprising determining the update time to include the first and second lengths of time plus a third length of time, the third length of time approximating time needed to query a server in order to assess whether updating of the old file is desired, and if desired, to download the new file to the controller. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising determining the new file based at least in part on a difference file, the difference file including a third plurality of computer-readable instructions intended to replace at least a portion of the first plurality of computer-readable instructions of the old file such that the second plurality of computer-readable instruction of the new file corresponds with the first plurality of computer-readable instructions except for those replaced with the third plurality of computer-readable instructions. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising:
 storing a backup of the old file within a memory of the controller; 
 downloading the difference file for storage in the memory of the controller; 
 subsequently merging the backup with the difference file to create the new file having the second plurality of computer-readable instructions; and 
 following the merging and prior to transmitting the update instructions from the controller to the module, storing the new file within the memory of the controller. 
 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising providing an identification number of the automobile to a server located remotely from the automobile, the server looking-up the difference file for download to the controller based at least in part on the identification number, the identification number being sufficient to differentiate between various types of automobiles. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising wirelessly downloading the difference file from the server to the controller. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising downloading the difference file to the controller while the controller is physically connected to the automobile. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising transmitting the update instructions from the controller to the module over a wire within the automobile connected therebetween. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising formatting the update instructions for transmission over the wire according to Controller Area Network (CAN). 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising wirelessly transmitting the update instructions from the controller to the module. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising transmitting the new file to the module through a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface of the controller, the USB interface communicating with a USB loader of the module, the USB loader performing operations at the module for replacing the old filed stored in the memory of the module with the new file. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising switching a relay of the USB interface from a first position to a second position prior to transmitting the update instructions from the controller to the module, the first position connecting an interior port of the USB interface to an exterior port and thereby bypassing a memory of the controller storing the new file, the second position connecting the interior port to the memory of the controlling storing the new file and thereby bypassing the exterior port to enable transmission of the new file from the controller to the USB loader for subsequent replacement of the old file stored in the memory of the module. 
     
     
         17 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium having a plurality of instructions, operable with a processor, sufficient to facilitate updating an old file stored within a first memory of a module included within a vehicle, the module being operable to facilitate a vehicle related operation based at least in part on a first plurality of computer-readable instructions included within the old file, the non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions sufficient for:
 storing a copy of the old file within a second memory of a controller physically connected to the vehicle, the controller being separate from the module such that the second memory is independent of the first memory;   storing a difference file within the second memory, the difference file being wirelessly received by the controller while physically connected to the vehicle, the difference file including a second plurality of computer-readable instructions;   merging the copy with the difference file to generate a new file, the new file including a third plurality of computer-readable instructions, the third plurality of computer-readable instructions comprising the second plurality of computer-readable instructions plus any of the first plurality of computer-readable instructions not intended to be replaced with the second-plurality of computer-readable instructions;   storing the new file within the second memory; and   transmitting update instructions to the module, the update instructions sufficient for commanding the module to replace the old file stored within the first memory with the new file such that the module thereafter facilitates the vehicle related operation at least based in part on the third plurality of computer-readable instructions.   
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 17  further comprising instructions sufficient for:
 determining an amount of time needed for: 
 i) storing the difference file in the second memory; 
 ii) merging the copy with the difference file; 
 iii) storing the new file to the second memory; 
 iv) transmitting the update instruction to the module; and 
 v) replacing the old file stored within the first memory with the new file; 
 determining a capacity of a battery included with the vehicle to power at least the controller and the module; 
 determining a threshold representative of power needed to power at least the controller and the module during the amount of time; and 
 querying a server to determine a need to update the old file with the new file if the capacity is greater than the threshold and delaying querying of the server if the capacity is less than the threshold, the server being physically disconnected from the vehicle and facilitating download of the difference file to the controller for storage in the second memory. 
 
     
     
         19 . A system for updating an old file stored within a memory of a module included within an vehicle, the module being operable to facilitate a vehicle related operation based at least in part on a first plurality of computer-readable instructions included within the old file, the system comprising:
 a server remotely located from the vehicle for determining a new file to be stored within the memory of the module in order to facilitate the vehicle related operation, the new file including a second plurality of computer-readable instructions different in at least content and/or form than the first plurality of computer-readable instructions; and   a controller mounted with the vehicle for transmitting update instructions to the module according to commands received from the server, the update instructions sufficient for commanding the module to replace the old file stored within the memory with the new file such that the module thereafter facilitates the vehicle related operation at least based in part on the second plurality of computer-readable instructions.   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19  wherein the server is configured to facilitate wirelessly transmitting the commands to the controller while the vehicle is being driven and wherein the controller is configured to non-wirelessly transmit the update instructions to the module over a wired bus included within the vehicle while the vehicle is parked or turned off.