Method and system for controlling software updates on a network connected device

Abstract

A method at a computing device acting as a switchboard between an electronic device and a device to be updated, the method including receiving, at the computing device, a connection request from the electronic device, the connection request including an identifier for the device to be updated; receiving, at the computing device, a connection request from the device to be updated; associating, at the computing device, the connection request from the electronic device and the connection request from the device to be updated; forwarding, at the computing device, a message from the device to be updated to the electronic device that update conditions have been met; forwarding, at the computing device, a message from the electronic device to the device to be updated to start an update process; and forwarding, at the computing device, update status information from the device to be updated to the electronic device.

1 . A method at a device to be updated, the method comprising:
 determining, at the device to be updated, that the device to be updated has entered an update state;   receiving, using a user interface at the device to be updated, a physical authentication interaction;   based on the determining and receiving, sending both a connection request and information that update conditions have been met to a switchboard;   receiving, from the switchboard, instructions to start an update.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the connection request includes an identifier used by the switchboard to pair with a second device. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the identifier is a vehicle identification number. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein further comprising:
 starting the update; and   sending, to the switchboard, status messages concerning the update.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the physical authentication interaction comprises a user input that would only occur to signal that an update attempt is being requested. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the physical authentication interaction provides verification to the switchboard that a user is present at the device to be updated. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the device to be updated has no update feedback interface. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the device to be update is a vehicle, and wherein the update state comprises having keys in a standby position and wherein the physical authentication interaction comprises pushing a button within the vehicle. 
     
     
         9 . A computing device configured to be updated, the computing device comprising:
 a processor; and   a communications subsystem,   
       wherein the computing device is configured to:
 determine that the computing device has entered an update state; 
 receive using a user interface at the computing device, a physical authentication interaction; 
 based on the determining and receiving, sending both a connection request and information that update conditions have been met to a switchboard; 
 receiving, from the switchboard, instructions to start an update. 
 
     
     
         10 . The computing device of  claim 9 , wherein the connection request includes an identifier used by the switchboard to pair with a second device. 
     
     
         11 . The computing device of  claim 10 , wherein the identifier is a vehicle identification number. 
     
     
         12 . The computing device of  claim 9 , wherein the computing device is further configured to:
 start the update; and   send, to the switchboard, status messages concerning the update.   
     
     
         13 . The computing device of  claim 9 , wherein the physical authentication interaction comprises a user input that would only occur to signal that an update attempt is being requested. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the physical authentication interaction provides verification to the switchboard that a user is present at the computing device. 
     
     
         15 . The computing device of  claim 9 , wherein the computing device has no update feedback interface. 
     
     
         16 . The computing device of  claim 9 , wherein the computing device is a vehicle, and wherein the update state comprises having keys in a standby position and wherein the physical authentication interaction comprises pushing a button within the vehicle. 
     
     
         17 . A non-transitory computer readable medium for storing instruction code, which when executed by a processor of a computing device cause the computing device to:
 determine that the computing device has entered an update state;   receive using a user interface at the computing device, a physical authentication interaction;   based on the determining and receiving, sending both a connection request and information that update conditions have been met to a switchboard;   receiving, from the switchboard, instructions to start an update.   
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein the physical authentication interaction provides verification to the switchboard that a user is present at the computing device. 
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein the computing device has no update feedback interface. 
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein the computing device is a vehicle, and wherein the update state comprises having keys in a standby position and wherein the physical authentication interaction comprises pushing a button within the vehicle.