Method for updating an electronic clock application, associated device and vehicle.

Abstract

A method for updating an electronic clock application (112), implemented in an electronic device (110) of a motor vehicle, characterized in that it comprises the following steps: Receiving a notification to update the application (112); Upon receiving the update notification, reading a first time from a first memory register (112m) in the memory of the electronic device (110); Saving the first time to a first memory location (113) of the electronic device (110), external to the first register (112m); Updating the application (112), the application update step including a step of erasing the first register (112m); Retrieving the first time from the first memory location (113); Determining a second time from the first time; Writing the second time to the first register (112m). Figure 2 for the abbreviated version.

Description

Title of the invention: Method for updating an electronic clock application, associated device and vehicle.

[0001] The invention relates to the applications of electronic clocks in motor vehicles.

[0002] There is a need to make the use of these applications and vehicles more reliable during (or following) the update of these applications.

[0003] To this end, the invention relates to a method for updating an electronic clock application, implemented in an electronic device of a motor vehicle, characterized in that it comprises the following steps: - Receiving a notification about an application update, - Upon (in other words: following) receipt of the update notification, the first hour is read from a first memory register in the electronic device's memory, then - Saving (in other words: writing) the first hour to a first memory location of the electronic device, external to the first register (in other words: separate from the first register), then - Application update (i.e., replacing, at least in part, an older version of the application in a memory area with a newer version of the application), the application update step including a step of erasing (in other words: overwriting) the first register (by the new version of the application), - Retrieval (in other words: reading) of the first hour from the first memory, then - Determining a second hour based on the first hour, - Writing of the second hour in the first register.

[0004] Thus, thanks to the invention, the first register memorizes an exact time or close to the exact time following an update of the clock application.

[0005] For example, the writing of the second hour can be followed by the start of the clock application executed by a processor of the electronic device or vehicle.

[0006] For example, the update step includes a step of receiving a new version of the application or part of the application from a mobile phone receiver module in the vehicle. For example, the new version is received by the receiver module from a server (not shown), for example via from a mobile phone network. The new version of the application can also be received from another electronic device in the vehicle.

[0007] For example, the update notification is received from a mobile phone receiver module in the vehicle. For example, the notification is received by the receiver module from a server (not shown), for example, via a mobile phone network. The new version of the application may also be received from another electronic component of the vehicle.

[0008] The update step may be preceded by a second notification sending step following the second hour writing step. This notification informs the electronic entity sending the new version of the application (for example, to a server via the mobile phone network, or to the other electronic entity in the vehicle) that the electronic device is ready for the update.

[0009] The step of saving the first hour and / or retrieving the first hour and / or determining a second hour and / or writing the second hour into the first register can be implemented by the application itself or another module.

[0010] According to one embodiment, the method includes a step of updating the first register based on data received by a radio receiver from a transmitter. The radio receiver may be a satellite positioning receiver and the transmitter a geolocation satellite. According to one embodiment, the steps of the method according to the invention, other than the update step, may be carried out when (or under the condition that) the radio receiver is out of range of the transmitter, that is to say, when the clock time (in other words: the contents of the first register) cannot be updated from data received from (in other words: from) the transmitter.

[0011] For example, the first hour and / or the second hour and / or the data may include: - A local time and / or a time in Coordinated Universal Time, - A date (for example the day, month and year).

[0012] Alternatively, it could be, for example, the time elapsed since January 1, 1900 at 0 hours (in Coordinated Universal Time, for example).

[0013] For example, the first memory location is outside (in other words: disjoint) a memory area where the application is stored. The first register may be in this memory area.

[0014] The motor vehicle includes, for example, a passenger compartment.

[0015] According to one embodiment, the process further comprises the following steps, following the writing step of the second hour: - Reading of a third hour in the first register, Comparison of the third hour with an hourly threshold, If the threshold is later (in other words; if the threshold is after) the third hour, authorization to implement a function of the vehicle, otherwise prohibition (in other words: inhibition) of the implementation of the function.

[0016] Alternatively, for example, following the writing step of the second hour, a third hour read from the first register is displayed on a display located in the passenger compartment.

[0017] The function of the vehicle may be: The use (in other words: driving or operating) of the vehicle, for example through a vehicle rental service, The use (in other words: the display on a screen in the passenger compartment) of multimedia content (for example, cinematographic films) provided by a distributor of such content.

[0018] According to one embodiment, the process according to the invention includes the following step: Upon receiving the application update notification, the application is saved in a second memory of the electronic device outside the first memory (in other words: separate from the first memory).

[0019] This backup can be used to restore the application, from the second memory into the first memory, in case of failure of the update.

[0020] According to one embodiment, the update step includes a duration and the second hour is the sum of the first hour and the duration.

[0021] Alternatively, the second hour is the first hour.

[0022] The invention can be implemented, more specifically, by the processor of the device, and the instructions of a boot program stored in the electronic device.

[0023] According to one embodiment, the method according to the invention is implemented by a computer processor of the electronic device comprising a clock, and the method comprises the following steps: Counting the number of clock strokes (to measure the elapsed time) between the first hour saving step and the second hour determination step, Determining the duration from the number of clock strokes.

[0024] For example, the clock comprising a frequency, the duration is equal to the number of clock strokes divided by the frequency.

[0025] Alternatively, the duration is an estimate of the duration of constant value.

[0026] For example, the processor includes a counter counting the clock strokes since the last power-up of the processor, and in which the number of clock strokes is the difference between the counter at the save stage and the counter at the second time determination stage.

[0027] For this purpose, the counter, at the saving stage, can be stored in a memory of the electronic device.

[0028] Other means of measuring duration may however be used as an alternative.

[0029] According to one embodiment, if the counter at the save step is greater than the counter at the second hour determination step, then the second hour takes the value of the first hour.

[0030] The first memory and / or the second memory is preferably a memory of the motor vehicle and / or the electronic device.

[0031] The invention also relates to a computer program comprising instructions, executable by a microprocessor or a microcontroller or a computer, to implement the steps of the process according to the invention, when executed by the microprocessor or the microcontroller or the computer.

[0032] The invention also relates to an electronic device configured to implement the steps of the process according to the invention, and a vehicle comprising the device.

[0033] The characteristics and advantages of the electronic device, the motor vehicle, or the computer program are identical to those of the method, therefore they are not repeated here.

[0034] An electronic device, motor vehicle, or other element is understood to be "configured to" (or "suitable to") perform or implement a step or operation by the fact that the element includes means to (in other words, "is designed to" or "is adapted to") perform the step or operation. These are preferably electronic means, for example, a computer program, data in memory, specialized electronic circuits, wired or wireless connections, or a microprocessor or microcontroller.

[0035] When a step or operation is performed (in other words: implemented) by such an element, this generally implies that the element has means for (in other words, "is designed for" or "is adapted for" or "is configured for") performing the step or operation. These means may include, for example, electronic means, such as a computer program, data in memory, specialized electronic circuits, wired or wireless connections, a microprocessor, or a microcontroller.

[0036] Other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon reading the following detailed description, which includes methods of realization of the invention given by way of non-limiting examples and illustrated by the attached drawings, in which.

[0037] [Fig. 1] represents an electronic device and a vehicle (more precisely the front of the vehicle) according to an embodiment of the invention. (NB: some elements are seen through transparency).

[0038] [Fig.2] represents details of the electronic device of [Fig.1], according to the invention.

[0039] [Fig.3] represents the implementation of the method according to the invention, according to an example of realization, by the electronic device and / or the vehicle of figures 1 and 2.

[0040] Detailed description of an example embodiment of the invention.

[0041] With reference to figures 1 to 3, at step S00, the electronic device 110 of the vehicle 100 stores the application 112 in its memory.

[0042] At step S10, the electronic device 110 receives a notification of an update from application 112.

[0043] At step S20, the electronic device 110 saves a copy of the application 112 in the memory 114 of the device 110.

[0044] At step S30, the electronic device 110 reads an hour from a first memory register 112m in the memory of the electronic device 110.

[0045] For example, the time is 1 January 2023 at 1 a.m. in Coordinated Universal Time.

[0046] At step S40, the electronic device 110 saves this time in a memory 113 of the electronic device 110. The memory 113 is external to the register 112m.

[0047] At step S50, the electronic device 110 sends a notification to the electronic entity (to a server 300, via a mobile telephone network, or to an electronic entity of the vehicle) which sends the new version of the application that the electronic device is ready for the update.

[0048] At step S60, the device 110 receives a new version of the application 112 or part of the application 112 from a mobile telephony receiving module 160 of the motor vehicle 100. For example, the new version is received, by the receiving module 160, from a server 300, for example via a mobile telephone network and is transmitted to the electronic device 110. The new version of the application can also be received from another electronic entity of the vehicle.

[0049] At step S70, device 110 updates application 112. In other words, it replaces, at least in part, an old version of application 112 with the new version of the application in the memory of device 110. During this step, the time, in register 112m, is overwritten by the new version of the application.

[0050] Steps S60 and S70 can be carried out in parallel, for example by executing boot program 117.

[0051] At step S80, the electronic device 110 reads from memory 113 the time also set to 1 January 2023 at 1 a.m.

[0052] For example, steps S10 to S120 or S150 can be implemented by the processor 111 of the device 110, and the instructions of a boot program 117 stored in the electronic device 110. The processor 111 includes, for example, a counter 111c counting the clock strokes since the last power-up of the processor 100.

[0053] At step S90 the device 110 (in other words: the processor 111) determines the difference between the counter 11 at the save step S40 and the counter 11 at step S80. For this purpose the counter 11 at step S40 can be saved in a memory of the electronic device.

[0054] At step S100, this difference is divided by the frequency of processor 111. The result may allow, for example, that steps S50 to S70 lasted 60 seconds.

[0055] At step SI 10, the device 110 stores in register 112m, the following time: January 1, 2023 at 1:01 AM.

[0056] At step S120, the clock application 110 is started by the processor 111.

[0057] At step S130, the device 110 receives, via a human-machine interface (for example, a touch screen not shown), a request from the driver to display multimedia content (for example, cinematographic films) on a screen 170 in the vehicle's passenger compartment.

[0058] At step S140, device 110 reads the following time from register 112m: January 1, 2023 at 7 a.m.

[0059] At step S150, device 110 allows the content to be restored to screen 170 accessible by subscription until January 30, 2023, midnight, because at January 1, 2023 at 7 a.m. the subscription has not expired.

[0060] At step S160, register 112m is updated from the reception of data by a satellite positioning receiver 150 received from a transmitter 200. The data is, for example, the current time.

Claims

1.

2. Demands Method for updating an electronic clock application (112), implemented by a computer processor (111) of an electronic device (110) of a motor vehicle (100), the electronic device comprising a clock, method characterized in that it comprises the following steps: - Receiving a notification (S 10) of an application update (112), - Upon receipt of the update notification (S 10), a first hour is read (S30) from a first memory register (112m) in the memory of the electronic device (110), then - Saving the first hour (S40) in a first memory (113) of the electronic device (110), external to the first register (112m), then - Application update (S70) (112), the application update step including a first register clearing step (112m), the update step (S70) including a duration, - Retrieval (S80) of the first hour in the first memory (113), then - Determining a second hour from the first hour, the second hour being the sum of the first hour and said duration, - Writing (S 110) of the second hour in the first register (112m) the process further includes the following steps: - Determining the number of clock strokes (S90) between the first hour saving step and the second hour determination step, - Determination of said duration (S 100) from the number of clock strokes. A method for updating the clock application (112) according to the preceding claim, further comprising the following steps, following the step of writing the second hour: - Reading (S 140) of a third hour in the first register (112m), - Comparison of the third hour with an hour threshold, - If the threshold is later than the third hour, (S 150) authorization of an implementation of a vehicle function (110), otherwise prohibition of the implementation of the function.

3. Method of updating the clock application (112) according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising the following step: - Upon receipt of the application update notification, saving the application (S20) in a second memory (114) of the electronic device (113) outside the first memory.

4. A method for updating a clock application (112) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the computer processor (111) includes a counter (11le) counting the clock strokes since the last power-up of the computer processor (111), and wherein the clock stroke count is the difference between the counter (11le) at the save step and the counter (11le) at the second time determination step.

5. A method for updating a clock application (112) according to the preceding claim, wherein if the counter (11le) at the save step is greater than the counter (11le) at the second hour determination step, then the second hour takes the value of the first hour.

6. Computer program comprising instructions, executable by a microprocessor or microcontroller, for implementing the method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, when executed by the microprocessor or microcontroller.

7. Electronic device (110) configured to implement the steps of the update process according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

8. Motor vehicle (100) comprising the electronic device (110) according to the preceding claim.

Images