Method and system for updating software for a motor vehicle

Abstract

A method for updating software (E100) in a motor vehicle is proposed, comprising the following steps: - sending (E4) an electrical signal from a control unit to a loudspeaker of the motor vehicle so as to produce an audible signal on the loudspeaker, and - if an action is detected by a user interface device of said motor vehicle, updating the software (E6). The invention also proposes a system for updating software. Figure for abstract: Fig. 2

Description

Title of the invention: Method and system for updating software for a motor vehicle Technical field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of telecommunications, and more specifically to telecommunications on board motor vehicles.

[0002] The invention relates more particularly to a method for updating software in a motor vehicle.

[0003] It also relates to a system for updating software embedded in a motor vehicle.

[0004] The invention finds a particularly advantageous application for updating the telematics control unit. Technological background

[0005] Motor vehicles are increasingly incorporating options requiring connectivity (navigation, traffic information, internet, music, etc.) and are using on-board software for this purpose. In this context, regular updates of this on-board software may be provided.

[0006] So that users can carry out updates without going to the garage, remote software updates (or "FOTA", an acronym for the English expression "Firmware Over The Air") are an interesting alternative.

[0007] However, before carrying out an update, it may be necessary to inform the user of the need for the update, and the user may be required to accept its installation. Summary of the invention

[0008] More particularly, the invention proposes a method for updating software in a motor vehicle comprising the following steps: - sending an electrical signal from a control unit to a loudspeaker of the motor vehicle so as to produce an audible signal on the loudspeaker, and - if an action is detected by a user interface device of said motor vehicle, software update.

[0009] Thus, thanks to the invention, the software update in the motor vehicle can be carried out remotely. The user can be informed of the update and give his consent thanks to components already present in all motor vehicles.

[0010] Additionally, the control unit may be configured to trigger the transmission of an emergency call upon activation of the user interface device.

[0011] The control unit may in particular be configured to trigger the transmission of an emergency call in the event of detection of an impact.

[0012] Further, the control unit is configured to receive voice data representative of the emergency call, to generate a voice signal based on the voice data and to send the voice signal to the loudspeaker (so as to reproduce a voice sound signal).

[0013] It is therefore proposed here to use the automatic emergency call system (or “eCall”, from the Anglo-Saxon “emergency Call”), more precisely the loudspeaker in order to inform the user and the user interface button in order to obtain their agreement.

[0014] In another embodiment, the user interface device comprises a button configured for managing calls from the motor vehicle.

[0015] Thus, the sound signal is for example representative of a request to agree to the software update.

[0016] The software update step may include the following substeps: - downloading software update data to the control unit from a remote server, and - installation of the software update on the control unit using the downloaded data.

[0017] In addition, an initial step may be provided, prior to the step of sending the electrical signal to the loudspeaker, comprising the verification of a need for updating.

[0018] The initial step may be initiated by the control unit

[0019] In another embodiment, the initial step of the update may be initiated by a remote server to the motor vehicle.

[0020] Furthermore, if no action is detected by the user interface device subsequent to the step of sending the electrical signal, then the software update process may be interrupted.

[0021] The invention also proposes a system for updating software embedded in a motor vehicle, said system for updating software comprising a control unit, a loudspeaker and a user interface device, the control unit being configured to send an electrical signal to the loudspeaker, said loudspeaker being configured to produce an audible signal, the system being configured to update the software upon detection of an action on the user interface device.

[0022] In this embodiment, the control unit may be configured to receive a control signal from the user interface device, to download data relating to the software update from a remote server and to install the update using the downloaded data.

[0023] Additionally, the control unit may be configured to trigger the transmission of a emergency call in case of activation of the user interface device.

[0024] Finally, the control unit may be configured to receive voice data representative of the emergency call, to generate a voice signal based on the voice data, and to send the voice signal to the loudspeaker (13) (so as to reproduce a voice sound signal).

[0025] The various features, variants and embodiments of the invention may be combined with each other in various combinations to the extent that they are not incompatible or mutually exclusive. Brief description of the figures

[0026] Furthermore, various other characteristics of the invention emerge from the appended description given with reference to the drawings which illustrate non-limiting forms of embodiment of the invention and where:

[0027] [Fig. 1] is a schematic representation of a software update system according to one embodiment of the invention, and

[0028] [Fig.2] is a flowchart representing an embodiment of the method for updating software according to the invention.

[0029] It should be noted that in these figures the structural and / or functional elements common to the different variants may have the same references. Detailed description

[0030] A system for updating software 15 embedded in a vehicle 10 is shown in [Fig.l]. The software updating system 15 is a system for remotely updating software of a control unit of the vehicle 10.

[0031] A user is shown in the motor vehicle in [Fig.l]. The user can designate the driver or a passenger of the motor vehicle 10.

[0032] The software update system 15 comprises a telematic control unit 14 (“TCU”), a speaker 12 and a user interface device 13.

[0033] The telematics control unit 14 is a telecommunications device that is configured to perform telecommunications operations, for example voice calls or emergency calls (called “eCall” for the English acronym “emergency Call”). Such an emergency call is automatically triggered in the event of a collision of the vehicle, and is intended to provide assistance to the driver involved in an accident.

[0034] Some telematics control units 14 are further configured to provide other telecommunications services, for example access to a public computer network such as the Internet.

[0035] The telematics control unit 14 can therefore exchange (i.e. send and receive) signals with other components internal to the motor vehicle 10. The telematics control unit 14 can in particular communicate with the user interface device 13 and the loudspeaker 12.

[0036] In addition, the telematics control unit 14 can communicate with remote servers. If an impact is detected on the motor vehicle 10 using an accelerometer (also used for triggering the airbags), then an emergency control unit sends an emergency signal to the telematics control unit 14 and the telematics control unit 14 triggers an emergency call.

[0037] The telematics control unit 14 may also be configured to trigger an emergency call in the event of user action on the user interface device 13.

[0038] The telematics control unit 14 may further be configured to receive or make (non-urgent) calls from the vehicle 10.

[0039] The loudspeaker 12 can produce an audible signal, for example from the electrical signal sent by the telematics control unit 14. The loudspeaker 12 is here located in the dashboard of the vehicle 10, such that the audible signal is audible to the user.

[0040] The telematics control unit is configured to send electrical signals to the loudspeaker. For example, to make an emergency call, the telematics control unit 14 can receive voice data associated with the words spoken by the interlocutor. The telematics control unit 14 can then convert the voice data into an electrical voice signal (corresponding to the received data). The telematics control unit 14 then sends the electrical voice signal to the loudspeaker 13 so that the loudspeaker 13 reproduces an audio signal (here a voice signal) corresponding to the words spoken by the interlocutor of the current call, so that this audio signal is audible to the user.

[0041] Additionally, the motor vehicle 10 may include a microphone configured to convert sound signals from within the motor vehicle 10, and the telematics control unit 14 may be configured to transmit the signals converted by the microphone to a remote electronic device (e.g., a remote server).

[0042] The user interface device 13 is for example a push button located in the passenger compartment, for example on the dashboard of the motor vehicle 10 and accessible to the driver or the front passenger. The user interface device 13 can be activated by action of the user, for example if the user presses the push button. The user interface device 13 is said to be deactivated or not. activated if no action has been detected by it, i.e. here if the user has not pressed the push button.

[0043] To carry out an update on a vehicle, it is necessary in certain cases to inform the user of the need for the update and to obtain their agreement before launching the installation of the update.

[0044] The software update system 15 is configured to inform the user of the need for an update via an audible signal reproduced by the speaker. The audible signal may be representative of a request to agree to the software update.

[0045] In addition, the software update system 15 is configured to collect the user's consent to begin the update through an action on the user interface device 13.

[0046] Concretely, the sound signal can indicate to the user to press the user interface device 13 to give his agreement to start the update and the user can then optionally press the user interface device 13 to give his agreement.

[0047] The software update system 15 can follow the update method E100 shown in [Fig.2] and comprising the following main steps: - E4: sending an electrical signal from the control unit 14 to the loudspeaker 12 of the motor vehicle 10 so as to produce an audible signal on the loudspeaker 12, and - E6: if an action is detected by the user interface device 13 of said motor vehicle 10, software update.

[0048] More precisely, the update method E100 begins at the initial step E2 at which the software update system 15 detects the need for an update.

[0049] This step can be performed by the telematics control unit 14, which checks and detects the need for updating. Alternatively, this step can be performed by a remote server. The remote server then sends a signal to the telematics control unit 14 informing it of the need for updating.

[0050] The method E100 then continues to step E4 in which the telematics control unit 14 sends the aforementioned electrical signal (for example, a pre-recorded electrical signal) to the loudspeaker 12 of the motor vehicle 10 so as to produce an audible signal representative of the request to grant the update on the loudspeaker 12.

[0051] In order not to distract the user if he is driving, step E4 can be carried out only in certain states of the motor vehicle 10. For example, step E4 can take place only if the vehicle is stationary. To ensure that the user is present in the motor vehicle 10 during step E4, step E4 can take place within a period of a few seconds, for example 10 seconds, after the engine has been stopped. of the motor vehicle 10.

[0052] Following step E4 in which user agreement is requested, if an action is detected by the user interface device 13 (represented by the path P in [Fig.2]) of said motor vehicle 10 for example within a predetermined period of time (here having a duration of one minute), then the method E100 continues at step E6.

[0053] During step E6, the software update is carried out. The software update here comprises two sub-steps: - downloading (E8) data relating to the software update on the telematics control unit 14 from the remote server, and - installation (E10) of the software update on the telematics control unit 14 using the downloaded data.

[0054] The telematics control unit 14 is here configured to download (E8) the data relating to the software update from the remote server and to install the update (E10) using the downloaded data.

[0055] The update can be carried out on the telematics control unit 14 or on another control unit of the motor vehicle 10.

[0056] If the update concerns another control unit of the vehicle, then the telematics control unit 14 downloads (E8) the data relating to the software update and sends this downloaded data to the other control unit. The installation of the update (E10) is then carried out on the other control unit using the downloaded data.

[0057] Following step E4, if no action is detected by the user interface device 13 subsequently to step E4 of sending the electrical signal, for example within the predetermined period of time (here having a duration of one minute), then the method of updating software can be interrupted.

[0058] Alternatively, if no action is detected by the user interface device 13, then the software update system 15 may be configured to restart the method E100 after a predetermined time delay (represented by the path N in [Fig.2]), for example, after a determined duration, or after reaching a new state of the vehicle to be reached.

[0059] The present invention is in no way limited to the embodiment described and shown, but those skilled in the art will be able to provide any variant in accordance with the invention.

Claims

Claims

1. A method for updating software (E100) in a motor vehicle (10) comprising the following steps: - sending (E4) an electrical signal from a telematics control unit (14) to a loudspeaker (12) of the motor vehicle (10) so as to produce an audible signal on the loudspeaker (12), and - if an action is detected by a user interface device (13) of said motor vehicle (10), updating the software (E6), wherein the step of updating the software (E6) comprises the following sub-steps: - downloading data relating to the software update (E8) to the control unit (14) from a remote server, and - installing the software update (E10) on the control unit (14) using the downloaded data.

2. A method of updating software (E100) according to claim 1, wherein the control unit (14) is configured to trigger the transmission of an emergency call in the event of activation of the user interface device (13).

3. Method for updating software (E100) according to one of claims 1 to 2, in which the control unit (14) is configured to trigger the transmission of an emergency call in the event of detection of an impact.

4. A method for updating software (E100) according to one of claims 2 to 3, wherein the control unit (14) is configured to receive voice data representative of the emergency call, to generate a voice signal based on the voice data and to send the voice signal to the loudspeaker (13).

5. A method of updating software (E100) according to claim 1, wherein the user interface device (13) comprises a button configured for managing calls of the motor vehicle (10).

6. Method for updating software (E100) according to one of claims 1 to 5, in which the sound signal is representative of a request to agree to the software update.

7. Method for updating software (E100) according to one of claims 1 to 6, comprising an initial step (E2), prior to the step of sending the electrical signal (E4) to the loudspeaker (13), comprising the verification of a need for updating.

8. A method of updating software (E100) according to claim 7, wherein the initial step (E2) is initiated by the control unit (14)

9. Method for updating software (E100) according to claim 7, in which the initial step (E2) of the update is initiated by a server remote from the motor vehicle (10).

10. Method for updating software (E100) according to one of claims 1 to 9, wherein if no action is detected by the user interface device (13) subsequently to the step of sending (E4) the electrical signal, then the method for updating software (El00) is interrupted.

11. A system for updating software (15) embedded in a motor vehicle (10), said system for updating software comprising a telematics control unit (14), a loudspeaker (12) and a user interface device (13), the control unit (14) being configured to send an electrical signal to the loudspeaker (13), said loudspeaker (12) being configured to produce (E4) an audible signal, the system being configured to update the software upon detection of an action on the user interface device (13), wherein the control unit (14) is configured to receive a control signal from the user interface device (13), to download data relating to the software update from a remote server and to install the update using the downloaded data.

12. A software update system (15) according to one of claims 11, wherein the control unit (14) is configured to trigger the transmission of an emergency call in the event of activation of the user interface device (13).

13. A software update system (15) according to one of claims 11 to 12, wherein the control unit (14) is configured to receive voice data representative of the emergency call, to generate a voice signal based on the voice data and to send the voice signal to the loudspeaker (13).

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