Systems and methods for using a mobile device to manage an over-the-air vehicle software update

1 . A method of causing an over-the-air updater device of a vehicle to initiate a software update, the method comprising:

receiving, by an update server, a notification from the over-the-air updater device that a software update has been downloaded;

receiving, by the update server, a first message indicating a plurality of vehicle state conditions from the over-the-air updater device, wherein the plurality of vehicle state conditions are collected by the over-the-air updater device from one or more components of the vehicle, and wherein the plurality of the vehicle state conditions indicate a current state of the vehicle and the plurality of the vehicle state conditions include: a wireless signal strength at the vehicle, a battery level of the vehicle and an engine status of the vehicle;

transmitting, by the update server and in response to receiving the notification and the first message, a second message to a mobile computing device indicating the plurality of vehicle state conditions and the notification that the software update has been downloaded;

receiving, by the update server, a plurality of mobile-device state conditions from the mobile computing device, the plurality of mobile-device state conditions including at least a wireless-signal-strength value of the mobile computing device and a battery-level value of the mobile computing device;

verifying, at the update server, that each of the plurality of vehicle state conditions indicating the current state of the vehicle meets one or more vehicle threshold conditions, including checking at the update server located remotely from the vehicle that the current state of the vehicle is in a condition to receive the software update by verifying that the wireless signal strength at the vehicle is adequate, verifying that the battery level of the vehicle is adequate, and verifying that the engine status indicates that an engine of the vehicle is running;

verifying, by the update server, that the mobile computing device is the only device transmitting instructions for the over-the-air updater device to perform the software update on the vehicle, wherein the update server stores a record of devices interacting with the over-the-air updater device, and wherein verifying that the mobile computing device is the only device transmitting instructions for the over-the-air updater device includes verifying that no other device, other than the mobile computing device, is included in the record and verifying that no other device, other than the mobile computing device is transmitting the instruction to initiate the software update on the vehicle; and

presenting a list of states, including the plurality of vehicle state conditions and the plurality of mobile-device state conditions, on the mobile computing device; and

upon verifying that:

(i) each of the plurality of vehicle state conditions meets one or more vehicle threshold conditions,

(ii) each of the one or more mobile-device state conditions meet one or more mobile threshold conditions, and

(iii) the mobile computing device is the only device transmitting instructions for the over-the air updater device to perform the software update on the vehicle,

presenting checkmarks adjacent to each of the list of states on the mobile computing device, the checkmarks indicating successful verification of each of the list of states; and

upon receiving, by the update server, an instruction from the mobile computing device to initiate the software update, transmitting, by the update server, the instruction to the over-the-air updater device to initiate the software update.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of vehicle state conditions of the first message indicate that the vehicle is not ready for the software update, and wherein the method further comprises:

receiving a third message indicating one or more updated vehicle state conditions from the over-the-air updater device, wherein the one or more updated vehicle state conditions indicate that the vehicle is ready for the software update; and

transmitting a fourth message indicating the one or more updated vehicle state conditions to the mobile computing device;

wherein the instruction from the mobile computing device to initiate the software update is received by the update server after transmitting the fourth message.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, by the update server, user credentials from the mobile computing device for authenticating a user of the mobile computing device; and

authenticating, by the update server, the user based on the user credentials.

4 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising transmitting, by the update server, a list of vehicles associated with the user to the mobile computing device, wherein the list of vehicles includes vehicle status information.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, by the update server, a fifth message indicating a status of the software update from the over-the-air updater device; and

transmitting, by the update server, a sixth message indicating the status of the software update to the mobile computing device.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

transmitting, by the update server to the mobile computing device, instructions to perform a triggering action at the vehicle, wherein the triggering action includes actuating a device within the vehicle;

receiving, at the update server, a vehicle state condition from the vehicle;

based on the vehicle state condition, determining, at the update server, that the triggering action was completed within the vehicle; and

upon determining that the triggering action was completed within the vehicle, proceeding with transmitting the instruction to the over-the-air updater device to initiate the software update.

7 . A over-the-air updater system, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing computer executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, perform operations, comprising:

receiving, by an update server, a notification from an over-the-air updater device of a vehicle that a software update has been downloaded;

receiving, by the update server, a first message indicating a plurality of vehicle state conditions from the over-the-air updater device, wherein the plurality of vehicle state conditions are collected by the over-the-air updater device from one or more components of the vehicle, and wherein the plurality of vehicle state conditions indicate a current state of the vehicle and the plurality of the vehicle state conditions include: a wireless signal strength at the vehicle, a battery level of the vehicle and an engine status of the vehicle;

transmitting, by the update server and in response to receiving the notification and the first message, a second message to a mobile computing device indicating the plurality of vehicle state conditions and the notification that the software update has been downloaded;

receiving, by the update server, a plurality of mobile-device state conditions from the mobile computing device, the plurality of mobile-device state conditions including at least a wireless-signal-strength value of the mobile computing device and a battery-level value of the mobile computing device;

verifying, at the update server, that each of the plurality of vehicle state conditions indicating the current state of the vehicle meets one or more vehicle threshold conditions, including checking at the update server located remotely from the vehicle that the current state of the vehicle is in a condition to receive the software update by verifying that the wireless signal strength at the vehicle is adequate, verifying that the battery level of the vehicle is adequate, and verifying that the engine status indicates that an engine of the vehicle is running;

verifying, by the update server, that the mobile computing device is the only device transmitting instructions for the over-the-air updater device, wherein the update server stores a record of devices interacting with the over-the-air-updater device to perform the software update on the vehicle, and wherein verifying that the mobile computing device is the only device transmitting instructions for the over-the-air updater device includes verifying that no other device, other than the mobile computing device, is included in the record and verifying that no other device, other than the mobile computing device is transmitting the instruction to initiate the software update on the vehicle;

presenting a list of states, including the plurality of vehicle state conditions and the plurality of mobile-device state conditions, on the mobile computing device; and

upon verifying that:

(i) each of the plurality of vehicle state conditions meets one or more vehicle threshold conditions,

(ii) each of the mobile-device state conditions meets one or more mobile threshold conditions, and

(iii) the mobile computing device is the only device transmitting instructions for the over-the air updater device to perform the software update on the vehicle,

presenting checkmarks adjacent to each of the list of states on the mobile computing device, the checkmarks indicating successful verification of each of the list of states; and

upon receiving, by the update server, an instruction from the mobile computing device to initiate the software update, transmitting, by the update server, the instruction to the over-the-air updater device to initiate the software update.

8 . The over-the-air updater system of claim 7 , wherein at least one of the plurality of vehicle state conditions of the first message indicate that the vehicle is not ready for the software update.

9 . The over-the-air updater system of claim 8 , further comprising receiving, by the update server, a third message indicating one or more updated vehicle state conditions from the over-the-air updater device, wherein the one or more updated vehicle state conditions indicate that the vehicle is ready for the software update.

10 . The over-the-air updater system of claim 9 , further comprising transmitting, by the update server, a fourth message indicating the one or more updated vehicle state conditions to the mobile computing device.

11 . The over-the-air updater system of claim 10 , wherein the instruction from the mobile computing device to initiate the software update is received by the update server after transmitting the fourth message.

12 . The over-the-air updater system of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of vehicle state conditions further include whether a human-machine interface (HMI) device of the vehicle has been actuated for at least a threshold amount of time.

13 . The over-the-air updater system of claim 7 , further comprising receiving, by the update server, user credentials from the mobile computing device for authenticating a user of the mobile computing device.

14 . The over-the-air updater system of claim 13 , further comprising authenticating, by the update server, the user based on the user credentials.

15 . The over-the-air updater system of claim 7 , further comprising transmitting, by the update server, a list of vehicles associated with the user to the mobile computing device, wherein the list of vehicles includes vehicle status information.

16 . The over-the-air updater system of claim 7 , further comprising receiving, by the update server, a fifth message indicating a status of the software update from the over-the-air updater device.

17 . The over-the-air updater system of claim 16 , further comprising transmitting, by the update server, a sixth message indicating the status of the software update to the mobile computing device.

18 . The over-the-air updater system of claim 7 , further comprising receiving, by the update server, a unique identifier of the vehicle from the mobile computing device.

19 . The over-the-air updater system of claim 18 , wherein, the instruction to the over-the-air updater device to initiate the software update is transmitted by the server after receiving the unique identifier of the vehicle.

20 . The over-the-air updater system of claim 19 , wherein receiving, by the update server, the unique identifier of the vehicle comprises receiving an image captured by the mobile computing device, wherein the image comprises one of:

a QR code; or

a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).