METHOD FOR SELECTING SOFTWARE AND INSTALLING SAME VIA A TELEMATIC MODULE IN A MOTOR VEHICLE

1 . A method for installing or updating software in a motor vehicle having an electronic data system that includes a telematic module, the method comprising:

while the telematic module is operating, loading a software package into the module, then validating the package, then installing the package in the module, then stopping and re-starting the module to cause the package to become operational, causing pre-existing data and configuration information to migrate for use by the now-operational package, and operating the package with the migrated data and configuration information to verify proper operation.

2 . A method as set forth in claim 1 in which execution of a succeeding step is conditioned on validation of a prior step.

3 . A method as set forth in claim 2 in which a failure to verify proper completion of a step causes the step to be repeated.

4 . A method as set forth in claim 3 in which failure to verify proper completion of a repeated step aborts the installing or updating process.

5 . A method as set forth in claim 1 in which after the telematic module has been successfully configured or re-configured, it functions as a gateway for installing software or updating existing software in a non-telematic module in the vehicle.

6 . A method as set forth in claim 5 in which with the telematic module operating as a gateway, loading a software package into the non-telematic module via the telematic module, then validating the package loaded into the non-telematic module, then installing the package in the non-telematic module, then stopping and re-starting the non-telematic module to cause the package loaded therein to become operational, causing existing data and configuration information to migrate for use by the operational package in the non-telematic module, and running the operational package in the non-telematic module with the migrated data and configuration information to verify proper operation.

7 . A method as set forth in claim 6 in which execution of a succeeding step is conditioned on validation of a prior step.

8 . A method as set forth in claim 7 in which a failure to verify proper completion of a step causes the step to be repeated.

9 . A method as set forth in claim 8 in which failure to verify proper completion of a repeated step aborts the installing or updating process.

10 . A method for installing or updating software in a motor vehicle having an electronic data system and equipment that includes a telematic module, the method comprising:

comparing certain data about the electronic system and equipment in the vehicle with corresponding data about similar vehicles already in a data base to identify software suitable for installation in the vehicle, and installing the identified software in the vehicle via the telematic module.

11 . A method as set forth in claim 10 comprising while the telematic module is operating, loading a software package into the module, then validating the package, then installing the package in the module, then stopping and re-starting the module to cause the package to become operational, causing pre-existing data and configuration information to migrate for use by the now-operational package, and operating the package with the migrated data and configuration information to verify proper operation.

12 . A method as set forth in claim 10 comprising using the telematic module as a gateway for installing the software package in a non-telematic module in the vehicle by loading a software package into the non-telematic module via the telematic module, then validating the package loaded into the non-telematic module, then installing the package in the non-telematic module, then stopping and re-starting the non-telematic module to cause the package loaded therein to become operational, causing existing data and configuration information to migrate for use by the operational package in the non-telematic module, and running the operational package in the non-telematic module with the migrated data and configuration information to verify proper operation.