IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,281,450
Granted Patent B2
US 11,281,450 · App. 16/909,690 · Granted Mar 22, 2022

Secure transport software update

Inventor: Stephen Paul McFarland, Jr. (Allen, TX)
Assignee: TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC.
G06F8/65G06F8/71H04L9/0643H04L2209/38
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,281,450
App. No.
16/909,690
Filed
Jun 23, 2020
Granted
Mar 22, 2022
Kind
B2
Art Unit
2193
USPC
717/168
Abstract

An example operation includes one or more of receiving a software update at a first component in a target transport, parsing the software update by a second component in the target transport into a first portion of critical updates and a second portion of non-critical updates, verifying the first portion, by the second component, based on a source of the software update, running, by the second component, the verified first portion with a dedicated process on the target transport for a pre-set period of time, and responsive to positive results over the period of time, running the verified first portion with other processes on the target transport.

Claims (37)

1. A method, comprising:

receiving a software update at a first component in a target transport;

parsing the software update by a second component in the target transport into a first portion of critical updates and a second portion of non-critical updates;

verifying the first portion, by the second component, based on a source of the software update;

operating, by the second component, the verified first portion with a dedicated process associated with an electronic control unit on the target transport for a pre-set period of time; and

responsive to results indicating a limited number of execution errors have occurred over the period of time, operating the verified first portion with other processes associated with other electronic control units on the target transport.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising verifying the first portion based on a source of the first portion and an identifier of the first portion.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising assessing an impact of an execution of the verified first portion with the dedicated process, wherein the assessment comprises comparing the number of execution errors to a threshold number.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising selecting a non-critical process to be used as the dedicated process.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising allowing the software update to be executed at the first component in the target transport responsive to receiving a verification of the software update from a component of another transport.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving a verification to install the software update from at least one other transport, wherein the verification constitutes a blockchain consensus at least between a peer represented by the target transport and the at least one other transport.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising executing a smart contract to record identification data of the software update on a blockchain based on the blockchain consensus.

8. A system, comprising:

a processor of a target transport;

a memory on which are stored machine readable instructions that when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

receive a software update at a first component in the target transport;

parse the software update by a second component in the target transport into a first portion of critical updates and a second portion of non-critical updates;

verify the first portion based on a source of the software update;

operate the verified first portion with a dedicated process associated with an electronic control unit on the target transport for a pre-set period of time; and

responsive to results indicating a limited number of execution errors have occurred over the period of time, operate the verified first portion with other processes associated with other electronic control units on the target transport.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to verify the first portion based on a source of the first portion and an identifier of the first portion.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to assess an impact of an execution of the verified first portion with the dedicated process, wherein the assessment comprises comparison of the number of execution errors to a threshold number.

11. The system of claim 8 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to select a non-critical process to be used as the dedicated process.

12. The system of claim 8 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to allow the software update to be executed at the first component in the target transport responsive to receipt of a verification of the software update from a component of another transport.

13. The system of claim 8 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to receive a verification to install the software update from at least one other transport, wherein the verification constitutes a blockchain consensus at least between a peer represented by the target transport and the at least one other transport.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to execute a smart contract to record identification data of the software update on a blockchain based on the blockchain consensus.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions, that when read by a processor, cause the processor to perform:

receiving a software update at a first component in the target transport;

parsing the software update by a second component in the target transport into a first portion of critical updates and a second portion of non-critical updates;

verifying the first portion based on a source of the software update;

operating, by the second component, the verified first portion with a dedicated process associated with an electronic control unit on the target transport for a pre-set period of time; and

responsive to results indicating a limited number of execution errors have occurred over the period of time, operating the verified first portion with other processes associated with other electronic control units on the target transport.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 , further comprising instructions, that when read by a processor, cause the processor to verify the first portion based on a source of the first portion and an identifier of the first portion.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 , further comprising instructions, that when read by a processor, cause the processor to assess an impact of an execution of the verified first portion with the dedicated process, wherein the assessment comprises comparing the number of execution errors to a threshold number.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 , further comprising instructions, that when read by a processor, cause the processor to allow the software update to be executed at the first component in the target transport responsive to receiving a verification of the software update from a component of another transport.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 , further comprising instructions, that when read by a processor, cause the processor to receive a verification to install the software update from at least one other transport, wherein the verification constitutes a blockchain consensus at least between a peer represented by the target transport and the at least one other transport.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 19 , further comprising instructions, that when read by a processor, cause the processor to execute a smart contract to record identification data of the software update on a blockchain based on the blockchain consensus.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 23, 2020
From: MCFARLAND, STEPHEN PAUL, JR.
To: TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC.
Reel/Frame 053017/0349 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20210397430A1 · Dec 23, 2021