Mechanism for facilitating dynamic and trusted cloud-based extension upgrades for computing systems

• US 10,608,877 B2
• Filed: 03/02/2017
• Issued: 03/31/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Chhabra, Jasmeet
• Primary Examiner(s): Rivera, Anibal
• Application Number:
  US15/448,313
• Publication Number:
  US 20170302509A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,125 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3031 where the computing system component is a motherboard or an expansion card
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/57 Certifying or maintaining trusted computer platforms, e.g. secure boots or power-downs, version controls, system software checks, secure updates or assessing vulnerabilities
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/63 Image based installation; Cloning; Build to order
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/64 Retargetable
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/656 while running
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/658 Incremental updates; Differential updates
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5072 Grid computing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/082 the condition being updates or upgrades of network functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/141 Setup of application sessions admission control or resource allocation in data switching networks H04L47/70

Abstract

A mechanism is described for facilitating dynamic and trusted cloud-based extension upgrades for computing systems according to one embodiment of the invention. A method of embodiments of the invention includes detecting a computing device needing an upgrade. The upgrade may relate to a hardware component at the computing device needing an upgrade element for the upgrade. The method may further include calling a first cloud server to provide the upgrade over a network. The first cloud server may have first resources including the upgrade element. The method may further include facilitating the hardware component to access the upgrade element at the first cloud server without having to upgrade or replace the hardware component.

Claims

1. At least one non-transitory machine-readable medium comprising a plurality of instructions that in response to being executed on a computing device, causes the computing device to carry out a method according to one or more operations comprising:

detect a computing device needing an upgrade for a feature enhancement, wherein the upgrade relates to a hardware component at the computing device needing an upgrade element for the upgrade;

check whether a platform at the computing device is capable of performing the upgrade and facilitate the upgrade of the hardware component locally at the computing device if the platform is determined to be capable of performing the hardware component upgrade;

if the platform is determined not to be capable of performing the upgrade, call a plurality cloud servers to find a first cloud server available to provide the upgrade over a network, wherein the first cloud server having first resources including the upgrade element; and

facilitate the hardware component to access the upgrade element at the first cloud server without having to upgrade or replace the hardware component, wherein the upgrade element at the first cloud server is accessible by the hardware component for a termed duration depending on a need of a user of the computing device, and wherein the hardware component cannot enable the feature enhancement without the hardware upgrade.

2. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the computing device to carry out a method according to one or more operations comprising:

placing and maintaining the first resources at the first cloud server.

3. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the computing device to carry out a method according to one or more operations comprising:

calling a second cloud server having second resources to provide the upgrade, if the first resources at the first cloud server do not include the upgrade element.

4. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 3, wherein the computing device to carry out a method according to one or more operations comprising:

facilitating the hardware component to access the upgrade element at the second cloud server without having to upgrade or replace the hardware component.

5. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the computing device to carry out a method according to one or more operations comprising:

receiving an answer from the first cloud server, wherein the answer includes information regarding whether the first resources include the upgrade element.

6. A method comprising:

detecting a computing device needing an upgrade for a feature enhancement, wherein the upgrade relates to a hardware component at the computing device needing an upgrade element for the upgrade;

checking whether a platform at the computing device is capable of performing the upgrade and facilitating the upgrade of the hardware component locally at the computing device if the platform is determined to be capable of performing the hardware component upgrade;

if the platform is determined not to be capable of performing the upgrade, calling a plurality of cloud servers to find a first cloud server available to provide the upgrade over a network, wherein the first cloud server having first resources including the upgrade element; and

facilitating the hardware component to access the upgrade element at the first cloud server without having to upgrade or replace the hardware component, wherein the upgrade element at the first cloud server is accessible by the hardware component for a termed duration depending on a need of a user of the computing device, and wherein the hardware component cannot enable the feature enhancement without the hardware upgrade.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising placing and maintaining the first resources at the first cloud server.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising calling a second cloud server having second resources to provide the upgrade, if the first resources at the first cloud server do not include the upgrade element.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising facilitating the hardware component to access the upgrade element at the second cloud server without having to upgrade or replace the hardware component.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising receiving an answer from the first cloud server, wherein the answer includes information regarding whether the first resources include the upgrade element.

11. An apparatus comprising:

a computing system having a processor, and a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the processor is to;

detect a computing device needing an upgrade for a feature enhancement, wherein the upgrade relates to a hardware component at the computing device needing an upgrade element for the upgrade;

check whether a platform at the computing device is capable of performing the upgrade and facilitate the upgrade of the hardware component locally at the computing device if the platform is determined to be capable of performing the hardware component upgrade;

if the platform is determined not to be capable of performing the upgrade, call a plurality of cloud servers to find a first cloud server available to provide the upgrade over a network, wherein the first cloud server having first resources including the upgrade element; and

facilitate the hardware component to access the upgrade element at the first cloud server without having to upgrade or replace the hardware component, wherein the upgrade element at the first cloud server is accessible by the hardware component for a termed duration depending on a need of a user of the computing device, and wherein the hardware component cannot enable the feature enhancement without the hardware upgrade.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the processor is further to place and maintain the first resources at the first cloud server.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the processor is further to call a second cloud server having second resources to provide the upgrade, if the first resources at the first cloud server do not include the upgrade element.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the processor is further to facilitate the hardware component to access the upgrade element at the second cloud server without having to upgrade or replace the hardware component.