Method and system for upgrading existing firmware on third party hardware
First Claim
1. A method for upgrading existing firmware on third party hardware, comprising:
- receiving identification information for said third party hardware and a firmware version indicator for said existing firmware on said third party hardware;
utilising said identification information to obtain a stored firmware version indicator for said third party hardware;
comparing said received firmware version indicator with said stored firmware version indicator;
if said received firmware version indicator differs from said stored firmware version indicator, retrieving upgrade firmware for upgrading said existing firmware from a remote location.
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Abstract
The present invention is directed at a method and system for upgrading existing firmware on third party hardware. The system initially receives identification information along with a firmware version indicator from the third party hardware. The identification information is then used to obtain a stored firmware version indicator representing the expected version of firmware which the third party hardware should be executing. The two firmware version indicators are compared and if they differ, an upgrade to the existing firmware is required. The system then retrieves the upgrade firmware from a remote location. The upgrade firmware is then stored in the third party hardware.
63 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A method for upgrading existing firmware on third party hardware, comprising:
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receiving identification information for said third party hardware and a firmware version indicator for said existing firmware on said third party hardware;
utilising said identification information to obtain a stored firmware version indicator for said third party hardware;
comparing said received firmware version indicator with said stored firmware version indicator;
if said received firmware version indicator differs from said stored firmware version indicator, retrieving upgrade firmware for upgrading said existing firmware from a remote location. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 19, 20, 21)
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15. A method for upgrading existing firmware on third party hardware, comprising:
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sending a request to said third party hardware requesting identification information and an existing firmware version indicator;
receiving a reply from said third party hardware with said identification information and said existing firmware version indicator;
sending said identification information and said existing firmware version indicator addressed to an address;
receiving an upgrade firmware version indicator and upgrade firmware;
transferring said upgrade firmware version indicator and said upgrade firmware to said third party hardware.
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18. A system for upgrading existing firmware on third party hardware, comprising:
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a local area network (LAN) interface for connection to a LAN;
a wide area network (WAN) interface for connection to a WAN;
a memory for storing a database;
a master processor operable to;
receive identification information for said third party hardware from said LAN interface and a firmware version indicator for said existing firmware on said third party hardware;
utilise said identification information to obtain a stored firmware version indicator for said third party hardware from said memory;
compare said received firmware version indicator with said stored firmware version indicator;
if said received firmware version indicator differs from said stored firmware version indicator, retrieve upgrade firmware for upgrading said existing firmware from a remote location over said WAN interface.
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22. A system for upgrading existing firmware on third party hardware, comprising:
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means for receiving identification information for said third party hardware and a firmware version indicator for said existing firmware on said third party hardware;
means for utilising said identification information to obtain a stored firmware version indicator for said third party hardware;
means for comparing said received firmware version indicator with said stored firmware version indicator;
means for, if said received firmware version indicator differs from said stored firmware version indicator, retrieving upgrade firmware for upgrading said existing firmware from a remote location.
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23. A computer readable medium for providing computer executable instructions which, when executed on a processor interfaced with a local area network (LAN) to which a controller for third party hardware is connected and a wide area network (WAN) to which a source of upgrade firmware is connected, cause said processor to:
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receive identification information for said third party hardware from said LAN and a firmware version indicator for existing firmware on said third party hardware;
utilise said identification information to obtain a stored firmware version indicator for said third party hardware from memory;
compare said received firmware version indicator with said stored firmware version indicator;
if said received firmware version indicator differs from said stored firmware version indicator, retrieve upgrade firmware for upgrading said existing firmware from said source over said WAN.
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24. A method for upgrading existing firmware on third party hardware connected to a local area network (LAN) through a controller utilising a wide area network (WAN) to which a source of upgrade firmware is connected, comprising:
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receiving from said controller over said LAN identification information for said third party hardware and a firmware version indicator for said existing firmware on said third party hardware;
utilising said identification information to obtain a stored firmware version indicator for said third party hardware;
comparing said received firmware version indicator with said stored firmware version indicator;
if said received firmware version indicator differs from said stored firmware version indicator, retrieving upgrade firmware for upgrading said existing firmware from said source over said WAN.
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Specification