System and method for managing configurable elements of devices in a network element and a network

• US 20030140134A1
• Filed: 09/24/2002
• Published: 07/24/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alcatel Canada Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel Canada Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: MacQueen, Kenneth Glenn, Swanson, Sheldon Keith John
• Granted Patent: US 7,328,434 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/64 Retargetable
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/654 using techniques specially adapted for alterable solid state memories, e.g. for EEPROM or flash memories

Abstract

The invention provides a system and a method of selecting a version of a program code from a series of program codes for a program element associated with a hardware element for a circuit board. The invention identifies a compatible program code for a particular hardware element and downloads the compatible program code. A record is associated with the hardware element to identify its compatible program codes. The program codes are stored in a bundle and are associated with a software code. A program loader, associated with each bundle, checks the compatibilities of the hardware element to both the software code and the selected program code. Another record stores compatibility information of the program codes with hardware element versions and is also associated with the bundle. Code downloads are made first to an inactive memory bank and after the codes are verified, the inactive memory bank is made active.

Claims

1. A method of selecting a version of a program code from a plurality of program codes for a program storage element associated with a hardware element for a circuit board, said hardware element being implementable in a plurality of hardware element versions, said method comprising:

identifying a particular program code of said plurality of program codes which is compatible with a particular hardware element of said plurality of hardware element versions on said circuit board;

selecting from a group of program codes selected from said plurality of program codes a selected program code matching said particular program code; and

loading said program storage element with said selected program code.

2. A method of selecting a version of a program code from a plurality of program codes for a program storage element as claimed in claim 1 wherein

information regarding said particular program code is stored with said circuit board;

said plurality of program codes are stored in a program code bundle; and

said selected program code is identified by accessing a list, said list comprising one entry for each of said plurality of hardware element versions, each entry in said list having a reference to a compatible program code of said plurality of program codes which can operate therewith.

3. A method of selecting a version of a program code from a plurality of program codes for a program storage element as claimed in claim 2 wherein each of said plurality of program codes is a firmware program.

4. A method of selecting a version of a program code from a plurality of program codes for a program storage element as claimed in claim 3 wherein

a software program is associated with said program code bundle, said software program associated with said hardware element.

5. A method of selecting a version of a program code from a plurality of program codes for a program storage element as claimed in claim 4 wherein

said each entry in said list is further associated with a list of earlier versions of each program code of said plurality of program codes with which said hardware element is compatible.

6. A method of selecting a version of a program code from a plurality of program codes for a program storage element as claimed in claim 5 wherein

said each entry in said list is further associated with a list of earlier versions of said software program with which said hardware element is compatible.

7. A system for processing program updates associated with a hardware element being implementable in a plurality of hardware element versions in a circuit board, said system comprising:

a record of said plurality of hardware element versions, each entry in said record being associated with a compatible program code from a plurality of program codes;

a second record associated with said circuit board, said second record identifying a particular program code of said plurality of program codes which is compatible with an installed hardware element version of said hardware element on said circuit board;

a bundle of executeable program codes comprising a group of said plurality of program codes; and

a program code loader adapted to access said record and said second record to identify a suitable program code from said plurality of program codes for said installed hardware element version, adapted to locate said suitable program code in said bundle, and adapted to effect transfer of said suitable program code from said bundle to a storage device adapted to receive said suitable code, said storage device associated with said installed hardware element version and said circuit board.

8. A system for processing program updates as claimed in claim 7 wherein each of said plurality of program codes is a firmware program.

9. A system for processing program updates as claimed in claim 8 wherein

a software program is associated with said program code bundle, said software program associated with said hardware element.

10. A system for processing program updates as claimed in claim 9 wherein

each said entry in said record is further associated with a compatible software program therewith.

11. A system for processing program updates as claimed in claim 10 wherein

said each entry is said record is further associated with a list of earlier versions of each program element of said plurality of program elements with which said hardware element is compatible.

12. A system for processing program updates as claimed in claim 11 wherein

said each entry in said record is further associated with a list of earlier versions of said software program with which said hardware element is compatible.

13. A method for updating a program code from a plurality of program codes for a hardware element being implementable in a plurality of hardware element versions in a circuit board, said method comprising:

identifying a particular program code of said plurality of program codes which is compatible with a particular hardware element of said plurality of hardware element versions on said circuit board;

selecting from a group of program codes selected from said plurality of program codes a selected program code matching said particular program code; and

transferring said suitable program code from said group of program codes to a storage device adapted to receive said suitable code, said storage device associated with said particular hardware element and said circuit board.

14. A method for updating a program code from a plurality of program codes for a hardware element as claimed in claim 13 wherein

information regarding said particular program code is stored with said circuit board;

said plurality of program codes are stored in a program code bundle; and

said selected program code is identified by accessing a list, said list comprising one entry for each of said plurality of hardware element versions, each entry in said list being associated with a reference to a compatible program code of said plurality of program codes which can operate therewith.

15. A method for updating a program code from a plurality of program codes for a hardware element as claimed in claim 14 wherein each of said plurality of program codes is a firmware program.

16. A method for updating a program code from a plurality of program codes for a hardware element as claimed in claim 15 wherein a software program is associated with said program code bundle, said software program associated with said hardware element.

17. A method for updating a program code from a plurality of program codes for a hardware element as claimed in claim 16 wherein said each entry is said list is further associated with a list of earlier versions of each program code of said plurality of program codes with which said hardware element is compatible.

18. A method for updating a program code from a plurality of program codes for a hardware element as claimed in claim 17 wherein said each entry is said list is further associated with a list of earlier versions of said software program with which said hardware element is compatible.

19. A method for updating a program code from a plurality of program codes for a hardware element as claimed in claim 18 wherein said storage device has an active bank and an inactive bank and said suitable program code is transferred to said inactive bank.

20. A method for updating a program code from a plurality of program codes for a hardware element as claimed in claim 19 wherein said suitable program code is verified for integrity and upon verification of same, said storage device switches from said inactive bank to said active bank.

21. A method of selecting a version of a firmware code from a plurality of firmware codes for a firmware element associated with a hardware element for a circuit board said hardware element being implementable in a plurality of hardware element versions, said hardware element being further associated with a software element, said method comprising:

identifying a particular version of said pluarlity of hardware element versions for said hardware element which is associated with said circuit board;

identifying a particular firmware code of said plurality of firmware codes which is compatible with a particular hardware element of said plurality of hardware element versions on said circuit board;

selecting from a group of firmware codes selected from said plurality of firmware codes a selected firmware code matching said particular firmware code;

associating a software code with said group of firmware codes;

loading said firmware element with said selected firmware code; and

checking compatibility of operation of said software code with said selected firmware code and said particular version of said plurality of hardware element versions,

wherein

said selecting from a group of firmware codes from said plurality of firmware codes a selected firmware code is done independently of installation of said software code.

22. A method of evaluating compatibility of a hardware element in a circuit card with a program code, said hardware element being implementable in a plurality of hardware element versions, said program code being implementable in a plurality of program code versions, said method comprising:

identifying a particular version of said plurality of hardware element versions for said hardware element which is associated with said circuit board;

identifying a particular program code of said plurality of firmware codes which is associated with said hardware element;

evaluating whether said particular program code is compatible with said particular version of said plurality of hardware element versions; and

indicating whether said particular program code is compatible with said particular version of said plurality of hardware element versions.

23. A method of evaluating compatibility of a hardware element in a circuit card with a program code as claimed in claim 22 wherein

information regarding said particular program code is identified by accessing a list, said list comprising one entry for each of said plurality of hardware element versions, each entry in said list having a reference to a compatible program code of said plurality of program codes which can operate therewith.

24. A method of evaluating compatibility of a hardware element in a circuit card with a program code as claimed in claim 23 wherein each of said plurality of program codes is a firmware program.