Update package catalog for update package transfer between generator and content server in a network

• US 20050071385A1
• Filed: 09/27/2004
• Published: 03/31/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Rao, Bindu Rama
• Granted Patent: US 7,694,293 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/12 Applying verification of the received information cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for data integrity or data verification H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/123 received data contents, e.g. message integrity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A network wherein a generator is communicatively coupled to an update store or repository employs an update package container or catalog (UPC) that may be used to save information, using an XML format. The UPC may comprise update packages for one or more devices, and one or more transitions of versions for each device. The UPC may also comprise metadata information and security information associated with each the update packages. The complete update packages and associated metadata may be incorporated into an UPC, or external references to the update packages may be provided.

Claims

1. An update package container for communicating updating information for a plurality of electronic devices, the update package container comprising:

at least one device portion associated with a subset of the plurality of electronic devices;

each of the at least one device portion comprising at least one target portion associated with a code in each electronic device in the subset of the plurality of electronic devices;

each of the at least one target portion comprising at least one transition portion associated with the conversion of the code from a first version to a second version; and

each of the at least one transition portion comprising one of an update package and reference information identifying the location of an update package outside of the update package container, and associated metadata.

2. The update package container according to claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of electronic devices is identified by device identification information.

3. The update package container according to claim 2 wherein the device identification information comprises at least one of a manufacturer identifier, a model identifier, and a version identifier.

4. The update package container according to claim 1 wherein the associated metadata comprises at least one of a size, a description, a creation date, a download time, a re-flash time, a vendor information, and a digital signature of an update package.

5. The update package container according to claim 1 further comprising:

a digital signature of the at least one device portion of the update package container.

6. The update package container according to claim 1 wherein the reference information identifying the location of an update package outside of the update package container comprises a universal resource locator (URL).

7. The update package container according to claim 1 wherein the set of all update packages contained within the update package container and the update packages referenced by the update package container comprise difference information generated by a plurality of manufacturers and software vendors.

8. The update package container according to claim 1 wherein an update package comprises at least one of software, firmware, a java virtual machine, a game engine, a configuration file, and a system file one of the plurality of electronic devices.

9. The network according to claim 1 wherein an update package comprises difference information for updating a first version of code to a second version of code.

10. The network according to claim 9 wherein the difference information comprises a set of executable instructions for converting the first version of code to the second version of code.

11. A network for distributing update packages to a plurality of electronic devices, the network comprising:

an update package repository that stores a plurality of update packages for each of the plurality of electronic devices;

the network receiving a plurality of update package containers containing update packages and associated metadata from each of a plurality of update package container sources to which the network is communicatively coupled; and

the network storing update packages and associated metadata contained in the plurality of update package containers in the update package repository.

12. The network according to claim 11 wherein at least one of the plurality of update package container sources comprises a generator of update packages.

13. The network according to claim 11 wherein the plurality of update package container sources comprises a plurality of generators, each of the plurality of generators having an associated data type definition and managed by an associated one of a plurality of manufacturers of the plurality of electronic devices.

14. The network according to claim 13 wherein the plurality of generators employ the same data type definition.

15. The network according to claim 11 wherein the network comprises a wireless network and wherein at least a portion of the plurality of update package container sources are located remote from the update package repository.

16. The network according to claim 11 wherein the update package repository receives update package containers from the plurality of update package container sources and verifies authenticity of update package containers before further processing of update package containers.

18. The network according to claim 11 wherein the update package repository receives update package containers from the plurality of update package container sources and verifies authenticity of update package containers and update packages contained therein before disseminating the update packages.

20. The network according to claim 11 wherein an update package comprises difference information for updating a first version of code to a second version of code.

21. The network according to claim 20 wherein the difference information comprises a set of executable instructions for converting the first version of code to the second version of code.

22. A method of communicating a plurality of update packages from a generator to a repository using an update package container, each of the plurality of update packages associated with an electronic device, the method comprising:

generating the plurality of update packages;

digitally signing the plurality of update packages;

gathering metadata associated with the plurality of update packages, the metadata comprising digital signatures for the plurality of update packages;

inserting the plurality of update packages and associated metadata into the update package container;

signing the update package container using digital signing techniques; and

delivering the digitally signed update package container to the repository.

23. The method according to claim 22 wherein inserting comprises:

arranging the plurality of update packages according to at least one of a manufacturer type, a model, a target, and a transition of the associated electronic device.

24. The method according to claim 22 wherein signing the update package container comprises:

computing a W3C-based digital signature; and

inserting the W3C-based digital signature into the update package container.

25. The method according to claim 24 wherein inserting comprises:

incorporating update packages generated for at least one of a firmware, a software, a configuration, and a data.

26. The method according to claim 24 wherein delivering comprises:

establishing secure communication between the generator and the repository; and

depositing the update package container in the repository for processing and storage.