Software updating process for mobile devices

• US 20050085222A1
• Filed: 10/17/2003
• Published: 04/21/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nokia Solutions and Networks US LLC (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Rautiainen, Aapo, Kotchanov, Andrei, Przybilski, Michael, Leppinen, Mika
• Application Number:
  US10/688,210
• Publication Number:
  US 20050085222A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/418
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72406 by software upgrading or downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/22 Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/245 from a network towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

This invention describes a block-by-block software updating process for mobile devices using modifications to a memory structure and a start-up process of the mobile device, that are necessary to allow a fail-safe and secure update of the device software. The memory of the mobile device is modified to store a software block currently updated during the software-update, but not overwriting an original block with an updated block before the updated block is verified. This prevents software from entering an unrecoverable inconsistent and nonfunctional state in case of a power loss or a similar problem. Furthermore, the memory modification allows altering a checksum procedure of the mobile device software to prevent any unauthorized modifications of the mobile device software.

Claims

1. A method for updating software stored in a memory (12) of a mobile device (10), comprising the steps of:

updating (60) a memory block of the memory (12) by merging said memory block with differential information from a differential file (21) stored in the memory (12),

storing (62) the updated memory block in a backup memory area (32) of the memory (12),

determining (64) whether the updated block stored in the backup memory area (32) is correct, and

copying (66) the updated block from the backup memory area (32) to an original location, if the updated block is correct;

2. The method of claim 1, wherein if the updated block is correct, further comprising the step of:

writing (66) a new block status.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the software to be updated is located in a software image area (18) of the memory (12).

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the software to be updated is located in a variant package area (16) of the memory (12).

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the differential file (21) is installed and stored in a user file system area (17) of the memory (12).

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the differential file (21) is downloaded by a user.

7. The method of claim 1, before the step of updating (60) a memory block of the memory (12), further comprising the step of:

checking (42) validity of an update-application stored in the memory (12), said update-application is used for facilitating said updating (60).

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the update-application is stored in an update-application area (30) of the memory (12) and in a backup area (32) of the memory (12).

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the update-application is valid, and before the step of updating (60) the software, further comprising the steps of:

checking (52) if the differential file (21) contains data for updating the software, and

reading (56) the data for updating the software from the differential file (21) if said data is available.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the steps of:

determining (58) if there is a further block that needs to be updated by identifying a last updated block from a status, and

writing (68) new checksums for an updated software if there is no the further block to be updated.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the update-application is valid, and before the step of updating (60) the software, further comprising the steps of:

checking (52) if the differential file (21) contains information for updating the update-application, and

updating (74) the update-application, verifying (76) it and writing (80) a new checksum for the updated update-application, if the differential file (21) contains information for updating the update-application.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein checking (42) the validity of the update-application is verified by comparing a checksum or a backup checksum generated for an update-application stored in an update-application area (30) of the memory (12) or in a backup area (32) of the memory (12), respectively, with an original checksum stored in the memory (12) to verify that both checksums are identical.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the original checksum is stored in an update-application checksum area (34) of the memory (12).

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the checksum and the original checksum are not identical but the backup checksum and the original checksum are identical, further comprising the step of:

writing the update-application from the backup area (32) to the update-application area (30).

15. A memory (12) of a mobile device (10), comprising:

an update-application area (30) for storing an update-application for updating software of the memory (12);

a backup area (32) for temporarily storing the memory block that is updated; and

an update-application checksum area (34) for storing the checksum.

16. The memory (12) of claim 15, wherein the update-application area (30), the backup area (32) and the update-application checksum area (34) are located in an update means area (28) of the memory (12).

17. The memory (12) of claim 15, further comprising a differential file (21) for updating the software of the memory (12).

18. A method for updating software stored in a memory (12) of a mobile device (10) comprising the steps of:

checking (42) validity of an update-application stored in the memory (12), and

updating (60) the software using a block-by-block approach based on differential information from a differential file (21) downloaded to and stored in the memory (12) if the update-application is valid, wherein said update is done by overwriting a block with the differential information at a location in the memory (12) that is different from an original memory location of said memory block in the memory (12), wherein said update-application is used for facilitating said updating (60).