Software-delivered dynamic persistent data

• US 20050166200A1
• Filed: 01/27/2004
• Published: 07/28/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Willis, Edward Snow II
• Granted Patent: US 7,222,340 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/245 from a network towards a terminal

Abstract

A method and apparatus for dynamically managing non-volatile memory items in a wireless device, the method comprising the steps of: checking the non-volatile memory items for a unique identifier item; if the unique identifier item exists, comparing an identifier stored within the unique identifier item with a software identifier located in software on the wireless device; and if the unique identifier item does not exist or if the identifier is different from the software identifier, performing the steps of: updating the non-volatile memory items; and writing the software identifier to the unique identifier item. The method may further include a rollback scheme for previous software versions.

Claims

1. A method of dynamically managing non-volatile memory items in a wireless device, said method comprising the steps of:

checking the non-volatile memory items for a unique identifier item;

if said unique identifier item exists, comparing an identifier stored within said unique identifier item with a software identifier located in software on said wireless device; and

if said unique identifier item does not exist or if said identifier is different from said software identifier, performing the steps of;

updating said non-volatile memory items; and

writing said software identifier to said unique identifier item.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said identifier and said software identifier are operating system version numbers of software on said wireless device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said writing step is performed after said updating step is complete.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said updating step allows rollback to a previous software version.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said updating step preferably creates a new non-volatile memory item rather than replacing an existing non-volatile memory item to facilitate rollback to said existing non-volatile memory item.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said updating step does not delete non-volatile memory items that have previously been created.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein non-volatile memory items managed under other NV management policies are not updated in said updating step.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein software on said wireless device includes a mapping from old non-volatile memory items to new non-volatile memory items.

9. A method for dynamically managing non-volatile memory items on a wireless device, said method allowing rollback to previous versions of software using said non-volatile memory items, said method comprising the steps of:

checking the non-volatile memory items for a unique identifier item;

if said unique identifier item exists, comparing an identifier stored within said unique identifier item with a software identifier located in software on said wireless device; and

if said unique identifier item does not exist or if said identifier is different from said software identifier, performing the steps of;

updating said non-volatile memory items, said updating step;

creating a new non-volatile memory item rather than replacing an existing non-volatile memory item to facilitate rollback;

retaining non-volatile memory items that have previously been created; and

avoiding non-volatile memory items created by default or refurbished non-volatile memory files; and

writing said software identifier to said unique identifier item, whereby said creating, retaining, and avoiding steps in said updating step allow rollback to previous versions of software on said wireless device.

10. A wireless communications device comprising:

a receiver for receiving signals;

a transmitter for transmitting signals;

a digital signal processor for processing signals to be sent on said transmitter and received on said receiver;

a microprocessor communicating with said digital signal processor;

non-volatile memory having program storage and non-volatile memory items, said non-volatile memory communicating with said microprocessor; and

input and output subsystems interacting with said microprocessor, wherein said microprocessor includes means for checking said non-volatile memory items for a unique identifier item, comparing an identifier stored within said unique identifier item with a software identifier located in software in said program storage if said unique identifier item exists; and

if said unique identifier item does not exist or if said identifier is different from said software identifier, means for performing the steps of;

updating said non-volatile memory items; and

writing said software identifier to said unique identifier item.

11. The wireless device of claim 10, wherein said identifier and said software identifier are operating system version numbers of software in said program storage.

12. The wireless device of claim 10, wherein said updating means allows rollback to a previous software version.

13. The wireless device of claim 12, wherein said updating means preferably creates a new non-volatile memory item rather than replacing an existing non-volatile memory item to facilitate rollback to said existing non-volatile memory item.

14. The wireless device of claim 13, wherein said updating means does not delete non-volatile memory items that have previously been created.

15. The wireless device of claim 14, wherein non-volatile memory items managed under other NV management policies are not updated by said updating means.