Method for over-the-air firmware update of NAND flash memory based mobile devices

• US 20060075284A1
• Filed: 09/30/2004
• Published: 04/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Insignia Solutions Plc (America's Suppliers, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Insignia Solutions Plc (America's Suppliers, Inc.)
• Inventors: Skan, Peter L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,698,698 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 714/5
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1433 during software upgrading
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/63 Image based installation; Cloning; Build to order

Abstract

The present invention is a method for receiving, storing, and applying an update package to modify an original image stored within non-volatile flash memory devices. More specifically, the present design provides a download agent responsible for communicating with a server to transfer and store the update package; and an update agent responsible for verifying, decompressing and decoding the update package. The present invention separates non-essential operating system (OS) components and applications from the core OS, storing the non-essential OS components, applications, and download agent as a single image in a read-only file system. This image may then be updated by applying an update package created by running a binary differencing engine on two pre-built file system images representing the current and new file systems to modify the stored image. Additionally, the present invention provides a method for applying an update package to the core OS, which includes the update agent.

Claims

1. A method for making bad block management technology available to a firmware update system by splitting the client device firmware in two parts, separating the essential parts of the operating system components including device drivers and file system support from non-essential operating system components and application programs, said method comprising:

a. Saving a minimal core operating system image including an update agent as an application program; and

b. Storing the non-essential operating system components and application programs including a download agent in the form of a read-only file system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said saving further comprises writing core operating system components to flash memory in a single image.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said storing further comprises writing non-essential operating system components and application programs to a read-only file system as a second single image.

4. A method for updating firmware in an electronic device, employing block-structured non-volatile flash memory hardware as a storage medium, by way of effecting an update package containing the instructions to modify an original image to a new image, said method comprising:

a. Receiving an update package transferred from a server to a client device;

b. Storing the update package in flash memory of the client device; and

c. Applying said update package.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said updating firmware further comprises modifying an image containing non-essential operating system components and application programs or modifying an image containing core operating system components.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein said block-structured non-volatile flash memory hardware further comprises NAND technology devices employing bad block management techniques.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein said block-structured non-volatile flash memory hardware further comprises NOR technology devices wherein the core operating system is stored separately from the remainder of the operating system.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein said update package further comprises a set of instructions relating how the original image is modified to represent the new image;

created by executing a binary differencing engine on the original image, as currently stored in the client device, and the new image representing a new file system.

9. The method of claim 4, wherein said receiving further comprises managing an over-the-air communication session between the server and client device using a download agent to interoperate with a server application storing a copy of one or more update packages ready for distribution.

10. The method of claim 4, wherein said storing further comprises the download agent writing the update package to a read-write user file system that is accessible by an update agent.

11. The method of claim 4, wherein said applying further comprises the update agent:

a. Accessing one or more update packages stored in the client device;

b. Verifying the update package;

c. Decompressing the update package;

d. Decoding the update package; and

e. Modifying the current image to form the new image.

12. The method of claim 4, wherein said updating firmware further comprises creating a backup copy of the core operating system image prior to applying the update package.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein said writing further comprises the download agent accessing functionalities provided by the resident operating system.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein said applying further comprises rebooting the client device to access said update agent.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein said decoding further comprises extracting the update instructions from the update package.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein said modifying further comprises effecting the decoded instruction to the firmware image stored in flash memory converting the original image to the new image.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein said download agent further comprises a trigger mechanism wherein a user of the client device or the remote server may immediately activate the download agent within the client device.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein said download agent further comprises a messaging mechanism wherein a status indicating the condition (e.g. success or failure) of an active update may be sent to the remote server via a network interface.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein said download agent further comprises a recovery processing mechanism to restore processing of receiving and storing the update package in the event of a failure (e.g. loss of communication signal or power).

20. The method of claim 13, wherein said download agent further comprises a status display (e.g. progress bar), via a download agent user interface relating the current condition of the download operation to the client device user.

21. The method of claim 11, wherein said update agent further comprises a recovery processing mechanism to restore processing of the update package in the event of a failure (e.g. power).

22. The method of claim 11, wherein said update agent further comprises execution over the core operating system.

23. The method of claim 11, wherein said update agent further comprises accessing flash and display drivers, bad block manager, and file server within the core updating system.

24. The method of claim 16, wherein said original image and new image further comprises a read-only file system containing a plurality of individual files.

25. The method of claim 17, wherein said download agent further comprises communications network interface for short message service or wireless application protocol to communicate said trigger.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein said read-only file system further comprises one or more formats.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein said update agent further comprises support independent of read-only file system format.

28. The method of claim 24, wherein said read-only file system further comprises use of a host-based tool to generate.

29. The method of claim 24, wherein said read-only file system further comprises a plurality of files that are all updated atomically.

30. A method for dual-mode startup of a client device to invoke an update boot mode when a pending update is available, or a normal mode if no updates are pending, said method comprising:

a. Executing bootstrap code to start a core operating system and mount a user file system;

b. Checking to determine whether an update is pending, and if so entering the update boot mode; and

c. Mounting a read-only file system and continuing to boot in the normal mode, if no update is pending, or after the update has been successfully applied.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein said read-only file system further comprises non-essential operating system components and application programs.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein said update boot mode further comprises invoking or restarting an update agent.