Electronic device having an alterable configuration and methods of manufacturing and configuring the same

• US 20060212691A1
• Filed: 03/18/2005
• Published: 09/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Original Assignee: Research In Motion Limited (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: Nguyen, Bao Quoc, Wood, Robert Henderson
• Granted Patent: US 7,516,315 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4401 Bootstrapping security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/441 Multiboot arrangements, i.e. selecting an operating system to be loaded

Abstract

An electronic device having an alterable configuration and methods of manufacturing and configuring the same are provided. The electronic device includes a processor and a non-volatile memory. The non-volatile memory stores a boot ROM and can store a first operating system in a first operating system partition and a second operating system in a second operating system partition. The processor executes the boot ROM, which boots the first operating system if available in the non-volatile memory, and boots the second operating system if the first operating system is unavailable in the non-volatile memory when the electronic device is powered up.

Claims

1. An electronic device having an alterable configuration, comprising:

a processor; and

flash memory storing a boot ROM and for storing a first operating system in a first operating system partition and a second operating system in a second operating system partition, said boot ROM being executed by said processor and operable to boot said first operating system if available in said flash memory and to boot said second operating system if said first operating system is at least one of absent in said flash memory and invalid when said electronic device is powered up.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein said boot ROM is operable to boot said first operating system if present in said flash memory and digitally signed.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein said first operating system, when executed, is operable to make said first operating system in said flash memory unavailable.

4. The electronic device of claim 3, wherein said first operating system, when executed, is operable to delete said first operating system in said flash memory.

5. The electronic device of claim 4, wherein said first operating system is operable to expand a file system partition in said flash memory to include free memory created by deleting said first operating system.

6. An electronic device having an alterable configuration, comprising:

a boot ROM for controlling the booting of said electronic device, said boot ROM being operable, when executed by a processor of said electronic device, to boot a first operating system in a first operating system partition in flash memory if present and valid and to boot a second operating system in a second operating system partition in flash memory if said first operating system is not present in said flash memory and valid when said electronic device is powered up.

7. The electronic device of claim 6, wherein said boot ROM is operable to boot said first operating system if present in said flash memory and digitally signed.

8. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein said first operating system, when executed, is operable to delete said first operating system partition.

9. A method of manufacturing an electronic device, comprising:

assembling said electronic device using a flash memory, said flash memory storing a boot ROM, a first operating system in a first operating system partition and a second operating system in a second operating system partition, said boot ROM being operable to boot said first operating system if present in said flash memory and valid when said electronic device is powered up, said boot ROM being operable to boot said second operating system if said first operating system is not present in said flash memory and valid when said electronic device is powered up; and

deleting said first operating system partition in said flash memory.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said boot ROM is operable to boot said first operating system if present in said flash memory and digitally signed.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

booting said first operating system with said boot ROM when said electronic device is powered up prior to said deleting said first operating system partition.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

loading said boot ROM, said first operating system partition and said second operating system partition in said flash memory prior to assembling said electronic device.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

expanding a file system partition in said flash memory to include space created by said deleting of said first operating system partition.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein said deleting is performed by said first operating system.

15. A method of configuring an electronic device, comprising:

provisioning flash memory of said electronic device having a first operating system in a first operating system partition and a second operating system in a second operating system partition, said electronic device being operable to execute said second operating system if present in said flash memory and valid in lieu of said first operating system;

executing said second operating on said electronic device; and

deleting said second operating system partition in said flash memory.

16. The method of configuring an electronic device of claim 15, further comprising:

restarting said electronic device.

17. The method of configuring an electronic device of claim 15, further comprising:

replacing at least a portion of said first operating system using said second operating system.

18. The method of configuring an electronic device of claim 17, wherein said provisioning comprises:

downloading said second operating system when said first operating system is executing.

19. The method of configuring an electronic device of claim 18, wherein said downloading is performed over-the-air.