Firmware update method for mobile terminal and mobile terminal using the same

• US 20080065816A1
• Filed: 03/09/2007
• Published: 03/13/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Seo, Sang Uk
• Application Number:
  US11/715,960
• Publication Number:
  US 20080065816A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/103
• 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 for updating a firmware of a mobile terminal over the air in a mobile communication system and a mobile terminal using the same are provided comprising an internal memory and a detachable external memory and downloading an update file of a firmware from a firmware server over the air, in which size information of the update file is received, a download storage for storing the update file is selected in accordance with the size information, the update file is downloaded and stored in the selected download storage, and the firmware is updated with the stored update file. Accordingly, an update file can be selectively stored in an internal memory and an external memory in accordance with available storage capability using a firmware over-the air (FOTA) function.

Claims

1. A firmware update method for a mobile terminal comprising an internal memory and a detachable external memory, the method comprising:

receiving size information of an update file;

selecting a download storage for storing the update file in accordance with the size information;

downloading and storing the update file in the selected download storage; and

updating the firmware with the stored update file.

2. The firmware update method of claim 1, wherein the selecting of the download storage comprises:

determining whether an available capacity of the internal memory is sufficient for storing the update file;

if an available capacity of the internal memory is not sufficient for storing the update file, determining whether the external memory is attached;

if an external memory is attached, determining whether an available capacity of the external memory is sufficient for storing the update file; and

if an available capacity of the external memory is sufficient for storing the update file, selecting the external memory as the download storage.

3. The firmware update method of claim 2, wherein the selecting of the download storage further comprises, if an available capacity of the external memory is not sufficient for storing the update file, transmitting an update failure message to the firmware server.

4. The firmware update method of claim 2, wherein the selecting of the download storage further comprises, if an available capacity of the external memory is not sufficient for storing the update file, outputting an announcement message comprising a notification of an update failure.

5. The firmware update method of claim 1, wherein the external memory comprises a memory card.

6. The firmware update method of claim 1, wherein the size information is received in a descriptor.

15. The firmware update method of claim 1, wherein the downloading of the update firmware comprises downloading from a firmware server over the air.

7. A firmware update method for a mobile terminal comprising an internal memory and a detachable external memory, the method comprising:

receiving size information of an update file from a firmware server;

selecting a download storage for storing the update file in accordance with the size information;

requesting the update file to the firmware server;

receiving the update file from the firmware server;

storing the update file in the selected download storage; and

updating the firmware with the stored update file.

8. The firmware update method of claim 7, wherein the receiving of the size information comprises requesting the size information from the firmware server.

9. The firmware update method of claim 7, wherein selecting a download storage comprises:

determining whether an available capacity of the internal memory is sufficient for storing the update file;

if an available capacity of the internal memory is not sufficient for storing the update file, determining whether the external memory is attached;

if an external memory is attached, determining whether an available capacity of the external memory is sufficient for storing the update file; and

if an available capacity of the external memory is sufficient for storing the update file, selecting the external memory as the download storage.

10. The firmware update method of claim 9, wherein the selecting of the download storage further comprises, if an available capacity of the external memory is not sufficient for storing the update file, transmitting an update failure message to the firmware server.

11. The firmware update method of claim 9, wherein the selecting of the download storage further comprises, if an available capacity of the external memory is not enough for storing the update file, outputting an announcement message comprising a notification of an update failure.

12. The firmware update method of claim 7, wherein the external memory comprises a memory card.

13. The firmware update method of claim 7, wherein the update file comprises a batch file for executing the update of the firmware.

14. The firmware update method of claim 7, wherein the size information is received in a descriptor.

16. The firmware update method of claim 7, wherein the downloading of the update firmware comprises downloading from a firmware server over the air.

17. A mobile terminal comprising:

a control unit for controlling operations of the mobile terminal comprising voice and data communications, wireless Internet access, and audio and data signal processes;

a display unit for presenting at least one of a menu screen image, a user input data image, and an application data image;

an input unit for inputting information by a user;

a first memory unit for storing execution instructions associated with keys provided on the keypad unit and information input by a user or received from outside;

a second memory unit for storing data;

wherein the control unit controls download update firmware files from a server using a Firmware over-the-air (FOTA) function and selectively stores the downloaded update files in at least one of the first memory unit and the second memory unit.

18. The mobile terminal of claim 17, wherein the control unit executes the downloaded update files to update the firmware, requests a specific function-related firmware to the firmware server and processes a firmware update request message transmitted from the firmware server.

19. The mobile terminal of claim 18, further comprising:

a radio communication unit processing an update file request message for requesting a firmware required for a specific function of the mobile terminal to the firmware server, and processing the update files received from the firmware server in response to the update file request message under the control of the control unit.

20. The mobile terminal of claim 17, wherein at least one of the first and second memory units comprises an external memory.