Optimization utility for developing embedded systems

• US 20080128715A1
• Filed: 11/30/2006
• Published: 06/05/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Inventors: Conoboy, Brendan, Williams, Clark
• Granted Patent: US 9,244,672 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 257/88
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/60 Software deployment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/64 Retargetable

Abstract

A method and apparatus for optimizing the development of an embedded system for a target device. The method may include selecting a set of packages corresponding to the class of an embedded system from various packages available for installation, and integrating the set of packages into a root file system. The method may further include receiving user input identifying at least one application to be used with the embedded system, integrating packages associated with the identified application into the root file system, and loading an image of the root file system to the target device.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving user input identifying a class of an embedded system to be developed for a target device;

selecting, from a plurality of packages available for installation, a set of packages corresponding to the class of the embedded system;

integrating the set of packages into a root file system;

receiving user input identifying at least one application to be used with the embedded system;

integrating one or more packages associated with the identified application into the root file system, wherein an image of the root file system is to be loaded to the target device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the class of the embedded system comprises one of a set-top box, a network appliance, a handheld device, or a mobile phone.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein integrating the packages associated with the identified application comprises:

determining parameters of the root file system; and

defining a structure of the root file system.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein integrating the packages associated with the identified application further comprises:

finding a location within the root file system for the packages associated the identified application.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein integrating the packages associated with the identified application further comprises:

presenting the structure of the root file system to a user; and

requesting the user to locate the packages associated the identified application within the root file system.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving user input identifying parameters for starting the application; and

generating a script for starting the application based on the parameters.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

loading the script to the target device; and

testing an operation of the embedded system.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

removing package components that are not required for an operation of the embedded system from the root file system; and

creating the image of the root file system after removing the package components.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the package components that are not required comprise one or more of unneeded manual pages, unneeded locales, or unneeded device drivers.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein removing the package components that are not required comprises:

identifying shared libraries that are not referenced by executable files within the root file system.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein removing the package components that are not required comprises:

maintaining a knowledge database identifying data that is required for the operation of the embedded system;

consulting the knowledge database prior to removing package components from the root file system.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

updating the knowledge database upon determining that removal of a package component from the root file system has caused abnormal operation of the embedded system.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the selecting, the integrating and the loading are performed without user interaction.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein an operating system of the embedded system is Linux, and the plurality of packages are in an RPM or an IPKG format.

15. A machine-accessible medium including data that, when accessed by a machine, cause the machine to perform a method comprising:

receiving user input identifying a class of an embedded system to be developed for a target device;

selecting, from a plurality of packages available for installation, a set of packages corresponding to the class of the embedded system;

integrating the set of packages into a root file system;

receiving user input identifying at least one application to be used with the embedded system;

integrating one or more packages associated with the identified application into the root file system, wherein an image of the root file system is to be loaded to the target device.

16. The machine-accessible medium of claim 15 wherein integrating the packages associated with the identified application comprises:

determining parameters of the root file system;

defining a structure of the root file system; and

finding a location within the root file system for the packages associated the identified application.

17. The machine-accessible medium of claim 15 wherein the method further comprises:

receiving user input identifying parameters for starting the application;

generating a script for starting the application based on the parameters;

loading the script to the target device; and

testing an operation of the embedded system.

18. The machine-accessible medium of claim 15 wherein the method further comprises:

removing package components that are not required for an operation of the embedded system from the root file system; and

creating the image of the root file system after removing the package components.

19. An apparatus comprising:

a user interface to facilitate user input identifying a class of an embedded system to be developed for a target device;

a package selector to select, from a plurality of packages available for installation, a set of packages corresponding to the class of the embedded system; and

a system builder to integrate the set of packages into a root file system, to identify at least one application to be used with the embedded system, and to integrate one or more packages associated with the identified application into the root file system.

21. The apparatus of claim 19 further comprising:

a script creator to receive user input identifying parameters for starting the application, and to generate a script for starting the application based on the parameters, wherein the loader is to load the script to the target device to test an operation of the embedded system.

22. The apparatus of claim 19 further comprising:

a package component remover to remove package components that are not required for an operation of the embedded system from the root file system.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 further comprising a knowledge database to store data on packages that correspond to different classes of embedded systems, and data identifying package components that always have to be present in the root file system.

20. The apparatus of claim 20 further comprising a loader to load an image of the root file system to the target device.