Software update via peer-to-peer networks

• US 20080130639A1
• Filed: 03/29/2007
• Published: 06/05/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Saarimaki, Anssi, Espigares, Inmaculada, Costa-Requena, Jose, Koistinen, Kirmo, Luiro, Vesa, Helander, Mika, Pulkkinen, Markku
• Application Number:
  US11/729,750
• Publication Number:
  US 20080130639A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/389
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/104 Peer-to-peer [P2P] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1068 Discovery involving direct consultation or announcement among potential requesting and potential source peers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/245 from a network towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

Providing a software update service involves discovering, via an ad-hoc peer-to-peer network, a peer-to-peer software update service using a service discovery protocol of the ad-hoc peer-to-peer network. The peer-to-peer software update service is offered by a peer device and facilitates updates of programs via the ad-hoc, peer-to-peer network. In response to discovering the peer-to-peer software update service, an update is selected that is applicable to a program of a first device of the ad-hoc peer-to-peer network. The update is sent to the first device and the program of the first device is modified using the update.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

discovering, via an ad-hoc peer-to-peer network, a peer-to-peer software update service using a service discovery protocol of the ad-hoc peer-to-peer network, wherein the peer-to-peer software update service is offered by a peer device and facilitates updates of programs via the ad-hoc, peer-to-peer network;

selecting, in response to discovering the peer-to-peer software update service, an update that is applicable to a program of a first device of the ad-hoc peer-to-peer network;

sending the update to the first device; and

modifying the program of the first device using the update.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending, to the peer device, at least one query for a description of the peer-to-peer software update service in response to discovering the peer-to-peer software update service;

receiving a description of the peer-to-peer update service in response the query; and

wherein the update is selected based on the description.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the discovery of the peer-to-peer software update service and the selection of the update is performed by a second device of the ad-hoc, peer-to-peer network, and wherein the second device initiates sending of the update to the first device and modifying of the program of the first device using the update.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying the program on the first device comprises adding a capability to the program.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the adding the capability comprises adding the capability for the program to access a service of the ad-hoc, peer-to-peer network.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the selection of the update is initiated by the first device in response to the first device detecting the service being advertised on the ad-hoc peer-to-peer network.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying the program on the first device comprises reconfiguring the program.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying the program comprises modifying the program to receive a handover of a data session currently being conducted by a second device on the ad-hoc peer-to-peer network.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein modifying the program comprises providing parameters of the data session to the program of the first device.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein modifying the program on the first device comprises adding a capability to the program that enables the program to engage in the data session.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising updating a presence of the user by one of the first and second devices based on the handover of the data session.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the ad-hoc, peer-to-peer network comprises a Universal Plug and Play network.

13. A method, comprising:

advertising, via a peer device coupled to an ad-hoc, peer to peer network, a peer-to-peer software update service using a service discovery protocol of the ad-hoc peer-to-peer network, wherein the peer-to-peer software update service facilitates updating of programs to other entities of the ad-hoc peer-to-peer network;

receiving, at the peer device, at least one query for a description of the peer-to-peer software update service;

facilitating, in response to the at least one query, transmission of an update to a target device via the peer-to-peer software update service, wherein the update is used to modify a program on the target device.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

monitoring an external network update service that is independent of the ad-hoc peer to peer network; and

configuring the peer device to provide updates of the external network update service via the peer-to-peer software update service.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising forwarding discovery from the peer-to-peer to software update service to an external repository service outside the ad-hoc, peer to peer network.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the ad-hoc, peer-to-peer network comprises a Universal Plug and Play network.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the at least one query includes a description of a computer platform of the target device used for filtering a result returned in response to the query.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the at least one query includes a software category used for filtering a result returned in response to the query.

19. An apparatus, comprising:

a network interface capable of communicating via an ad-hoc peer-to-peer network;

a processor coupled to the network interface; and

a memory storage device coupled to the processor, the memory storage device including instructions that cause the processor to,

discover a peer-to-peer software update service using a service discovery protocol of the ad-hoc peer-to-peer network, wherein the peer-to-peer software update service is offered by a peer device and facilitates updating programs via the ad-hoc peer-to-peer network;

select an update that is compatible with a target program in response to the discovery of the peer-to-peer software update service;

facilitate sending the update to a device of the ad-hoc peer-to-peer network that executes the target program; and

facilitate modifying the target program using the update.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the peer-to-peer software update service is advertised as a Universal Plug and Play device.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the apparatus comprises the device that executes the target program.

22. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

advertise, via the service discovery protocol, a locally provided peer-to-peer software update service that facilitates updating programs via the ad-hoc, peer-to-peer network; and

facilitate transferring a second update to a target device via the locally provided peer-to-peer software update service, wherein the second update is used to modify a program of the target device.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to,

monitor an external network update service that is independent of the ad-hoc peer-to-peer network;

and

offer updates of the external network update service via the locally provided peer-to-peer software update service.

24. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the target program is capable of engaging in user-interactive data sessions, and wherein modifying the target program comprises modifying the program to receive a handover of a data session currently being conducted by a second device on the ad-hoc peer-to-peer network.

25. A computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon which are executable by an apparatus capable of being coupled to an ad-hoc peer-to-peer network for performing steps comprising:

discovering a peer-to-peer software update service using a service discovery protocol of the ad-hoc peer-to-peer network, wherein the peer-to-peer software update service is offered by a peer device and facilitates updates of programs via the ad-hoc, peer-to-peer network;

selecting, in response to discovering the peer-to-peer software update service, an update that is applicable to a target program;

facilitate sending the update to a device of the ad-hoc peer-to-peer network that executes the target program; and

facilitate modifying the target program using the update.

26. The computer readable medium of claim 25, wherein the steps further comprise:

offering a locally provided peer-to-peer software update service that facilitates updating of programs via the ad-hoc, peer to peer network;

advertising the locally provided, peer-to-peer software update service using a service discovery protocol of the ad-hoc peer-to-peer network;

facilitating transmission of a second update to a target device via the peer-to-peer software update service in response to advertising the locally provided, peer-to-peer software update service.

27. A system comprising:

means for advertising a peer-to-peer software update service via a service discovery protocol of an ad-hoc peer-to-peer network, wherein the generic peer-to-peer software update service facilitates peers of the network to update programs of the peers;

means for discovering the peer-to-peer software update service via the ad-hoc peer to peer network;

means for facilitating transmission of an update to a peer device via the peer-to-peer software update service; and

means for modifying a program of the peer device using the update.

28. The system of claim 27, further comprising:

means for monitoring an external network update service that is independent of the ad-hoc peer-to-peer network; and

means for offering updates of the external network update service via the peer-to-peer software update service.

29. The system of claim 27, further comprising means for modifying the program of the peer device using the update to receive a handover of a data session currently being conducted by another device on the ad-hoc peer-to-peer network.

30. The system of claim 29, further comprising means for updating a presence of a user of the peer device based on the handover of the data session.

31. The system of claim 27, further comprising means for forwarding discovery from the peer-to-peer to software update service to an external repository service outside the ad-hoc, peer to peer network.