METHOD OF UPGRADING A PLATFORM IN A SUBSCRIBER GATEWAY DEVICE

• US 20090125958A1
• Filed: 11/22/2006
• Published: 05/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Siripunkaw, Pak, Weber, Emery J.
• Application Number:
  US12/094,455
• Publication Number:
  US 20090125958A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/111
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2801 Broadband local area networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/046 comprising network management agents or mobile agents therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/082 the condition being updates or upgrades of network functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0843 based on generic templates
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5014 using dynamic host configuration protocol [DHCP] or bootstrap protocol [BOOTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42676 for modulating an analogue carrier signal to encode digital information or demodulating it to decode digital information, e.g. ADSL or cable modem
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42684 Client identification by a unique number or address, e.g. serial number, MAC address, socket ID network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming H04L61/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4432 Powering on the client, e.g. bootstrap loading using setup parameters being stored locally or received from the server resetting in general G06F1/14; program loading or initiating in general G06F9/445; bootstrapping in general G06F9/4401; secure boots of computer platforms G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6118 involving cable transmission, e.g. using a cable modem
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17309 Transmission or handling of upstream communications

Abstract

A method of upgrading a platform in a subscriber gateway device involves remote management. The platform includes an operating system, a management agent, and a management information object. The management agent responds to remote management requests received by the subscriber gateway device. The management information object indicates a service interruption impact assessment of a subscriber gateway device as determined by a current status of the subscriber gateway device. According to the method, a request is sent to the management agent, and in response to the request, a value of the management information object is returned. Based upon the response, it is determined whether or not to initiate a platform upgrade for the subscriber gateway device.

Claims

1. A method of upgrading a platform in a subscriber gateway device for connecting to a provider network, wherein a cable modem termination system is connected to the provider network, the subscriber gateway device including an embedded cable modem connected to the cable modem termination system and an embedded set-top box connected to the cable modem, wherein upon connection of the cable modem to the cable modem termination system, the cable modem is provided with a network address, the platform including an operating system for allowing application software to execute on the subscriber gateway device, the platform further including a management agent and a management information object, the management agent responding to remote management requests received by the subscriber gateway device, the management information object indicating a service interruption impact assessment of the subscriber gateway device as determined by a current status of the subscriber gateway device, the method comprising:

sending a request to the management agent from a remote location;

in response to the request, returning a value of the management information object, wherein the management information object value indicates the service interruption impact assessment of the subscriber gateway device as determined by the current status of the subscriber gateway device; and

determining whether or not to initiate a platform upgrade for the subscriber gateway device based upon the response.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the service interruption impact assessment is selecting from a group comprising:

significant impact, and no impact.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

initiating the platform upgrade for the subscriber gateway device when the management information object value indicates a service interruption impact assessment of no impact.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

deferring the initiation of the platform upgrade for the subscriber gateway device when the management information object value indicates a service interruption impact assessment of significant impact.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the management information object value indicates a service interruption impact assessment of significant impact when the current status of the subscriber gateway device indicates that less than 2.5 hours have passed since a last infrared input to the subscriber gateway device.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the management information object value indicates a service interruption impact assessment of significant impact when the current status of the subscriber gateway device indicates that less than 2.5 hours have passed since a last tuner change for the subscriber gateway device.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the management information object value indicates a service interruption impact assessment of significant impact when the current status of the subscriber gateway device indicates that a video on demand session is in progress at the subscriber gateway device.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the management information object value indicates a service interruption impact assessment of significant impact when the current status of the subscriber gateway device indicates that a program is being recorded at the subscriber gateway device.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the management information object value indicates a service interruption impact assessment of significant impact when the current status of the subscriber gateway device indicates that a television connected to the subscriber gateway device is turned on.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the management information object value indicates a service interruption impact assessment of significant impact when the current status of the subscriber gateway device indicates that content is being passed out of the subscriber gateway device to a client device.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the management information object value indicates a service interruption impact assessment of significant impact when the current status of the subscriber gateway device indicates that a software download is currently in progress.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

initiating the platform upgrade for the subscriber gateway device, wherein the platform is implemented as a monolithic platform image.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

initiating the platform upgrade for the subscriber gateway device by sending a platform upgrade request to the management agent from a remote location to cause the subscriber gateway device to retrieve the platform upgrade from a network server.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

rebooting the subscriber gateway device to execute the upgraded platform.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the management information object value indicates a service interruption impact assessment of significant impact when the current status of the subscriber gateway device indicates that an application is executing on the subscriber gateway device.