UPDATING AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE WITH UPDATE AGENT CODE

• US 20110173598A1
• Filed: 02/27/2011
• Published: 07/14/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Cassapakis, Chris, Rao, Bindu Rama
• Granted Patent: US 8,578,361 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/654 using techniques specially adapted for alterable solid state memories, e.g. for EEPROM or flash memories

Abstract

A controller in a removable memory card operatively coupled to an electronic device is employed by the electronic device to create a newer/updated version of firmware/software in the non-volatile memory of the electronic device. Update agent code in the removable memory card may use an old/original version of firmware/software in the electronic device to create the newer/updated version of firmware/software. During the creation of the newer/updated version of firmware/software in the flash memory card, the electronic device may be operational. A separate update agent in the electronic device may subsequently update the old/original version of firmware/software in the non-volatile memory of the electronic device using contents of the removable memory card, after a reboot or power-up of the electronic device.

Claims

1-12. -12. (canceled)

13. A method of updating an electronic device comprising non-volatile memory containing at least one of:

firmware and software, using first update agent code resident in the non-volatile memory, the method comprising;

determining whether the first update agent code is a current version;

replacing the first update agent code with an updated version of the first update agent code from a removable memory card operatively coupled to the electronic device; and

updating at least one;

firmware and software in the electronic device using the updated version of the first update agent code, and first update information associated with the at least one of;

firmware and the software.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein replacing comprises:

creating, in the removable memory card, the updated version of first update agent code, using second update information associated with the first update agent code and a second update agent resident in the removable memory card.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein updating comprises:

detecting whether an update of the at least one of;

firmware and software is to be performed; and

processing the first update information to update the at least one of;

firmware and software.

16. The method according to claim 13, wherein the first update information is stored in the non-volatile memory of the electronic device to be used in place of an older version of update information available in the removable memory card.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the electronic device, instead of replacing the first update agent code with an updated version of the first update agent code from the removable memory card, updates the first update agent code using update information provided by the removable flash memory card, prior to other updating activity.

18. The method according to claim 13, further comprising:

deleting the updated version of the first update agent code from the removable memory card after updating the at least one of;

firmware and software.

19. The method according to claim 13 wherein replacing comprises:

verifying authenticity of the updated version of the first update agent code provided in the removable flash memory card;

copying the updated version of the first update agent code in the non-volatile memory to an appropriate location for the updated version of the first update agent code in the non-volatile memory; and

validating the success of copying of the updated version.

20. The method according to claim 13 wherein the electronic device comprises one of:

a mobile handset, a cellular telephone, a pager, and a personal digital assistant (PDA).

21. The method according to claim 13 wherein update information comprises a set of executable instructions for converting a first version of code to an updated version of code.

22. The method according to claim 13 wherein the removable memory card comprises one of:

a Multi-Media Card (MMC), a Compact Flash (CF) card, a Secure Digital (SD) card, a memory stick, an integrated circuit card, and a smart card.

23-28. -28. (canceled)

29. An electronic device comprising non-volatile memory containing at least one of:

firmware and software, the electronic device updating by;

determining whether first update agent code resident in the non-volatile memory is a current version;

replacing the first update agent code with an updated version of the first update agent code from a removable memory card operatively coupled to the electronic device; and

updating at least one;

firmware and software in the electronic device using the updated version of the first update agent code, and first update information associated with the at least one of;

firmware and the software.

30. The electronic device according to claim 29, wherein replacing comprises:

creating, in the removable memory card, the updated version of first update agent code, using second update information associated with the first update agent code and a second update agent resident in the removable memory card.

31. The electronic device according to claim 29, wherein updating comprises:

detecting whether an update of the at least one of;

firmware and software is to be performed; and

processing the first update information to update the at least one of;

firmware and software.

32. The electronic device according to claim 29, wherein the first update information is stored in the non-volatile memory of the electronic device to be used in place of an older version of update information available in the removable memory card.

33. The electronic device according to claim 32, wherein the electronic device, instead of replacing the first update agent code with an updated version of the first update agent code from the removable memory card, updates the first update agent code using update information provided by the removable flash memory card, prior to other updating activity.

34. The electronic device according to claim 29, further comprising:

deleting the updated version of the first update agent code from the removable memory card after updating the at least one of;

firmware and software.

35. The electronic device according to claim 29 wherein replacing comprises:

verifying authenticity of the updated version of the first update agent code provided in the removable flash memory card;

copying the updated version of the first update agent code in the non-volatile memory to an appropriate location for the updated version of the first update agent code in the non-volatile memory; and

validating the success of copying of the updated version.

36. The electronic device according to claim 29 wherein the electronic device comprises one of:

a mobile handset, a cellular telephone, a pager, and a personal digital assistant (PDA).

37. The electronic device according to claim 29 wherein update information comprises a set of executable instructions for converting a first version of code to an updated version of code.

38. The electronic device according to claim 29 wherein the removable memory card comprises one of:

a Multi-Media Card (MMC), a Compact Flash (CF) card, a Secure Digital (SD) card, a memory stick, an integrated circuit card, and a smart card.