SYSTEM AND METHODS FOR REMOTE MAINTENANCE IN AN ELECTRONIC NETWORK WITH MULTIPLE CLIENTS

• US 20110239209A1
• Filed: 09/10/2010
• Published: 09/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Suzuki, Masato, Kotani, Seigo
• Application Number:
  US12/879,189
• Publication Number:
  US 20110239209A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/171
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2009/4557 Distribution of virtual machine instances; Migration and load balancing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/57 Certifying or maintaining trusted computer platforms, e.g. secure boots or power-downs, version controls, system software checks, secure updates or assessing vulnerabilities
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/64 Protecting data integrity, e.g. using checksums, certificates or signatures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2151 Time stamp
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45533 Hypervisors; Virtual machine monitors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45558 Hypervisor-specific management and integration aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/60 Digital content management, e.g. content distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/805 Lightweight hardware, e.g. radio-frequency identification [RFID] or sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/068 using time-dependent keys, e.g. periodically changing keys cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for controlling usage of secret information H04L9/088
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/123 received data contents, e.g. message integrity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• 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 9/0897 involving additional devices, e.g. trusted platform module [TPM], smartcard or USB
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3231 Biological data, e.g. fingerprint, voice or retina network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using biometrical features in a packet data network H04L63/0861
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3234 involving additional secure or trusted devices, e.g. TPM, smartcard, USB or software token network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using an additional device in a packet data network H04L63/0853
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3297 : involving time stamps, e.g. generation of time stamps
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/10 : Integrity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/61 : Time-dependent

Abstract

A system for performing remote maintenance an electronic network serving a plurality of clients may comprise a central server, a first client system hosting first virtual machine, and a receiver associated with the first client system. The central server may broadcast a list of updated software modules available for delivery to the plurality of client systems. The first client system may including a plurality of nodes, each one of the plurality of processing resources having a respective set of processing instructions stored on an respective associated computer readable memory. The receiver may be operable to receive the list broadcast by the central server. The first virtual machine may be operable to determine whether to request any of the updated software modules on the received list based at least in part on the identity of the plurality of nodes of the first client system. The receiver may be operable to receive any updated software module requested by the first virtual machine. The first virtual machine may be operable to install any updated software module delivered to the client system.

Claims

1. A system for performing remote maintenance an electronic network serving a plurality of clients, the system comprising:

a central server broadcasting a list of updated software modules available for delivery to the plurality of client systems;

a first client system including a plurality of processing resources, each one of the plurality of processing resources having a respective set of processing instructions stored on an respective associated computer readable memory; and

a receiver associated with the first client system, the receiver operable to receive the list broadcast by the central server;

a first virtual machine hosted by the first client system operable to determine whether to request any of the updated software modules on the received list based at least in part on the identity of the plurality of processing resources of the first client system;

the receiver operable to receive any updated software module requested by the first virtual machine; and

the first virtual machine operable to install any updated software module delivered to the client system.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the client system includes a FlexRay system associated with an automobile.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein the list of updated software modules available for delivery to the client system includes a respective uniform resource locator for each available updated software module.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein the central server includes a data center.

5. A system according to claim 1, wherein the client system includes a FlexRay system associated with an automobile and the first virtual machine determines whether to request any of the updated software modules on the received list based at least in part on the make, model, and year of the automobile.

6. A system according to claim 1, further comprising the first virtual machine operable to connect to the electronic network over the air to request an updated software module from the list of updated software modules available for delivery to the client.

7. A system for performing remote maintenance in an electronic network configured to serve a plurality of clients, the system comprising:

a client system including a plurality of processing resources operating a first virtual machine;

each one of the plurality of processing resources having a respective set of processing instructions stored on an respective associated computer readable memory;

a set of servers associated with the electronic network, the set of servers operable to deliver an updated software module to the client system upon request;

a broadcast module sending a wireless signal identifying a list of updated software modules available for delivery to the client from the set of servers; and

a receiver associated with the client system receiving the list of updated software modules and transmitting the list to the first virtual machine;

the first virtual machine operable to determine whether to request any of the updated software modules on the received list based at least in part on the identity of the plurality of processing resources of the client system;

the first virtual machine operable to request an updated software module from one of the set of servers;

the receiver operable to receive any updated software module requested by the first virtual machine from the one of the set of servers; and

the first virtual machine operable to install any updated software module delivered to the client system.

8. A system according to claim 7, wherein the list of updated software modules available for delivery to the client from the set of servers includes a respective uniform resource locator for each of the set of servers.

9. A system according to claim 7, wherein the client system includes a FlexRay system associated with an automobile.

10. A system according to claim 7, wherein the list of updated software modules available for delivery to the client system includes a respective uniform resource locator for each available updated software module.

11. A system according to claim 7, wherein the central server includes a data center.

12. A system according to claim 7, wherein the client system includes a FlexRay system associated with an automobile and the first virtual machine determines whether to request any of the updated software modules on the received list based at least in part on the make, model, and year of the automobile.

13. A system according to claim 7, further comprising the first virtual machine operable to connect to the electronic network over the air to request an updated software module from the list of updated software modules available for delivery to the client.

14. A method for performing remote maintenance on a client system served by an electronic network serving a plurality of clients, the method comprising:

receiving a list of updated software modules available for delivery to the plurality of client systems;

determining whether to request any of the updated software modules on the list based at least in part on the identity of a plurality of processing resources associated with the client system;

requesting an updated software module;

receiving the requested updated software module; and

installing the received updated software module on the client system.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein the client system includes a FlexRay system associated with an automobile.

16. A method according to claim 14, further comprising the updated software modules available for delivery to the plurality of client systems hosted on a plurality of servers.

17. A method according to claim 14, further comprising the updated software modules available for delivery to the plurality of client systems hosted on a plurality of servers and wherein the list of updated software modules available for delivery includes a respective uniform resource locator for each of the updated software modules available for delivery.

18. A method according to claim 14, wherein the list of updated software modules available for delivery to the plurality of client systems is broadcast by a central server including a data center.

19. A method according to claim 14, wherein the client system includes a FlexRay system associated with an automobile and a virtual machine determines whether to request any of the updated software modules on the received list based at least in part on the make, model, and year of the automobile.

20. A method according to claim 14, further comprising connecting to the electronic network over the air to request an updated software module from the list of updated software modules available for delivery to the client system.