METHOD AND DEVICE FOR INSTALLING/UNINSTALLING SOFTWARE MODULES, WITH CENTRALIZED RESOLUTION OF CONSTRAINTS, IN AIRCRAFT APPARATUSES

• US 20120240108A1
• Filed: 03/12/2012
• Published: 09/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus Operations (European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company EADS NV)
• Original Assignee: Airbus Operations (European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company EADS NV)
• Inventors: BARALDI, THIERRY, BARSSE, WILLIAM
• Granted Patent: US 8,910,145 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/176
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/62 Uninstallation

Abstract

The invention in particular has as an object the installation and/or deinstallation of at least one software module, with centralized resolution of constraints, in aircraft equipment items. After having received a list of software module references, the said list comprising at least one reference to the said at least one software module, and at least one command, linked to the said at least one reference, for installation of deinstallation of the said at least one software module, the constraints are accessed. This access is independent of the access to the said at least one module. A sequence of basic operations resolving the said constraints then is evaluated for applying the said at least one command to the said at least one reference.

Claims

1. Computer method for the installation or deinstallation of at least one software module in at least one equipment item of an on-board system, according to at least one dependency constraint applying to the said at least one software module, this method being characterized in that it comprises,

reception (400) of a list of software module references, the said list comprising at least one reference to the said at least one software module;

reception (405) of at least one command, linked to the said at least one reference, for installation or deinstallation of the said at least one software module;

access (410) to the said at least one constraint, the access to the said at least one constraint being independent of access to the said at least one module; and

evaluation (420) of a sequence of basic operations resolving the said at least one constraint for applying the said at least one command to the said at least one reference.

2. Method according to claim 1, further comprising, following execution of the said step of evaluation of the said list of basic operations, a step of obtaining (425) the said at least one software module.

3. Method according to claim 2, further comprising a step of authentication (430) of the said at least one software module, the said at least one software module being coded in a structure enabling authentication thereof.

4. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a step of authentication (415) of the said at least one constraint, the said at least one constraint being coded in a structure enabling authentication thereof, the said coding structures of the said at least one software module and of the said at least one constraint being separate and independent.

5. Computer program comprising instructions adapted for the implementation of each of the steps of the method according to any one of the preceding claims when the said program is run on a computer.

6. Device for installation or deinstallation of at least one software module in at least one equipment item of an on-board system, according to at least one dependency constraint applying to the said at least one software module, this device being characterized in that it comprises the following means,

means for reception (225, 300) of a list of software module references, the said list comprising at least one reference to the said at least one software module, and of at least one command linked to the said at least one reference, for installation or deinstallation of the said at least one software module;

means for access (240, 315) to the said at least one constraint; and

means for evaluation (240, 315) of a list of basic operations resolving the said at least one constraint for applying the said at least one command to the said at least one reference.

7. Device according to claim 6, further comprising means for obtaining (235, 320) the said at least one software module and for transmitting the said at least one software module to the said at least one equipment item.

8. On-board system comprising the device according to claim 6 or claim 7, the said on-board system comprising at least two equipment items connected to one another via a communication network, the said device belonging to one of the said at least two equipment items in order to enable the installation or deinstallation of the said at least one software module in the other of the said at least two equipment items.

9. On-board system comprising the device according to claim 6 or claim 7, the said on-board system comprising at least two equipment items connected to one another via a communication network, the said reception means belonging to one of the said at least two equipment items and the said means for access and evaluation belonging to the other of the said at least two equipment items in order to enable the installation or deinstallation of the said at least one software module in the said other of the said at least two equipment items.

10. Aircraft comprising the on-board system according to claim 8 or claim 9.