SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR EFFICIENTLY UPDATING FIRMWARE FOR NODES IN A MESH NETWORK

• US 20140089912A1
• Filed: 09/21/2012
• Published: 03/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Itron Networked Solutions, Inc. (Itron, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Silver Spring Networks, Inc. (Itron, Inc.)
• Inventors: WANG, Jennifer, MCCLURE, Evan
• Granted Patent: US 9,081,643 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57

Abstract

A technique for providing an improved way to update the nodes of a wireless mesh network is described. An upgrade engine executing on a server connected to the wireless mesh network determines a topology of the network, subdivides the network into a plurality of clusters based on the topology of the network, and seeds a small number of nodes within each cluster. The upgrade engine manages the upgrade process, notifying particular nodes within each cluster when to search for an upgrade package (e.g., an image of a new firmware) stored in an adjacent node. The upgrade engine also monitors success and failure of each node and delivers the upgrade package to a node directly when the node fails to download the upgrade package from an adjacent node within the network.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for upgrading nodes within a network, the method comprising:

discovering a plurality of nodes connected to the network;

dividing the plurality of nodes into one or more clusters of nodes based on a topology of the network, wherein each node within a particular cluster of nodes is able to communicate with each of the other nodes within the particular cluster of nodes; and

for each cluster of nodes;

selecting a subset of seed nodes within the cluster of nodes,

transmitting a software update to each seed node in the subset of seed nodes, and

for each seed node in the subset of seed nodes, notifying a set of adjacent nodes associated with the seed node to begin polling nodes in the network to locate a copy of the software update.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising, for each seed node in the subset of seed nodes within the cluster of nodes:

determining that a first node in the set of adjacent nodes associated with the seed node has successfully received the software update from at least one seed node; and

notifying one or more additional adjacent nodes associated with the first node to begin polling nodes in the network to locate a copy of the software update.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising, for each seed node in the subset of seed nodes within the cluster of nodes:

determining that a first node in the set of adjacent nodes associated with the seed node has failed to locate a copy of the software update; and

transmitting the software update to the first node directly from a server.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the software update comprises an image of a new version of firmware.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein dividing the plurality of nodes into one or more clusters of nodes comprises:

generating a graph data structure that represents the topology of the network;

analyzing the graph data structure; and

dividing the plurality of nodes into the one or more clusters of nodes based on the analysis of the graph data structure.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the graph data structure is generated and analyzed via a Java Universal Network/Graph (JUNG) framework.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the network comprises a wireless mesh network.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the network comprises a general packet radio service (GPRS) network.

9. A computer-readable medium including instructions that, when executed by a processing unit, cause the processing unit to upgrade nodes within a network, by performing the steps of:

discovering a plurality of nodes connected to the network;

dividing the plurality of nodes into one or more clusters of nodes based on a topology of the network, wherein each node within a particular cluster of nodes is able to communicate with each of the other nodes within the particular cluster of nodes; and

for each cluster of nodes;

selecting a subset of seed nodes within the cluster of nodes,

transmitting a software update to each seed node in the subset of seed nodes, and

for each seed node in the subset of seed nodes, notifying a set of adjacent nodes associated with the seed node to begin polling nodes in the network to locate a copy of the software update.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, the steps further comprising, for each seed node in the subset of seed nodes within the cluster of nodes:

determining that a first node in the set of adjacent nodes associated with the seed node has successfully received the software update from at least one seed node; and

notifying one or more additional adjacent nodes associated with the first node to begin polling nodes in the network to locate a copy of the software update.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, the steps further comprising, for each seed node in the subset of seed nodes within the cluster of nodes:

determining that a first node in the set of adjacent nodes associated with the seed node has failed to locate a copy of the software update; and

transmitting the software update to the first node.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the software update comprises an image of a new version of firmware.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein dividing the plurality of nodes into one or more clusters of nodes comprises:

generating a graph data structure that represents a topology of the network;

analyzing the graph data structure; and

dividing the plurality of nodes into the one or more clusters of nodes based on the analysis of the graph data structure.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the graph data structure is generated and analyzed via a Java Universal Network/Graph (JUNG) framework.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the network comprises a wireless mesh network.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the network comprises a general packet radio service (GPRS) network.

17. A computing device comprising:

a processing unit configured to upgrade nodes within a network, by performing the steps of;

discovering a plurality of nodes connected to the network;

dividing the plurality of nodes into one or more clusters of nodes based on a topology of the network, wherein each node within a particular cluster of nodes is able to communicate with each of the other nodes within the particular cluster of nodes; and

for each cluster of nodes;

selecting a subset of seed nodes within the cluster of nodes,

transmitting a software update to each seed node in the subset of seed nodes, and

for each seed node in the subset of seed nodes, notifying a set of adjacent nodes associated with the seed node to begin polling nodes in the network to locate a copy of the software update.

18. The computing device of claim 17, wherein the processing unit is further configured to perform the steps of, for each seed node in the subset of seed nodes within the cluster of nodes:

determining that a first node in the set of adjacent nodes associated with the seed node has successfully received the software update from at least one seed node; and

notifying one or more additional adjacent nodes associated with the first node to begin polling nodes in the network to locate a copy of the software update.

19. The computing device of claim 17, wherein the processing unit is further configured to perform the steps of, for each seed node in the subset of seed nodes within the cluster of nodes:

determining that a first node in the set of adjacent nodes associated with the seed node has failed to locate a copy of the software update; and

transmitting the software update to the first node from the computing device.

20. The computing device of claim 17, wherein the network comprises a general packet radio service (GPRS) network.