Method for remotely and reliably updating of the software on a computer with provision for roll back

• US 6,141,683 A
• Filed: 01/30/1998
• Issued: 10/31/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Salvador, Laurel Ann, Leonard, Jane Mary, Kraml, Mark Heinrich, Rubin, Harvey
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung, Zarni
• Assistant Examiner(s): CALDWELL, ANDREW T
• Application Number:
  US09/016,574
• Time in Patent Office: 1,005 Days
• Field of Search: 709/217, 709/220, 709/250, 395/712
• US Class Current: 709/220
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/656 while running

Abstract

A technique for updating the software in a remote computer (e.g., a base station, a spacecraft in space, an electronic postage meter in an office, a medical monitoring device in a patient'"'"'s home, etc.) from a central control (e.g., a wireless switching center, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration'"'"'s Houston Control, a postage meter facility, a medical equipment manufacturer'"'"'s factory, etc.) is disclosed. An illustrative embodiment of the present invention comprises: checking the integrity of a first software application at a first location in a first memory that is pointed to by a first address in a pointer; copying the first software application from the first memory to the second memory and executing the first software application from the second memory, when the integrity of the first software application is nominal; transmitting a first message indicating that the integrity of the first software application is not nominal, when the integrity of the first software application is not nominal; and receiving a first command to store a second address in the pointer, in response to the first message.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

checking the integrity of a first software application at a first location in a first memory that is pointed to by a first address in a pointer;

copying, after said checking the integrity of said first software application, said first software application from said first memory to said second memory and executing said first software application from said second memory when the integrity of said first software application is nominal;

transmitting a first message indicating that the integrity of said first software application is not nominal, when the integrity of said first software application is not nominal; and

receiving a first command to store a second address in said pointer, in response to said first message.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising checking the integrity of a second software application at a second location in said first memory that is pointed to by said second address.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

executing said second software application, when the integrity of said second software application is nominal; and

transmitting a second message indicating that the integrity of said second software application is not nominal, when the integrity of said second software application is not nominal.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

receiving a copy of said first software application, in response to said second message; and

storing said copy of said first software application at a third location in said first memory.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said first location equals said third location.

6. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

receiving a second command to store a third address in said pointer;

checking the integrity of said copy of said first software application in said first memory, which is pointed to by said third address in said pointer;

copying copy of said first software application from said first memory to said second memory arid executing said copy of said first software application from said second memory, when the integrity of said first software application is nominal; and

transmitting a third message indicating that the integrity of said copy of said first software application is not nominal, when the integrity of said copy of said first software application is not nominal.

7. An apparatus comprising:

a processor for checking the integrity of a first software application at a first location in a first memory that is pointed to by a first address in a pointer, and for copying, after said checking the integrity of said first software application, said first software application from said first memory to a second memory and executing said first software application from said second memory when the integrity of said first software application is nominal;

a transmitter for transmitting a first message indicating that the integrity of said first software application is not nominal, when the integrity of said first software application is not nominal; and

a receiver for receiving a first command to store a second address in said pointer, in response to said first message.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said processor checks the integrity of a second software application in said first memory that is pointed to by a second address in said pointer.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said processor executes said second software application, when the integrity of said second software application is nominal;

and said transmitter transmits a second message indicating that the integrity of said second software application is not nominal, when the integrity of said second software application is not nominal.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said receiver receives a copy of said first software application, in response to said second message;

and said processor stores said copy of said first software application at a third location in said first memory.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said first location equals said third location.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein:

said processor receives a second command to store said third address in said pointer, and checks the integrity of said copy of said first software application in said first memory that is pointed to by said third address in said pointer, and executes said copy of said first software application, when the integrity of said copy of said first software application is nominal; and

said transmitter transmits a third message indicating that the integrity of said copy of said first software application is not nominal, when the integrity of said copy of said first software application is not nominal.

13. A method comprising:

transmitting a first software application to a remote computer for storage in a first location in a first memory that is pointed to by a first address;

transmitting a first command to said remote computer directing said remote computer to store said first address in a pointer;

receiving a first message from said remote computer indicating that the integrity of said first software application in said first memory is not nominal; and

transmitting a second command to said remote computer directing said remote computer to store a second address, which points to a second software application in a second location in said first memory, in said pointer, in response to said first message.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

receiving a second message from said remote computer indicating that the integrity of said second software application in said first memory is not nominal;

transmitting a copy of said first software application to said remote computer for storage in a third location in said first memory that is pointed to by a third address; and

transmitting a third command to said remote computer directing said remote computer to store said third address in said pointer.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein said first location equals said third location.

16. A wireless switching center comprising:

means for transmitting a first software application to a remote computer for storage in a first location in a first memory that is pointed to by a first address;

means for transmitting a first command to said remote computer directing said remote computer to store said first address in a pointer;

means for receiving a first message from said remote computer indicating that the integrity of said first software application in said first memory is not nominal; and

means for transmitting a second command to said remote computer directing said remote computer to store a second address, which points to a second software application in a second location in said first memory, in said pointer, in response to said first message.

17. The wireless switching center of claim 16 further comprising:

means for receiving a second message from said remote computer indicating that the integrity of said second software application in said first memory is not nominal;

means for transmitting a copy of said first software application to said remote computer for storage in a third location in said first memory that is pointed to by a third address; and

means for transmitting a third command to said remote computer directing said remote computer to store said third address in said pointer.

18. The wireless switching center of claim 17 wherein said first location equals said third location.