Method for providing remote software technical support

• US 6,205,579 B1
• Filed: 10/27/1997
• Issued: 03/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Altera Corporation (Intel Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Altera Corporation (Intel Corporation)
• Inventors: Southgate, Timothy J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lintz, Paul R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Khatri, Anil
• Application Number:
  US08/958,414
• Time in Patent Office: 1,240 Days
• Field of Search: 395/701, 395/702, 395/704, 395/712, 395/709, 380/25, 711/4, 709/229, 717/1, 717/11, 707/203, 707/205
• US Class Current: 717/173
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3177 Testing of logic operation, e.g. by logic analysers
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/318516 Test of programmable logic devices [PLDs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0748 in a remote unit communicating with a single-box computer node experiencing an error/fault remote testing G06F11/2294
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2294 by remote test
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2111/02 CAD in a network environment, e.g. collaborative CAD or distributed simulation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/30 Circuit design
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/33 Design verification, e.g. functional simulation or model checking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/3308 using simulation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/331 with hardware acceleration, e.g. by using field programmable gate array [FPGA] or emulation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/34 for reconfigurable circuits, e.g. field programmable gate arrays [FPGA] or programmable logic devices [PLD]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/347 Physical level, e.g. placement or routing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/60 Software deployment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/71 Version control security arrangements therefor G06F21/57; Configuration management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99954 Version management

Abstract

A method for upgrading software is described. According to the invention, in response to operation of the software on a first platform, a connection is established between the first platform and a remote platform. Where first version data associated with the software are different from second version data from the remote platform, a portion of the software is overwritten with first updated code from the remote platform.

Claims

1. A method for upgrading first software comprising:

in response to operation of the first software on a first platform, establishing a connection between the first platform and a remote platform;

where first version data associated with the first software are different from second version data from the remote platform, overwriting a first portion of the first software with first updated code from the remote platform; and

where known error data from the remote platform correspond to the first software, overwriting a second portion of the first software with second updated code.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first software comprises a plurality of software modules, and wherein the overwriting occurs for each of the plurality of software modules for which the first and second version data are different.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising downloading the known error data from the remote platform to the first platform.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein establishing the connection comprises establishing an Internet connection.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising determining whether access to the Internet is available.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising obtaining authorization from a user of the first software to establish the connection.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising, where authorization is not obtained, providing software support information to the user of the first software.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising shutting down operation of the first software before overwriting the first portion of the first software.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising, after overwriting the first portion of the first software, running a software diagnostic routine on the first software.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising downloading the first version data from the remote platform to the first platform.

11. At least one computer readable medium containing program instructions for upgrading first software, said at least one computer readable medium comprising:

computer readable code for, in response to operation of the first software on a first platform, establishing a connection between the first platform and a remote platform;

computer readable code for, where first version data associated with the first software are different from second version data from the remote platform, overwriting a first portion of the first software with first updated code from the remote platform; and

computer readable code for, where known error data from the remote platform correspond to the first software, overwriting a second portion of the first software with second updated code.

12. A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave and representing sequences of instructions which, when executed by at least one processor, cause said at least one processor to upgrade first software by:

in response to operation of the first software on a first platform, establishing a connection between the first platform and a remote platform;

where first version data associated with the first software are different from second version data from the remote platform, overwriting a first portion of the first software with first updated code from the remote platform; and

where known error data from the remote platform correspond to the first software, overwriting a second portion of the first software with second updated code.

13. A computer readable medium containing program instructions corresponding to first software, the first software having been upgraded according to a method comprising:

in response to operation of the first software on a first platform, establishing a connection between the first platform and a remote platform;

where first version data associated with the first software are different from second version data from the remote platform, overwriting a first portion of the first software with first updated code from the remote platform; and

where known error data from the remote platform correspond to the first software, overwriting a second portion of the first software with second updated code.

14. A method for troubleshooting first software comprising:

in response to an error in operation of the first software on a first platform, establishing a connection between the first platform and a remote platform;

where the error corresponds to known error data from the remote platform, overwriting a portion of the first software with updated code;

where the error does not correspond to the known error data, uploading data files associated with the first software from the first platform to the remote platform via the connection; and

reproducing the error on the remote platform using the data files.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising downloading the known error data from the remote platform to the first platform.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein establishing the connection comprises establishing an Internet connection.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising determining whether access to the Internet is available.

18. The method of claim 14 further comprising obtaining authorization from a user of the first software to establish the connection.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising, where authorization is not obtained, providing software support information to the user of the first software.

20. The method of claim 14 further comprising shutting down operation of the first software before overwriting the first portion of the first software.

21. The method of claim 14 further comprising, after overwriting the first portion of the first software, running a software diagnostic routine on the first software.

22. The method of claim 14 further comprising obtaining authorization from a user of the first software for uploading the data files.

23. The method of claim 22 further comprising, where authorization is not obtained, providing software support information to the user of the first software.

24. The method of claim 14 further comprising, before uploading the data files, compiling information from the first platform regarding the data files.

25. A method for troubleshooting first software comprising:

in response to an error in operation of the first software on a first platform, establishing a connection between the first platform and a remote platform;

where the error corresponds to known error data from the remote platform, overwriting a portion of the first software with updated code; and

where the error does not correspond to the known error data, operating the first software on the first platform from the remote platform via the connection, thereby reproducing the error on the first platform.

26. The method of claim 25 further comprising obtaining authorization from a user of the first software for operating the first software from the remote platform.

27. The method of claim 26 further comprising, where authorization is not obtained, providing software support information to the user of the first software.

28. At least one computer readable medium containing program instructions for troubleshooting first software, said at least one computer readable medium comprising:

computer readable code for, in response to an error in operation of the first software on a first platform, establishing a connection between the first platform and a remote platform;

computer readable code for, where the error corresponds to known error data from the remote platform, overwriting a portion of the first software with updated code; and

computer readable code for, where the error does not correspond to the known error data, operating the first software on the first platform from the remote platform via the connection, thereby reproducing the error on the first platform.

29. A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave and representing sequences of instructions which, when executed by at least one processor, cause said at least one processor to troubleshoot first software by:

in response to an error in operation of the first software on a first platform, establishing a connection between the first platform and a remote platform;

where the error corresponds to known error data from the remote platform, overwriting a portion of the first software with updated code; and

where the error does not correspond to the known error data, operating the first software on the first platform from the remote platform via the connection, thereby reproducing the error on the first platform.

30. A computer readable medium containing program instructions corresponding to first software, the first software having been troubleshot according to a method comprising:

in response to an error in operation of the first software on a first platform, establishing a connection between the first platform and a remote platform;

where the error corresponds to known error data from the remote platform, overwriting a portion of the first software with updated code; and

where the error does not correspond to the known error data operating the first software on the first platform from the remote platform via the connection, thereby reproducing the error on the first platform.

31. A method for upgrading first software comprising:

providing the first software including a first software module which, in response to operation of the first software on a first platform, is operable to establish a connection between the first platform and a remote platform, the first software having first version data associated therewith;

where the first version data differ from second version data from the remote platform, transmitting first updated code from the remote platform to the first platform via the connection for overwriting a first portion of the first software; and

transmitting the second version data from the remote platform to the first platform for comparison with the first version.

32. The method of claim 31 wherein the first software comprises a plurality of software modules, and wherein updated code is transmitted for each of the plurality of software modules for which the first and second version data are different.

33. The method of claim 31 further comprising, where known error data from the remote platform correspond to the first software, transmitting second updated code for overwriting a second portion of the first software.

34. The method of claim 33 further comprising transmitting the known error data from the remote platform to the first platform.

35. The method of claim 31 wherein the connection comprises an Internet connection.

36. The method of claim 35 wherein the first software module is operable to determine whether access to the Internet from the first platform is available.

37. The method of claim 31 wherein the first software module is operable to solicit authorization from a user of the first software to establish the connection.

38. The method of claim 31 wherein the first software module is operable to shut down operation of the first software before the first portion of the first software is overwritten.

39. The method of claim 31 further comprising, after the first portion of the first software is overwritten, running a software diagnostic routine on the first software.

40. A method for upgrading first software comprising:

providing the first software including a first software module which, in response to operation of the first software on a first platform, is operable to establish a connection between the first platform and a remote platform, the first software having first version data associated therewith;

where the first version data differ from second version data from the remote platform, transmitting first updated code from the remote platform to the first platform via the connection for overwriting a first portion of the first software wherein the first software module is operable to solicit authorization from a user of the first software to establish the connection, and

where the authorization is not obtained, to provide software support information to the user of the first software.

41. A method for troubleshooting first software comprising:

providing the first software including a first software module which, in response to an error in operation of the first software on a first platform, is operable to establish a connection between the first platform and a remote platform;

where the error corresponds to known error data from the remote platform, transmitting updated code from the remote platform to the first platform via the connection for overwriting a portion of the first software;

where the error does not correspond to the known error data, uploading data files associated with the first software from the first platform to the remote platform via the connection; and

attempting to reproduce the error on the remote platform using the data files.

42. The method of claim 41 further comprising transmitting the known error data from the remote platform to the first platform.

43. The method of claim 41 wherein the connection comprises an Internet connection.

44. The method of claim 43 wherein the first software module is operable to determine whether access to the Internet from the first platform is available.

45. The method of claim 41 wherein the first software module is operable to solicit authorization from a user of the first software to establish the connection.

46. The method of claim 41 wherein the first software module is operable to shut down operation of the first software before the first portion of the first software is overwritten.

47. The method of claim 41 further comprising, after the first portion of the first software is overwritten, running a software diagnostic routine on the first software.

48. The method of claim 41 wherein the first software module is operable to solicit authorization from a user of the first software for uploading the data files.

49. The method of claim 41 further comprising, before uploading the data files, compiling information from the first platform regarding the data files.

50. The method of claim 41 further comprising, where the error does not correspond to the known error data, operating the first software on the first platform from the remote platform via the connection, thereby attempting to reproduce the error on the first platform.

51. The method of claim 41 wherein the first software module is operable to solicit authorization from a user of the first software for operating the first software from the remote platform.

52. The method of claim 51 wherein the first software module is operable, where the authorization is not obtained, to provide software support information to the user of the first software.

53. A method for troubleshooting first software comprising:

providing the first software including a first software module which, in response to an error in operation of the first software on a first platform, is operable to establish a connection between the first platform and a remote platform;

where the error corresponds to known error data from the remote platform, transmitting updated code from the remote platform to the first platform via the connection for overwriting a portion of the first software wherein the first software module is operable to solicit authorization from a user of the first software to establish the connection; and

where the authorization is not obtained, to provide software support information to the user of the first software.

54. A method for troubleshooting first software comprising:

providing the first software including a first software module which, in response to an error in operation of the first software on a first platform is operable to establish a connection between the first platform and a remote platform;

where the error corresponds to known error data from the remote platform, transmitting updated code from the remote platform to the first platform via the connection for overwriting a portion of the first software wherein the first software module is operable to solicit authorization from a user of the first software for uploading the data files; and

where the authorization is not obtained, to provide software support information to the user of the first software.

55. A computer system comprising:

a central processing unit;

a display;

a keyboard; and

memory having software stored therein including a software module which, in response to operation of the software on the computer system, is operable to establish a connection between the computer system and a remote platform, the software having first version data associated therewith, the software module also being operable, where the first version data differ from second version data from the remote platform, to overwrite a portion of the software with updated code and where known error data from the remote platform correspond to the first software, overwriting a second portion of the first software with second updated code.

56. A computer system comprising:

a central processing unit;

a display;

a keyboard; and

memory having software stored therein including a software module which, in response to an error in operation of the software on the computer system, is operable to establish a connection between the computer system and a remote platform, the software module also being operable, where the error corresponds to known error data from the remote platform, to overwrite a portion of the software with updated code and where the error does not correspond to the known error data, operating the first software on the first platform from the remote platform via the connection, thereby reproducing the error on the first platform.