Online program-updating system and computer-readable recording medium storing a program-updating program

• US 6,289,510 B1
• Filed: 09/02/1998
• Issued: 09/11/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Nakajima, Ryoetsu
• Primary Examiner(s): Powell, Mark R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN BA, HOANG VU A
• Application Number:
  US09/145,944
• Time in Patent Office: 1,105 Days
• Field of Search: 717/11, 707/103, 707/203, 709/221
• US Class Current: 717/170
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/656 while running

Abstract

There is provided an online program-updating system which is capable of updating contents of a program without interrupting any services provided by the system. A management information storage section stores management information including operative status flags each indicative of the operative status of a corresponding program module and information of a version number associated with the corresponding program module. A program execution section updates operative status flags based on the operative statuses of the program modules. A version number check section makes a comparison between the version number of each program module of a revised program and that of each program module of the existing program in response to a download request, and determines that an update of the program is required, if the version number of the program module of the revised program is newer. An operative status determination section checks on the operative status flag associated with each program module in the existing program, and determines that the update of the program is permitted, if the program module is an “inactive” operative status. A program transfer section executes download of a program module the update of which is determined to be required and at the same time permitted.

Claims

1. A computer system for updating contents of a program module by downloading to a computer a revised program module on line, the computer system comprising:

program storage unit for storing an existing program module to be updated;

management information storage unit for storing management information including an operative status flag indicative of an operative status of said existing program module;

program execution unit for executing said existing program module as required and setting said operative status flag to a state indicative of an active status of said existing program module during execution of said existing program module;

operative status determination unit for repeatedly determining whether or not said operative status flag is set to said status indicative of said active status of said existing program module in response to a download request and permitting execution of a download process only when said operative status flag is not set to said operative status indicative of said active status of said existing program module to be updated; and

program transfer unit for downloading a revised program module during a time period over which said download process is permitted by said operative status determination unit, to thereby replace said existing program module stored in said program storage unit with said revised program module.

2. The computer system according to claim 1, wherein said existing program module stored in said program storage unit is formed of a plurality of program modules,

said management information stored in said management information storage unit being provided individually for each of said program modules of the plurality, and

said operative status determination unit determining whether or not said download process is permitted, on a module-by-module basis.

3. The computer system according to claim 2, wherein said operative status determination unit simultaneously determines on said plurality of program modules as to whether or not said download process is permitted, and

said program transfer unit downloading any one of said program modules of the plurality for which said download process is permitted by said operative status determination unit, and thereafter repeatedly carrying out said determination by said operative status determination unit on ones of said program modules for which said download process was not permitted previously, whether or not said download process is permitted, thereby executing said download process in order in which said download process is permitted.

4. The computer system according to claim 1, wherein said management information stored in said management information storage unit includes information of a version number of said existing program module,

said computer system further including a version number check unit for performing a comparison between said information of said version number of said existing program module and information of a version number of said revised program module in response to said download request for said download process of said revised program module, to thereby determine whether or not an update of said existing program module is required, and

said program transfer unit executing said download process of said revised program module only when it is determined by said version number check unit that said update of said existing program module is required, and updating said information of said version number of said existing program module to said information of said version number of said revised program module when said download process of said revised program module is executed.

5. The computer system according to claim 4, wherein said version number check unit is provided in both a system management system for transferring said revised program module therefrom and a processing system in which said program storage unit is located, and

wherein said program transfer unit executes said download process of said revised program module only when said version number check unit provided in said system management system and said processing system both determine that said update of said existing program module is required.

6. The computer system according to claim 4, wherein said version number check unit determines that said update of said existing program module is required, only when said information of said version number of said revised program module is newer than said information of said version number of said existing program module.

7. The computer system according to claim 4, wherein said existing program module stored in said program storage unit is formed of a plurality of program modules,

said management information stored in said management information storage unit being provided individually for each of said program modules of the plurality,

said version number check unit checking on said information of said version number on a module-by-module basis, and

said operative status determination unit determining whether or not said download process is permitted, on a module-by-module basis.

8. The computer system according to claim 7, wherein said management information storage unit stores items of said management information associated with said plurality of program modules at respective contiguous addresses, and

wherein said version number check unit reads out said items of said management information associated with said plurality of program modules collectively from said management information storage unit, to thereby check on version numbers of said plurality of program modules on a module-by-module basis.

9. The computer system according to claim 1, wherein said program transfer unit replaces said existing program module stored in said program storage unit with said revised program module by direct memory access.

10. A computer-readable recording medium storing a program-updating program for updating contents of a program module by downloading a revised program module on line, said program-updating program causing a computer to function as:

program storage unit for storing an existing program module to be updated;

management information storage unit for storing management information including an operative status flag indicative of an operative status of said existing program module;

program execution unit for executing said existing program module as required and setting said operative status flag to a state indicative of an active status of said existing program module during execution of said existing program module;

operative status determination unit for repeatedly determining whether or not said operative status flag is set to said status indicative of said active status of said existing program module in response to a download request and permitting execution of a download process only when said operative status flag is not set to said operative status indicative of said active status of said existing program module to be updated; and

program transfer unit for downloading a revised program module during a time period over which said download process is permitted by said operative status determination unit, to thereby replace said existing program module stored in said program storage unit with said revised program module.