Mobile platform distributed data load management system

• US 7,260,389 B2
• Filed: 07/07/2005
• Issued: 08/21/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Allen, David, Pollock, Bruce, Sims, John, Honari, Bijan, Nakasone, Mary A
• Primary Examiner(s): ZEWDU, MELESS NMN
• Application Number:
  US11/176,831
• Publication Number:
  US 20070010236A1
• Time in Patent Office: 775 Days
• Field of Search: 455 301- 303, 455/2.01, 455/403, 455/431, 455/414.1, 455418-420, 455423-425, 455427-430, 455/560, 455410-411, 4555561-5562, 455557-558, 455 95- 96, 455/550.1, 455/517, 455 661- 6611, 455/3.05, 455/11.1, 455/88, 455/412.1, 455/412.2, 455/466, 455/431.3, 455 411- 413, 455507-508, 455 98- 99, 717168-178, 717120-121, 717130-131, 717/134, 717/151, 717/158, 709220-222, 701/24, 701/29, 370/316, 370/323, 370/325, 379/201.05
• US Class Current: 455/419
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/082 the condition being updates or upgrades of network functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0856 by backing up or archiving configuration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]

Abstract

A method for loading software items on a mobile platform computer based system includes storing published content in a published content repository of a distributed data manager system (DDMS) included in the DDLMS. At least one assigned software part generated using the published content from the published content repository is stored in a DDMS fleet content repository. The assigned software part is communicated to the staging area repository of OCS platform over a secure link. The staged software part is transferred to an installed software parts repository of the OCS after the entire software part is staged in the staging area repository.

Claims

1. A method for loading software items on a mobile platform computer based system, said method comprising:

storing published content in a published content repository of a distributed data manager system (DDMS);

storing at least one assigned software part generated using the published content from the published content repository in a DDMS fleet content repository;

communicating portions of the stored assigned software part to be staged in a staging area repository of an onboard computer system (OCS) of the mobile platform over a secure link until the entire assigned software part is stored in the staging area repository; and

aggregating the staged portions and transferring the aggregated staged software part to an installed software parts repository of the OCS after the entire software part is staged in the staging area repository.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein storing the assigned software part in the DDMS fleet content repository comprises:

storing fleet information in a fleet data repository; and

associating at least a portion of the published content stored in the published content repository with fleet information from the fleet data repository regarding at least one particular mobile platform to create at least one assigned software part.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein communicating the assigned software part comprises determining what software is currently installed in the OCS.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein communicating the assigned software part further comprises comparing the software that is currently installed with predefined software requirements of the OCS.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein communicating the assigned software part comprises accessing the fleet content repository to retrieve the assigned software part based on the comparison.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein communicating the assigned software part further comprises communicating consecutive portions of the assigned software part to the staging area repository.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein transferring the staged software part to the installed software part repository comprises sending a message to mobile platform maintenance personnel when the entire software part has been staged to the staging area repository.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein, transferring the staged software part to the installed software part repository further comprises enabling the maintenance personnel to access a data installation manager application to transfer the staged software part to the installed software part repository.

9. A method for loading software items on a mobile platform computer system, said method comprising:

storing published content in a published content repository of a distributed data manager system (DDMS);

associating at least a portion of the published content with fleet information regarding at least one particular mobile platform to create at least one assigned software part;

storing the assigned software part in a DDMS fleet content repository;

establishing a secure wireless communication link between the DDMS and the mobile platform;

communicating the assigned software part to the mobile platform over the secure link;

storing the software part in a staging area repository of an onboard computer system (OCS) of the mobile platform;

transferring the staged software part from the staging area repository to an installed software parts repository onboard the mobile platform after the software part is completely communicated from the DDMS and stored in the staging area repository; and

accessing the installed software parts repository to provide operational data to a mobile platform crew.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein associating the published content comprises storing fleet information in a fleet data repository.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein communicating the assigned software part comprises determining what software is currently installed in the OCS.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein communicating the assigned software part further comprises comparing the software that is currently installed with predefined software requirements of the OCS.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein communicating the assigned software part comprises accessing the fleet content repository to retrieve the assigned software part based on the comparison.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein communicating the assigned software part further comprises communicating consecutive portions of the assigned software part to the staging area repository.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein transferring the staged software part to the installed software part repository comprises sending a message to mobile platform maintenance personnel when the entire software part has been staged to the staging area repository.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein, transferring the staged software part to the installed software part repository further comprises enabling the maintenance personnel to access a data installation manager application to transfer the staged software part to the installed software part repository.

17. A system for loading software items on a mobile platform computer system, said system comprising:

a distributed data manager system (DDMS) including;

a published content repository for storing published content relating to at least one software item for at least one computer systems of the mobile platform; and

a fleet content repository for storing at least one assigned software part generated using the published content from the published content repository;

an onboard computer system (OCS) of the mobile platform, the OCS including;

a staging area repository for storing staged portions of the assigned software part communicated from the fleet content repository over a secure link established between the mobile platform and the DDMS; and

an installed software parts repository for receiving an aggregation of the staged portions of the software part transferred from the staging area repository after the entire software part has been staged in the staging area repository.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the DDMS further comprises a fleet data repository for storing fleet information regarding at least one mobile platform, wherein to store the assigned software part in the fleet content repository, the DDMS is adapted to associate at least a portion of the published content stored in the published content repository with fleet information from the fleet data repository to create at least one assigned software part.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein to communicate the assigned software part from the fleet content repository to the staging area repository, the DDMS is adapted to determine what software is currently installed in the OCS.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein to communicate the assigned software part from the fleet content repository to the staging area repository, the DDMS is further adapted to compare the software that is currently installed with predefined software requirements of the OCS.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein to communicate the assigned software part from the fleet content repository to the staging area repository, the DDMS is further adapted to access the fleet content repository to retrieve the assigned software part based on the comparison.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein to transfer the entire software part from the staging area repository to the installed software parts repository, the DDMS is further adapted to send a message to mobile platform maintenance personnel when the entire software part has been staged to the staging area repository.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein, wherein to transfer the entire software part from the staging area repository to the installed software parts repository, the OCS is adapted to enable the maintenance personnel to access a data installation manager application to transfer the staged software part to the installed software part repository.