Automatic firmware upgrade for a thin client using one or more FTP servers

• US 7,558,867 B2
• Filed: 04/20/2004
• Issued: 07/07/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Marketing Corporation (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Wyse Technology Incorporated (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Le, Bach H., Mason, Ryan, Lam, Mandy Sui Mei
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel; Haresh N
• Application Number:
  US10/827,381
• Publication Number:
  US 20050235280A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,904 Days
• Field of Search: 709200-203, 709217-224, 709228-232, 717168-174
• US Class Current: 709/230
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57

Abstract

A process and system for upgrading firmware in a thin client in a network environment. The process may proceed on an automated basis during boot-up by using one or more FTP addresses stored in the thin client. Multiple FTP servers may be accessed. The same firmware upgrades may be stored on more than one FTP server. Different firmware upgrades may instead or in addition be stored on different FTP servers.

Claims

1. A system for upgrading firmware in a thin client comprising:

storage media containing computer programming instructions for loading during boot up of the thin client and for implementing the following tasks when the instructions are performed by a processing system in communication with a network interface;

reading an address of an FTP server from a memory within the thin client;

sending an FTP request for a firmware upgrade from the thin client to the FTP server at the address that was read;

receiving the firmware upgrade in response at the thin client from the FTP server;

upgrading the firmware in the thin client with the firmware upgrade;

reading an address of a second FTP server from a memory within the thin client that is different from the address of the FTP server;

sending an FTP request for a second firmware upgrade from the thin client to the second FTP server at the address of the second FTP server that was read;

receiving the second firmware upgrade in response at the thin client from the second FTP server; and

upgrading the firmware in the thin client with the second firmware upgrade;

a network interface; and

a processing system configured to communicate with the storage media and the network interface, to boot up the thin client, and to perform the programming instructions during the boot up.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the tasks further include:

directing re-booting of the thin client after the firmware is upgraded with the second firmware upgrade.

3. A process for upgrading firmware in a thin client comprising:

booting up the thin client; and

automatically launching a firmware upgrade loader program in the thin client without operator intervention during the booting up that;

reads an address of an FTP server from a memory within the thin client;

sends an FTP request for a firmware upgrade from the thin client to the FTP server at the address that was read;

receives the firmware upgrade in response at the thin client from the FTP server;

upgrades the firmware in the thin client with the firmware upgrade;

reads an address of a second FTP server from a memory within the thin client that is different from the address of the FTP server;

sends an FTP request for a second firmware upgrade from the thin client to the second FTP server at the address of the second FTP server that was read;

receives the second firmware upgrade in response at the thin client from the second FTP server; and

upgrades the firmware in the thin client with the second firmware upgrade.

4. The process of claim 3, further comprising re-booting the thin client after the firmware is upgraded with the second firmware upgrade.

5. Computer-readable storage media containing computer programming instructions for loading during boot up of the thin client and for implementing the following tasks when the instructions are performed by a processing system in communication with a network interface:

reading an address of an FTP server from a memory within the thin client;

sending an FTP request for a firmware upgrade from the thin client to the FTP server at the address that was read;

receiving the firmware upgrade in response at the thin client from the FTP server;

upgrading the firmware in the thin client with the firmware upgrade;

reading an address of a second FTP server from a memory within the thin client that is different from the address of the FTP server;

sending an FTP request for a second firmware upgrade from the thin client to the second FTP server at the address of the second FTP server that was read;

receiving the second firmware upgrade in response at the thin client from the second FTP server; and

upgrading the firmware in the thin client with the second firmware upgrade.

6. The computer-readable storage media of claim 5, wherein the tasks further include:

directing re-booting of the thin client after the firmware is upgraded with the second firmware upgrade.