System with required enhancements to SyncML DM environment to support firmware updates

• US 7,644,405 B2
• Filed: 10/14/2005
• Issued: 01/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Lilley, Patrick C., Rao, Bindu Rama
• Primary Examiner(s): RUTTEN, JAMES D
• Application Number:
  US11/251,046
• Publication Number:
  US 20070277169A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,544 Days
• Field of Search: 717/171
• US Class Current: 717/171
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57

Abstract

A system for employing SyncML DM for updating firmware in mobile handsets and other devices. The system employs enhancements to SyncML DM specifications. A SyncML management client employs new commands, specified by the present invention, for retrieving update packages for firmware updates, for the verification of a received update package, the command for saving the update package in an appropriate management object, the command for initiating an update process by an update agent and the command for the subsequent notification of the results of processing by the update agent (success, failure, etc.). More specifically, the SyncML DM management client employs new commands, specified by the present invention, for retrieving update packages for firmware updates and for updating the firmware selectively based on appropriateness, security and authentication, employing fault tolerant means.

Claims

1. A mobile device employing an enhanced Synchronization Markup Language (SyncML) device management (DM) specification supporting firmware update, the mobile device comprising:

memory, at least a portion of which comprises non-volatile memory containing firmware;

SyncML DM client code resident in the mobile device, the SyncML DM client code executable by a processor operably coupled to the memory; and

wherein execution of the SyncML DM client code causes the mobile device to interpret firmware update related enhancements to the SyncML DM specification, to update the firmware.

2. The mobile device of claim 1 further comprising:

update agent code resident in the memory; and

wherein the processor updates the firmware by executing SyncML DM client code that interacts with the update agent code, in response to receipt of a SyncML message comprising one or more firmware update related enhancements to the SyncML DM specification.

3. The mobile device of claim 2 wherein execution of the SyncML DM client code enables communication, between the mobile device and a SyncML server, of one or more firmware update related enhancements to the SyncML DM specification.

4. The mobile device of claim 2 wherein:

the SyncML DM client code communicates with a SyncML server that creates a management session and sends a SyncML message to the mobile device, the SyncML message comprising one or more firmware update related enhancements to the SyncML DM specification, to conduct a firmware download and a firmware update; and

the SyncML DM client code conducts firmware download and firmware update based upon the SyncML message.

5. The mobile device according to claim 4, further comprising:

communication code executable to cause the processor to support at least one data transport protocol used for downloading an update package;

a security module used to restrict access to the mobile device to an authorized SyncML server; and

wherein the mobile device processes the SyncML message comprising one or more firmware update related enhancements to the SyncML DM specification, that is received from the authorized SyncML server.

6. The mobile device of claim 1 further comprising:

download agent code resident in the memory; and

wherein the processor downloads an update package by executing SyncML DM client code that interacts with the download agent code in response to the receipt of a SyncML message comprising one or more firmware update related enhancements to the SyncML DM specification.

7. The mobile device according to claim 1, wherein the mobile device comprises one of the following:

a mobile phone and a personal digital assistant.

8. A method for updating firmware in a mobile device in a system employing enhancements to a Synchronization Markup Language (SyncML) device management (DM) specification, recorded in memory and capable of being processed by the mobile device, the system comprising the mobile device and a SyncML server, the method comprising:

determining, by SyncML DM client code resident in the mobile device, the availability of a firmware update package at a SyncML server;

identifying, by the SyncML server, an appropriate communication means to download the firmware update package to the mobile device; and

communicating, by the SyncML server, a SyncML message comprising one or more firmware update related enhancements to the SyncML DM specification, in order to conduct firmware update package download and a subsequent update of firmware in the mobile device.

9. The method according to claim 8 wherein the communicating employs a SyncML DM protocol.

10. The method according to claim 9 wherein the communicating employs the SyncML DM protocol for communicating the SyncML message comprising one or more firmware update related enhancements to the SyncML DM specification to the mobile device, and the communicating employs a second protocol for download of the firmware update package to the mobile device.

11. The method according to claim 9 wherein communicating comprises:

sending the SyncML message comprising one or more firmware update related enhancements to the SyncML DM specification, to the mobile device, to initiate download of the firmware update package;

downloading of the firmware update package, to the mobile device, using the SyncML DM protocol as per the SyncML message; and

invoking update agent code executable in the mobile device to conduct a firmware update using the firmware update package.

12. The method according to claim 11 wherein the downloading employs one of a plurality of transport protocols supported by the mobile device, to download the firmware update package.

13. The method according to claim 11 wherein the downloading employs a hypertext transfer protocol (http) based download protocol to download the firmware update package instead of the SyncML DM protocol.

14. The method according to claim 8, wherein the mobile device comprises one of the following:

a mobile phone and a personal digital assistant.

15. A server supporting a plurality of mobile devices having memory with resident firmware, the server comprising:

at least one memory containing Synchronization Markup Language (SyncML) engine code executable by a processor, the code causing the processor to parse a request comprising one or more firmware update related enhancements to a SyncML device management (DM) protocol, the request received from one of the plurality of mobile devices;

wherein the server accesses a database comprising update packages for updating firmware in the plurality of mobile devices; and

wherein the server communicates an update package to the one of the plurality of mobile devices, based upon the request.

16. The server according to claim 15, wherein the plurality of mobile devices comprises one of the following:

a mobile phone and a personal digital assistant.

17. The server according to claim 15, wherein the update package comprises encoded information of modifications for upgrading firmware to a modified version of the firmware.

18. The server according to claim 15, wherein the request is in response to notification of the one of the plurality of mobile devices, by the server.

19. The server according to claim 15, further comprising:

notification manager code executable to cause notification of mobile devices of the availability of a firmware update package.

20. The server according to claim 15, further comprising:

an interface for provisioning service from a system external to the server.