Method of and apparatus for updating software of network device

• US 7,831,967 B2
• Filed: 07/11/2005
• Issued: 11/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Won, Jong-eun, Cho, Jung-yon
• Primary Examiner(s): Dam; Tuan Q
• Assistant Examiner(s): TECKLU, ISAAC TUKU
• Application Number:
  US11/177,347
• Publication Number:
  US 20060031828A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,947 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 717/172
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services

Abstract

A method and apparatus for updating the software of a device that is a controlled device linked to a control device over a network. According to the method, a control device obtains information regarding updating of the software of a controlled device, determines whether updating is available using the information, and allows the controlled device to update its software, thereby easily updating the software of device. The apparatus can be a network device, connected to an update server and another network device in a network, for updating software of the other network device. The network device can include a control circuit configured to determine whether the updating of the software is required based on update information; and a transceiving unit configured to communicate with the other network device and the update server.

Claims

1. A method of updating software of a device over a network, comprising:

obtaining a location of an update server required to update the software of the device and information regarding a version of the software from the device, by a control device that performs control operations within the network;

determining whether the updating of the software is required based on update information regarding the device, by the control device; and

updating the software of the device by controlling the device when the updating is required, by the control device,

wherein the device contains the location of the update server, and

wherein the obtaining the location of the update server and the information regarding the version of the software by the control device comprises;

the control device requesting the device to provide the location of the update server and the information regarding the version of the software; and

the device providing the control device with the location of the update server and the information regarding the version of the software in response to the control device'"'"'s request.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

the device requesting the update server to determine whether the updating of the software of the device is required; and

informing the control device that the updating is required when it is determined that the updating is required.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the network is a universal plug and play network, and the location of the update server and the information regarding the version of the software are contained in a device description.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the requesting and the providing of the location of the update server and the information regarding the version of the software are performed using an event generated using eigen variables of a vendor of the universal plug and play network.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the updating of the software comprises:

the control device informing the device that the updating of the software is available;

the device requesting the control device to update the software of the device in response to the information that the updating of the software is available;

the control device transmitting files required for the updating to the device in response to the device'"'"'s request; and

the device updating the software using the files.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the informing that the updating of the software is available, the requesting the control device to update the software of the device, the transmitting of the files required for the updating to the device, and the updating the software are performed using an event generated using eigen variables of a vendor of the universal plug and play.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the control device requests the update server to determine whether the updating of the software is required, using a common gateway interface script.

8. A network device, connected to an update server and at least one other network device, for updating software of said at least one other network device, said network device comprising:

a control circuit configured to determine whether the updating of the software is required based on at least update information of said at least one other network device; and

a transceiving unit configured to communicate with said at least one other network device and said update server,

wherein said network device obtains location information of said update server from said at least one other network device,

wherein said network device controls said at least one other device such that the software of said at least one other device is updated,

wherein said at least one other network device contains the location information of said update server, and

wherein the obtaining the location of the update server by the network device comprises;

the network device requesting the at least one other device to provide the location of the update server; and

the at least one other device providing the network device with the location of the update server.

9. The network device according to claim 8, wherein the network device requests the update server to determine whether the updating of the software of said at least one other network device is required.

10. The network device according to claim 8, wherein said network device receives information indicating that the updating of the software is required.

11. The network device according to claim 8, wherein said network device and said at least one other network device are connected within a same network, and said same network is a universal plug and play network.

12. The network device according to claim 8, further comprising a memory configured to store said at least update information of said at least one other device.

13. A method of updating software of a device by another device over a network, comprising:

obtaining a location of an update server required to update the software of the device and information regarding a version of the software, by a control device that performs control operations within the network;

determining whether the updating of the software is required based on update information regarding the device, by said another device;

providing a result of said determining operation to said control device, by said another device;

transmitting one or more files to update said device to said control device, by said another device, and

updating the software of the device by controlling the device when the updating is required, by the control device,

wherein said device, said another device, and said control devices are different devices,

wherein said device contains the location of the update server, and

wherein the obtaining the location of the update server and the information regarding the version of the software by the control device comprises;

the control device requesting the device to provide the location of the update server and the information regarding the version of the software; and

the device providing the control device with the location of the update server and the information regarding the version of the software in response to the control device'"'"'s request.

14. A network device, connected to an update server and at least one other network device, for updating software of said at least one other network device, said network device comprising:

a control circuit configured to determine whether the updating of the software is required based on at least update information of said at least one other network device; and

a transceiving unit configured to communicate with said at least one other network device and said update server,

wherein said network device obtains location information of said update server from said at least one other network device,

wherein said network device controls said at least one other device such that the software of said at least one other device is updated,

wherein a result of the determination of whether the updating of the software is required is provided to a control device,

wherein said network device, said at least one other network device, and said control device are different devices, and

wherein the obtaining the location of the update server by the network device comprises;

the network device requesting the at least one other network device to provide the location of the update server; and

the at least one other network device providing the network device with the location of the update server.