Efficient generator of update packages for mobile devices that uses non-ELF preprocessing

• US 7,958,502 B2
• Filed: 08/07/2006
• Issued: 06/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Chen, Shao-Chun, Motta, Giovanni
• Primary Examiner(s): Dao; Thuy
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chowdhury; Ziaul A.
• Application Number:
  US11/500,754
• Publication Number:
  US 20070067765A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,765 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 717/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/658 Incremental updates; Differential updates

Abstract

An efficient generator for update packages employs one of two possible schemes to perform preprocessing when an ELF file or other similar information is not available. The first technique embeds the preprocessing in the generator loop and does not rely on the knowledge of the architecture. The second technique, called node list technique, needs to know the syntax of the assembly instructions used by the executable.

Claims

1. A method generating an update package by a generator that generates an update package comprising delta information between an old version V1 and a new version V2 of code wherein the code is capable of being executed in mobile electronic devices, the method comprising:

preprocessing by an executable linking format (ELF) preprocessor associated with the generator update packages for a mobile electronic device including firmware that is ELF-based;

preprocessing by an non-ELF preprocessor associated with the generator update packages for a mobile electronic device including firmware that is non-ELF-based;

differencing by the generator; and

encoding by an encoder associated with the generator.

2. The method of generating of claim 1 wherein the encoding comprises:

maintaining a table, by the encoder, that stores relocations of the references encountered; and

updating the table before each COPY and after each SET_PTR with a table update method.

3. The method of generating of claim 2 wherein updating the table comprises:

copying; and

setting pointer.

4. The method of generating of claim 3 wherein copying comprises:

scanning a block for references before a block in V₁ is physically copied in V₂;

changing all references that are found in the table for which a possible relocation is known because they have appeared in the past;

keeping references unchanged if they are not found in the table;

conducting a copy of the block as needed; and

fixing the discrepancy between the blocks of the old and the new versions after the copy with the use of a command of the SET_PTR family.

5. The method of generating of claim 3 wherein copying also comprises, after each SET_PTR, adding a new entry is to the table.

6. A method of updating mobile devices in a network, comprising:

receiving to at least one mobile device having firmware that is executable linking format (ELF) based a first update package including delta information between a first version and a second version of code that has been generated using an ELF pre-processor and a difference engine; and

receiving to at least one mobile device having firmware that is non-ELF based a second update package including delta information between a first version and a second version of code that has been generated using a non-ELF pre-processor and the difference engine.

7. A mobile system, comprising:

a mobile device;

a delivery server coupled over a network to the mobile device; and

a generator to generate update packages including delta information between a first version and a second version of code, wherein the generator is coupled over the network to the delivery server, and wherein the generator includes;

an executable linking format (ELF) pre-processor;

a non-ELF pre-processor; and

a difference engine.