Method for delivery of software upgrade notification to devices in communication systems

• US 8,516,142 B2
• Filed: 12/09/2011
• Issued: 08/20/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Lee, Jangwon, Chen, An Mei
• Primary Examiner(s): Donaghue, Larry
• Assistant Examiner(s): MCLEOD, MARSHALL M
• Application Number:
  US13/316,367
• Publication Number:
  US 20120084765A1
• Time in Patent Office: 620 Days
• Field of Search: 717/168, 709/224, 709/230, 709/235
• US Class Current: 709/230
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72406 by software upgrading or downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate providing software upgrade notifications to user devices that utilize unicast and multicast communication techniques in a wireless communication environment. Bandwidth and power consumption is minimized by permitting determination to be made regarding whether a given software update is relevant to the user device prior to attempting a download or receiving a notification thereof. Additionally, evaluation of version number and software identity facilitates determining whether to employ a unicast software check-up protocol or a multicast software check-up protocol. Software upgrade information may also be transmitted over a multicast channel for a predetermined time period, after which a user device may initiate a unicast check-up protocol to receive software upgrade information.

Claims

1. A method implemented on a server for providing software upgrades, the method comprising:

transmitting a software upgrade notification on a data channel, the software upgrade notification including one or more server tokens associated with m most recent software upgrades available on the server, where m is an integer;

performing a push protocol to provide the m most recent software upgrades indicated in the software upgrade notification; and

providing a software upgrade not indicated in the software upgrade notification responsive to a pull protocol from a client device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the push protocol is performed over a multicast connection between the server and at least one client device.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising transmitting software version information over the multicast connection.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising transmitting a software ID with the software version information corresponding to the at least one client device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the software upgrade further comprises generating a point-to-point connection between the server and the client device.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising receiving a software upgrade information request from the client device.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting a software version information on an overhead channel.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

sending incremental software change information for two or more software classes by advertising a token value common to the two or more software classes in the overhead channel and sending software upgrade notification messages for the two or more software classes in the data channel.

9. An apparatus that facilitates providing software upgrades, comprising:

a transmitter operable to transmit a software upgrade notification on a data channel, the software upgrade notification including one or more server tokens associated with m most recent software upgrades available on the server, where m is an integer; and

a processor operable to;

perform a push protocol to provide the m most recent software upgrades indicated in the software upgrade notification; and

provide a software upgrade not indicated in the software upgrade notification responsive to a pull protocol from a client device.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the push protocol is performed over a multicast connection between the server and at least one client device.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the transmitter is further operable to transmit software version information over the multicast connection.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the transmitter is further operable to transmit a software ID with the software version information corresponding to the at least one client device.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the processor is further operable to provide the software upgrade by generating a point-to-point connection between the server and a client device.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising a receiver operable to receive a software upgrade information request from the client device.

15. The apparatus of claim 9, where the transmitter is further operable to:

transmit a software version information on an overhead channel.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the transmitter is further operable to:

send incremental software change information for two or more software classes by advertising a token value common to the two or more software classes in the overhead channel and sending software upgrade notification messages for the two or more software classes in the data channel.

17. A computer program product comprising a non-volatile computer-readable medium having a computer program stored thereon, the computer program comprising computer-executable instructions for:

transmitting a software upgrade notification on a data channel, the software upgrade notification including one or more server tokens associated with m most recent software upgrades available on the server, where m is an integer;

performing a push protocol to provide the m most recent software upgrades indicated in the software upgrade notification; and

providing a software upgrade not indicated in the software upgrade notification responsive to a pull protocol from a client device.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the push protocol is performed over a multicast connection between the server and at least one client device.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the computer program further comprises computer-executable instructions for transmitting software version information over the multicast connection.

20. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the computer program further comprises computer-executable instructions for transmitting a software ID with the software version information corresponding to the at least one client device.

21. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the instructions for providing the software upgrade further comprise instructions for generating a point-to-point connection between the server and the client device.

22. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein the computer program further comprises computer-executable instructions for receiving a software upgrade information request from the client device.

23. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the computer program further comprises computer-executable instructions for:

transmitting a software version information on an overhead channel.

24. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein the computer program further comprises computer-executable instructions for:

sending incremental software change information for two or more software classes by advertising a token value common to the two or more software classes in the overhead channel and sending software upgrade notification messages for the two or more software classes in the data channel.

25. A processor that executes instructions for providing a software upgrade in a wireless communication environment, the processor configured to:

transmit a software upgrade notification on a data channel, the software upgrade notification including one or more server tokens associated with m most recent software upgrades available on the server, where m is an integer;

perform a push protocol to provide the m most recent software upgrades indicated in the software upgrade notification; and

provide a software upgrade not indicated in the software upgrade notification responsive to a pull protocol from a client device.

26. The processor of claim 25, wherein the push protocol is performed over a multicast connection between the server and at least one client device.

27. The processor of claim 26, further configured to:

transmit software version information over the multicast connection.

28. The processor of claim 27, further configured to:

transmit a software ID with the software version information corresponding to the at least one client device.

29. The processor of claim 25, further configured to:

provide the software upgrade by generating a point-to-point connection between the server and the client device.

30. The processor of claim 29, further configured to:

receive a software upgrade information request from the client device.

31. The processor of claim 25, further configured to:

transmit a software version information on an overhead channel.

32. The processor of claim 31, further configured to:

send incremental software change information for two or more software classes by advertising a token value common to the two or more software classes in the overhead channel and sending software upgrade notification messages for the two or more software classes in the data channel.