Method, software and apparatus for application upgrade during execution

• US 8,555,271 B2
• Filed: 10/20/2004
• Issued: 10/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Sprigg, Stephen A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zhen, Wei
• Assistant Examiner(s): BROPHY, MATTHEW J
• Application Number:
  US10/969,507
• Publication Number:
  US 20050120346A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,275 Days
• Field of Search: 717/170, 717/169
• US Class Current: 717/169
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/656 while running
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/245 from a network towards a terminal

Abstract

A system and method for optional upgrading of a software application on a wireless device during the execution of the software application. The system includes receiving a request to replace a resident executable application with a different version of the application. The system further includes detecting the active execution of the resident executable application. The system also includes receiving, via a network, the different version of the application. Also, the system includes storing the different version of the application in a temporary location in response to detecting the active execution of the resident executable application. In addition, the system includes terminating the active execution of the resident executable application. The system also includes overwriting the resident executable application with the different version of the application stored in the temporary location. Further, the system includes initiating active execution of the different version of the application.

Claims

1. A method for replacing a resident executable application on a wireless device with a different version of the resident executable application, comprising:

receiving a request to replace the resident executable application with the different version of the application, wherein the request is initiated in response to a user input and

wherein the request to replace the resident executable includes replacing non-essential application components while maintaining non-retrievable application-associated data;

detecting the active execution of the resident executable application on the wireless device;

receiving, via a network, the different version of the resident executable application;

storing the different version of the resident executable application in a temporary location in response to detecting the active execution of the resident executable application;

terminating only the active execution of the resident executable application;

selectively deleting one or more application components if it is determined that there are not sufficient resources on a the wireless device;

overwriting the resident executable application with the different version of the application stored in the temporary location;

and initiating active execution of the different version of the resident executable application without rebooting the wireless device, wherein activation of the different version of the resident executable application includes using of the maintained non-retrievable application-associated data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the different version of resident executable application is a previous version.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the resident executable application is at least one of:

an extension, a script and content data.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the temporary location is on at least one of:

a peripheral device and a remote network location.

5. A wireless device containing a resident executable application, comprising:

a processor which receives a request to replace a resident executable application with a different version of the application wherein the request is initiated in response to a user input and, wherein the request to replace the resident executable includes replacing non-essential application components while maintaining non-retrievable application-associated data;

and

further wherein the processor detects the active execution of the resident executable application on the wireless device;

memory which receives, via a network, the different version of the resident executable application and stores the different version of the resident executable application in a temporary location in response to detecting the active execution of the resident executable application;

wherein the processor terminates only the active execution of the resident executable application,

selectively deletes one or more application components if it is determined that there are not sufficient resources on a the wireless device,

and

overwrites the resident executable application with the different version of the application stored in the temporary location and initiates active execution of the different version of the resident executable application without rebooting the wireless device wherein activation of the different version of the resident executable application includes using of the maintained non-retrievable application-associated data.

6. The wireless device of claim 5, wherein the different version of resident executable application is a previous version.

7. The wireless device of claim 5, wherein the resident executable application is at least one of:

an extension, a script and content data.

8. The wireless device of claim 5, wherein the temporary location is on at least one of:

a peripheral device and a remote network location.

9. A non-transitory on a computer readable storage medium having stored thereon computer executable instructions configured to cause a computer perform operations to replace a resident executable application on a wireless device with a different version of the application, the operations comprising:

receiving a request to replace the resident executable application with the different version of the application, wherein the request is initiated in response to a user input and wherein the request to replace the resident executable includes replacing non-essential application components while maintaining non-retrievable application-associated data;

detecting the active execution of the resident executable application on the wireless device;

receiving, via a network, the different version of the resident executable application;

storing the different version of the resident executable application in a temporary location in response to detecting the active execution of the resident executable application;

terminate terminating only the active execution of the resident executable application;

selectively deleting one or more application components if it is determined that there are not sufficient resources on a the wireless device;

overwriting the resident executable application with the different version of the resident executable application stored in the temporary location; and

initiate initiating active execution of the different version of the resident executable application without rebooting the wireless device wherein activation of the different version of the resident executable application includes using of the maintained non-retrievable application-associated data.

10. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the resident executable application is at least one of:

an extension, a script and content data.

11. A wireless device containing a resident executable application, comprising:

means for receiving a request to replace the resident executable application with a different version of the application, wherein the request is initiated in response to a user input and wherein the request to replace the resident executable includes replacing non-essential application components while maintaining non-retrievable application-associated data;

means for detecting the active execution of the resident executable application on the wireless device;

means for receiving, via a network, the different version of the resident executable application;

means for storing the different version of the resident executable application in a temporary location in response to detecting the active execution of the resident executable application;

means for terminating only the active execution of the resident executable application;

means for selectively deleting one or more application components if it is determined that there are not sufficient resources on a the wireless device;

means for overwriting the resident executable application with the different version of the resident executable application stored in the temporary location; and

means for initiating active execution of the different version of the resident executable application without rebooting the wireless device wherein activation of the different version of the resident executable application includes using of the maintained non-retrievable application-associated data.

12. The wireless device of claim 11, wherein the resident executable application is at least one of:

an extension, a script and content data.

13. A method for replacing a resident executable application stored in an active application location on a wireless device with a different version of the resident executable application during active execution of the resident executable application, comprising:

receiving a request to replace the resident executable application with the different version of the resident executable application wherein the request to replace the resident executable includes replacing non-essential application components while maintaining non-retrievable application-associated data;

receiving, via a network, the different version of the resident executable application;

storing the different version of the resident executable application in an upgrade location in response to receiving the request to replace the resident executable application with a different version of the resident executable application;

detecting the active execution of the resident executable application in an active application location on the wireless device;

terminating only the active execution of the resident executable application; and

selectively deleting one or more application components if it is determined that there are not sufficient resources on a the wireless device;

initiating execution of first resident executable application detected in a sequential search of the upgrade location and the active application location without rebooting the wireless device, wherein activation of the different version of the resident executable application includes using of the maintained non-retrievable application-associated data.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the request is initiated by the wireless device.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the request is initiated with the detection of user input.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the different version of the resident executable application is a previous version.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the resident executable application is at least one of:

an extension, a script and content data.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the temporary location is at least one of:

a peripheral device and a remote network location.

19. A wireless device containing a resident executable application stored in an active application location and actively executing thereon, comprising:

a processor which receives a request to replace the resident executable application with a different version of the resident executable application wherein the request to replace the resident executable includes replacing non-essential application components while maintaining non-retrievable application-associated data;

memory which receives, via a network, the different version of the application and stores the different version of the application in an upgrade location in response to receiving the request to replace the resident executable application with the different version of the resident executable application;

wherein the processor detects the active execution of the resident executable application on the wireless device,

terminates only the active execution of the resident executable application,

selectively deletes one or more application components if it is determined that there are not sufficient resources on a the wireless device,

and initiates execution of first resident executable application detected in a sequential search of the upgrade location and the active application location without rebooting the wireless device, wherein activation of the different version of the resident executable application includes using of the maintained non-retrievable application-associated data.

20. The wireless device of claim 19, wherein the request is initiated by the wireless device.

21. The wireless device of claim 19, wherein the request is initiated with the detection of user input.

22. The wireless device of claim 19, wherein the different version of resident executable application is a previous version.

23. The wireless device of claim 19, wherein the resident executable application is at least one of:

an extension, a script and content data.

24. The wireless device of claim 19, wherein the upgrade location is at least one of:

a peripheral device and a remote network location.

25. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored thereon computer executable instructions configured to cause a computer perform operations to replace a resident executable application stored in an active application location on a wireless device with a different version of the application during active execution of the application, the operations comprising:

receiving a request to replace the resident executable application with the different version of the resident executable application

wherein the request to replace the resident executable includes replacing non-essential application components while maintaining non-retrievable application-associated data;

receiving, via a network, the different version of the resident executable application;

storing the different version of the resident executable application in an upgrade location in response to receiving the request to replace the resident executable application with a different version of the resident executable application;

detecting the active execution of the resident executable application in an active application location on the wireless device;

terminating only the active execution of the resident executable application; and

selectively deleting one or more application components if it is determined that there are not sufficient resources on a the wireless device;

initiating execution of first resident executable application detected in a sequential search of the upgrade location and the active application location without rebooting the wireless device wherein activation of the different version of the resident executable application includes using of the maintained non-retrievable application-associated data.

26. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 25, wherein the resident executable application is at least one of:

an extension, a script and content data.

27. A wireless device containing a resident executable application stored in an active application location and actively executing thereon, comprising:

means for receiving a request to replace the resident executable application with a different version of the resident executable application;

wherein the request to replace the resident executable includes replacing non-essential application components while maintaining non-retrievable application-associated data;

means for receiving, via a network, the different version of the resident executable application;

means for storing the different version of the resident executable application in an upgrade location in response to receiving the request to replace the resident executable application with the different version of the resident executable application;

means for detecting the active execution of the resident executable application in an active application location on the wireless device;

means for terminating only the active execution of the resident executable application; and

means for selectively deleting one or more application components if it is determined that there are not sufficient resources on a the wireless device;

means for initiating execution of first application detected in a sequential search of the upgrade location and the active application location without rebooting the wireless device wherein activation of the different version of the resident executable application includes using of the maintained non-retrievable application-associated data.

28. The wireless device of claim 27, wherein the resident executable application is at least one of:

an extension, a script and content data.