Method for updating of wireless terminal software

• US 8,914,791 B1
• Filed: 11/30/2010
• Issued: 12/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cellco Partnership, Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cellco Partnership, Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Shyamalan, Shyam T., Kaleem, Farook, Salzano, Doreen, Sampath, Arthe, Abbott, Martin, Chylinski, Kathleen
• Primary Examiner(s): DAO, THUY CHAN
• Application Number:
  US12/956,652
• Time in Patent Office: 1,477 Days
• US Class Current: 717/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57

Abstract

When a user of the wireless terminal connects the wireless terminal to a computer, the wireless terminal detects the connection and determines whether the connection is the first time for connection to the computer. If the connection is the first time connection, the wireless terminal obtains information of wireless terminal software on the wireless terminal. Then, the wireless terminal causes the computer to access a server via a network and to download to the computer a software upgrading assistance (SUA) program from the server. The SUA program assists update of the wireless terminal software.

Claims

1. A method for updating wireless terminal software on a wireless terminal, the method comprising steps of:

detecting, by the wireless terminal, a wired connection of the wireless terminal to a computer;

determining, by the wireless terminal, whether the wired connection is a first time for connection of the wireless terminal to the computer;

upon determining that the wired connection is the first time connection;

obtaining, by the wireless terminal, information of the wireless terminal software of the wireless terminal;

causing, by the wireless terminal, the computer to access a server via a network and to download to the computer a software upgrading assistance program from the server which assists update of the wireless terminal software;

collecting information on software available for the wireless terminal, by executing the downloaded software upgrading assistance program on the computer, to determine whether the wireless terminal software should be updated;

upon determining that the wireless terminal software should be updated, inquiring of a user of the computer whether the user wishes to update the wireless terminal software; and

upon receiving an input from the user indicating that the user wishes to update, updating the wireless terminal software on the wireless terminal by downloading an updating program from the server to the computer and executing the updating program on the computer; and

upon determining that a connection of the wireless terminal to the computer is a second time or later connection;

determining, by executing the downloaded software upgrading assistance program, whether the wireless terminal software should be updated; and

upon determining that the wireless terminal software should be updated, updating the wireless terminal software on the wireless terminal by downloading an updating program from the server to the computer and executing the updating program on the computer,

wherein the downloaded software upgrading assistance program periodically checks for availability of the updating program for the wireless terminal software.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

when the downloaded software upgrading assistance program determines that the updating program is available, the downloaded software upgrading assistance program notifies the user of the availability.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the downloaded software upgrading assistance program accesses a website designated by the downloaded software upgrading assistance program to check for availability of the updating program.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the website is a website of a manufacturer of the wireless terminal.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the website is a website of a vender of the wireless terminal software.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein upon determining that the connection of the wireless terminal to the computer is the second time or later connection and upon determining that the wireless software should be updated:

inquiring of the user of the computer whether the user wishes to update the wireless terminal software; and

updating the wireless terminal software on the wireless terminal upon receiving an input from the user indicating that the user wishes to update.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising a step of:

before the downloading of the software upgrading assistance program, inquiring of the user of the computer whether the user wishes to download the software upgrading assistance program,

wherein the software upgrading assistance program is downloaded responsive to receiving an input from the user indicating that the user wishes to download the software upgrading assistance program.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein a device driver for the wireless terminal is downloaded together with the software upgrading assistance program.

9. A wireless terminal, comprising:

a wireless transceiver for communication via a wireless network;

a processor coupled to the wireless transceiver; and

a storage device storing programs including wireless terminal software and a downloading program,

wherein the downloading program includes instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the wireless terminal to perform functions including functions to;

detect a wired connection of the wireless terminal to a computer;

determine whether the wired connection is a first time for connection of the wireless terminal to the computer;

upon a determination that the wired connection is the first time connection, obtain information of the wireless terminal software of the wireless terminal, to cause the computer to access a server via a network and to download a software upgrading assistance program from the server to the computer which assists update of the wireless terminal software, the wireless terminal software on the wireless terminal being updated by executing an updating program downloaded to the computer from the server via the software upgrading assistance program; and

upon a determination that a connection of the wireless terminal to the computer is a second time or later connection, cause the computer to determine, by executing the downloaded software upgrading assistance program, whether the wireless terminal software should be updated and, upon a determination that the wireless terminal software should be updated, update the wireless terminal software on the wireless terminal by executing an updating program downloaded to the computer from the server via the software assistance program,

wherein the downloaded software upgrading assistance program causes the computer to periodically check for availability of the updating program for the wireless terminal software.

10. The wireless terminal of claim 9, wherein a device driver for the wireless terminal is downloaded together with the software upgrading assistance program.

11. The wireless terminal of claim 9, wherein the downloaded software upgrading assistance program causes the computer to access a website designated by the downloaded software upgrading assistance program to check for the availability of the updating program.

12. The wireless terminal of claim 11, wherein the website is a website of at least one of a manufacturer of the wireless terminal or a vender of the wireless terminal software.

13. The wireless terminal of claim 9, wherein:

when the downloaded software upgrading assistance program determines that the updating program is available, the downloaded software upgrading assistance program causes the computer to notify the user of the availability of the updating program.

14. The wireless terminal of claim 9, wherein upon determining that the connection of the wireless terminal to the computer is the second time or later connection and upon determining that the wireless software should be updated, the downloaded software upgrading assistance program causes the computer to:

inquire of the user of the computer whether the user wishes to update the wireless terminal software; and

update the wireless terminal software on the wireless terminal upon receiving an input from the user indicating that the user wishes to update.

15. A non-transitory computer readable recording medium recording instructions which, when executed by a processor of a wireless terminal, cause the processor to perform functions including functions to:

detect a wired connection of the wireless terminal to a computer;

determine whether the wired connection is a first time for connection of the wireless terminal to the computer;

upon a determination that the wired connection is the first time connection, obtain information of a wireless terminal software of the wireless terminal, to cause the computer to access a server via a network and to download to the computer a software upgrading assistance program from the server, the wireless terminal software on the wireless terminal being updated by executing an updating program downloaded to the computer from the server via the software upgrading assistance program; and

upon a determination that a connection of the wireless terminal to the computer is a second time or later connection, cause the computer to determine, by executing the downloaded software upgrading assistance program, whether the wireless terminal software should be updated and, upon a determination that the wireless terminal software should be updated, update the wireless terminal software on the wireless terminal by executing an updating program downloaded to the computer from the server via the software assistance program,

wherein the downloaded software upgrading assistance program causes the computer to periodically check for availability of the updating program for the wireless terminal software.

16. The non-transitory computer readable recording medium of claim 15, wherein a device driver for the wireless terminal is downloaded together with the software upgrading assistance program.

17. The non-transitory computer readable recording medium of claim 15, wherein the downloaded software upgrading assistance program causes the computer to access a website designated by the downloaded software upgrading assistance program to check for the availability of the updating program.

18. The non-transitory computer readable recording medium of claim 17, wherein the website is a website of at least one of a manufacturer of the wireless terminal or a vender of the wireless terminal software.

19. The non-transitory computer readable recording medium of claim 15, wherein:

when the downloaded software upgrading assistance program determines that the updating program is available, the downloaded software upgrading assistance program causes the computer to notify the user of the availability of the updating program.

20. The non-transitory computer readable recording medium of claim 15, wherein upon determining that the connection of the wireless terminal to the computer is the second time or later connection and upon determining that the wireless software should be updated, the downloaded software upgrading assistance program causes the computer to:

inquire of the user of the computer whether the user wishes to update the wireless terminal software; and

update the wireless terminal software on the wireless terminal upon receiving an input from the user indicating that the user wishes to update.