Software update service method and apparatus for mobile terminal

• US 9,430,225 B2
• Filed: 11/01/2013
• Issued: 08/30/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Inventors: Ko, Yun-Jeong
• Primary Examiner(s): APONTE, FRANCISCO JAVIER
• Application Number:
  US14/069,545
• Publication Number:
  US 20140173588A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,033 Days
• Field of Search: 717168-178
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/658 Incremental updates; Differential updates

Abstract

A software update method and apparatus for a mobile terminal is provided. A delta generating server determines a plurality of available update versions for a currently installed version of a target software of the mobile terminal and transmits available update version information indicating available update versions to the mobile terminal. The mobile terminal receives the available update version information from the delta generating server and displays the available update version information. When one of the update versions is selected, a delta file for updating the target software to the selected version is generated by the delta generating server and is downloaded to the mobile terminal.

Claims

1. A software update service method for a mobile terminal, the method comprising:

requesting an update of a target software of the mobile terminal to a delta generating server that is communicatively connected between the mobile terminal and a Firmware Over-The-Air (FOTA) server;

receiving available update version information indicating a plurality of available update versions for a currently installed version of the target software from the delta generating server;

displaying the available update version information;

notifying the delta generating server of a selected version when one of the available update versions is selected; and

downloading a delta file and updating the target software to the selected version from the delta generating server using the delta file,

wherein the available update versions include downgrade version and upgrade version, and the delta file is generated from a delta generation binary of the currently installed version and a delta generation binary of the selected version which are downloaded from the FOTA server by the delta generating server,

wherein the delta file downloaded to the mobile terminal updates, at once, the currently installed version to the selected version from the available update version,

wherein the update corresponds to one of upgrading and downgrading the target software, and wherein the delta generating server is in a personal cloud server which provides a small-scale cloud service for a user of the mobile terminal within the user'"'"'s personal space.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein downloading further comprises:

receiving notice of generation of the delta file from the delta generating server; and

requesting downloading the delta file to the delta generating server.

3. A software update service method for a mobile terminal in a delta generating server communicatively connected between the mobile terminal and a Firmware Over-The-Air (FOTA) server, the method comprising:

determining a plurality of available update versions for a currently installed version of a target software responsive to an update request from the mobile terminal;

transmitting available update version information indicating the available update versions to the mobile terminal;

generating a delta file for updating the target software to a selected version when a notice of a selected version is received from the mobile terminal; and

downloading the generated delta file to the mobile terminal,

wherein the available update versions include downgrade version and upgrade version, and the delta file is generated from a delta generation binary of the currently installed version and a delta generation binary of the selected version which are downloaded from the FOTA server,

wherein the delta file downloaded to the mobile terminal updates, at once, the currently installed version to the selected version from the available update version,

wherein the update corresponds to one of upgrading and downgrading the target software, and wherein the delta generating server is in a personal cloud server which provides a small-scale cloud service for a user of the mobile terminal within the user'"'"'s personal space.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein downloading further comprises:

notifying the mobile terminal of generation of the delta file; and

receiving a request for downloading the delta file from the mobile terminal.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein generating comprises:

generating the delta file from a delta generation binary of the currently installed version and a delta generation binary of the selected version from among delta generation binaries that are downloaded with respect to all versions from the FOTA server in advance and stored.

6. A software update service apparatus for a mobile terminal, the apparatus comprising:

a communication unit to perform communication with a delta generating server that is communicatively connected between the mobile terminal and a Firmware Over-The-Air (FOTA) server;

a user interface unit including a display; and

a processor operatively coupled to the communication unit and the user interface unit;

a non-transitory medium storing a plurality of instructions that when executed by the processor cause a plurality of operations, wherein the plurality of operations comprises;

receiving available update version information indicating a plurality of available update versions for a currently installed version of a target software from the delta generating server,

displaying the available update version information, and downloading, from the delta generating server, a delta file and updating the target software using the delta file to a version selected through the user interface unit,

wherein the available update versions include downgrade version and upgrade version, and the delta file is generated from a delta generation binary of the currently installed version and a delta generation binary of the selected version which are downloaded from the FOTA server by the delta generating server,

wherein the delta file downloaded to the mobile terminal updates, at once, the currently installed version to the selected version from the available update version,

wherein the update corresponds to one of upgrading and downgrading the target software, and wherein the delta generating server is in a personal cloud server which provides a small-scale cloud service for a user of the mobile terminal within the user'"'"'s personal space.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the processor is configured to request downloading of the delta file to the delta generating server, when a notice of generation of a delta file is received from the delta generating server.

8. A software update service apparatus for a mobile terminal in a delta generating server communicatively connected between the mobile terminal and a Firmware Over-The-Air (FOTA) server, the apparatus comprising:

a communication unit to perform communication with the FOTA server, and with the mobile terminal;

a processor operatively coupled to the communication unit; and

a non-transitory medium storing a plurality of instructions that when executed by the processor cause a plurality of operations, wherein the plurality of operations comprises;

determining a plurality of available update versions for a currently installed version of a target software of the mobile terminal and transmitting available update version information indicating available update versions to the mobile terminal,

generating a delta file for updating the update target software to a version of which selection from among all available update versions is notified from the mobile terminal, and downloading the delta file to the mobile terminal,

wherein the available update versions include downgrade version and upgrade version, and the delta file is generated from a delta generation binary of the currently installed version and a delta generation binary of the selected version which are downloaded from the FOTA server,

wherein the delta file downloaded to the mobile terminal updates, at once, the currently installed version to the selected version from the available update version,

wherein the update corresponds to one of upgrading and downgrading the target software, and wherein the delta generating server is in a personal cloud server which provides a small-scale cloud service for a user of the mobile terminal within the user'"'"'s personal space.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the processor is configured to notify the mobile terminal of the generation of the delta file, and receive a request for downloading the delta file from the mobile terminal.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the processor is configured to generate the delta file from a delta generation binary of the currently installed version and a delta generation binary of the selected version from among delta generation binaries that are downloaded with respect to all the versions from the FOTA server in advance and stored.