Wireless router remote firmware upgrade
First Claim
1. A method for upgrading a wireless router, comprising the steps of:
- (a) containing a firmware version, namely, a flash memory in the wireless router containing a first version of router firmware, the router firmware including instructions to be executed by a processor of the wireless router, the router firmware also including data;
(b) remotely requesting a firmware update, namely, the wireless router sending a request for a firmware update, the request being sent from the wireless router over a network connection toward a server;
(c) receiving a responsive firmware image, namely, the wireless router receiving over the network connection a response to the request for a firmware update, the response including at least a firmware image for a second version of router firmware which differs from the first version of router firmware by reason of containing at least one firmware change, a firmware change being a difference in firmware data and/or a difference in firmware instructions, the firmware image including a plurality of chunks, each chunk having a size which is no greater than a predetermined chunk size;
(d) destructively overwriting flash memory chunks, namely, the wireless router destructively overwriting the first version of router firmware in the flash memory with the second version of router firmware, and wherein the wireless router is configured to run whatever version of router firmware is in the router'"'"'s flash memory after being rebooted; and
(e) going live with upgraded firmware, namely, the wireless router rebooting, thereby making the firmware change(s) go live.
11 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A wireless router receives a firmware update from a remote server, and destructively overwrites router firmware in flash memory in a chunk-wise manner, and then writes a kernel memory before going live with upgraded firmware. Some routers authenticate the firmware image. In some cases, image chunks are re-ordered into an executable order after receipt and before finishing their final arrangement in the flash memory. In some routers, a maximum firmware image size is at least two chunk sizes smaller than the flash memory storage capacity. Some routers remap ROM to RAM memory. Some decompress data from flash into a RAM. Some save text file configuration settings in flash before rebooting. Some detect a user'"'"'s inactive billing status and redirect a web browser to a billing activation page.
46 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for upgrading a wireless router, comprising the steps of:
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(a) containing a firmware version, namely, a flash memory in the wireless router containing a first version of router firmware, the router firmware including instructions to be executed by a processor of the wireless router, the router firmware also including data; (b) remotely requesting a firmware update, namely, the wireless router sending a request for a firmware update, the request being sent from the wireless router over a network connection toward a server; (c) receiving a responsive firmware image, namely, the wireless router receiving over the network connection a response to the request for a firmware update, the response including at least a firmware image for a second version of router firmware which differs from the first version of router firmware by reason of containing at least one firmware change, a firmware change being a difference in firmware data and/or a difference in firmware instructions, the firmware image including a plurality of chunks, each chunk having a size which is no greater than a predetermined chunk size; (d) destructively overwriting flash memory chunks, namely, the wireless router destructively overwriting the first version of router firmware in the flash memory with the second version of router firmware, and wherein the wireless router is configured to run whatever version of router firmware is in the router'"'"'s flash memory after being rebooted; and (e) going live with upgraded firmware, namely, the wireless router rebooting, thereby making the firmware change(s) go live. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A remotely upgradable wireless router, comprising:
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a processor; a volatile RAM memory in operable communication with the processor and containing a kernel, the kernel including data and including instructions which upon execution by the processor at least partially control operation of the wireless router, the kernel in particular containing a flash memory device driver; a network interface card connectable to a TCP/IP network for two-way data communication of the wireless router with a remote server, the network interface card in operable communication with the volatile RAM memory; a wireless link interface connectable to a wireless network for two-way data communication of the wireless router with a local computer, the wireless link interface in operable communication with the volatile RAM memory; a flash memory in operable communication with the processor by use of the flash memory device driver, the flash memory containing a version of wireless router firmware, the wireless router firmware including data and including instructions which upon execution by the processor at least partially control operation of the wireless link interface; the wireless router further characterized in that upon execution of at least some of the instructions by the processor, the wireless router will do the following; receive over the network interface from the remote server a wireless router firmware image, write content of the wireless router firmware image to the flash memory, write content of the wireless router firmware image to the kernel memory, and then reboot, thereby passing control to at least some of the wireless router firmware content that was written to the flash memory. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification