Updating a firmware package
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method of updating a firmware package executing on a computer, the method comprising:
- receiving, by a firmware updating module comprising a module of automated computing machinery that includes an aggregation of computer hardware and executing computer program instructions, an update package for the firmware package, the firmware package comprising one or more currently installed components, each of the currently installed components supporting one of a plurality of software layers, wherein the plurality of software layers comprises an operating system layer, the update package comprising one or more update components that correspond to the currently installed components of the firmware package, each of the update components supporting one of the plurality of software layers;
retrieving, by the firmware updating module from the firmware package during operation of the firmware package, information describing a state of the currently installed components;
comparing, by the firmware updating module, the information describing the state of the currently installed components to information describing a state of the corresponding update components;
constructing, by the firmware updating module without user intervention, a revised update package that includes only a subset of the update components, wherein the subset of the update components each have a state more recent than the state of the corresponding currently installed components; and
updating, by the firmware updating module, the currently installed components with corresponding update components of the revised update package, wherein updating the currently installed components with corresponding update components of the revised update package comprises;
for each software layer including the operating system layer of the plurality of software layers supported by one of the subset of update components of the revised update package;
halting operation of the software layer while at least one of the plurality of software layers supported by at least one of the subset of update components continues to operate uninterrupted includes;
halting one or more update components of the subset of update components supporting the software layer without halting the entire software layer; and
halting one or more software layers other than the software layer supported by the one or more update components of the subset of update components that are operationally dependent between components in various software layers;
replacing, with all update components supporting the software layer, corresponding currently installed components; and
restarting operation of the software layer includes restarting the one or more update components of the subset of update components supporting the software layer;
wherein the revised update package includes two or more update components supporting two or more software layers.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Updating a firmware package including receiving an update package for the firmware package, the firmware package including currently installed components supporting one of a plurality of software layers, the update package including update components that correspond to the currently installed components; retrieving information describing a state of the currently installed components; comparing the information describing the state of the currently installed components to information describing a state of the corresponding update components; constructing a revised update package that includes only update components having a state more recent than the state of the corresponding currently installed components; and updating the currently installed components with corresponding update components of the revised update package.
-
Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A computer-implemented method of updating a firmware package executing on a computer, the method comprising:
-
receiving, by a firmware updating module comprising a module of automated computing machinery that includes an aggregation of computer hardware and executing computer program instructions, an update package for the firmware package, the firmware package comprising one or more currently installed components, each of the currently installed components supporting one of a plurality of software layers, wherein the plurality of software layers comprises an operating system layer, the update package comprising one or more update components that correspond to the currently installed components of the firmware package, each of the update components supporting one of the plurality of software layers; retrieving, by the firmware updating module from the firmware package during operation of the firmware package, information describing a state of the currently installed components; comparing, by the firmware updating module, the information describing the state of the currently installed components to information describing a state of the corresponding update components; constructing, by the firmware updating module without user intervention, a revised update package that includes only a subset of the update components, wherein the subset of the update components each have a state more recent than the state of the corresponding currently installed components; and updating, by the firmware updating module, the currently installed components with corresponding update components of the revised update package, wherein updating the currently installed components with corresponding update components of the revised update package comprises; for each software layer including the operating system layer of the plurality of software layers supported by one of the subset of update components of the revised update package; halting operation of the software layer while at least one of the plurality of software layers supported by at least one of the subset of update components continues to operate uninterrupted includes; halting one or more update components of the subset of update components supporting the software layer without halting the entire software layer; and halting one or more software layers other than the software layer supported by the one or more update components of the subset of update components that are operationally dependent between components in various software layers; replacing, with all update components supporting the software layer, corresponding currently installed components; and restarting operation of the software layer includes restarting the one or more update components of the subset of update components supporting the software layer; wherein the revised update package includes two or more update components supporting two or more software layers. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-
-
9. An apparatus for updating a firmware package, the apparatus comprising a computer processor and a computer memory operatively coupled to the computer processor, the computer memory having disposed within it computer program instructions that when executed by the computer processor cause the apparatus to carry out the steps of:
-
receiving, by a firmware updating module comprising a module of automated computing machinery that includes an aggregation of computer hardware and executing computer program instructions, an update package for the firmware package, the firmware package comprising one or more currently installed components, each of the currently installed components supporting one of a plurality of software layers, wherein the plurality of software layers comprises an operating system layer, the update package comprising one or more update components that correspond to the currently installed components of the firmware package, each of the update components supporting one of the plurality of software layers; retrieving, by the firmware updating module from the firmware package during operation of the firmware package, information describing a state of the currently installed components; comparing, by the firmware updating module, the information describing the state of the currently installed components to information describing a state of the corresponding update components; constructing, by the firmware updating module without user intervention, a revised update package that includes only a subset of the update components, wherein the subset of the update components each have a state more recent than the state of the corresponding currently installed components; and updating, by the firmware updating module, the currently installed components with corresponding update components of the revised update package, wherein updating the currently installed components with corresponding update components of the revised update package comprises; for each software layer including the operating system layer of the plurality of software layers supported by one of the subset of update component of the revised update package; halting operation of the software layer while at least one of the plurality of software layers supported by at least one of the subset of update components continues to operate uninterrupted includes; halting one or more update components of the subset of update components supporting the software layer without halting the entire software layer; and halting one or more software layers other than the software layer supported by the one or more update components of the subset of update components that are operationally dependent between components in various software layers; replacing, with all update components supporting the software layer, corresponding currently installed components; and restarting operation of the software layer includes restarting the one or more update components of the subset of update components supporting the software layer; wherein the revised update package includes two or more update components supporting two or more software layers. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
-
-
15. A computer program product for updating a firmware package, the computer program product disposed upon a non-transitory computer readable medium, the computer program product comprising computer program instructions that, when executed, cause a computer to carry out the steps of:
-
receiving, by a firmware updating module comprising a module of automated computing machinery, an update package for the firmware package, the firmware package comprising one or more currently installed components, each of the currently installed components supporting one of a plurality of software layers, wherein the plurality of software layers comprises an operating system layer, the update package comprising one or more update components that correspond to the currently installed components of the firmware package, each of the update components supporting one of the plurality of software layers; receiving, by a firmware updating module comprising a module of automated computing machinery that includes an aggregation of computer hardware and executing computer program instructions, an update package for the firmware package, the firmware package comprising one or more currently installed components, each of the currently installed components supporting one of a plurality of software layers, the update package comprising one or more update components that correspond to the currently installed components of the firmware package, each of the update components supporting one of the plurality of software layers; retrieving, by the firmware updating module from the firmware package during operation of the firmware package, information describing a state of the currently installed components; comparing, by the firmware updating module, the information describing the state of the currently installed components to information describing a state of the corresponding update components; constructing, by the firmware updating module without user intervention, a revised update package that includes only a subset of the update components, wherein the subset of the update components each have a state more recent than the state of the corresponding currently installed components; and updating, by the firmware updating module, the currently installed components with corresponding update components of the revised update package, wherein updating the currently installed components with corresponding update components of the revised update package comprises; for each software layer including the operating system layer of the plurality of software layers supported by one of the subset of update component of the revised update package; halting operation of the software layer while at least one of the plurality of software layers supported by at least one of the subset of update components continues to operate uninterrupted includes; halting one or more update components of the subset of update components supporting the software layer without halting the entire software layer; and halting one or more software layers other than the software layer supported by the one or more update components of the subset of update components that are operationally dependent between components in various software layers; replacing, with all update components supporting the software layer, corresponding currently installed components; and restarting operation of the software layer includes restarting the one or more update components of the subset of update components supporting the software layer; wherein the revised update package includes two or more update components supporting two or more software layers. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
Specification