Pattern detection preprocessor in an electronic device update generation system

• US 20070028226A1
• Filed: 04/11/2003
• Published: 02/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Chen, Shao-Chun, O'Neill, Patrick, Rao, Bindu, Lilley, Patrick
• Granted Patent: US 8,479,189 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/658 Incremental updates; Differential updates

Abstract

A generator for generating an update package for efficiently updating the software and/or firmware in an electronic device, and a method for operating such a generator are disclosed. An embodiment of the disclosed invention may produce a compact update package comprising a set of instructions that may be executed within the electronic device to produce an updated binary image of the software and/or firmware. Pre-processing of the existing or new binary image may result in a further reduction in the size of the update package, shortening the time needed to transmit the update package to the electronic device.

Claims

1. A generator for producing an update package using a first binary image and a second binary image, the generator comprising:

a comparator for determining at least one difference between the first binary image and the second binary image; and

an encoder for encoding the at least one difference as at least one of addition to, deletion from, and modification of the first binary image using the second binary image, the encoded at least one difference collectively forming the update package.

2. The generator of claim 1 wherein the encoder uses at least one heuristic.

3. The generator of claim 1 further comprising a preprocessor for preprocessing before the encoding one of the first binary image and the second binary image, the preprocessor having a plurality of modes of operation comprising at least a first mode and a second mode.

4. The generator of claim 3 wherein the first mode of operation comprises modifying the first binary image to more closely match the second binary image, and the second mode of operation comprises modifying the second binary image to more closely match the first binary image.

5. The generator of claim 3 wherein the mode of operation is selected using at least one heuristic.

6. A method of operating a generator, the generator producing an update package using a first binary image and a second binary image, the method comprising:

comparing the first binary image and the second binary image to determine at least one difference; and

encoding the at least one difference as at least one of an addition to, a deletion from, and a modification of at least one portion of the first binary image using at least one portion of the second binary image, the encoded at least one difference collectively forming the update package.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising preprocessing before the encoding one of the first binary image and the second binary image, the preprocessing having a plurality of modes of operation comprising at least a first mode and a second mode.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the first mode of operation comprises modifying the first binary image to more closely match the second binary image.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the modifying comprises at least one of relocating at least one portion of the first binary image and replacing at least one of an address or an offset within the first binary image with a predetermined value.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein the second mode of operation comprises modifying the second binary image to more closely match the first binary image.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the modifying comprises at least one of relocating at least one portion of the second binary image and replacing at least one of an address or an offset within the second binary image with a predetermined value.

12. The method of claim 7 wherein the preprocessing produces a map table representative of the preprocessing performed.

13. The method of claim 7 wherein the preprocessing uses at least one heuristic.

14. The method of claim 6 wherein the encoding uses at least one heuristic.

15. A machine-readable storage, having stored thereon a computer program having a plurality of code sections for operating a generator, the generator producing an update package using a first binary image and a second binary image, the code sections executable by a machine for causing the machine to perform the operations comprising:

comparing the first binary image and the second binary image to determine at least one difference; and

encoding the at least one difference as at least one of an addition to, a deletion from, and a modification of at least one portion of the first binary image using at least one portion of the second binary image, the encoded at least one difference collectively forming the update package.

16. The machine-readable storage of claim 15 further comprising preprocessing before the encoding one of the first binary image and the second binary image, the preprocessing having a plurality of modes of operation comprising at least a first mode and a second mode.

17. The machine-readable storage of claim 16 wherein the first mode of operation comprises modifying the first binary image to more closely match the second binary image.

18. The machine-readable storage of claim 17 wherein the modifying comprises at least one of relocating at least one portion of the first binary image and replacing at least one of an address or an offset within the first binary image with a predetermined value.

19. The machine-readable storage of claim 16 wherein the second mode of operation comprises modifying the second binary image to more closely match the first binary image.

20. The machine-readable storage of claim 19 wherein the modifying comprises at least one of relocating at least one portion of the second binary image and replacing at least one of an address or an offset within the second binary image with a predetermined value.

21. The machine-readable storage of claim 16 wherein the preprocessing produces a map table representative of the preprocessing performed.

22. The machine-readable storage of claim 16 wherein the preprocessing uses at least one heuristic.

23. The machine-readable storage of claim 15 wherein the encoding uses at least one heuristic.