Systems and Methods for Updating Device Software

• US 20090125897A1
• Filed: 11/14/2007
• Published: 05/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Temic Automotive of North America, Incorporated (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Teves Incorporated (Continental AG)
• Inventors: D'Avello, Robert F., Matlin, Gabriel Alan, Mulderink, Chris
• Granted Patent: US 8,332,838 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/63 Image based installation; Cloning; Build to order
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57

Abstract

Methods and systems for updating device software are disclosed, including a method for updating an information handling system, the method comprising: rebooting the information handling system; loading operational software for operating the information handling system; applying one or more updates to the operational software to obtain updated operational software; and executing the updated operational software.

Claims

1. A method for updating an information handling system, the method comprising:

rebooting the information handling system;

loading operational software for operating the information handling system;

applying one or more updates to the operational software to obtain updated operational software; and

executing the updated operational software.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing one or more update memory blocks;

determining an active one of the update memory blocks and an inactive one of the update memory blocks;

copying previous updates from the active one of the update memory blocks to the inactive one of the update memory blocks,

adding the one or more updates to the inactive one of the update memory blocks;

designating the inactive one of the update memory blocks as active; and

applying the one or more updates and the previous updates from the active one of the update memory blocks.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising determining that the one or more updates and previous updates were correctly added to the inactive update memory block prior to designating the inactive update memory block as active.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising performing the loading and the applying after every reboot of the information handling system.

5. An information handling system comprising:

a processor;

memory; and

a communications unit, the information handling system being configured to;

reboot the information handling system;

load operational software for operating the information handling system;

apply one or more updates to the operational software to obtain updated operational software; and

execute the updated operational software.

6. The information handling system of claim 5, being further configured to:

provide one or more update memory blocks;

determine an active one of the update memory blocks and an inactive one of the update memory blocks;

copy previous updates from the active one of the update memory blocks to the inactive one of the update memory blocks,

add the one or more updates to the inactive one of the update memory blocks;

designate the inactive one of the update memory blocks as active; and

apply the one or more updates and the previous updates from the active one of the update memory blocks.

7. The information handling system of claim 6, being further configured to determine that the one or more updates and previous updates were correctly added to the inactive update memory block prior to designating the inactive update memory block as active.

8. The information handling system of claim 5, being further configured to perform the loading and the applying after every reboot of the information handling system.

9. A computer program product stored on a computer operable medium, the computer program product comprising software code being effective to:

reboot the information handling system;

load operational software for operating the information handling system;

apply one or more updates to the operational software to obtain updated operational software; and

execute the updated operational software.

10. The product of claim 9, being further effective to:

provide one or more update memory blocks;

determine an active one of the update memory blocks and an inactive one of the update memory blocks;

copy previous updates from the active one of the update memory blocks to the inactive one of the update memory blocks,

add the one or more updates to the inactive one of the update memory blocks;

designate the inactive one of the update memory blocks as active; and

apply the one or more updates and the previous updates from the active one of the update memory blocks.

11. The product of claim 10, being further effective to determine that the one or more updates and previous updates were correctly added to the inactive update memory block prior to designating the inactive update memory block as active.

12. The product of claim 9, being further effective to perform the loading and the applying after every reboot of the information handling system.

13. A method for updating an information handling system, the method comprising:

loading and executing operational software on the information handling system;

receiving an update at the information handling system to be updated;

determining whether the information handling system is in an essential operating state; and

executing the update while executing the operational software only in response to determining that the information handling system is not in an essential operating state.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the information handling system is comprised in a vehicle and wherein the determining that the information handling system is not in an essential operating state comprises at least one of:

determining whether the key is in the ignition or present in the vehicle;

determining whether the vehicle is in a “

park”

mode; and

determining whether a vehicular accident is imminent.

15. An information handling system comprising:

a processor;

memory; and

a communications unit, wherein the information handling system is configured to;

load and execute operational software on the information handling system;

receive an update at the information handling system to be updated;

determine whether the information handling system is in an essential operating state; and

execute the update while executing the operational software only in response to determining that the information handling system is not in an essential operating state.

16. The information handling system of claim 15, wherein the information handling system is comprised in a vehicle and wherein the information handling system is further configured to determine that the information handling system is not in an essential operating state comprises the information handling system being configured to perform at least one of:

determine whether the key is in the ignition or present in the vehicle;

determine whether the vehicle is in a “

park”

mode; and

determine whether a vehicular accident is imminent.