Integrated services hub reboot process

• US 7,130,922 B1
• Filed: 11/29/2001
• Issued: 10/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Barrow, Matthew K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wiley, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): JEAN GILLES, JUDE
• Application Number:
  US09/998,419
• Time in Patent Office: 1,797 Days
• Field of Search: 709/245, 709/230, 709/228, 709220-225, 709/310, 370/352, 370/252, 370/402, 370/431, 370/368, 370/475, 370/351, 379/93.05, 707/200, 713/200, 713/201
• US Class Current: 709/245
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4625 Single bridge functionality, e.g. connection of two networks over a single bridge
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0809 Plug-and-play configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0856 by backing up or archiving configuration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5014 using dynamic host configuration protocol [DHCP] or bootstrap protocol [BOOTP]

Abstract

The present invention discloses a method of automatically downloading configuration files and binary code for a customer premises telecommunications hub. Upon initial power up, the hub sends a DHCP request to a DHCP server. The DHCP server sends the hub an IP address for the hub, the name of an appropriate configuration file, and identifies file servers where files may be obtained. The hub requests the configuration file from a TFTP file server, and obtains a binary file name. The hub renames the file to include its model ID. The hub then requests the renamed binary file from a TFTP file server. The binary code is downloaded and written into flash memory. The file is rechecked for the correct model ID. The hub then resets so that the new binary code is transferred into the operating RAM.

Claims

1. A method for initializing a customer premises telecommunications hub having a link to a central office comprising:

obtaining a configuration file name and a domain name of a TFTP file server from a DHCP server in a central office,

obtaining a configuration file, including a first control software file name, from the TFTP file server,

creating a second control software file name by combining a model ID identifying the model of the hub with at least part of the first control software file name, and

obtaining a control software file having the second control software file name from the TFTP file server.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

said first control software file name includes a prefix identifying a model number, and said step of creating a second control software file name comprises replacing the prefix of said first control software file name with a prefix comprising the model number of said hub.

3. A method according to claims 1, further comprising:

comparing the name of said control software file to said second control software file name.

4. A method according to claim 3, further comprising:

loading said control software file into a first flash memory partition in said hub and designating said first partition as the active partition.

5. A method according to claim 4 further comprising:

rebooting said hub with said control software file in said first flash memory partition.

6. A method according to claim 5 wherein:

said control software file is stored in compressed form in said first flash memory partition, and on rebooting, said file is expanded and loaded into RAM for operating said hub.

7. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

checking said first control software file name for the presence of a suffix identifying it as a binary file name, and, if such suffix is not present, adding a suffix identifying said first control software file name as a binary file name.

8. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining an IP address of a domain name server from said DHCP server in said central office, and

obtaining an IP address of said TFTP server from said domain name server.

9. A method for providing control software code to a customer premises telecommunications hub having a link to a central office comprising:

upon rebooting of the hub, sending a DHCP request to a central office DHCP server;

sending a configuration file name and a domain name of a TFTP server from the central office DHCP server to the hub;

sending a request for the configuration file from the hub to the TFTP server,

sending the configuration file, including a first control software file name, from the TFTP server to the hub,

creating a second control software file name by combining a model ID identifying the model of the hub with at least part of the first control software file name,

sending a request for the control software file having said second control software file name from the hub to a configuration file server, and

sending the control software file having said second control software file name from the configuration file server to the hub.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein:

said first control software file name includes a prefix identifying a model number, and said step of creating a second control software file name comprises replacing the prefix of said first control software file name with a prefix comprising the model number of said hub.

11. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

comparing the name of said control software file to said second control software file name.

12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising:

loading said control software file into a first flash memory partition in said hub and designating said first partition as the active partition.

13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising:

rebooting said hub with said control software file in said first flash memory partition.

14. The method according to claim 13 wherein:

said control software file is stored in compressed form in said first flash memory partition, and on rebooting, said file is expanded and loaded into RAM for operating said hub.

15. The method according to claim 14, further comprising:

checking said first control software file name for the presence of a suffix identifying it as a binary file name, and, if such suffix is not present, adding a suffix identifying said first control software file name as a binary file name.

16. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

obtaining an IP address of a domain name server from said DHCP server in said central office, and

obtaining an IP address of said TFTP server from said domain name server.