Mobile services network for update of firmware/software in mobile handsets

• US 7,480,907 B1
• Filed: 01/09/2004
• Issued: 01/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Dinh, John D. V., Soberano, Vincent P., Marolia, Sunil, Chia, Teck, Gustafson, James P., Hamasaki, Glenn Jr., Pakarinen, Toni, Jacobi, Sidney A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kiss; Eric B
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dao; Thuy
• Application Number:
  US10/754,313
• Time in Patent Office: 1,838 Days
• Field of Search: 717/172
• US Class Current: 717/174
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57

Abstract

A mobile handset in a mobile services network, with access to a plurality of services, including a firmware/software update service, receives update notifications. The notifications indicate the availability of update packages, and, in response, the mobile handset confirms the authenticity of the received update notifications before initiating a download of an associated update package from a management server or delivery server in the mobile services network. The notifications may be managed and sent by an authorized user from a management console. One or more delivery servers may be employed to dispense update packages to a plurality of mobile handsets.

Claims

1. A system that supports deployment of updating information used for the updating of firmware in an electronic device, through a network, the system comprising:

a generator for generating updating information using two versions of the firmware;

storage having database software for storing the updating information and an associated lifecycle state value that holds one of a plurality of values representing states in a lifecycle of the updating information, the plurality of values comprising at least a value assigned to new updating information that has not been successfully tested for use in the electronic device;

a user interface at least for managing the generation, distribution, and storage of the updating information and for one or both of assigning and/or checking the lifecycle state value associated with stored updating information; and

wherein the lifecycle state value associated with the stored updating information is accessed to determine permissible deployment of the updating information by the system, wherein the deployment of the updating information by the system is restricted when the lifecycle state value is set at the value assigned to new updating information that has not been successfully tested for use in the electronic device.

2. The system according to claim 1 wherein the electronic device comprises:

loader software for loading updating information from the storage; and

updating software for applying loaded updating information to the firmware in the electronic device.

3. The system according to claim 2 wherein the storage verifies the updating information before allowing the loader software to load the updating information.

4. The system according to claim 3 wherein the verifying includes at least one of the following:

at least one characteristic associated with the updating information; and

data calculated using the updating information.

5. The system according to claim 2 wherein the loader software verifies the loaded updating information before allowing the updating software to apply the updating information.

6. The system according to claim 2 wherein the electronic device further comprises software that determines whether the electronic device has a sufficient power level for loading updating information from the storage.

7. The system according to claim 2 wherein the electronic device further comprises software that determines whether the electronic device has sufficient free memory for loading updating information from the storage.

8. The system according to claim 1 wherein an authorized user uses the user interface to manage the generated updating information.

9. The system according to claim 8 wherein only an authorized user can load the generated updating information to the storage.

10. The system according to claim 8 wherein a plurality of distinct updating information reside in the storage, and wherein only an authorized user determines which one of the plurality of the distinct updating information is appropriate for the electronic device.

11. The system according to claim 8 wherein the associated lifecycle state value is one of:

a first state value indicating the generated updating information is new and untested;

a second state value indicating the generated updating information is only available to an authorized user;

a third state value indicating the generated updating information is available to be loaded by an electronic device of a network subscriber;

a fourth state value indicating the generated updating information is no longer valid; and

a fifth state value indicating the generated updating information failed testing performed by an authorized user.

12. The system according to claim 11 wherein only an authorized user can change the associated lifecycle state value of updating information.

13. The system according to claim 1 wherein the network comprises at least one server communicatively coupled to at least one electronic device, and the at least one server distributes the updating information to the at least one electronic device.

14. The system according to claim 1 wherein the network is wireless.

15. The system according to claim 1 wherein the electronic device is portable.

16. The system according to claim 1 wherein the generator utilizes optimizing algorithms to minimize the size of the updating information.

17. The system according to claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the system is integrated into an existing framework.

18. The system according to claim 17 wherein components of the existing framework are used to facilitate the updating of firmware in the electronic device using the generated updating information.

19. A method of operating a system that supports deployment of updating information used for the updating of firmware in at least one electronic device, the method comprising:

generating updating information using a first version of the firmware and a second version of the firmware;

storing the generated updating information;

storing a lifecycle state value associated with the generated updating information, wherein the lifecycle state value holds one of a plurality of values representing states in a lifecycle of the updating information, the plurality of values comprising at least a value assigned to new updating information that has not been successfully tested for use in the electronic device; and

communicating a notification to the at least one electronic device about the availability of updating information, based upon the lifecycle state value associated with the updating information, wherein the availability of the updating information is restricted if the lifecycle state value is the value assigned to new updating information that has not been successfully tested for use in the electronic device.

20. The method according to claim 19 wherein the plurality of values comprises:

a first state value indicating the generated updating information is new;

a second state value indicating the generated updating information is only available to an authorized user;

a third state value indicating the generated updating information is available to be loaded by the least one electronic device;

a fourth state value indicating the generated updating information is no longer valid; and

a fifth state value indicating the generated updating information failed testing performed by an authorized user.

21. The method according to claim 19 wherein the method further comprises:

receiving a request for the updating information from the at least one electronic device;

retrieving the updating information using at least one characteristic of the at least one electronic device; and

verifying the retrieved updating information.

22. The method according to claim 21 wherein the method further comprises sending the updating information to the at least one electronic device.

23. The method according to claim 22 wherein the method further comprises receiving a notification from the at least one electronic device indicating a successful updating of the firmware in the at least one electronic device.

24. The method according to claim 19 wherein the communicating is done over a wireless channel.