Mobile handset capable of updating its update agent

• US 7,725,889 B2
• Filed: 01/13/2004
• Issued: 05/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Nguyen, Do P., Chen, Shao-Chun, Hammerberg, Karl W., Marolia, Sunil, Gustafson, James P., Pakarinen, Toni
• Primary Examiner(s): Yigdall; Michael J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wang; Ben C
• Application Number:
  US10/756,103
• Publication Number:
  US 20040243991A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,324 Days
• Field of Search: 717168-178
• US Class Current: 717/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1433 during software upgrading
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4401 Bootstrapping 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, is also capable of updating its update agent using an appropriate update package. The update package is retrieved from an update package repository via a management server. In one embodiment, the existing update agent is copied to a backup section before the update agent itself is updated. On the subsequent reboot, the new update agent is employed unless it is determined that it is corrupted or ineffective, in which case the old update agent is reactivated.

Claims

1. A system in an electronic device, that facilitates the updating of at least one of firmware and updating software in the electronic device, using updating information received via a communication network, the system comprising:

a non-volatile memory comprising;

firmware;

loading software for loading the updating information via the communication network;

updating software for applying the loaded updating information to the at least one of firmware and updating software; and

initializing software for initializing the electronic device;

a random access memory (RAM);

security services for verifying the loaded updating information;

wherein one of the initializing software and the updating software determines whether applying the updating information updates the updating software;

wherein if it is determined that applying the updating information updates the updating software, the electronic device then updates the updating software using a first technique that;

before the updating software is modified, saves a functional copy of the updating software in a working flash bank within a articular flash memory section of the non-volatile memory reserved for storing said functional copy;

after saving said functional copy, processes a portion of the loaded updating information that updates the updating software;

after updating the updating software, complete a tri-phase boot process using a boot checker in a boot checker bank also within the particular flash memory section, the tri-phase boot process involving a subsequent initialization, a validity check, and a branching functionality to branch between the updated updating software and the saved functional copy of the updating software, both within the particular flash memory section, based on the validity check; and

wherein if it is determined that applying the updating information updates other than the updating software, the electronic device uses a second update technique that does not save a functional copy of the other than the updating software before processing updating information associated with the other than the updating software.

2. The system according to claim 1 wherein the loading software receives the updating information via the communication network.

3. The system according to claim 1 wherein the updating software is capable of updating itself.

4. The system according to claim 3 wherein the updating software saves a back up copy of the updating software in the non-volatile memory before updating itself.

5. The system according to claim 3 wherein the updating software saves a back up copy of the updating software in the RAM before updating itself.

6. The system according to claim 1 wherein the updating software uses a fault tolerant technique in the updating process.

7. The system according to claim 1 wherein the verifying utilizes cyclic redundancy code.

8. The system according to claim 1 wherein the communication network comprises a wireless network.

9. The system according to claim 1 wherein the initialization software determines if the applying of the loaded updating information is successful.

10. The system according to claim 9 wherein the initialization software uses a back up copy of the at least one of firmware and updating software if the applying of the loaded updating information is not successful.

11. The system according to claim 1 wherein the initialization software continues an interrupted applying of the loaded updating information.

12. A method for updating at least one of firmware and updating software in an electronic device, using updating information received via a communication network, the method comprising:

initializing the electronic device;

wherein if it is determined that the updating software is to be updated, the method further comprises;

saving a functional copy of the updating software in a working flash bank within a articular flash memory section of non-volatile memory reserved for storing said functional copy;

after the saving, updating the updating software using the updating information to produce updated updating software;

after producing the updated updating software, initializing the electronic device a second time; and

completing a tri-phase boot process using a boot checker in a boot checker hank within the articular flash memory section, the tri-phase boot process involving the second initialization, a validity check, and a branching functionality to branch between the updated updating software and the saved functional copy of the updating software, both within the particular flash memory section, based on the validity check; and

wherein if, after the first initialization, it is determined that the updating software is not to be updated, the method further comprises;

processing any remaining updating information to update firmware, without saving a functional copy of the firmware to be updated.

13. The method according to claim 12 wherein, if it is determined that no updating needs to be done, the method further comprises performing a normal start up of the electronic device.

14. The method according to claim 12 wherein, if it is determined that the updating software does not need updating and the firmware needs updating, the method further comprises:

updating the firmware using the updating information; and

initializing the electronic device.

15. The method according to claim 12 wherein the saving of the updating software is done by storing the updating software in a non-volatile memory in the electronic device.

16. The method according to claim 12 wherein the saving of the updating software is done by storing the updating software in a random access memory (RAM) in the electronic device.

17. The method according to claim 12 wherein, if it is determined that updating the updating software was successful, the method further comprises:

enabling use of the new updating software; and

after enabling use of the new updating software, initializing the electronic device.

18. The method according to claim 12 wherein, if it is determined that updating the updating software was not successful, the method further comprises:

enabling use of the saved updating software; and

after enabling use of the saved updating software, initializing the electronic device.

19. The method according to claim 12 wherein the communication network is wireless.