Method and apparatus for updating information on an embedded system

• US 8,352,577 B2
• Filed: 07/22/2008
• Issued: 01/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Inventors: Martone, Terry
• Primary Examiner(s): BOUTAH, ALINA A
• Application Number:
  US12/177,538
• Publication Number:
  US 20100023602A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,631 Days
• Field of Search: 709/220, 709/223, 717171-173, 701/2, 701/31.4
• US Class Current: 709/220
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/60 Software deployment

Abstract

A target system is dynamically configured to boot from a network connection upon power-up. A portable data loader connected to the target system may receive communications from the target system that a connection has been established. In response, a copy of a target-specific software data loader (SWDL) application may be transmitted from the portable data loader to the target system. The copy of the SWDL application may be stored in volatile memory on the target system and may be executed to support at least one maintenance operation. A user may invoke a maintenance operation by entering a command into the portable data loader. By isolating the data loader application from the operational software stored on the target system, the disclosed methods and apparatus may allow for reduced development and software certification costs for implementing maintenance operations on an embedded system.

Claims

1. A method of using an external maintenance device to update a target system configured to boot over a network, the method comprising:

receiving at the external maintenance device via at least one network protocol, communication from the target system that the external maintenance device is electrically connected to the target system; and

sending, in response to the communication, a target-specific application from the external maintenance device to the target system, wherein the target-specific application is an executable stand-alone application isolated from operational software on the target system that, when executed from a volatile memory on the target system, enables the external maintenance device to perform at least one maintenance operation on the target system, wherein the at least one maintenance operation comprises sending at least one command from the external maintenance device to the target-specific application.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein external maintenance device is a portable data loader.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one network protocol comprises a Trivial File Transfer Protocol (TFTP).

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving an indication that the target-specific application was successfully sent to the target system, and in response to receiving the indication, performing the at least one maintenance operation.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein performing the at least one maintenance operation comprises downloading operational software from the external maintenance device to the target system.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein performing the at least one maintenance operation comprises sending a request for configuration information to the target system.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

receiving from the target system, in response to the request, the configuration information; and

displaying on the external maintenance device the configuration information.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the target-specific application, when executed, enables the external maintenance device to perform the at least one maintenance operation on the target system in accordance with an ARINC protocol.

8. A method of updating a target system, the method comprising:

receiving electrical information at the target system, the electrical information dynamically configuring the target system to boot over a network;

supplying power to the target system, thereby establishing communication with a portable data loader connected to the target system;

receiving at the target system, in response to the establishing communication with the portable data loader, a target-specific application from the portable data loader, wherein the target-specific application is an executable stand-alone application isolated from operational software on the target system that, when executed from a volatile memory on the target system, enables the portable data loader to perform at least one maintenance operation on the target system, wherein the at least one maintenance operation comprises sending at least one command from the portable data loader to the target-specific application; and

storing the target-specific application in the volatile memory on the target system.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

executing the target-specific application in the volatile memory to support the at least one maintenance operation.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the at least one maintenance operation comprises downloading operational software from the portable data loader to the target system.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein downloading operational software is initiated by executing at least one command on the portable data loader.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the at least one maintenance operation comprises providing configuration information to the portable data loader in response to a request from the portable data loader to provide the configuration information.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

expunging the target-specific application from the volatile memory upon receiving an indication from the portable data loader that no further maintenance is required.

14. A software maintenance system, comprising:

a target system comprising a first non-volatile memory, a volatile memory, at least one processor, and a first network interface;

a portable data loader comprising a second network interface and a second non-volatile memory storing at least one target-specific application that, when executed by the target system, enables the portable data loader to perform at least one maintenance operation on the target system, wherein the target-specific application is an executable stand-alone application isolated from operational software on the target system, wherein the at least one maintenance operation comprises sending at least one command from the portable data loader to the target-specific application; and

a maintenance cable connected between the first network interface and the second network interface, configured to facilitate a transfer of information between the portable data loader and the target system, wherein the information includes the target-specific application.

15. The software maintenance system of claim 14, wherein the volatile memory is a RAM.

16. The software maintenance system of claim 14, wherein the first non-volatile memory has at least one operational program stored thereon.

17. The software maintenance system of claim 14, wherein the maintenance cable comprises an Ethernet cable and the information comprises electrical information to control a target system boot method.

18. The software maintenance system of claim 17, wherein the target system further comprises at least one initial program loader (IPL) module configured by the electrical information to enable the target system to boot from a network upon supplying power to the target system.

19. The software maintenance system of claim 14, wherein the portable data loader further comprises a processor configured to communicate with the target system via the second network interface using at least one network protocol.

20. The software maintenance system of claim 14 wherein at least some of the information is transferred from the portable data loader to the target system in accordance with the ARINC-615A protocol.

21. The software maintenance system of claim 14, wherein the target system is incorporated in an aircraft vehicle.