U.S. patent application number 10/695312 was filed with the patent office on 2004-05-13 for firmware update in electronic devices employing sim card for saving metadata information.
Invention is credited to Rao, Bindu Rama.
Application Number | 20040093592 10/695312 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 42271335 |
Filed Date | 2004-05-13 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040093592 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Rao, Bindu Rama |
May 13, 2004 |
Firmware update in electronic devices employing SIM card for saving
metadata information
Abstract
A system and method for saving metadata information related to
firmware/software updates in a SIM card is disclosed. An electronic
device with an update agent may employ an update package reference
storage area in a SIM card to save metadata information related to
a downloaded update package. The update agent may access the stored
metadata information during power up or reboot in order to access
and/or process the downloaded update package. The SIM card, or in
various embodiments of the present invention, a smart card, a
removable memory card, or a removable memory module, may be
employed by the electronic device to save information about
downloaded files that are stored in a file system in the electronic
device. Such information may subsequently be accessed by the update
agent when the file system is not available. This may occur, for
example, during power-up or reboot, when the update package needs
to be accessed to perform a firmware/software update.
Inventors: |
Rao, Bindu Rama; (Laguna
Niguel, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MCANDREWS HELD & MALLOY, LTD
500 WEST MADISON STREET
SUITE 3400
CHICAGO
IL
60661
|
Family ID: |
42271335 |
Appl. No.: |
10/695312 |
Filed: |
October 28, 2003 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60425903 |
Nov 13, 2002 |
|
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60425901 |
Nov 13, 2002 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
717/168 ;
711/115 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06F 8/65 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
717/168 ;
711/115 |
International
Class: |
G06F 009/44; G06F
012/00 |
Claims
1. An updatable electronic device comprising: a memory comprising
at least one of firmware and software; at least one firmware
component, functioning to update at least a portion of at least one
of firmware and software; an interface for communicatively coupling
to a removable electronic memory device; and the removable
electronic memory device comprising information related to the
updating of the at least a portion of the at least one of firmware
and software.
2. The device of claim 1 wherein the at least one firmware
component comprises: an update agent for updating the at least a
portion of the at least one of firmware and software, the update
agent using at least one of an update package and the information
related to the updating of the at least one of firmware and
software.
3. The device of claim 2 further comprising: a communication
interface for receiving the update package.
4. The device of claim 3 wherein the communication interface is a
wireless communication interface.
5. The device of claim 2 wherein the update package comprises a set
of instructions for updating the at least a portion of the at least
one firmware and software.
6. The device of claim 1 wherein the information related to the
updating of the at least one firmware and software comprises at
least one of a cyclic redundancy check (CRC), a location in a file
system, a memory address, a status flag, and new firmware.
7. The device of claim 1 wherein the information related to the
updating of the at least one firmware and software comprises an
indication of the availability of an update for the at least one of
a firmware and software.
8. The device of claim 1 wherein the information related to the
updating of the at least one firmware and software comprises an
indication of the success of an update of the at least one of
firmware and software.
9. The device of claim 1 wherein the information related to the
updating of the at least one firmware and software is used to
verify or authenticate an update of the at least one of firmware
and software.
10. The device of claim 1 wherein the removable electronic memory
device comprises one of a subscriber identity module (SIM) card, a
smart card, an integrated circuit (IC) card, a removable memory
card, and a removable memory module.
11. A method of updating an updatable electronic device comprising
a memory containing at least one of firmware and software, and a
user removable electronic memory device, the method comprising:
retrieving information from the user removable electronic memory
device; determining whether an update of the at least one of
firmware and software is available using information from the user
removable electronic memory device; performing an update of at
least a portion of the at least one of firmware and software using
at least information from the user removable electronic memory
device, if an update of the firmware is available; and refraining
from performing an update of at least a portion of the at least one
of firmware and software, if an update of the firmware is not
available.
12. The method of claim 11 wherein the user removable electronic
memory device comprises one of a subscriber identity module (SIM)
card, a smart card, an integrated circuit card, a removable memory
card, and a removable memory module.
13. The method of claim 11 wherein the updatable electronic device
is a mobile handset.
14. The method of claim 11 wherein the information from the user
removable electronic memory device comprises at least one of a
signature, a location in a file system, a memory address, a status
flag, and new firmware.
15. The method of claim 14 wherein the signature comprises a cyclic
redundancy check (CRC).
16. The method of claim 11 wherein the information from the user
removable electronic memory device comprises an indication of the
availability of an update for the at least a portion of the at
least one of a firmware and software.
17. The method of claim 11 wherein the information from the user
removable electronic memory device is used to verify or
authenticate an update of the at least a portion of the at least
one of a firmware and software.
18. The method of claim 11 further comprising: receiving an update
package from a server; and the update package comprising a set of
instructions for updating the at least a portion of the at least
one firmware and software.
19. The method of claim 11 wherein: the receiving is performed
using a wireless network; and the information from the user
removable electronic memory device comprises the location of at
least one of the update package and the server.
20. The method of claim 11 further comprising: storing status
information in the user removable electronic memory device, if an
update was performed; and refraining from storing status
information in the user removable electronic memory device, if an
update was not performed.
21. The method of claim 11 further comprising: performing at least
one of restarting or rebooting the updatable electronic device.
22. The method of claim 21 wherein at least one of a need to
restart or reboot and a type of reboot is resident in the user
removable electronic memory device.
23. The method of claim 11 wherein the determining comprises:
verifying whether the retrieved information is at least one of
appropriate and authentic; continuing the performance of an update,
if the verification is successful; and executing a normal startup
of the updatable electronic device, if the verification is not
successful.
Description
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application makes reference to, claims priority to, and
claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application
60/425,903, entitled "Firmware Update In Electronic Devices
Employing SIM Card For Saving Metadata Information" (Attorney
Docket No. 14321US01-101USMD18), filed Nov. 13, 2002, the complete
subject matter of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference,
in its entirety.
[0002] In addition, this application makes reference to United
State Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/249,606
(Attorney Docket No. 13776US01), filed Nov. 17, 2000, PCT
Application Serial No. PCT/US01/44034 (Attorney Docket No.
13776WO01), entitled "System And Method For Updating And
Distributing Information", filed Nov. 17, 2001, U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 10/311,462 (Attorney Docket No. 13776US02),
entitled "System And Method For Updating And Distributing
Information", filed May 13, 2003, United State Provisional Patent
Application Serial No. 60/386,199, entitled "Communication Network
Capable Of Determining SIM Card Changes In Electronic Devices"
(Attorney Docket No. 15109US01-101USMD05U1), filed Apr. 19, 2002,
and U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/425,901,
entitled "Firmware Update In Electronic Devices Employing Update
Agent In SIM Card" (Attorney Docket No. 14320US01101USMD17), filed
Nov. 13, 2002, the complete subject matter of each of which is
hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
[0003] [Not Applicable]
MICROFICHE/COPYRIGHT REFERENCE
[0004] [Not Applicable]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0005] Electronic devices, such as mobile phones and personal
digital assistants (PDA's), often contain firmware and application
software that are either provided by the manufacturers of the
electronic devices, by telecommunication carriers, or by third
parties. Electronic devices, such as GSM phones, often contain a
SIM card reader that is employed to read information on SIM cards
that are inserted by end users. At least one function of SIM cards
is to provide a personal identity for a user regardless of the
phone actually in use. Quite often, SIM cards are used to specify
the identification of the end user such that any device into which
the SIM card is inserted assumes the identity provided by the SIM
card. The firmware and application software on such electronic
devices often employ information contained in a SIM card to access,
over the telecommunications network, services offered by service
providers.
[0006] If an electronic device such as, for example, a mobile
handset, contains operating system and applications software that
is updateable, support for the download of one or more update
packages comprising information used for updating such software is
necessary. It is often difficult, however, to communicate
information regarding the location of such update packages to a
firmware component, such as an update agent, that needs to access
and apply such updates. Update agents that operate at a level below
the operating system, closer to the device hardware, may not have
access to file system features of the operating system. In
addition, the update agents may not have access to other facilities
that would typically be available to applications supported by an
underlying operating system.
[0007] Further limitations and disadvantages of conventional and
traditional approaches will become apparent to one of skill in the
art, through comparison of such systems with the present invention
as set forth in the remainder of the present application with
reference to the drawings.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] Aspects of the present invention may be found in an
updatable electronic device comprising a memory having at least one
of firmware and software, at least one firmware component, and an
interface for communicatively coupling to a user removable
electronic memory device. The at least one firmware component may
function to update at least a portion of at least one of firmware
and software, and the user removable electronic memory device may
comprise information related to the updating of the at least a
portion of the at least one of firmware and software. The at least
one firmware component may comprise an update agent for updating
the at least a portion of the at least one of firmware and
software, and the update agent may use at least one of an update
package and the information related to the updating of the at least
one of firmware and software. An embodiment in accordance with the
present invention may also comprise a communication interface for
receiving the update package, and the communication interface may
be a wireless communication interface. The update package may
comprise a set of instructions for updating the at least a portion
of the at least one firmware and software.
[0009] In an embodiment of the present invention, the information
related to the updating of the at least one firmware and software
may comprise at least one of a cyclic redundancy check (CRC), a
location in a file system, a memory address, a status flag, and new
firmware. The information related to the updating of the at least
one firmware and software may comprise an indication of the
availability of an update for the at least one of a firmware and
software, an indication of the success of an update of the at least
one of firmware and software, and may be used to verify or
authenticate an update of the at least one of firmware and
software. The user removable electronic memory device may comprise
one of a subscriber identity module (SIM) card, a smart card, an
integrated circuit (IC) card, a removable memory card, and a
removable memory module.
[0010] Additional aspects of the present invention may be seen in a
method of updating an updatable electronic device comprising a
memory containing at least one of firmware and software, and a user
removable electronic memory device. Such a method may comprise
retrieving information from the user removable electronic memory
device, and determining whether an update of the at least one of
firmware and software is available using information from the user
removable electronic memory device. An embodiment of the present
invention may comprise performing an update of at least a portion
of the at least one of firmware and software using at least
information from the user removable electronic memory device, if an
update of the firmware is available, and refraining from performing
an update of at least a portion of the at least one of firmware and
software, if an update of the firmware is not available. The user
removable electronic memory device may comprise one of a subscriber
identity module (SIM) card, a smart card, an integrated circuit
card, a removable memory card, and a removable memory module, and
the updatable electronic device may be a mobile handset.
[0011] In an embodiment in accordance with the present invention,
the information from the user removable electronic memory device
may comprise at least one of a signature, a location in a file
system, a memory address, a status flag, and new firmware. The
signature may comprise a cyclic redundancy check (CRC). The
information from the user removable electronic memory device may
comprise an indication of the availability of an update for the at
least a portion of the at least one of a firmware and software, and
may be used to verify or authenticate an update of the at least a
portion of the at least one of a firmware and software. An
embodiment of the present invention may also comprise receiving an
update package from a server, and the update package may comprise a
set of instructions for updating the at least a portion of the at
least one firmware and software. In an embodiment of the present
invention, the receiving may be performed using a wireless network,
and the information from the user removable electronic memory
device may comprise the location of at least one of the update
package and the server.
[0012] An embodiment in accordance with the present invention may
comprise storing status information in the user removable
electronic memory device, if an update was performed, and
refraining from storing status information in the user removable
electronic memory device, if an update was not performed. An
embodiment of the present invention may perform at least one of
restarting or rebooting the updatable electronic device, and at
least one of a need to restart or reboot and a type of reboot may
be resident in the user removable electronic memory device. In an
embodiment of the present invention, the determining may comprise
verifying whether the retrieved information is at least one of
appropriate and authentic, continuing the performance of an update
if the verification is successful, and executing a normal startup
of the updatable electronic device if the verification is not
successful.
[0013] These and other advantages, aspects and novel features of
the present invention, as well as details of an illustrated
embodiment thereof, will be more fully understood from the
following description and drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an updatable electronic device
having memory comprising firmware/software, and a SIM card that
provides access to data stored in an update package reference
storage area, in accordance with an embodiment of the present
invention.
[0015] FIG. 2 is a flow chart illustrating an exemplary method of
operating an electronic device, such as the electronic device of
FIG. 1, when it accesses the update package reference storage area
in a SIM card as the electronic device is powered up or restarted,
in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
[0016] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary embodiment of
a mobile handset 309 with a file system, in accordance with an
embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0017] The present invention relates generally to the process of
updating software/firmware in electronic devices and, more
specifically, to the use of a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card
or a smart card for providing storage space to store metadata
information related to update packages employed in the update of
firmware/software in an electronic device.
[0018] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an updatable electronic device
109 having memory 133 comprising firmware/software 131, and a SIM
card 123 that provides access to data stored in an update package
reference storage area 127, in accordance with an embodiment of the
present invention. The portion of the memory 133 containing the
firmware/software 131 of electronic device 109 is generally
non-volatile memory, although memory 133 may comprise both
non-volatile and volatile memory. The firmware/software 131
comprises an operating system 129 and an update agent 125. The
electronic device 109 of FIG. 1 may employ the update agent 125 to
update the firmware/software 131 in the electronic device 109 using
information stored in SIM card 123. The electronic device 109 of
FIG. 1 is communicatively coupled by communication link 113 to a
distribution network 107, that provides access to update packages.
The update packages may comprise information used by update agent
125 in the electronic device 109 to update the firmware/software
131 of electronic device 109. The information in such an update
package may comprise things such as, for example, a set of
instructions for updating a portion of the firmware/software 131.
Addition details of exemplary update packages may be found in U.S.
Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/249,606 (Attorney
Docket No. 13776US01), filed Nov. 17, 2000, PCT Application Serial
No. PCT/US01/44034 (Attorney Docket No. 13776WO01), entitled
"System And Method For Updating And Distributing Information",
filed Nov. 17, 2001, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/311,462
(Attorney Docket No. 13776US02), entitled "System And Method For
Updating And Distributing Information", filed May 13, 2003, the
complete subject matter of each of which is hereby incorporated
herein by reference in its entirety. The distribution server 119 in
the distribution network 107 may act not only as a repository of
update packages, but also as a system that selectively dispenses
the update packages to the electronic device 109. Although shown as
a single electronic device 109 for reasons of clarity, the
electronic device 109 of FIG. 1 is representative of a plurality of
electronic devices capable of being updated by the distribution
server 119.
[0019] Together, the electronic device 109 and the distribution
network 107 comprise a communications network 105 capable of
distributing update packages to the electronic device 109. In one
embodiment of the present invention, the electronic device 109 may
be, for example, a mobile handset in a wireless network.
[0020] In an embodiment of the present invention, the electronic
device 109 may comprise an update agent 125, and a SIM card 123
that provides an update package reference storage area 127. The SIM
card 123 interfaces to the electronic device 109 through interface
111. Although a SIM card is a specific form of user removable
electronic memory device, the present invention applies equally to
other forms of user removable electronic memory devices such as,
for example, smart cards (sometimes referred to as "integrated
circuit cards" or "IC cards"), removable memory cards, removable
memory modules, and the like. Therefore, although this application
refers to a SIM card, the present invention is not limited in this
regard, as other forms of removable electronic memory device are
contemplated and applicable. The update package reference storage
area 127 of SIM card 123 may, for example, comprise a 16-byte space
where metadata information, associated with an update package
downloaded to the electronic device 109, is stored. The metadata
information may be used during a subsequent access by the update
agent 125, such a subsequent access typically occurring during a
restart/reboot of the electronic device, or during a power-up
event.
[0021] In an embodiment in accordance with the present invention,
the update agent 125 may detect the presence of the update package
reference storage area 127 in the SIM card 123, and may employ the
information contained in the update package reference storage area
127 during an update of the firmware/software 131 in the memory 133
of the electronic device 109. In an embodiment of the present
invention, the update package reference storage area 127 may
contain metadata information related to an update package. In one
embodiment of the present invention, the metadata information
contained in the update package reference storage area 127 may
comprise, for example, one or more signatures such as, for example,
4-byte cyclic redundancy check (CRC) values, an address in memory
133 where the update package is stored, an address of a backup
section in the memory 133 of the electronic device 109 that is
employed during an update process, and a 4-byte status field
indicating the need to update firmware/software 131 in the
electronic device 109. Other formats and data types are also
contemplated for such metadata. In addition, other types of
metadata information are contemplated for storage in the update
package reference 127.
[0022] In an embodiment of the present invention, the update agent
125 may be invoked during a reboot or startup (power-up) of the
electronic device, to determine whether an update of the
firmware/software 131 in the electronic device is available. If the
update agent 125 determines from the metadata information in the
update package reference storage area 127 indicates that an update
of the firmware/software is available, the update agent 125 may
access the update package in the memory 133 of the electronic
device 109 using addresses and/or references provided in the update
package reference storage area 127. The update agent 125 in an
embodiment of the present invention (e.g., the electronic device
109) may access data or code stored in the SIM card 123, and may
use the data as needed in the update process.
[0023] In one embodiment of the present invention, the electronic
device 109 may be capable of determining when the SIM card 123 has
been changed. For example, the electronic device 109 may determine
if one SIM card 123 has been removed and a different SIM card 123
introduced into the SIM card interface 111 of the electronic device
109. In an embodiment in accordance with the present invention, the
update agent 125 may facilitate determination of SIM card changes
in the electronic device 109. The update agent 125 may also
facilitate the reporting of such changes to the distribution
network 107. In addition, the determination of changes to
information contained in the SIM card 123 may be detected and acted
upon by the electronic device 109.
[0024] In an embodiment of the present invention,
restarting/rebooting of the electronic device 109 may be avoided
for some types of update packages. Information indicating whether
or not a restart/reboot of the electronic device 109 is to be
performed may be communicated to the electronic device 109 when an
update package is delivered to the electronic device 109 by the
distribution server 119. An indication of a request to reboot
electronic device 109 during an update may be communicated to the
electronic device 109, and may be stored as a flag in the metadata
information stored in the update package reference storage area
127. In a related embodiment, the type of reboot to be performed
(e.g., a "soft" reboot or a "hard" reboot) may be specified if
there is a need to reboot the electronic device following the
download of the update package and an update of firmware/software
131. Thus, "reboot needed" information may be communicated to an
electronic device such as, for example, a wireless mobile handset,
along with an update package. An indication of a request for a
reboot, along with information specifying the kind of reboot--e.g.,
"soft" or "hard", may be stored in the update package reference
storage area 127.
[0025] FIG. 2 is a flow chart illustrating an exemplary method of
operating an electronic device, such as the electronic device 109
of FIG. 1, when it accesses the update package reference storage
area in a SIM card as the electronic device is powered up or
restarted, in accordance with an embodiment of the present
invention. The following description of the method of FIG. 2 makes
reference to the illustration shown in FIG. 1. At the start of the
process (block 207), an electronic device, such as the electronic
device 109 of FIG. 1, is powered-up or restarted (rebooted). The
electronic device then executes an initialization sequence
typically executed as part of an initial bootstrap operation (block
209). Next, an update agent resident in the electronic device
determines whether an update of the firmware/software (e.g.,
firmware/software 131) of the electronic device is available (block
211). In one embodiment of the present invention, the update agent
may access an update package reference storage area, such as update
package storage area 127 in the SIM card 123 of FIG. 1, to retrieve
a status flag. When set, such a status flag may indicate a request
to update firmware/software, employing an update package stored in
a file system in the memory (e.g., memory 133) of the electronic
device. The location where the update package is stored in the file
system of the electronic device may also be provided in the update
package reference storage area of the SIM card.
[0026] If it is determined (block 211) that there is no need to
update the firmware/software of the electronic device, then the
regular or normal startup of the electronic device is activated
(block 225), and the illustrated process ends (block 221).
[0027] If it is determined (block 211) that an update of
firmware/software is indicated, then the update package storage
area of the SIM card may be accessed by an update agent, such as
the update agent 125 of FIG. 1, to retrieve metadata information
used in performing the update (block 213). An attempt may then be
made to verify whether the metadata information in the update
package reference storage area of the SIM card is appropriate and
relevant (block 215). If it is determined that the metadata
information in the update package reference storage area of the SIM
card is not authentic, or is inappropriate, the update process is
bypassed, and a message may be displayed to a user to indicate that
the update package reference storage area contains inappropriate
data (block 223). The regular or normal startup of the electronic
device may then be activated (block 225), and the illustrated
process ends (block 221).
[0028] If it is determined that the metadata information provided
in the update package reference storage area of the SIM card is
authentic and appropriate (block 215), then the update agent may
retrieve metadata information from the update package reference
storage area of the SIM card (block 217), access the update package
and associated information using metadata information retrieved
from the update package reference storage area, and prepare for the
update processing. The update agent may then apply one or more
update packages to the firmware/software of the electronic device,
using metadata information from the update package reference
storage area (block 219). In addition, one or more flags may be set
(or reset) to indicate success or failure of the update process.
Such flags may be located in the non-volatile memory of the
electronic device, or in the SIM card, and may be accessed as
processing continues (block 207) after a restart/reboot or power
cycle.
[0029] In an embodiment of the present invention, a newer update
agent may be retrieved from the SIM card, and may replace the
existing update agent (block 217).
[0030] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary embodiment of
a mobile handset 309 with a file system, in accordance with an
embodiment of the present invention. The exemplary mobile handset
309 of FIG. 3 may correspond to the electronic device 109 of FIG.
1. The mobile handset 309 may download an update package using
communications means 315, store the downloaded updated package into
a file system 325 provided by operating system 323, and populate an
update package reference storage area (not shown) in a SIM card
337. During the download of the update package, the mobile handset
309 may employ services provided by a SIM card driver 331. An
update agent 313 in the mobile handset 309 may also employ the
services provided by the SIM card driver 331 to access the update
package reference storage area in SIM card 337 before or during an
update process, to retrieve metadata information related to the
downloaded update package. The SIM card 337 may provide storage for
storing and retrieving metadata information related to the update
of mobile handset 309. Such metadata information may be stored by a
secure loader manager 327 that is responsible for managing
downloads of update packages over communications means 315. In an
embodiment of the present invention, the metadata information
stored in SIM card 337 may comprise addresses of locations in the
file system where update packages are stored, and where backup
space for processing is provided. The metadata information may
later be accessed by the update agent 313 during power-up or
restart/reboot of the mobile handset 309.
[0031] In an embodiment of the present invention, an initial boot
sequence may be executed on a power-up or restart/reboot, before
the update agent 313 or the firmware 321 is activated.
Specifically, the update agent 313 may be activated immediately
after the initial boot sequence and before the firmware 321.
[0032] In one embodiment of the present invention, the update agent
313 may determine a need to update the firmware/software by
accessing metadata information stored in the update package
reference storage area in a SIM card, such as SIM card 337 of FIG.
3. In a related embodiment, the update agent 313 may determine a
need to update the firmware software using information stored in
the storage 311, or in the firmware 321, without accessing the SIM
card 337.
[0033] In one embodiment of the present invention, the update agent
313 may determine that an update of firmware/software is to be
performed, and may access the SIM card 337 via the SIM card driver
331, to retrieve metadata information in an update package
reference (not shown) in the SIM card 337. The metadata information
may comprise authentication information such as, for example, one
or more signatures (e.g., CRC values) used to verify and/or
authenticate portions of the update package, or the updated
firmware/software. The metadata information may also comprise, for
example, the location of one or more update packages in storage 331
or file system 325, and addresses of backup areas or sections in
storage 311. This metadata information may be employed during the
processing of update packages before an update, or during an update
process, and may also comprise status flags, Universal Resources
Locators (URLs) in a distribution network such as distribution
network 107 of FIG. 1, other update-related parameters, and the
like.
[0034] In an embodiment of the present invention, an electronic
device such as, for example, the electronic device 309 of FIG. 3,
with an update agent such as, for example, update agent 313, may
employ an update package reference stored in a SIM card, to save
metadata information related to a downloaded update package. The
update agent may access the saved metadata information during power
up or restart/reboot in order to access and/or process the
downloaded update package. In an embodiment in accordance with the
present invention, a SIM card such as, for example, SIM card 337 of
FIG. 3 may be employed by an electronic device to save information
about downloaded files that are stored in a file system of the
electronic device such as, for example, file system 325 of FIG. 3.
Such information may subsequently be accessed by the update agent
when the functionality of the file system is not available. This
may occur, for example, during power-up or restart/reboot, when the
update package may be accessed to perform a firmware/software
update.
[0035] While the invention has been described with reference to
certain embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the
art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be
substituted without departing from the scope of the invention. In
addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular
situation or material to the teachings of the invention without
departing from its scope. Therefore, it is intended that the
invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed,
but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within
the scope of the appended claims.
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