Automated software upgrade utility

Abstract

The automated software upgrade utility allows a customer, product supplier or software vendor to upgrade the operating system, firmware, applications and data files on any product regardless of the product type and characteristics. This upgrade process can be invoked from a remote location or via interaction directly with the target device.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09 / 664,459, filed Sep. 18, 2000, now pending, which application is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. [0002] Additionally, this application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60 / 155,502, filed Sep. 22, 1999, which application is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE OF COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING APPENDIX [0003] This application herein incorporates by reference the Computer Program Listing Appendix attached hereto as CD-ROMs entitled “Philip M. Denby, Douglas L. Hughes, and Jonathan D. Fletcher, “AUTOMATED SOFTWARE UPGRADE UTILITY,” 480062.665C1, Feb. 3, 2005.” This program listing is included on a total of two (2) compact discs. Compact discs “Copy 1” and “Copy 2” are identical copies. The files located on each compact disc copy include: [0004] ngextrn.h, 3 / 26 / 04, 2...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0028] In both configurations, the software upgrade utility retains the ability to identify all pertinent product characteristics, freeing the developer of the firmware upgrade from concerns regarding installing the upgrade across a wide range of product characteristics and nearly endless possible configurations.

Problems solved by technology

However, prior art automatic upgrade utilities are not known to have provided firmware upgrades across an entire product line for units comprised of a plethora of different characteristics.

In addition, prior art on automatic upgrade utilities are not known to operate across any network transports.

In the prior art, upgrades required a confusing disk swapping process and / or a direct serial connection to the device that required considerable user attention to ensure the upgrade completed successfully.

Upgrades frequently consumed several hours, as each detail of the product being upgraded had to be painstakingly checked and disks constantly swapped.

The presence of the operator often meant that during business hours the ADC device platform was unavailable for data collection while an upgrade was being accomplished.

Many users were extremely reluctant to perform the installation procedure themselves because they were afraid of making mistakes and they were also concerned that they did not possess the requisite technical understanding to complete the process successfully.

Images