Compressed Firmware Update via Remote Server Intermediary
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electronic devices with compressed firmware images face challenges in updating their software due to hardware limitations and the risk of compression failures, leading to potential device malfunction and inability to add desired functionality post-purchase.
Innovation Solution
An electronic device with a central processing unit, memory, and a network connector, equipped with an update agent that communicates with a server to receive and install modified firmware images in a compressed format, allowing for the addition of new software components and monitoring available memory to ensure compatibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If the firmware image is stored in a compressed format to save memory space, then the memory requirements are reduced, but the device cannot reliably perform compression operations and may fail to operate or be fixed without manufacturer involvement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a server as an intermediary that performs the compression operation remotely. Instead of requiring the device's limited hardware to perform compression, the server compresses the firmware image and transmits the compressed data back to the device, eliminating the reliability issues associated with on-device compression while still achieving memory space savings.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the device's insufficient local compression capability with a server-based compression system. The server's computational resources are used to perform the compression operation, substituting the device's mechanical/hardware limitations with remote computational power, thereby enabling reliable compression without requiring the device to have robust compression hardware.
2Device complexity
If the device hardware is reduced to minimal requirements to operate the device, then the device cost and complexity are reduced, but the device cannot perform compression operations robustly
Solution Approach 1:
The server acts as an intermediary that compensates for the device's minimal hardware requirements. The server performs the compression operation that the device's limited hardware cannot reliably perform, allowing the device to maintain minimal hardware specifications while still achieving robust compression functionality through remote assistance.
3Quantity of substance
If the device uses a compressed file system to save memory, then the firmware image can be stored efficiently, but any additional applications must also be compressed which is technically possible but does not lend itself to high level of robustness
Solution Approach 1:
The server serves as an intermediary that handles the compression of additional applications before they are stored in the device's compressed file system. This remote compression approach ensures high robustness levels for the compression operation while maintaining memory efficiency, as the server's reliable compression system processes applications that will be stored in the device's compressed storage.
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic device comprising: a central processing unit; memory in data communication with the central processing unit; a network connector in data communication with the central processing unit; a firmware image stored in a compressed format within the memory, wherein the firmware image includes a plurality of software components; and an update agent stored within the memory and configured to provide a list of software components for communication out the network connector, wherein the electronic device is configured to communicate the list of software components out the network connector and receive a modified firmware image in a compressed format that includes at least one additional software component.