Network Subscriber Software Update via Block and Component Fields
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Solution Overview
Problem
The complexity of updating software components in IoT devices across multiple manufacturers leads to a prolonged vulnerability to attacks, as each manufacturer must individually update their extended program code, resulting in a delayed dissemination of security updates.
Innovation Solution
A method that allows for automatic updating of software components by using 'block fields' and 'component fields' to store addresses of update sources, enabling each manufacturer to specify their own update sources and prioritize either component or slot addresses for updates, ensuring efficient and secure updates across the network.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If each manufacturer individually updates their extended program code through a cascade process, then each manufacturer can maintain control over their specific software components, but the overall update time is prolonged and security vulnerabilities persist longer
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by having manufacturers pre-configure update source addresses in block fields and component fields during the software development phase. This allows the update system to automatically identify and contact the correct update sources without manual intervention, significantly reducing the time required for cascade updates across multiple manufacturers while maintaining security control.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service by allowing each manufacturer's software components to automatically identify their own update sources through the pre-configured block fields and component fields. The update mechanism autonomously navigates the cascade structure, contacting appropriate manufacturers in the correct sequence without requiring external coordination, thus reducing update time while preserving individual manufacturer control.
2Extent of automation
If manual update coordination is used across multiple manufacturers, then update control can be maintained, but the complexity of the update process increases and automation is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the update process into distinct hierarchical levels corresponding to different manufacturers in the cascade structure. Each manufacturer has designated block fields and component fields that segment the update information storage. This segmentation allows automated processing at each level while maintaining the overall cascade structure, reducing perceived complexity through structured organization.
Solution Approach 2:
The block fields and component fields act as intermediaries between manufacturers and the update system. These fields store update source addresses and enable automatic routing of update requests through the cascade structure without requiring direct manual coordination between manufacturers. This intermediary mechanism automates the update process while simplifying the interaction complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for updating software components of a network subscriber of a network, in which a program code of the network subscriber has at least two manufacturer-specific blocks, and each of these manufacturer-specific blocks has at least one software component. Each manufacturer-specific block has a respective associated block field, the at least one software component of each manufacturer-specific block has a respective associated component field, and at least one of the block fields and/or at least one of the component fields stores a respective address of a source responsible for an update. An address of the source responsible for the update of the at least one software component is selected for the at least one software component of each manufacturer-specific block on the basis of the component field associated with this at least one software component and the block field associated with this respective manufacturer-specific block.