In-Place Update Package Generation with Conflict Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
In-place update methods face challenges with 'write-before-read conflicts' and copy-cycles, leading to unresolved conflicts and increased update package size, especially in storage devices with limited space like mobile phones, where blocks change position and order during updates.
Innovation Solution
The method generates update packages with protection and restoration commands to resolve conflicts by selecting and protecting overridden content, using an auxiliary storage buffer to minimize package size and avoid copy-cycles, ensuring efficient and fast in-place updates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If in-place update methods are used to update content in storage devices, then storage space is optimized and update efficiency is improved, but write-before-read conflicts occur and update package size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by identifying and protecting content that will be overridden before the update process begins. The system performs a preliminary analysis to determine which content blocks need protection, then inserts protection commands into the update package beforehand. This prevents write-before-read conflicts during the actual update execution, maintaining update efficiency while avoiding the need to include redundant data that would increase package size.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism in the form of protection commands that mediate between the update process and the content being updated. These protection commands act as intermediaries that temporarily prevent access to content that will be overridden, allowing the update to proceed without conflicts. This intermediary approach resolves the contradiction by enabling in-place updates to occur efficiently without requiring additional package size to handle conflicts.
2Reliability
If protection commands are inserted to resolve write-before-read conflicts, then conflict resolution is achieved, but update package size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by selectively inserting protection commands only for the specific content blocks that will be overridden during the update, rather than protecting all content. The system performs a precise analysis to identify only the necessary protection points, inserting minimal protection commands into the update package. This selective approach ensures reliable conflict resolution while keeping the update package size as small as possible by avoiding excessive protection overhead.
3Reliability
If content is protected and restored during in-place updates, then data integrity is maintained, but update process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies self-service by designing an update process where the system automatically identifies content requiring protection, generates appropriate protection commands, and manages the protection and restoration process without external intervention. The update package self-containedly includes all necessary protection commands, and the update execution automatically handles protection and restoration based on the package instructions. This self-service mechanism maintains data integrity while minimizing process complexity by eliminating the need for external management systems.
Data Source
AI summary
Method and apparatus for generating an update package. The update package is capable of in-place updating an old version to a new version wherein the old and new versions are stored in a storage device. The method includes inserting update commands into the update package, wherein the update commands allow updating the old version to the new version. The method further includes checking the update commands for determining whether they create at least one conflict, and if so, selecting one conflict out of the at least one conflict, wherein content overridden in said one conflict requires protection. A protection command allowing protection of the content before it is being overridden and a restoration command allowing restoration of the content with the protected content after it was overridden are also inserted into the update package.