US 8,145,940 B1 · Method and system for updating a software image

Abstract

A method and system for updating or recovering a computer device's software image using a single portable operating system image stored on a bootable, secure partition on local storage (hard drive); a method and system utilizing delta image patching technology to allow the single image to work on a large number of diverse computer device platforms; and a method for distributing software patches and updates via a, secure local partition to ensure patches and updates are applied to well known software images that have not been modified to include malicious software and do not include any other undesirable changes that have been made to the primary, running operating system image.

Claims10

Dependent claims

A computer-implemented method of updating software to a data processing apparatus comprising the steps of:

(a) storing a first operating system in a first storage area of the apparatus and storing user data in the first storage area using the first operating system;
(b) storing a sector-by-sector image copy of the first storage area in a second storage area using the first operating system, the image copy comprising the first operating system and user data;
(c) restoring the first storage area using the image copy stored in the second storage area and a second operating system accessible to the apparatus;
(d) after step (c), applying an update to the apparatus using at least one of the first operating system and the second operating system.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

12/705,966Filed 15 Feb 2010 · continuation

Priority

9 Oct 2002

Granted

27 Mar 2012

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification4 codes

G06F 11/1417
At system level: boot up procedures
G06F 21/57
Monitoring users, programs or devices to maintain the integrity of platforms, e.g. of processors, firmware or operating systems: certifying or…
G06F 11/1433
At system level: during software upgrading
G06F
Computing and data processing

Family

Application10/267,492Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 9 Oct 2002

Application11/213,502Parent of this continuation · filed 26 Aug 2005

US 7,024,581 B1Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 4 Apr 2006

US 7,664,984 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 16 Feb 2010

Application11/213,502Parent of this continuation-in-part

US 2005/0289533 A1Published application

US 8,145,940 B1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

Method and system for updating a software image

Life of this patent

Method and system for updating a software image

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims10