Signatures for facilitating hot upgrades of modular software components
US6880086B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 5, 2001 |
| Grant date | Apr 12, 2005 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 30, 2023 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L41/0889
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
The present invention provides a method and apparatus for facilitating hot upgrades of software components within a telecommunications network device through the use of “signatures” generated by a signature generating program. After installation of a new software release within the network device, only those software components whose signatures do not match the signatures of corresponding and currently executing software components are upgraded. Signatures promote hot upgrades by identifying only those software components that need to be upgraded. Since signatures are automatically generated for each software component as part of putting together a new release a quick comparison of two signatures provides an accurate assurance that either the software component has changed or has not. Thus, signatures provide a quick, easy way to accurately determine the upgrade status of each software component.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.