Abstract:
In one aspect, software or configuration data that is to be distributed is subdivided into data blocks and a list created based on the data blocks created. Users receive the list and a portion of the data blocks. The users form ad hoc networks or P2P connections among themselves. The connections allow the data blocks to be exchanged randomly.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is the US National Stage of International Application No. PCT/EP2005/054749, filed Sep. 22, 2005 and claims the benefit thereof. The International Application claims the benefits of German application No. 102004047371.4 DE filed Sep. 29, 2004, both of the applications are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety. 
     FIELD OF INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a method for distribution of software and/or configuration data in a data network with a number of users who have ad hoc-networking capabilities. In addition the present invention relates to a corresponding data network with users who have ad-hoc networking capabilities and a central device for distribution of the software or configuration data. 
     BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
     Software administration plays a central role for any mobile radio network provider or network operator. With several million users the providers or operators are confronted with an enormous problem: The changing and updating of configurations is to be able to be undertaken at all terminals simultaneously or within a clearly defined time frame. While the standards bodies concentrate on how the updating and modification of the configuration code is to be managed on the network side and on terminal side, the process to be employed by network providers and operators for handling the multiplicity of triggers and connections for updates and changes has basically been left open. 
     “Efficient mobile access to Internet data via wireless peer-to-peer network”, Pervasive Computing and Communications, 2004, Proceedings of the second IEEE Annual Conference on Mar. 14-17, 2004, XP-A-10689683, describes a network structure in which game programs, MP3 files or movie clips for example are transmitted in Internet files or files by content providers via their ISPs and subsequently via 3G connections to the mobile terminals. In this case the respective file is divided up into part files and each of the part files is transmitted to an assigned mobile terminal. Furthermore the mobile terminals are constructed so that they can transfer the remaining subfiles via an ad-hoc network in each case. To this end servers are provided between the Internet and the ad-hoc network in which the distribution of the subfiles in the ad-hoc network is controlled. 
     In WO-A-02/052787 a device and a method for a transmission of a message broken down into n segments and the re-assembly of the message from one device to another device over a network is described. In this case the n segments are assigned n identifiers, with each segment being transmitted along with its assigned identifier to the other device. The message is assembled with the aid of the n identifiers. 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     An object of the present invention is thus to provide a method with which an update or change of the configurations of a plurality of terminals can be undertaken more easily. In addition a corresponding data network is to be specified. 
     In accordance with the invention this object is achieved by a method of distributing software and/or configuration data in a data network with a number of users who have ad hoc-networking capabilities by dividing up the software and/or configuration data to be distributed into at least a first and a second data block, creating a list which reflects a complete set of data blocks which is produced during the division. sending the first data block together with the list from a central location to a first of the number of users and the at least second data block together with the list likewise from a central location to a second of the number of users, establishing spontaneous communication between the first and second user and sending the second data block together with the list from the second user to the first user. 
     In addition there is provision according to the invention for a data network with at least one first and one second user who have ad hoc networking capabilities, and a central device for distributing software and/or configuration data, with the software and/or configuration data to be distributed being available in at least one first and one second data block; a list being created in the central device which reflects a complete set of data blocks produced during the division, the first data block together with the list being able to be sent by the central device to the first user and the second data block together with the list to the second user, spontaneous communication being able to be established between the first and second user and the second data block together with the list being able to be sent directly from the second user to the first user. 
     Advantageously this makes it possible for the network providers and operators to no longer have to trigger all devices or users for updating and changing the configurations or software. They merely have to send software or configuration data to a subset of users. This saves energy and bandwidth and thereby money, specifically, by dividing up the configuration data to be transmitted into data blocks, around one third of the distribution costs can be saved compared to a standard P2P (peer-to-peer) software distribution. 
     The second data block can be sent by the second user at the request of the first user. In this case the first user, who is still missing the second data block, is the active part. An especially efficient method of doing this is for the first user to make their request on the basis of the list, which they have obtained from the central location, to the user forming an ad-hoc network with them. 
     The second data block can however also be transmitted automatically by the second user, if they establish communication with the first user or set up the ad-hoc network. This means that in this case the second user is the active part and the first user merely has to decide whether they already have the second data block and discard it if necessary. 
     As soon as one of the number of users has a complete set of data blocks available, their installation or setup can be started. The user can establish on the basis of the list transferred by the central location whether the set of data blocks is complete or not. 
     Spontaneous communication can be established using Bluetooth or WLAN. This allows the process to be based on known standards. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention will now be explained in greater detail with reference to the enclosed drawings, which basically reflect an inventive data network. 
         FIG. 1  illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a mobile radio network with users T 1 , T 2  and T 3  to be newly configured. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION 
     The exemplary embodiment described in greater detail below represents a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     The inventive solution is based on a P2P software management distribution principle with part delivery. In this case large volumes of data needed for the updating or changing of the software or configuration are divided up into blocks which are then sent to “selected” devices. To this end only one data block is sent to a device in each case. 
     In the example shown in the Figure, the operator  0  provides a data set D with which the users T 1 , T 2  and T 3  of a mobile radio network are to be newly configured. In this case, the data of the data set D is subdivided into blocks A, B and C. Furthermore the data set D possess a list L which contains a script about all the data blocks A, B and C to be received by the users. 
     Operator  0  now sends the individual data blocks A, B and C via send stations S 1  and S 2  to the users T 1 , T 2  and T 3 . Data is also sent to user T 5  from send station S 1 . 
     In the actual example the send station S 1  sends a data block A including the list L to the user T 1 . Furthermore the send station S 1  sends a data block B including list L to a user T 2 . The other send station S 2  sends a data block C including list L to a user T 3 . The restriction to a few users and send stations is based on a purely arbitrary selection. Basically any number of send stations and users can be selected. 
     In addition the send station S 1  also transmits to a user T 5  the data block B including list L. Using spontaneous communication the user T 1  also forwards the data block A with list L received from the send station S 1  to user T 4 . In this way the data can not only be transported onwards via the send stations S 1  and S 2 , but also, in a similar manner to the virus dissemination principle, between the users themselves. 
     Since the users who have received new data also received a list providing information about all the necessary data blocks, the users also know which data blocks they still do not have. In order however not to occupy the data network unnecessarily with the forwarding of configuration data, an additional dissemination mechanism is provided in accordance with the invention. If namely a user moves towards another user (in the example shown in the figure user T 3  is moving towards user T 2 ) the two users, if they are at an appropriate distance from each other, can establish an ad-hoc-network or a P2P connection via Bluetooth or WLAN. The configuration data blocks can then be exchanged via this communication connection. In the case shown here user T 2  sends data block B to user T 3  and user T 3  sends data block C to user T 2 . This is done either by user T 3  issuing data block C automatically if a P2P connection is established to another user. In the same way user T 2  could automatically issue data block B if this P2P connection is established to another user. 
     Alternately each user can make use of the list L since they know from this list the data blocks which they do not yet have for a complete set of configuration data. In the present example this would mean user T 2  asking user T 3  whether they have data block A or C available. Since user T 3  possesses data block C, they send data block C to user T 2 . The same applies to the transmission of data block B from user T 2  to user T 3 . Finally the two users T 2  and T 3  each have the two data blocks B and C. It is then only necessary to wait until one of the two users T 2  and T 3  is in contact with user T 1  or T 4  for example, so that they can obtain the remaining data block A. 
     This dissemination of data blocks for configuration or other software updating means that less of a load is imposed on the data network, so that less bandwidth is necessary for software management. The transmission of the data blocks is guaranteed instead by ad-hoc connections between the terminals. This principle is of especial interest for large volumes of data to be distributed cost-effectively.