Patent Abstract:
A mobile electronic device with fragmented device settings enables preservation of user-defined settings during over-air software updates. Such a device in one aspect comprises a memory adapted to store at least one device setting including a default setting determined independent of any user of the device and a user setting determinable by a user of the device; a wireless interface adapted to receive a software update; and a processor communicatively coupled to the wireless interface and the memory and adapted to update the default-setting in response to the software update.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to mobile electronic devices, and more particularly to mobile electronic devices capable of preserving user-defined settings during over-air updates of device settings. 
   Mobile electronic devices, such as notebook computers, cellular phones, personal data assistants (PDAs) and pocket PCs, are becoming increasingly sophisticated. This increased sophistication has brought with it more complex software and a higher incidence of coding errors, called software bugs. This increased sophistication has also led to more frequent availability of software upgrades that enhance the functionality of such devices. To remove software bugs and enable software upgrades, software updates are disseminated and applied on such devices. 
   To more efficiently disseminate software updates to a large installed base of mobile electronic devices, techniques that download software updates to such devices over-air have been deployed. In such wireless download schemes, a software update is typically loaded on a software update server in a network infrastructure and is pushed or pulled from the server to a plurality of such devices. 
   A technical challenge that arises during over-air software updates is how to update device settings without affecting user-defined settings. A software image on a mobile electronic device typically includes device settings that affect, for example, how the device interfaces with the user. These device settings are often initialized to default values that a user of the device can modify to match his or her preferences. Unfortunately, a conventional software update server has no knowledge of which device settings a user has modified. Without such knowledge, there is no way to perform a selective update of device settings via an over-air software update that preserves the user-defined settings. If device settings are globally updated as part of a software update, the user-defined settings are overwritten. The user must then once again modify the device settings to match his or her preferences, consuming the user&#39;s time and causing frustration. On the other hand, if device settings are not updated as part of a software update, the device may not perform at a desired level after the update. Old device settings that are no longer required will persist, new device settings that are required by the updated software will not become operative, and device setting default values will not be optimized for the updated software. Incompatibilities arising between the updated software and old device settings may even render the device inoperable. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention, in a basic feature, enables user-defined settings to be preserved during an over-air update of device settings of a mobile electronic device. Generally speaking, preservation of user-defined settings is accomplished through fragmentation of device settings on the mobile electronic device into default settings and user settings that may be separately maintained, referenced and updated. 
   In one aspect, the present invention provides a mobile electronic device comprising a memory adapted to store at least one device setting including a default setting determined independent of any user of the device and a user setting determinable by a user of the device; a wireless interface adapted to receive a software update; and a processor communicatively coupled to the wireless interface and the memory and adapted to update the default setting in response to the software update. The software update may update the default setting to a valid or invalid value. The default setting may be maintained in a first file and the user setting may be maintained in a second file. In some embodiments, the memory is adapted to store a plurality of device settings each including a default setting determined independent of any user of the device and a user setting determinable by a user of the device wherein each default setting is updated in response to the software update. 
   In another aspect, the present invention provides a mobile electronic device comprising a memory adapted to store at least one device setting including a default setting determined independent of any user of the device and a user setting determinable by a user of the device; a user interface adapted to receive a user input; and a processor communicatively coupled to the user interface and the memory and adapted to update the user setting in response to the user input. The user input may update the user setting to a valid or invalid value. In some embodiments, the memory is adapted to store a plurality of device settings each including a default setting determined independent of any user of the device and a user setting determinable by a user of the device wherein one or all of the user settings are updated in response to the user input. 
   In another aspect, the present invention provides a mobile electronic device comprising a memory adapted to store at least one device setting including a default setting determined independent of any user of the device and a user setting determinable by a user of the device; and a processor communicatively coupled to the memory and adapted in response to interrogation of the device setting to select for application on the device one of the default setting and the user setting. In some embodiments, the processor selects the user setting for application on the device if the user setting is a valid and selects the default setting for application on the device if the user setting is invalid. 
   These and other aspects of the invention will be better understood by reference to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings that are briefly described below. Of course, the invention is defined by the appended claims. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a system diagram of a network in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a block diagram of a mobile electronic device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 3  is a block diagram showing updated and non-updated software elements within a mobile electronic device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 4  is a block diagram showing updated and non-updated device settings within a mobile electronic device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 5  is a flow diagram showing operation of a mobile electronic device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   In  FIG. 1 , a network in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention is shown. The network includes a software update server  110  in a network infrastructure. Server  110  may reside in an enterprise network or a service provider network, for example. Server  110  has wired connectivity with an access point  150 , such as a cellular base station or a wireless LAN access point. The connectivity may be direct or via one or more intervening data communication nodes such as routers, switches and bridges. Access point  150  has wireless connectivity with a plurality of mobile electronic devices  120 ,  130 ,  140  via respective over-air links. Over-air links may include various types of links over which data may be transmitted, such as a cellular link or LAN link. Mobile electronic devices  120 ,  130 ,  140  shown include a notebook computer  120 , a cellular phone  130  and a PDA  140 , although other types of devices having a wireless interface, for example pocket PCs, may be deployed. In other embodiments, the mobile electronic devices in the network may be homogenous, that is, all may fit within the some product class (e.g. cell phones). 
   Software update server  110  stores and distributes software updates to an installed base of mobile electronic devices, such as devices  120 ,  130 ,  140 . The installed base may include, for example, a group of mobile electronic devices owned by a common enterprise or used by a subscriber group. Software update types include, for example, patches with corrective code and upgrades with code that supports new features or functionality. Software updates also include device setting updates. In some embodiments, server  110  prepares and downloads to devices a delta package in lieu of a complete replacement software image. In such embodiments, server  110  compares a current version of software running on devices with a new version and creates a delta package reflective of differences. The delta package contains information sufficient to enable devices to self-update to the new version of software, such as a set of commands that instruct devices how to modify the current version. Devices receive the delta package from server  110  and execute the delta package to update to the new version. In some embodiments, software updates are pulled from server  110  pursuant to requests made by devices  120 ,  130 ,  140 . In other embodiments, software updates are pushed by server  110  to devices  120 ,  130 ,  140  independent of any request. 
   Turning to  FIG. 2 , a representative mobile electronic device  200  in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention is shown. Device  200  includes a wireless interface  210  adopted to transmit and receive data in accordance with a wireless communication protocol, such as a cellular or wireless LAN protocol. Device  200  further includes a user interface  230  adapted to transmit outputs and receive inputs from a user of device  200 . User interface  230  may, for example, include a display and a mechanism for user input such as a keypad or a touch-sensitive navigation tool. Device  200  further includes a main memory  240  adapted to store device software and settings. In some embodiments, memory  240  is a flash memory. Device  200  further includes a processor  220  adapted to execute device software stored in main memory  240  and interoperate with elements  210 ,  230 ,  240  to perform various features and functions supported by device  200 . 
   Turning to  FIG. 3 , main memory  240  is shown in more detail to include device software  310 ,  320  and device settings  350 . Device software  310 ,  320  includes software programs, such as an operating system, with instructions adapted for execution by processor  220  to perform various features and functions supported by device  200 . Device software is logically partitioned into updated device software  310  and non-updated device software  320 . Updated device software  310  includes program elements that are updated in response to a delta package  250  received from a software update server over wireless interface  210 . Non-updated device software  320  includes program elements that are not updated in response to delta package  250 . Device settings  350  include a multiple of settings that affect, for example, how device  200  interfaces with the user. Purely by way of example, different device settings may affect language presentation, text presentation, volume, ring tone and screen saver type. 
   Device settings  350  are logically partitioned into default settings  330  and user settings  340 . Each device setting includes one default setting and one user setting. Default settings  330  are device settings that may be updated in response to software updates, such as delta package  250 , but are not updated in response to user inputs. User settings  350  are device settings that may be updated in response to user inputs, but are not updated in response to software updates. In some embodiments, default settings  330  and user settings  340  are maintained in separate data tables and files. 
   Turning now to  FIG. 4 , device settings  350  are illustrated in greater detail by way of example. In the example shown, default settings  330  include five old default settings  331   a  and six new default settings  331   b  arranged in tabular format, with each setting having a reserved table location. Old default settings  331   a  include old default values OldDefVal 1  through OldDefVal 5 . Application of delta package  250  converts old default settings  331   a  into new default settings  331   b  whereby old default values OldDefVal 1  and OldDefVal 3  through OldDefVal 5  are replaced with new default values NewDefVal 1  and NewDefVal 3  through NewDefVal 5 . Additionally, application of delta package  250  results in replacement of old default value OldDefVal 2  with invalid value InvalidVal. Finally, application of delta package  250  results in addition of a new default setting having a value of DefVal 6  in a new table entry appended to the end of the table. Further in the example shown, user settings  340  include individual user settings arranged in tabular format and having reserved locations. The first, fourth and fifth user settings have valid values UserVal 1 , UserVal 4  and UserVal 5 , respectively, while the remaining user settings are invalid. 
   Reservation of table locations for particular settings enables the formation of logical groups of settings from aligned settings in different tables. In particular, each aligned default setting and user setting together form a device setting. Thus, after application of delta package  250 , the first device setting is defined by the tuple &lt;NewDefVal 1 , UserVal 1 &gt;, the second device setting is defined by the tuple &lt;InvalidVal, InvalidVal&gt;, the third device setting is defined by the tuple &lt;NewDefVal 3 , InvalidVal&gt;, and so on. Device settings whose default settings are invalid (that is, have invalid values) are inoperative, whereas device settings whose default settings are valid (that is, have valid values) are operative. Moreover, when the default setting and the user setting of a device setting are both valid, the user setting is preferred. That is, the user setting is returned in response to an interrogation of the device setting when the default setting and the user setting are both valid. It will be appreciated that preserving table entries for device settings rendered inoperative maintains the alignment between default settings and user settings required for formation of device settings. In other embodiments, table entries for inoperative device settings are removed and device software has a program that executes after software updates to restore alignment. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 5 , a flow diagram shows operation of mobile electronic device  200  in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Before the flow diagram begins, device  200  is booted and default settings  330  and user settings  340  initialize to their current values. Device  200  then monitors for an event ( 510 ). If the event is a software update, device software  310  and default settings  330  are updated ( 520 ). Software updates are prompted by receipt from a software update server over wireless interface  210  of a delta package including updated device software  310  and one or more valid or invalid update values for default settings. Current values for affected default settings are replaced with the update values. Any update values that pertain to new device settings are appended as a new table entry. Device  200  monitors for the next event ( 510 ) after completing the software update. 
   If the event is a user settings update, user settings are updated ( 530 ). User settings updates are prompted by input by a user on user interface  230  of one or more valid update values for user settings, or a reset instruction. Current values for affected user settings  340  are replaced with the valid update values. If a reset instruction is input, all current user settings  340  are reset to invalid. Device  200  monitors for the next event ( 510 ) after completing the user settings update. 
   Finally, if the event is a request for a device setting, the user setting for the device setting is interrogated and it is determined whether the user setting is valid ( 540 ). If the user setting is valid, the valid user setting is returned for application on device  200  ( 550 ). If the user setting is invalid ( 560 ), the default setting for the device setting is interrogated and returned for application on device  200  ( 560 ). Device  200  monitors for the next event ( 510 ) after processing the request for the device setting. 
   It will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that the invention can be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential character hereof. The present description is therefore considered in all respects to be illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is indicated by the appended claims, and all changes that come with in the meaning and range of equivalents thereof are intended to be embraced therein.

Technology Classification (CPC): 7