Patent ID: 8170540

Claim:
A system for upgrading software on a mobile terminal comprising: a network management computer (NMC) adapted to receive a plurality of software upgrades and to multicast the plurality of software upgrades to a plurality of mobile terminals through a satellite link, the plurality of software upgrades comprising more than one software program for mobile terminal devices; and each mobile terminal from the plurality of mobile terminals communicable with the NMC through the satellite link and is adapted to execute at least one software program for the mobile terminal devices, the mobile terminal including at least one upgradeable component in the mobile terminal devices, wherein the upgradeable component further includes a detachable device descriptor (DDD) corresponding to operating characteristics of the upgradeable component, wherein the DDD includes designations for one of a hardware configuration an operating system, a memory configuration or a processing configuration; wherein the NMC is adapted to multicast the plurality of software upgrades to the mobile terminal in response to the DDD of the upgradeable component; and wherein each software upgrade comprises an upgrade time comprising a software release number, a time at which the software should be upgraded and the DDD to which the software applies.