Secure, non-disruptive firmware updating

摘要

Firmware updates for, e.g., thin client devices may be achieved in a seamless, non-disruptive manner using a two-stage firmware loader, including a base loader pre-installed on the device and a caching loader downloaded, by the base loader, from a firmware server and thereafter responsible for downloading and updating other firmware application packages.

主权项

1. A method of managing firmware on a thin client device including a processor, the method comprising the steps of:
executing, by the processor, a base loader stored in nonvolatile memory of the thin client device to download, from a remote firmware server, a caching loader for nonvolatile storage on the thin client device; and executing, by the processor, the caching loader to
(i) identify, via the remote firmware server, at least one firmware application needed by the thin client device but not stored thereon and download the at least one identified firmware application for nonvolatile storage on the thin client;(ii) verify the at least one identified firmware application based on a digital certificate;(iii) identify, via the remote firmware server, at least one newer version of the at least one firmware application following initial download thereof and download the at least one newer version of the at least one firmware application for storage in the nonvolatile memory;(iv) verify the at least one newer version based on the digital certificate; and(v) manage transition to the at least one downloaded newer version of the at least one firmware application; executing a terminal emulation program on the thin client to establish communication, via the network interface, with a remote application server for facilitating interaction, via a peripheral device of the thin client, with at least one application executing on the remote server; and restricting operation of the terminal emulation program prior to authentication of the user via the at least one authentication device, wherein the thin client comprises at least one authentication device, the method further comprising executing, on the thin client, a user authentication services application to authenticate a user via the at least one authentication device.