Internet-enabled device provisioning, upgrade and recovery mechanism
The invention consists of a boot loader for a device, comprising an IP stack supporting Internet protocols, and a scripting engine to run a default script. The IP stack includes address discovery service (for example, BOOTP and DHCP), a URI to IP address translator (for example, DNS), and a protocol for file transfer over the Internet (for example, HTTP, FTP and/or TFTP). On start-up of the device, the boot loader runs the default script to initialize the device and verify the integrity of any data and operating systems in memory on the device.
1. A boot loader for a device, comprising:
a) a script engine operative to use a default script to initialize said device, to verify a primary partition table and a secondary partition table, identical in content to said primary partition table, in memory on said device, said content being partition metadata describing one or more partitions in memory on said device and said initializing further including generating and verifying said partitions in memory on said device using said partition metadata and including verifying the integrity of any data and operating systems in memory on said device;
b) an IP stack containing an address discovery service, a URL to IP address translator and one or more Internet file transfer protocols that allows communication with a computer on a local or non-local network; and
c) a boot loader operating system and drivers.
2. The bootloader according to claim 1 , further comprising a user interface operative to allow a user to interrupt said default script.
3. The boot loader according to claim 1 , wherein said default script can be replaced with a script downloaded from a remote server.
4. The boot loader according to claim 1 , wherein said partition metadata consists of a URL for additional scripts to generate content for an individual partition.
5. The boot loader according to claim 4 , wherein said additional scripts can further be used to update said partition metadata.
6. The boat loader according to claim 1 , wherein said partition table script is downloaded from a remote server.
7. The boot loader according to claim 1 , wherein said scripting engine supports security protocols to authenticate a remote server for downloaded data.
8. The boot loader according to claim 1 , wherein said scripting engine supports security protocols to obfuscate the content of downloaded data.
9. The boot loader according to claim 1 , wherein said scripting engine supports security protocols to authenticate the origin of downloaded data.
10. The boot loader according to claim 1 , wherein said default script provides instructions to download said partition table script and generate said partition tables and said partitions upon every boot-up of said device, regardless of the status of any existing partition tables and partitions.
11. The boot loader according to claim 1 , wherein said partition tables and said partitions are located in different units of physical memory on said device.
12. A method of booting a device, comprising:
a) providing a boot loader, said boot loader having a script engine and an IP stack containing an address discovery service, a URL to IP address translator and one or more Internet file transfer protocols, that allow communication with a computer on a local or non-local network;
b) reading and executing a default script to initialize said device, said default script including logic for verifying the integrity of any data and operating systems in memory on said device and wherein said default script includes the steps of:
i) generating a primary partition table and a secondary partition table in memory on said device using a partition table script, said primary partition table and said secondary partition table being identical in content, and said content being partition metadata describing one or more partitions in memory on said device:
ii) verifying said primary partition table and said secondary partition table against said partition table script;
iii) generating said one or more partitions using said metadata on said primary partition; and
iv) verifying said one or more partitions against said partition metadata.
13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein said boot loader includes a user interface and including the additional step of checking for input from said user interface to interrupt said default script.
14. The method according to claim 12 , wherein said partition metadata is a URL for a script to create content for each individual partition.
15. The method according to claim 12 , wherein step b) returns to and repeats step a) in the event that validation of said partition tables fails.
16. The method according to claim 12 , wherein step d) returns to and repeats step c) in the event that validation of said partitions fails.
17. The method according to claim 12 , wherein said scripting engine supports security protocols to authenticate a remote server for downloaded data.
18. The method according to claim 12 , wherein said scripting engine supports security protocols to obfuscate the content of downloaded data.
19. The method according to claim 12 , wherein said scripting engine supports security protocols to authenticate the origin of downloaded data.
20. The method according to claim 12 , wherein said default script provides instructions to download said partition table script and generate said partition tables and said partitions upon every boot of said device, regardless of the status of any existing partition tables and partitions.
21. The method according to claim 12 , wherein said partition tables and said partitions are located in different units of physical memory on said device.