vRapid Mobile™ for Software Component Updating

Click here to download: vRapid Mobile™ Datasheet

Update, add and remove individual embedded software components on any mobile device. Red Bend's vRapid Mobile creates new revenue opportunities for the entire mobile value chain to deliver software features, applications and services easily and securely over-the-air to feature phones and smartphones in the hands of consumers.

Mobile Software Management

As the volume and sophistication of mobile handset software has grown, the process for effectively managing the software lifecycle has become complex and costly, limiting flexibility and delaying the introduction of new services.

Operators can instantly deliver new revenue-generating services to their entire subscriber base, without being constrained by the software capabilities of existing handsets or waiting for new handsets to become available.

Manufacturers gain substantial flexibility and efficiency in their software maintenance processes, and can provide consumers with the ability to personalize the core functions of their phones to match their lifestyles.

ISVs benefit from a dramatic reduction in time-to-market for deploying new features and versions of their application, as well as an expanded addressable market for their products.

Standards Support
vRapid Mobile supports industry standards, including OMA-DM and DL, and the emerging Software Component Management Object (SCOMO) enabler. The solution integrates with Device Management servers and major service delivery platforms.

vRapid Mobile updates individual Software Components Over-the-Air (SCOTA), such as:

• Embedded applications - messaging clients, Web browser, Homescreen client and media players
• Key middleware and service enablers - Java Virtual Machine, Flash Lite, Position Location software, media codecs, SIP and IMS clients, and DRM agents
• Device features - Bluetooth profiles, multimedia and 3D graphics engines

vRapid Mobile Solution

Update Installer enables independent updating, adding and removal of embedded software components on monolithic firmware images and Read-Only File Systems. It includes Red Bend's Failsafe feature for ensuring completion of the update process, even during power loss to the device., supports NAND and NOR flash, requires a low memory footprint, and offers rapid handset integration via APIs.

Software Management Extension is a device management (DM) client "plug-in" responsible for validating and updating device configuration data such as software component inventory. It is fully integrated with Red Bend's DM Client, and can interface with any standard OMA-DM Client.

vRapid Mobile Device Suite currently supports select RTOS-based platforms, key Linux-based platforms and Symbian OS.

vRapid Mobile Software Management Server Application is a J2EE application that manages and executes the workflow logic of software component management. It is a key enabler for providing revenue generating software management services. The application manages a repository of components and updates received from software owners; queries the device for component inventory and configuration; analyzes versions and dependencies; dynamically selects, assembles and packages the appropriate software components for OTA distribution to devices; and ensures security.

Support is offered for both pull (user initiated) and push (server initiated) modes for delivering components OTA. The application offers a set of interfaces for use by Customer Care or other applications to trigger the component delivery process and for various service provider business systems.

vRapid Mobile Component Management Suite is an extensive tool-suite designed for handset manufacturers. A GUI-based central management console enables OEMs to define, describe, organize and store the software components constituting a device software release. It creates an initial component "inventory" data file, describing the components to be stored on the device.

The tool enables adding new software component versions, generating component updates, packaging components and updates with the appropriate management metadata, and uploading them to the management server. These functions can be provided as a remote extension to trusted parties, such as ISVs and Operators, who are authorized by the OEM to manage their software assets.

vRapid Mobile Component Builder is an optional tool used for statically linked, monolithic image-based device platforms. It augments the standard Compiler-Linker tool chain and introduces a dynamic mechanism into the monolith to enable management of defined firmware components as separate entities.

vRapid Mobile Advantages

• Increase revenues by providing a Feature Customization subscription service, allowing subscribers to constantly enhance their device
• Achieve an instant installed base for new services by retrofitting devices in the field with the required software component or update
• Improve service management by keeping an operator custom application suite or UI constantly updated for all subscribers
• Customize devices for specific segments at the point-of-sale via updates to specific components

• Reduce the cost and complexity of software maintenance by deploying the same feature update/fix to the multitude of handset model variants in the field, without the need to re-create a new firmware version and a firmware update for each variant
• Surgically deploy handset feature enhancements individually or in packages without waiting for a maintenance release, also decreasing update package sizes
• Generate additional revenues from software assets
• Increase customer satisfaction by providing customers with an ongoing application update service
• Reduce Bill-of-Materials (BOM) by delivering software components on-demand after the handset has shipped

• Shorten lead times for handset integration as enhancements can be made post-factory
• Improve time-to-market for new software releases
• Generate additional revenues by providing periodic software feature updates
• Deploy new applications or features over-the-air for new revenue streams