System and method for updating data in remote devices

• US 20040018831A1
• Filed: 07/23/2002
• Published: 01/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SBC Technology Resources, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: SBC Technology Resources, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wolter, David R., Majmundar, Milap V.
• Granted Patent: US 6,970,698 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/419
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/245 from a network towards a terminal

Abstract

A central host performs an automated method of updating multiple remote devices. In one embodiment, the host recognizes a predetermined download time and, in advance of the download time, transmits a calendar update to multiple remote devices. The calendar update includes the download time, and the remote devices may utilize the download time to set calendar reminders for entering an active state. Within a short time after reaching the download time, the host pushes download data to the remote devices by broadcasting the download data. In one aspect, the host may receive message acknowledgements from remote devices in response to a first calendar update, and the host may automatically transmit additional calendar updates to any remote devices that did not receive the first calendar update. Additional embodiments involve related methods and the terminal devices that receive the updates.

Claims

1. An automated method of substantially simultaneously updating software in multiple remote wireless devices from a central host, the method comprising:

recognizing a predetermined time to facilitate software updates in multiple remote wireless devices;

at least twenty-four hours before reaching the predetermined time at a host, transmitting a first short message from the host to each of the multiple remote wireless devices, wherein the first short message includes the predetermined time, such that the multiple remote wireless devices utilize the predetermined time to set calendar reminders in the multiple remote wireless devices for entering an active state;

receiving message acknowledgements at the host from one or more of the multiple remote wireless devices;

in response to the message acknowledgements, automatically determining which of the multiple remote wireless devices did not receive the first short message;

transmitting at least one additional short message that includes the predetermined time to each of the multiple remote wireless devices that did not receive the first short message;

within a short time after reaching the predetermined time at the host, substantially simultaneously pushing new software from the host to the multiple remote wireless devices by broadcasting the new software from the host, such that the multiple remote wireless devices receive the new software from the host substantially simultaneously and store the new software;

receiving distribution acknowledgements at the host from one or more of the multiple remote wireless devices; and

in response to the distribution acknowledgements, automatically updating distribution records to indicate which of the multiple remote wireless devices received and stored the new software.

2. An automated method of updating multiple remote devices from a central host, the method comprising:

recognizing a predetermined download time at a host;

in advance of the predetermined download time, transmitting a calendar update from the host to multiple remote devices, wherein the calendar update includes the predetermined download time, such that the multiple remote devices utilize the predetermined download time to set calendar reminders in the multiple remote devices for entering an active state; and

within a short time after reaching the predetermined download time at the host, pushing download data from the host to the multiple remote devices by broadcasting the download data from the host.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the calendar update comprises a first calendar update, the method further comprising:

receiving message acknowledgements from one or more of the multiple remote devices in response to the first calendar update;

in response to the message acknowledgements, automatically determining which of the multiple remote devices did not receive the first calendar update; and

transmitting at least one additional calendar update that includes the predetermined time to the multiple remote devices that did not receive the first calendar update.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the multiple remote devices receive the download data from the host substantially simultaneously and store the download data.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the download data comprises new software for the multiple remote devices.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the download data comprises configuration settings for the multiple remote devices.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the download data comprises new information to be used by software in the multiple remote devices.

8. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving distribution acknowledgements at the host from one or more of the multiple remote devices; and

in response to the distribution acknowledgements, automatically updating distribution records to indicate which of the multiple remote devices received and stored the download data.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein the operation of pushing download data from the host to the multiple remote devices is initiated within thirty minutes after reaching the predetermined download time at the host.

10. The method of claim 2, wherein:

the predetermined download time comprises a transmission time for pushing the download data to the multiple remote device; and

the calendar update causes the multiple remote devices to set alarms to activate in advance of the predetermined download time.

11. The method of claim 2, wherein:

the predetermined download time comprises an activation time for powering on the multiple remote devices; and

the host pushes the download data to the multiple remote devices a short time after reaching the predetermined download time.

12. A data processing system that updates multiple remote devices, the data processing system comprising:

processing resources that perform operations comprising;

recognizing a predetermined download time;

in advance of the predetermined download time, transmitting a calendar update to multiple remote devices, wherein the calendar update includes the predetermined download time, such that the multiple remote devices utilize the predetermined download time to set calendar reminders in the multiple remote devices for entering an active state; and

within a short time after reaching the predetermined download time, pushing download data to the multiple remote devices by broadcasting the download data.

13. The data processing system of claim 12, wherein:

the calendar update comprises a first calendar update; and

the processing resources perform further operations comprising;

receiving message acknowledgements from one or more of the multiple remote devices in response to the first calendar update;

in response to the message acknowledgements, automatically determining which of the multiple remote devices did not receive the first calendar update; and

transmitting at least one additional calendar update that includes the predetermined time to the multiple remote devices that did not receive the first calendar update.

14. The data processing system of claim 12, wherein:

the method further comprises determining whether a remote device among the multiple remote devices is powered on; and

the operation of transmitting the calendar update to multiple remote devices, comprises pushing the calendar update to the remote device, in response to determining that the remote device is powered on.

15. The data processing system of claim 12, wherein the download data comprises new software for the multiple remote devices.

16. The data processing system of claim 12, wherein the download data comprises configuration settings for the multiple remote devices.

17. The data processing system of claim 12, wherein the download data comprises new information to be used by software in the multiple remote devices.

18. The data processing system of claim 12, wherein the processing resources perform further operations comprising:

receiving distribution acknowledgements at the host from one or more of the multiple remote devices; and

in response to the distribution acknowledgements, automatically generating distribution records that indicate which of the multiple remote devices received and stored the download data.

19. A program product for updating multiple remote devices from a central host, the program product comprising:

a computer-usable medium; and

computer instructions encoded in the computer-usable medium, wherein the computer instructions, when executed, perform operations comprising;

recognizing a predetermined download time at a host;

in advance of the predetermined download time, transmitting a calendar update from the host to multiple remote devices, wherein the calendar update includes the predetermined download time, such that the multiple remote devices utilize the predetermined download time to set calendar reminders in the multiple remote devices for entering an active state; and

within a short time after reaching the predetermined download time at the host, pushing download data from the host to the multiple remote devices by broadcasting the download data.

20. The program product of claim 19, wherein:

the calendar update comprises a first calendar update; and

the computer instructions, when executed, perform further operations comprising;

receiving message acknowledgements at the host from one or more of the multiple remote devices in response to the first calendar update;

in response to the message acknowledgements, automatically determining which of the multiple remote devices did not receive the first calendar update; and

transmitting at least one additional calendar update that includes the predetermined time from the host to the multiple remote devices that did not receive the first calendar update.

21. The program product of claim 19, wherein the computer instructions, when executed, perform further operations comprising:

receiving distribution acknowledgements at the host from one or more of the multiple remote devices; and

in response to the distribution acknowledgements, automatically generating distribution records that indicate which of the multiple remote devices received and stored the download data.

22. An automated method in a terminal device for receiving a download, the method comprising:

receiving a calendar update at a terminal device from a host, wherein the calendar update includes a predetermined download time;

in response to receiving the calendar update, automatically utilizing the predetermined download time to set a calendar reminder in the terminal device for entering an active state; and

in response to detecting that the predetermined download time has been reached at the terminal device, if the terminal device is powered off, automatically powering on the terminal device;

monitoring a communications medium for a broadcast from the host; and

in response to detecting the broadcast, automatically receiving and storing download data from the broadcast at the terminal device.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising the operation of automatically sending a registration signal from the terminal device to a network in response to powering on the terminal device.

24. The method of claim 22, further comprising the operation of automatically responding to the host with an acknowledgment for the download data.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein:

the operation of receiving the calendar update from the host comprises receiving the calendar update from a first host; and

the operation of receiving the download data from the host comprises receiving the download data from a second host.

26. A program product for receiving updates from a central host at a remote device, the program product comprising:

a computer-usable medium; and

computer instructions encoded in the computer-usable medium, wherein the computer instructions, when executed by a terminal device, perform operations comprising;

receiving a calendar update from a host, wherein the calendar update includes a predetermined download time;

in response to receiving the calendar update, automatically utilizing the predetermined download time to set a calendar reminder in the terminal device for entering an active state; and

in response to detecting that the predetermined download time has been reached at the terminal device, if the terminal device is powered off, automatically powering on the terminal device;

monitoring a communications medium for a broadcast from the host; and

in response to detecting the broadcast, automatically receiving and storing download data from the broadcast at the terminal device.

27. An automated method of updating remote devices from a central host, the method comprising:

recognizing a predetermined download time at a host;

in advance of the predetermined download time, transmitting a calendar update from the host to a remote device, wherein the calendar update includes the predetermined download time, such that the remote device utilize the predetermined download time to set a calendar reminder in the remote device for entering an active state;

detecting that the host has reached the predetermined download time; and

automatically pushing download data from the host to the remote device, in response to detecting that the host has reached the predetermined download time.