System and Method for Upgrading Telemonitor Unit Firmware

• US 20090055512A1
• Filed: 08/21/2007
• Published: 02/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MobileHelp, LLC
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Becker, Keith S., Hodson, Robert P.
• Granted Patent: US 8,612,538 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57

Abstract

Systems and methods minimize loading of servers which automatically provide upgrades to downstream processors minimize server loading by randomly distributing the upgrade requests. Each of the downstream processors can establish its own randomized next time for an upgrade. Upgrade time intervals can be limited to off-peak evening and weekend hours.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a plurality of monitoring units, with each of the units including circuitry for establishing a randomly varying download requesting parameter; and

a download processor with which each of the units communicates on a randomized basis to request a download.

2. A system as in claim 1 where the randomly varying parameter corresponds to one of a randomly varying download time, or a randomly varying download time interval.

3. A system as in claim 1 where the units include circuitry for communicating with the download processor via a computer network.

4. A system as in claim 1 where the circuitry for establishing includes a programmable processor and executable instructions.

5. A system as in claim 4 where the executable instructions randomly vary the download requesting parameter so as to establish a randomly varying download time for the respective unit.

6. A system as in claim 5 where the executable instructions carry out local maintenance functions prior to seeking a download.

7. A system as in claim 6 where subsequent to seeking a download, a randomized next time for carrying out a maintenance activity is established.

8. A system as in claim 4 with the executable instructions determining if a time to perform scheduled maintenance has arrived;

and

executable instructions, responding to arrival of a scheduled maintenance time, to automatically carry out a local maintenance activity.

9. A system as in claim 8 which includes executable instructions to randomly determine a subsequent time to perform scheduled maintenance, and, instructions to request a download from a displaced source at or about the scheduled maintenance time.

10. A method of operating a monitoring unit comprising:

determining if a predetermined time to carry out an automated maintenance function has been reached for a respective unit;

responsive to the determining, carrying out an automatic maintenance function at the predetermined time;

requesting an upgrade from a displaced source; and

determining a randomly varying time to carry out the next automated maintenance function.

11. A method as in claim 10 which includes providing the displaced source of upgrades.

12. A method as in claim 11 which includes coupling the unit to the displaced source via a computer network.

13. A method as in claim 10 which includes providing a plurality of independently operating units.

14. A method as in claim 13 which includes coupling members of the plurality to the displaced source.

15. A method as in claim 14 where members of the plurality independently determine a respective randomly varying time to carry out the next automated maintenance function associated with a respective unit.

16. A method as in claim 13 wherein at lease some of the operating units monitor physiological conditions of respective individuals.

17. A computer program product embodied on a computer-readable medium and executable by a processor of a monitoring unit, the computer program product comprising:

executable instructions for determining if a time to perform scheduled maintenance has arrived;

executable instructions, responding to arrival of a scheduled maintenance time, to automatically carry out a local maintenance activity;

executable instructions to randomly determine a subsequent time to perform scheduled maintenance.

18. A computer program product as in claim 17 which includes executable instructions to request a download from a displaced source at or about the scheduled maintenance time.

19. A computer program product as in claim 17 where the executable instructions to randomly determine a subsequent time to perform scheduled maintenance also establish a randomly varying time for the unit to request an upgrade from the displaced source.

20. A computer program product as in claim 17 which includes executable instructions to sense at least one physiological condition of a respective individual.