UPDATING CONTROL SOFTWARE ON A NETWORK-CONNECTED HVAC CONTROLLER

• US 20140096126A1
• Filed: 05/09/2013
• Published: 04/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Nest Labs Incorporated (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Bourne, David A., Erickson, Grant M., Schultz, Richard J., Sloo, David, Solnit, Jonathan, Gourlay, Alastair R.
• Granted Patent: US 9,002,525 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/173
• CPC Class Codes: F22B 3/00 Other methods of steam generation; Steam boilers not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/30 for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/46 Improving electric energy efficiency or saving
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/523 for displaying temperature data
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/58 using Internet communication
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/62 characterised by the type of control or by internal processing, e.g. using fuzzy logic, adaptive control or estimation of values
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/63 Electronic processing
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23306 Load program from host, remote load, non volatile card to volatile, ram
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2614 HVAC, heating, ventillation, climate control
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44 Arrangements for executing specific programs
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416

Abstract

Apparatus, systems, methods, and computer program products are disclosed for providing software updates to client devices. A client device (such as a thermostat) executes software to perform one or more functionalities of the device. Upon receiving an indicating that a software update is available, the device waits to download the software update until pre-download conditions are satisfied. Once the software update is downloaded, the device then waits to install the software update until pre-install conditions are satisfied. If the software update is non-critical and received during an initial installation of the device, the software update may not be installed until after installation of the device is complete. If the device is a thermostat, the device may delay installation of the software update until a controlled HVAC system in inactive. Control of the HVAC system may be disabled during installation of the software update.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a communications component configured to communicate with one or more electronic devices;

a storage element configured to store computer software operable to control one or more functions of the electronic device; and

a processor configured to cause the electronic device to perform operations including;

receiving installation information indicative of whether installation of a software update would interrupt installation of the electronic device;

receiving the software update from a software update device via the communications component;

determining whether an installation of the electronic device is being performed;

installing the software update prior to a completion of the installation of the electronic device if the installation information indicates that installation of the software update would not interrupt installation of the electronic device; and

delaying installation of the software update until after the installation of the thermostat is complete if the installation information indicates that installation of the software update would interrupt installation of the electronic device.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the installation information is received from a registration device separate from the software update device.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to delay reception of the software update until one or more pre-download conditions are satisfied.

4. The electronic device of claim 3, wherein the pre-download conditions include:

the electronic device being in an awake mode; and

the electronic device having sufficient battery charge if a power connection is unavailable.

5. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to delay installation of the software update until one or more pre-install conditions are satisfied.

6. The electronic device of claim 5, wherein the pre-install conditions include:

the electronic device being in an awake mode;

the electronic device having a sufficient battery charge if a power connection is unavailable;

a replaceable module of the electronic device being connected to a docking station of the electronic device;

a user interface of the electronic device not displaying information; and

an HVAC system coupled to the electronic device being in an inactive state.

7. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the electronic device is selected from the group consisting of:

a thermostat, a hazard detection unit, an entryway interface device, a light switch, a wall plug interface, and an appliance.

8. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving, at an electronic device, installation information indicative of whether installation of a software update to computer software stored in a storage element of the electronic device would interrupt installation of the electronic device;

receiving the software update at the electronic device;

determining whether an installation of the electronic device is being performed;

installing the software update prior to a completion of the installation of the electronic device if the installation information indicates that installation of the software update would not interrupt installation of the electronic device; and

delaying installation of the software update until after the installation of the thermostat is complete if the installation information indicates that installation of the software update would interrupt installation of the electronic device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the storage element includes a primary partition and a secondary partition, and software operable to control one or more functions of the electronic device is provided on the primary partition.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

copying the software update to the secondary partition;

rebooting the electronic device from the secondary partition; and

determining whether the reboot is successful.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

determining that the reboot is successful;

copying the software update to the primary partition; and

rebooting the electronic device from the primary partition such that the electronic device is rebooted to incorporate the software update.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

determining that the reboot is unsuccessful; and

rebooting the electronic device from the primary partition such that the electronic device is rebooted without incorporating the software update.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

determining that the reboot is unsuccessful; and

communicating an error message to a user indicating that installation of the software update was unsuccessful.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

disabling control of one or more elements of an HVAC system coupled to the electronic device;

installing the software update while control of the one or more elements of the HVAC system is disabled; and

enabling control of the one or more elements of the HVAC system after installing the software update.

15. A tangible non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including instructions that, when executed by one or more computer processors, cause the one or more computer processors to perform operations comprising:

receiving, at an electronic device, installation information indicative of whether installation of a software update to computer software stored in a storage element of the electronic device would interrupt installation of the electronic device;

receiving the software update at the electronic device;

determining whether an installation of the electronic device is being performed;

installing the software update prior to a completion of the installation of the electronic device if the installation information indicates that installation of the software update would not interrupt installation of the electronic device; and

delaying installation of the software update until after the installation of the thermostat is complete if the installation information indicates that installation of the software update would interrupt installation of the electronic device.

16. The storage medium of claim 15, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the computer processor, cause the computer processor to perform operations comprising:

determining whether one or more elements of an HVAC system coupled to the electronic device are in an active state; and

delaying installation of the software update when it is determined that one or more elements of the HVAC system are in an active state, wherein installation is delayed until the one or more elements of the HVAC system are in an inactive state.

17. The storage medium of claim 15, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the computer processor, cause the computer processor to perform operations comprising:

determining whether a display of the electronic device is active; and

delaying installation of the software update until the display of the electronic device is inactive.

18. The storage medium of claim 15, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the computer processor, cause the computer processor to perform operations comprising:

determining whether the electronic device is in an awake mode; and

delaying installation of the software update until the electronic device is in a non-awake mode.

19. The storage medium of claim 15, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the computer processor, cause the computer processor to perform operations comprising:

determining whether the electronic device has a battery charge sufficient to install the software update; and

delaying installation of the software update until the electronic device has a battery charge sufficient to install the software update.

20. The storage medium of claim 15, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the computer processor, cause the computer processor to perform operations comprising:

determining whether a replaceable module of the electronic device is connected to a docking station of the electronic device; and

delaying installation of the software update until the replaceable module is connected to the docking station.