Methods and Devices for Wireless Device-To-Device Software Upgrades

• US 20150268944A1
• Filed: 08/07/2014
• Published: 09/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola Mobility LLC (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Chinnappan, Sateshk Kumar, Basavanna, Vinay, Venkatasubramanian, Gopalakrishnan
• Granted Patent: US 9,575,741 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57

Abstract

Disclosed herein are methods and devices for wireless device-to-device software upgrade. In one implementation, a source electronic device receives software version information from a target electronic device. The source electronic device transmits software version information of the source electronic device and software version information of the target electronic device to a server. The source electronic device receives, from the server, a notification that the source electronic device is permitted to upgrade the target electronic device. The source electronic device then establishes a wireless connection with the target electronic device. Next, the source electronic device receives, from the target electronic device, information regarding a software upgrade that is needed by the target electronic device. The source electronic device then wirelessly transmits the software upgrade to the target electronic device.

Claims

1. A method in a source electronic device, the method comprising:

receiving software version information from a target electronic device;

transmitting software version information of the source electronic device and software version information of the target electronic device to a server;

receiving, from the server, a notification that the source electronic device is permitted to upgrade the target electronic device;

establishing a wireless connection with the target electronic device;

receiving, from the target electronic device, information regarding a software upgrade that is needed by the target electronic device; and

wirelessly transmitting the software upgrade to the target electronic device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a short range communication request from the target electronic device before receiving the software version information.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the short range communication request comprises a piece of information selected from the group consisting of International Mobile Station Equipment Identity of the target electronic device, device identification of the target electronic device, and media access control address of the target electronic device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless connection comprises a Wi-Fi connection.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the Wi-Fi connection comprises a Wi-Fi direct connection.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the software upgrade comprises a partition selected from the group consisting of a monolithic code partition and a file-system partition.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein if the software upgrade comprises a monolithic code partition, creating a data dump of the monolithic code partition from partitions stored in the source electronic device.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein if the software upgrade comprises a file-system partition:

transmitting the file-system partition piecewise to the target electronic device; and

transmitting metadata associated with the file-system partition to the target electronic device, wherein integrity of the metadata is maintained between the source electronic device and the target electronic device.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

rebooting the source electronic device into recovery mode before establishing the wireless connection with the target electronic device.

10. A method in a target electronic device, the method comprising:

transmitting software version information to a source electronic device;

receiving, from a server, a notification that the source electronic device is permitted to upgrade the target electronic device;

establishing a wireless connection with the source electronic device;

generating information regarding a software upgrade that is needed by the target electronic device;

transmitting the generated information regarding the software upgrade to the source electronic device; and

receiving the software upgrade from the source electronic device.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

verifying with the server that the received software upgrade can be installed, and upon receiving verification from the server that the received software upgrade can be installed, installing the received software upgrade.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

transmitting the status of the software upgrade to the server.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

transmitting a short range communication request to the source electronic device before transmitting the software version information.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the short range communication request comprises a piece of information selected from the group consisting of International Mobile Station Equipment Identity of the target electronic device, device identification of the target electronic device, and media access control address of the target electronic device.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the wireless connection comprises a Wi-Fi connection.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the Wi-Fi connection comprises a Wi-Fi direct connection.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the software upgrade comprises a partition selected from the group consisting of a monolithic code partition and a file-system partition.

18. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

rebooting the target electronic device into recovery mode before establishing the wireless connection with the source electronic device.

19. A source electronic device comprising:

a memory configured to store software version information of the source electronic device; and

a processor communicatively coupled to the memory and configured to control a transceiver to

receive software version information from a target electronic device;

transmit software version information of the source electronic device and software version information of the target electronic device to a server;

receive, from the server, a notification that the source electronic device is permitted to upgrade the target electronic device;

establish a wireless connection with the target electronic device;

receive, from the target electronic device, information regarding a software upgrade that is needed by the target electronic device; and

wirelessly transmit the software upgrade to the target electronic device.