System and method for automatically updating the software of a networked personal audiovisual device

• US 8,261,256 B1
• Filed: 08/24/2007
• Issued: 09/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BBY Solutions Incorporated (Best Buy Co., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: BBY Solutions Incorporated (Best Buy Co., Inc.)
• Inventors: Adler, Steven M., Grand, Joseph B., Huang, Andrew S., Maxwell, Duane S., Tomlin, Stephen L., Steele, Kenneth E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kendall, Chuck
• Application Number:
  US11/845,027
• Time in Patent Office: 1,838 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 717/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1643 the display being associated to a digitizer, e.g. laptops that can be used as penpads details related to the relative motion of the display enclosure with respect to the body enclosure, e.g. to move between laptop and tablet PC configuration G06F1/1615
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/203 for portable computers, e.g. for laptops
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2129 Authenticate client device independently of the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces

Abstract

A method for automatically updating software executed by an electronic device is disclosed herein. The method includes receiving, at the electronic device, an update indication from a server that updated software is available for the electronic device. The method further includes modifying, in response to the update indication, a boot state of the electronic device and initiating operation of the electronic device in an update mode. The updated software is received, at the electronic device, during operation in the update mode. The method further includes initiating, upon determining the updated software has been correctly received, operation of the electronic device in a normal mode.

Claims

1. A method for automatically updating software executed by an electronic device, the software to be updated being of a type that enables selection, download and execution of widgets by the electronic device, the method comprising:

receiving, at the electronic device, an update indication from a server that updated software is available for the electronic device;

modifying, in response to the update indication, a boot state of the electronic device, said modification comprising setting a semaphore that controls selection of a kernal image by a bootloader during rebooting of the electronic device;

initiating operation of the electronic device in an update mode;

receiving, during operation in the update mode, the updated software at the electronic device; and

initiating, upon determining the updated software has been correctly received, operation of the electronic device in a normal mode.

2. The method of claim 1 further including clearing the semaphore upon the determining the updated software has been correctly received.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the initiating of the operation of the electronic device in the normal mode is preceded by rebooting of the electronic device and wherein the initiating of the operation of the electronic device in the update mode is preceded by rebooting of the electronic device.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the update indication is specific to a particular version of the software currently being executed by the electronic device.

5. The method of claim 1 further including establishing a wireless connection between the electronic device and a wireless access point and subsequently fetching an update file from the server.

6. The method of claim 5 further including establishing network connections with a plurality of network sources in accordance with the update file.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the receiving of the updated software includes receiving portions of the updated software from corresponding network sources.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the portions of the updated software are received by a downloading client executed by the electronic device.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the downloading client operates based upon the BitTorrent™

protocol.

10. The method of claim 1 further including initiating, following crashing of the electronic device, operation of the electronic device in the update mode.

11. The method of claim 5 wherein the establishing the wireless connection includes:

attempting to establish an initial wireless connection in accordance with a configuration stored within the electronic device;

receiving, through a user interface of the electronic device, alternate configuration information;

using the alternate configuration information to establish the wireless connection.

12. A machine-readable medium having instructions stored thereon for execution by a processor of an electronic device, the electronic device comprising, software to be updated, said software being of a type that enables selection, download and execution of widgets by the electronic device, wherein, when executed by the processor, the set of instructions cause the processor to perform a method comprising:

receiving, at the electronic device, an update indication from a server that updated software is available for the electronic device;

modifying, in response to the update indication, a boot state of the electronic device, said modification comprising setting a semaphore that controls selection of a kernal image by a bootloader during rebooting of the electronic device;

initiating operation of the electronic device in an update mode;

receiving, during operation in the update mode, the updated software at the electronic device; and

initiating, upon determining the updated software has been correctly received, operation of the electronic device in a normal mode.

13. The machine-readable medium of claim 12 wherein the initiating of the operation of the electronic device in the update mode is preceded by rebooting of the electronic device.

14. The machine-readable medium of claim 12 further including clearing the semaphore upon the determining that the updated software has been correctly received.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the initiating of the operation of the electronic device in the normal mode is also preceded by clearing of the semaphore.