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

• US 8,839,224 B2
• Filed: 08/28/2012
• Issued: 09/16/2014
• 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 Michael, Grand, Joseph B., Huang, Andrew Shane, Maxwell, Duane Stewart, Steele, Kenneth Earl, Tomlin, Stephen L.
• Primary Examiner(s): KENDALL, CHUCK O
• Application Number:
  US13/596,364
• Publication Number:
  US 20130061216A1
• Time in Patent Office: 749 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 717/168
• 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 updating operating software executed by an electronic device, the method comprising:

receiving, at an electronic device, an indication from a server that an update to operating software of the electronic device is available;

modifying, in response to the indication, a flag in a memory of the electronic device, the flag indicating boot states of the electronic device, wherein the boot states include;

a first boot state resulting in a boot of the electronic device into a normal operation mode, wherein the electronic device is configured for executing the operating software in the normal operation mode; and

a second boot state resulting in a boot of the electronic device into an update mode, wherein the electronic device is configured for downloading a software update and updating the operating software with the software update in the update mode;

wherein a reboot of the electronic device is used to change from the normal operation mode to the update mode;

entering the update mode for the electronic device, during the reboot of the electronic device, in response to the flag indicating the second boot state of the electronic device that results in a boot of the electronic device into the update mode;

downloading, during performance of the update mode on the electronic device, the software update from a remote location; and

modifying the operating software executed in the normal operation mode with the software update.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying the operating software includes entering the normal operation mode for the electronic device in response to the operating software being successfully modified with the software update.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the flag is modified to change the boot state of the electronic device to the first boot state to cause a boot of the electronic device into the update mode, following a crash of the electronic device during the normal operation mode.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying the operating software includes:

determining whether the operating software was successfully modified with the software update;

modifying the flag in the memory of the electronic device to change the boot state of the electronic device to the first boot state to cause a boot into the normal operation mode, in response to determining the operating software is successfully modified with the software update;

rebooting the electronic device; and

entering the normal operation mode for the electronic device, in response to the flag indicating the boot state of the electronic device is in the first boot state to cause a boot into the normal operation mode.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein modifying the operating software includes:

re-entering the update mode for the electronic device, in response to the flag indicating the boot state of the electronic device is in the second boot state to cause a boot of the electronic device into the update mode, the flag remaining unchanged in response to determining the operating software is not successfully modified with the software update.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying the operating software includes:

entering the normal operation mode for the electronic device using the operating software that is modified with the software update;

wherein entering the normal operation mode of the electronic device is preceded by rebooting of the electronic device, and wherein entering the update mode for the electronic device is preceded by rebooting of the electronic device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the indication that an update to operating software of the electronic device is available is specific to a particular version of the operating software executed by the electronic device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein entering the update mode for the electronic device includes:

establishing a wireless connection, during the update mode, between the electronic device and a wireless access point, and subsequently fetching an update file from the server providing the indication.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein entering the update mode for the electronic device includes:

establishing network connections with a plurality of network sources in accordance with the update file, wherein receiving the software update includes receiving portions of the software update from corresponding network sources.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the portions of the software update are received by a download client executed by the electronic device.

11. The method of claim 8, 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; and

using the alternate configuration information to establish the wireless connection.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying the operating software includes modifying firmware of the electronic device executed in the normal operation mode.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the normal operation mode for the electronic device is provided by execution of a first operating system kernel stored on the electronic device, and wherein the update mode for the electronic device is provided by execution of a second operating system kernel stored on the electronic device.

14. A machine-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon for execution by a processor, the instructions configured to perform operations during the execution by the processor to:

receive an indication that an update to operating software of an electronic device is available;

modify a flag in a memory of the electronic device, the flag used to indicate a update boot state of the electronic device that causes the electronic device to enter an update mode, the operating software being updated in the update mode;

execute the update mode for the electronic device, during a boot of the electronic device, in response to the flag indicating the update boot state of the electronic device causing the electronic device to enter the updated mode, wherein the electronic device is rebooted to cause the electronic device to enter the update mode;

receive, during execution of the update mode on the electronic device, updated software at the electronic device from a remote download; and

modify the operating software executed by the electronic device with the updated software.

15. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein operations to execute the update mode for the electronic device are preceded by rebooting of the electronic device from an normal operation mode executing the operating software.

16. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein operations to modify the operating software executed by the electronic device are followed by operations that modify the flag to remove the update boot state of the electronic device, upon determining that the updated software has been correctly received from the remote download and installed during the update mode.

17. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein operations to modify the flag to indicate the update boot state of the electronic device occur in response to receipt of the indication from a remote server.

18. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein operations to modify the operating software executed by the electronic device, are followed by operations that:

initiate the operation of the electronic device in a normal operation mode, the normal operation mode using the updated software;

wherein the operation of the electronic device in the normal operation mode is preceded by clearing of the flag.

19. An electronic device, comprising:

a processor;

a memory configured for maintaining a flag indicating a boot state of the electronic device, the boot state causing a boot of the electronic device into an update mode or a normal operation mode; and

a storage memory providing software instructions for execution with the processor in the update mode and the normal operation mode, including instructions for;

setting the flag in the memory of the electronic device, in response to unintended termination of the operation of the electronic device in the normal operation mode, to indicate a boot state of the electronic device in the update mode;

rebooting the electronic device, wherein the rebooting is used to change the electronic device from the normal operation mode to the update mode;

executing the update mode for the electronic device, in response to the flag indicating the boot state causing an boot of the electronic device in the update mode;

receiving, during execution of the update mode for the electronic device, updated software at the electronic device from a remote server, the updated software used to update operating software executed in the normal operation mode; and

modifying the operating software executed in the normal operation mode with the updated software.

20. The electronic device of claim 19, the storage memory including instructions for:

setting the flag in the memory of the electronic device upon determining the updated software has been correctly received, to indicate the boot state of the electronic device to cause a boot of the electronic device into the normal operation mode; and

resuming operation of the electronic device in the normal operation mode upon reboot of the electronic device.

21. The electronic device of claim 19, the storage memory including instructions for:

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

setting the flag in the memory of the electronic device in response to the update indication to cause a boot of the electronic device into the update mode; and

operating the electronic device in the update mode.

22. A method for providing an update to software at an electronic device, the method comprising:

transmitting, to an electronic device, an indication that a software update for software of the electronic device is available, the indication used to trigger a flag in a memory of the electronic device, the flag causing a boot state of the electronic device to boot into an update mode, wherein a reboot of the electronic device is used to access the flag and cause the boot of the electronic device into the update mode;

receiving, from the electronic device during execution of the update mode at the electronic device, a request for the software update to the software of the electronic device, the execution of the update mode at the electronic device caused by a boot into the update mode in response to the flag; and

transmitting the software update to the electronic device during execution of the update mode at the electronic device;

wherein the software at the electronic device is updated with the software update during execution of the update mode at the electronic device, in response to receipt of the software update at the electronic device.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

receiving, from the electronic device, a request to determine whether a software update for the software of the electronic device is available, prior to transmitting the indication to the electronic device.