Automatic firmware updates for intelligent electronic devices
First Claim
1. A method of automatically updating an existing firmware file stored in a memory of an intelligent electronic device (IED) communicatively coupled to a network in a monitoring system, comprising:
- the IED logging on to one of one or more remote servers on a periodic basis;
downloading, by the IED, from one or more remote servers after logging on, an update file that includes a version of a firmware file and a filename of the firmware file;
determining, in the IED, whether the firmware version specified in the update file is updated compared to a version of an existing firmware file;
responsive to the firmware version specified in the update file being updated compared to the version of the existing firmware file, communicating from the IED to the remote server an instruction to download to the IED an updated firmware file specified in the update file;
receiving at the IED from one of the one or more remote servers, the updated firmware file; and
responsive to a first criterion being satisfied, automatically updating the existing firmware file stored in the memory of the IED with the updated firmware file;
wherein the update file further includes an interoperability flag indicating to the IED whether to notify other compatible IED'"'"'s in the network that the firmware update is available.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method for automatically updating an existing firmware file stored in a memory of an intelligent electronic device (IED) communicatively coupled to a network in a monitoring system. The IED downloads from a remote server to the IED an update file that includes a version of a firmware file and a filename of the firmware file. The IED determines whether the firmware version specified in the update file is updated compared to a version of the existing firmware file. If the firmware version in the update file is greater than the existing version, the IED communicates to the remote server an instruction to download to the IED the updated firmware file specified in the update file. The IED receives from the remote server the updated firmware file. If a criterion is satisfied, the IED automatically updates the firmware file stored in its memory with the updated firmware file.
36 Citations
32 Claims
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1. A method of automatically updating an existing firmware file stored in a memory of an intelligent electronic device (IED) communicatively coupled to a network in a monitoring system, comprising:
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the IED logging on to one of one or more remote servers on a periodic basis; downloading, by the IED, from one or more remote servers after logging on, an update file that includes a version of a firmware file and a filename of the firmware file; determining, in the IED, whether the firmware version specified in the update file is updated compared to a version of an existing firmware file; responsive to the firmware version specified in the update file being updated compared to the version of the existing firmware file, communicating from the IED to the remote server an instruction to download to the IED an updated firmware file specified in the update file; receiving at the IED from one of the one or more remote servers, the updated firmware file; and responsive to a first criterion being satisfied, automatically updating the existing firmware file stored in the memory of the IED with the updated firmware file; wherein the update file further includes an interoperability flag indicating to the IED whether to notify other compatible IED'"'"'s in the network that the firmware update is available. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A method of automatically updating an existing firmware file stored in a memory of an intelligent electronic device (IED) communicatively coupled to a network in a monitoring system, comprising:
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the IED logging on to one or one or more remote servers on a periodic basis; receiving at the IED from a second IED coupled to the network in the monitoring system, an indication to update the existing firmware file stored in the memory of the IED after logging on to one or the one or more of the remote servers; responsive to the IED receiving the indication from the second IED, receiving at the IED from the one or more remote servers an updated firmware file that includes a version of a firmware file and a filename of the firmware file; determining, in the IED, whether the firmware version specified in the update file is updated compared to a version of the existing firmware file; responsive to the firmware version specified in the update file being updated compared to the version of the existing firmware file, communicating from the IED to the remote server an instruction to download to the IED the updated firmware file specified in the update file; receiving at the IED from one of the one or more remote servers, the updated firmware file; and responsive to a first criterion being satisfied, automatically updating the firmware file stored in the memory of the IED with the updated firmware file. - View Dependent Claims (30)
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31. A method of automatically updating an existing firmware file stored in a memory of an intelligent electronic device (IED) communicatively coupled to a network in a monitoring system, comprising:
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receiving at the IED from a second non-server IED coupled to the network in the monitoring system, an indication to update the existing firmware file stored in the memory of the IED, wherein the second IED is situated immediately downstream of the IED in a hierarchical structure of the network; responsive to the IED receiving the indication from the second IED, receiving at the IED from one or more remote servers an updated firmware file that includes a version of a firmware file and a filename of the firmware file, wherein the indication is included in a notification communicated between the IED and the second IED via a communication channel outside the network, the notification also including an indication to update the existing firmware file stored in the memory of the IED; determining, in the IED, whether the version specified in the updated firmware file is updated compared to a version of the existing firmware file; responsive to the version specified in the updated firmware file being updated compared to the version of the existing firmware file, communicating from the IED to the remote server an instruction to download to the IED the updated firmware file specified in the update file; receiving at the IED from one of the one or more remote servers, the updated firmware file; responsive to a first criterion being satisfied, automatically updating the existing firmware file stored in the memory of the IED with the updated firmware file; and responsive to the IED receiving the notification from the second IED, identifying a third IED immediately downstream from the IED in the hierarchical structure, and communicating the notification to the third IED via the communication channel, to thereby update IEDs in the network in top-down sequence according to the hierarchical structure. - View Dependent Claims (32)
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Specification