Firmware management

• US 8,910,868 B1
• Filed: 03/10/2014
• Issued: 12/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Block, Inc. (f/k/a Square, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Block, Inc. (f/k/a Square, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wade, Jeremy, Post, Dan
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, SEUNG H
• Application Number:
  US14/203,463
• Time in Patent Office: 281 Days
• Field of Search: 235/380, 235/439, 235/449, 235/472.01, 455/557, 455/558
• US Class Current: 235/449
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/66 of program code stored in read-only memory [ROM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0095 Testing the sensing arrangement, e.g. testing if a magnetic card reader, bar code reader, RFID interrogator or smart card reader functions properly testing of electrical circuits G01R31/28
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3223 Realising banking transactions through M-devices

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure provide a card reader for receiving payment card information at a mobile point-of-sale terminal. In some implementations, a reader of the subject technology can include a memory, a conditioning module and a 3.5 mm audio plug including an audio bus that is configured for insertion into a headphone port of a host device, such as a smart phone or tablet computer. Implementations of the subject technology also include a microprocessor configured to perform operations for determining whether a newer firmware version is available for the card reader or whether a download of such a firmware needs to be completed, and in response to determining such a download is needed, performing a download of the firmware via the audio plug during periods of inactivity.

Claims

1. A card reader, comprising:

a read head;

an audio plug for engaging a corresponding audio jack associated with a host mobile device;

at least one processor communicatively coupled to the card reading device and the audio plug; and

a memory comprising a plurality of instructions for causing the processor to detect when the audio plug is engaged with the audio jack and perform, upon detecting the engaging of the audio plug with the audio jack, the steps comprising;

obtaining version information for a first firmware stored in first portion of the memory and a second firmware stored in a second portion of the memory,

determining whether either of the first firmware or the second firmware is usable for operating the card reader,

operating the card reader using one of the first firmware or the second firmware that is usable and for which the version information is most recent,

detecting an inactivity in communications via the audio plug between the card reader and the host mobile device,

upon detecting the inactivity, initiating a download via the audio plug to complete or replace another of the first firmware or the second firmware.

2. The card reader of claim 1, wherein the determining whether either of the first firmware or the second firmware is usable for operating the card reader is based on an evaluation of at least one of validation data, completeness data, or error data associated with the first firmware and the second firmware.

3. The card reader of claim 1, wherein the memory further comprises instructions for causing the at least one processor to perform the steps of:

detecting whether the other of the first firmware and the second firmware has become usable for operating the card reader subsequent to the operating, and

upon determining that the other of the first firmware and the second firmware has become usable for operating the card reader, restarting the card reader to operate the card reader using the other of the first firmware and the second firmware.

4. The card reader of claim 1, wherein the memory further comprises instructions for causing the at least one processor to perform the steps of:

detecting whether the one of the first firmware and the second firmware has become unusable for operating the card reader, and

upon detecting that the one of the first firmware and the second firmware has become unusable for operating the card reader, restarting the card reader.

5. The card reader of claim 1, wherein the memory further comprises instructions for causing the at least one processor to:

pausing the download upon detecting activity in communications via the audio plug between the card reader and the host mobile device subsequent to the inactivity, and

resuming the download upon re-detecting inactivity in communications via the audio plug between the card reader and the host mobile device.

6. The card reader of claim 1, wherein the memory further comprises instructions for causing the at least one processor to:

upon determining that both of the first firmware and the second firmware are usable for operating the card reader, deferring the initiating of the download until an age criteria is met for the one of the first firmware and the second firmware.

7. A media reader comprising:

a media reading device;

an audio connector for engaging an audio port associated with a networked computing device;

a processor communicatively coupled to the media reading device and the connector; and

a memory having a first partition storing a first firmware and comprising a plurality of instructions for causing the processor to;

detect the audio connector being engaged with the audio port;

detecting an inactivity in communications via the audio plug between the card reader and the networked computing device; and

upon detecting the inactivity, initiating a download via the audio plug to complete or replace the first firmware by downloading a second firmware, the download being stored in a second partition of the memory.

8. The media reader of claim 7 wherein the memory further comprises instructions for causing the processor to:

pause the download of the second firmware upon detecting activity in communications via the audio plug between the card reader and the networked computing device subsequent to the inactivity.

9. The media reader of claim 7 wherein the memory further comprises instructions for causing the processor to:

determine whether the second firmware is usable for operating the card reader based on an evaluation of at least one of validation data, completeness data, or error data associated with the first firmware and the second firmware.

10. The media reader of claim 7 wherein the memory further comprises instructions for causing the processor to:

determine that the second firmware download is not complete; and

resume the download of the second firmware upon detecting a second period of inactivity.

11. The media reader of claim 7 wherein the memory further comprises instructions for causing the processor to:

determine that a firmware update download is available, the firmware update download being the second firmware; and

defer the initiation of the download of the second firmware until an age criteria is met for the first firmware.

12. The media reader of claim 7 wherein the memory further comprises instructions for causing the processor to:

detect that the second firmware has become usable for operating the card reader; and

restart the card reader to operate the card reader using the second firmware.

13. The media reader of claim 7 wherein the download of the second firmware comprises overwriting another firmware version already stored in the second partition of the memory.

14. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a computer program for operating device electronics in a media reader with at least one media reading device and a connector for engaging a communications port associated with a networked computing device, the computer program comprising a plurality of code sections for:

obtaining version information and usability information associated with at least one firmware stored in the device electronics;

determining whether version information for a preferred firmware for the media reader corresponds to the version information for any of the at least one firmware;

upon determining that the version information for the preferred firmware fails to correspond to the version information for any of the at least one firmware or upon determining that the version information for the preferred firmware corresponds to the version information for one of the at least one firmware and the usability information for the one of the at least one firmware fails to meet a usability criteria, performing a download of the preferred firmware to the device electronics via the connector during periods of inactivity of the media reader.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, the computer program further comprising code sections for:

determining whether that the download of the preferred firmware is complete, and

upon determining the download of the preferred firmware is complete, restarting the media reader.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the usability information for each of the at least one firmware comprises at least one validation key, and wherein the usability criteria comprises whether the at least one validation key for a corresponding one of the at least one firmware can be validated.