Method and system for updating firmware on a beacon device and a communication unit broadcasting beacon signal

• US 9,274,787 B2
• Filed: 02/16/2015
• Issued: 03/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SK Planet Co., Ltd. (SK Telecom Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: SK Planet Co., Ltd. (SK Telecom Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Shin, Chul Yong, Huh, Jae Hyung
• Primary Examiner(s): Khatri, Anil
• Application Number:
  US14/623,131
• Publication Number:
  US 20150324186A1
• Time in Patent Office: 379 Days
• Field of Search: 717168-174, 709/203
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/654 using techniques specially adapted for alterable solid state memories, e.g. for EEPROM or flash memories
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/71 Version control security arrangements therefor G06F21/57; Configuration management

Abstract

Method and system for updating firmware on a beacon device. The system includes: a communication unit and a control unit. The system broadcasts a beacon signal within a certain radius and exchanges information with the service device and the control unit and inquires of the service device about a firmware program version at a predetermined period basis by receiving the firmware program version from the service device and comparing a preset firmware program version with the received firmware program version for controlling the communication unit to stop broadcasting of the beacon signal if both versions are different from each other. The system also requests the service device to update the firmware program through the communication unit, and installs the firmware program received from the service device through the communication unit.

Claims

1. A beacon device comprising:

a communication unit which broadcasts a beacon signal within a certain radius according to a Bluetooth protocol system for exchanging information with a service device if required; and

a control unit which inquires of the service device about a firmware program version on a predetermined period basis relative to the period of broadcast signal from the communication unit, receives the firmware program version from the service device, compares a preset firmware program version with the received firmware program version, controls the communication unit to stop broadcasting of the beacon signal being broadcast within the certain radius if both versions are different from each other, requests the service device to update the firmware program through the communication unit, and installs the firmware program received from the service device through the communication unit

wherein the control unit compares a preset firmware program version with the received firmware program version, stops broadcasting of the beacon signal if both versions are different from each other and if a service is being provided to one or more terminals through the communication unit, waits until the service provision to the terminals is completed, requests the service device to update the firmware program when the service provision is completed, and, otherwise, requests the service device to update the firmware program at the same time of stopping the broadcasting of the beacon signal.

2. The beacon device according to claim 1, wherein the communication unit includes:

a first communication module which broadcasts the beacon signal within the certain radius, scans the broadcast beacon signal and exchanges information with connected one or more terminals; and

a second communication module which exchanges information with the service device.

3. The beacon device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit inquires of the service device about the firmware program version at more than a preset period if a service is being provided to the one or more terminals through the communication unit, and receives the firmware program version from the service device, and, otherwise, inquires of the service device about the firmware program version at less than the preset period, and receives the firmware program version from the service device.

4. The beacon device according to claim 1, wherein, if the control unit is connected to the one or more terminals through the communication unit although no service is provided to the one or more terminal, the control unit requests the service device to update the firmware program after terminating the connection to the terminals by force.

5. The beacon device according to claim 1, wherein, when the reception of the firmware program from the service device is completed, the control unit installs the received firmware program, restarts to check whether or not the firmware program is normally operated, and deletes an existing firmware program if the firmware program is normally operated.

6. The beacon device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit controls the communication unit to broadcast the stopped beacon signal after installing the firmware program.

7. A firmware updating system comprising:

a service device which manages one or more beacon devices and manages a firmware program which can be provided to the beacon devices for broadcasting a beacon signal within a certain radius according to a Bluetooth protocol system; and

a beacon device which inquires of the service device about a firmware program version on a predetermined period basis relative to the period of the broadcast beacon signal, receives the firmware program version from the service device, and includes a control unit for comparing a preset firmware program version with the received firmware program version with the control unit stopping broadcasting of said beacon signal if both program versions are different from each other and if a service is being provided by a beacon device to one or more terminals, waits until the service provision to the terminals is completed, requests the service device to update the firmware program when the service provision is completed, and, otherwise, requests the service device to update the firmware program at the same time of stopping the broadcasting of the beacon signal and installs the firmware program received from the service device.

8. A beacon firmware updating method using a beacon device for broadcasting a beacon signal, a control unit and a service device to carry out the method with the firmware updating method comprising:

having the beacon device inquire of the service device about a firmware program version at a predetermined period basis relative to the period of the broadcast beacon signal;

receiving, by the control unit of the beacon device, the firmware program version from the service device;

using the control unit for comparing a preset firmware program version with the firmware program version received from the service device;

using the control unit to stop the broadcasting of a beacon signal from the beacon device within a certain radius according to a Bluetooth protocol system if both of the compared program versions are different from each other and requesting the service device to update the firmware program; and

installing, by the control unit of the beacon device, the firmware program received from the service device,

wherein the act of inquiring of a service device about a firmware program version includes inquiring of the service device about the firmware program version at more than a preset period if the beacon device is providing a service to one or more terminals and, otherwise, inquiring of the service device about the firmware program version at less than the preset period, and

wherein the act of requesting the service device to update the firmware program includes stopping the broadcasting of the beacon signal if the beacon device is providing a service to one or more terminals, waiting until the service provision to the terminals is completed, requesting the service device to update the firmware program when the service provision is completed, and, otherwise, requesting the service device to update the firmware program after stopping the broadcasting of the beacon signal.

9. The beacon firmware updating method according to claim 8, wherein the act of requesting the service device to update the firmware program includes, if the beacon device is connected to one or more terminals although no service is provided to the one or more terminal, requesting the service device to update the firmware program after terminating the connection to the terminals by force.

10. The beacon firmware updating method according to claim 8, wherein the act of installing the firmware program includes:

installing, by the beacon device, the firmware program received from the service device, when the reception of the firmware program from the service device is completed;

performing, by the beacon device, restart;

checking, by the beacon device, whether or not the firmware program received from the service device is normally operated; and

deleting, by the beacon device, an existing firmware program if the received firmware program is normally operated.

11. The beacon firmware updating method according to claim 8, further comprising:

starting, by the beacon device, broadcasting of the stopped beacon signal after the act of installing the firmware program.