Methods and systems for updating components on a computing device

• US 9,400,643 B2
• Filed: 03/03/2014
• Issued: 07/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2014
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Poiesz, Benjamin, Abramson, Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Kang, Insun
• Application Number:
  US14/195,310
• Publication Number:
  US 20150248284A1
• Time in Patent Office: 876 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring

Abstract

Methods and systems for updating components on a computing device are described herein. A computing device may perform an example method, which may include receiving, at the computing device, a notification of an update corresponding to an existing component on the computing device. Responsive to receiving the notification, the computing device may receive inputs from sensors of the computing device, which may provide information indicative of a given state of use, time of day, and location associated with the computing device. Based on a weighted combination of the inputs, the computing device may determine whether to update the existing component on the computing device and update the existing component. In some instances, the computing device may use information provided by another computing device to determine whether or not to initiate an update process.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, at a first computing device, a notification of an update for an existing component on the first computing device, wherein the first computing device is associated with a user account;

determining by the first computing device from inputs provided by a plurality of sensors, a plurality of parameters of the first computing device, wherein the plurality of parameters comprise a given state of use and a location of the first computing device;

receiving, at the first computing device, information corresponding to a second computing device associated with the user account, wherein the information is indicative of a given state of use and a location of the second computing device, and wherein the information is further indicative of whether the update for the existing component on the first computing device was approved on the second computing device to update an existing component on the second computing device;

based on the plurality of parameters of the first computing device and the information corresponding to the second computing device, determining whether to update the existing component on the first computing device; and

based on determining to update the existing component on the first computing device, initiating, by the first computing device, the update to the existing component based on the notification of the update.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the user account has a plurality of computing devices associated with the user account.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the given state of use indicates whether the computing device is in an active state or inactive active, wherein the computing device executes one or more functions in the active state.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first computing device is a mobile phone and the second computing device is a tablet computing device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining by the first computing device from inputs provided by a plurality of sensors, the plurality of parameters of the first computing device further comprises:

determining a motion state of the computing device based on inputs provided by at least an accelerometer of the first computing device; and

determining the given state of use based on the motion state of the computing device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining by the first computing device from inputs provided by a plurality of sensors, the plurality of parameters of the first computing device further comprises:

detecting, via a light sensor, light input captured at the first computing device; and

determining the given state of use based on the light input.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein based on the plurality of parameters of the first computing device and the information corresponding to the second computing device, the first computing device initiating an update to the existing component based on the notification of the update is further based on one or more of a time of day associated with the first computing device, a central processing unit (CPU) load associated with the first computing device, and a network connection associated with the first computing device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein determining by the first computing device from inputs provided by a plurality of sensors, the plurality of parameters of the first computing device further comprises:

detecting, via a microphone, sound input as captured at the first computing device; and

determining the given state of use based on the sound input.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein based on the plurality of parameters of the first computing device and the information corresponding to the second computing device, the first computing device updating the existing component while the existing component is in an inactive state.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first computing device and the second computing device operate within a group of computing devices;

and

wherein based on the plurality of parameters of the first computing device and the information corresponding to the second computing device, the first computing device initiating an update to the existing component based on the notification of the update comprises;

the first computing device determining the second computing is available for use; and

responsive to determining the second computing is available for use, the first computing device initiating the update to the existing component based on the notification of the update.

11. A method comprising:

receiving, at a first computing device, a notification of an update corresponding to an existing component on the first computing device, wherein the first computing device is associated with a user account;

responsive to receiving the notification, receiving inputs from a plurality of sensors of the first computing device, wherein the inputs provide information indicative of a given state of use, time of day, and a location associated with the first computing device;

receiving, at the first computing device, information corresponding to a second computing device associated with the user account, wherein the information is indicative of a given state of use and a location of the second computing device, and wherein the information is further indicative of whether the update for the existing component on the first computing device was approved on the second computing device to update an existing component on the second computing device;

based on a weighted combination of the inputs and the information corresponding to the second computing device, determining whether to update the existing component on the first computing device; and

based on determining to update the existing component on the first computing device, updating the existing component.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

storing data indicative of the update in memory on the first computing device.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the plurality of sensors of the first computing device comprise one or more of a camera, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a global positioning system (GPS), a biometric sensor, a microphone, a light sensor, and a touch screen.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the inputs further provide information indicative of a motion state of the first computing device via an accelerometer.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the inputs further provide information indicative of touch interaction with the first computing device, wherein the touch interaction indicates whether the first computing device is receiving input via touch interface.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein based on the weighted combination of the inputs, determining whether to update the existing component on the first computing device comprises:

determining whether the time of day associated with the first computing device is within a predefined range of time; and

responsive to determining whether the time of day associated with the first computing device is within the predefined range of time, updating the existing component.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein based on the weighted combination of the inputs, determining whether to update the existing component on the first computing device comprises:

determining the first computing device is in an inactive state; and

responsive to determining the first computing device is in an inactive state, updating the existing component.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the inputs further provide information indicative network connectivity available at the first computing device.

19. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions that, upon execution by a first computing device, cause the first computing device to perform functions comprising:

receiving, at the first computing device, a notification of an update corresponding to an existing component on the computing device, wherein the first computing device is associated with a user account;

determining by the first computing device from inputs provided by a plurality of sensors of the first computing device, a plurality of parameters of the first computing device, wherein the plurality of parameters comprise a given state of use and a location associated with the first computing device;

receiving, at the first computing device, information corresponding to a second computing device associated with the user account, wherein the information is indicative of a given state of use and a location of the second computing device, and wherein the information is further indicative of whether the update for the existing component on the first computing device was approved on the second computing device to update an existing component on the second computing device;

based on the plurality of parameters of the first computing device and the information corresponding to the second computing device, determining whether to update the existing component on the first computing device; and

based on determining to update the existing component on the first computing device, updating the existing component.

20. The non-transitory medium of claim 19, wherein the existing component is an application on the first computing device;

wherein the inputs further provide information indicating whether the existing application is operating in a foreground of the first computing device, and the functions comprise updating the existing application based on whether the existing application is operating in the foreground of the first computing device.

21. The non-transitory medium of claim 19, wherein determining to update the existing component on the first computing device comprises:

determining a weighted combination of the plurality of parameters, wherein the plurality of parameters further comprise a time of day associated with the first computing device.