Updating firmware for charging device

• US 9,431,831 B1
• Filed: 07/25/2014
• Issued: 08/30/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2014
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Richardson, William Frank, Spangler, Randall R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Diao, M'Baye
• Application Number:
  US14/341,246
• Time in Patent Office: 767 Days
• Field of Search: 320/107, 713/300, 713/340
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/263 Arrangements for using multiple switchable power supplies, e.g. battery and AC G06F1/30 takes precedence
• 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: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

A charging device may include a computer plug, outlet plug, AC-to-DC converter, controller, and memory. The computer plug may provide power to a computing device and receive data from the computing device. The outlet plug may receive alternating current (AC) power from an electrical outlet. The AC-to-DC converter may convert the AC power into direct current (DC) power and provide the DC power to the computing device via the computer plug. The controller may control a voltage and/or current of the DC power based on data received from the computing device and instructions stored in a memory. The memory may include read-only instructions for the controller to modify a read-write portion of the memory based on data received from the computing device via the computer plug, and read-write instructions for the controller to set the voltage of the DC power based on the data received from the computing device.

Claims

1. A charging device comprising:

a computer plug configured to provide power to a computing device and receive data from the computing device;

an outlet plug configured to receive alternating current (AC) power from an electrical outlet;

an AC-to-DC converter configured to convert the AC power received by the outlet plug from the electrical outlet into direct current (DC) power and provide the DC power to the computing device via the computer plug;

a controller configured to control a voltage and/or current of the DC power based on data received from the computing device and instructions stored in a memory; and

the memory comprising;

a read-only portion comprising instructions for the controller to modify a read-write portion of the memory based on data received from the computing device via the computer plug; and

the read-write portion comprising instructions for the controller to set the voltage of the DC power based on the data received from the computing device.

2. The charging device of claim 1, wherein the computer plug comprises a Universal Serial Bus (USB) plug.

3. The charging device of claim 1, wherein the read-only portion comprises instructions for the controller to modify a read-write portion in response to receiving a cryptographic signature from the computing device via the computer plug.

4. The charging device of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to cause the charging device to provide power to the computing device at a default level and increase or decrease the power level based on the data received from the computing device.

5. The charging device of claim 1, wherein, upon powering on, the controller is configured to execute only the instructions stored in the read-only portion of the memory.

6. The charging device of claim 5, wherein the instructions stored in the read-only portion of the memory include instructions to execute instructions stored in the read-write portion of the memory.

7. The charging device of claim 1, wherein the read-only portion of the memory includes at least one instruction configured to cause the controller to send a firmware version to the computing device, the firmware version being stored in the read-write portion of the memory.

8. The charging device of claim 1, wherein the read-only portion of the memory includes at least one instruction configured to cause the controller to send a firmware version to the computing device in response to receiving a firmware version request from the computing device, the firmware version being stored in the read-write portion of the memory.

9. The charging device of claim 1, wherein the instructions stored in either the read-only portion of the memory or the read-write portion of the memory comprise instructions for the controller to perform an integrity check to confirm that the instructions stored in the read-write portion were accurately received.

10. The charging device of claim 9, wherein the instructions stored in the read-only portion of the memory comprise instructions to enter an update mode based on the instructions stored in the read-write portion failing the integrity check.

11. The charging device of claim 1, wherein the instructions stored in the read-only portion of the memory comprise instructions to:

start a timer upon receiving power via the outlet plug;

if the charging device receives an update request from the computing device before the timer expires, enter an update mode in which the controller modifies the read-write portion based on data received from the computing device via the computer plug after receiving the update request; and

if the timer expires without the charging device receiving an update request from the computing device, ignore any subsequent update requests.

12. The charging device of claim 11, wherein the read-only portion of the memory comprise instructions to:

perform an integrity check on the data stored in the read-write portion of the memory after modifying the read-write portion of the memory;

if the data stored in the read-write portion of the memory passes the integrity check, lock the read-write portion of the memory and begin executing instructions stored in the read-write portion of the memory; and

if the data stored in the read-write portion of the memory does not pass the integrity check, re-enter the update mode.

13. The charging device of claim 12, wherein the read-only portion of the memory comprises instructions for the charging device to provide power to the computing device at a default level while the charging device is in the update mode.

14. A charging device comprising:

a computer plug configured to provide power to a computing device and receive data from the computing device;

an outlet plug configured to receive alternating current (AC) power from an electrical outlet;

an AC-to-DC converter configured to convert the AC power received by the outlet plug from the electrical outlet into direct current (DC) power and provide the DC power to the computing device via the computer plug;

a controller configured to control a voltage of the DC power based on data received from the computing device and instructions stored in a memory;

the memory comprising;

a read-only portion comprising instructions for the controller to modify a read-write portion based on data received from the computing device via the computer plug;

the read-write portion comprising instructions for the controller to set the voltage of the DC power based on the data received from the computing device; and

a switch configured to enable a user to toggle the charging device between;

a first mode in which the charging device can provide power to the computing device but cannot modify the read-write portion of the memory; and

a second mode in which the charging device can modify the read-write portion of the memory but cannot provide power to the computing device.

15. The charging device of claim 14, wherein the switch comprises a physical switch on an external portion of the charging device.

16. The charging device of claim 14, wherein the switch comprises a magnetic switch.

17. The charging device of claim 14, further comprising:

at least one lighting device,

wherein the charging device is configured to turn on the at least one lighting device in response to receiving a message from the computing device indicating that a firmware update is needed.

18. The charging device of claim 14, further comprising:

at least one lighting device, the at least one lighting device being configured to display at least a first color and a second color,

wherein the charging device is configured to cause the at least one lighting device to transition from displaying the first color to displaying the second color in response to receiving a message from the computing device indicating that a firmware update is needed.

19. The charging device of claim 14, further comprising:

at least one lighting device, the at least one lighting device being configured to blink,

wherein the charging device is configured to cause the at least one lighting device to blink in response to receiving a message from the computing device indicating that a firmware update is needed.

20. A charging device comprising:

a computer plug configured to provide power to a computing device and receive data from the computing device;

an outlet plug configured to receive alternating current (AC) power from an electrical outlet;

an AC-to-DC converter configured to convert the AC power received by the outlet plug from the electrical outlet into direct current (DC) power and provide the DC power to the computing device via the computer plug;

a controller configured to control a voltage of the DC power based on data received from the computing device and instructions stored in a memory; and

the memory comprising;

a read-only portion comprising instructions for the controller to;

modify a read-write portion based on data received from the computing device via the computer plug;

start a timer upon receiving power via the outlet plug;

if the charging device receives an update request from the computing device before the timer expires, modify the read-write portion based on data received from the computing device via the computer plug after receiving the update request; and

if the charging device does not receive an update request from the computing device before the timer expires, exit the update mode and not modify the read-write portion; and

the read-write portion comprising instructions for the controller to set the voltage of the DC power based on the data received from the computing device.

21. The charging device of claim 20, wherein the charging device does not include any user input components.

22. A computing device comprising:

a processor configured to execute instructions;

a memory comprising instructions executable by the processor;

a display configured to present images based on instructions received from the processor;

a power input configured to receive power from a charging device, provide power to the processor, the memory, and the display, and send instructions to the charging device; and

a power device controller configured to send instructions to the charging device via the power input, wherein the memory comprises instructions configured to cause the processor to;

determine that the charging device needs a firmware update; and

based on determining that the charging device needs a firmware update, instruct the display to present an image prompting a user to move a switch on the charging device.