Automatic update distribution for managed devices

• US 9,497,291 B2
• Filed: 02/19/2013
• Issued: 11/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Srinivasan, Jayendran, Wilson, Glenn, Gwalani, Sumit, Larson, Mark Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): Joshi, Suraj
• Assistant Examiner(s): Means, Jaren M.
• Application Number:
  US13/771,011
• Publication Number:
  US 20150207902A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,365 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/62 Establishing a time schedule for servicing the requests

Abstract

Methods for scheduling data download requests for a device are provided. In one aspect, a method includes assigning to a device a first wait period of a random length below a first pre-determined maximum value, and receiving a notification that data is available for download to the device. The method also includes determining whether an amount of time elapsed since the data was made available for download to the device exceeds the first wait period, and when the determination indicates that the amount of time elapsed since the data was made available for download exceeds the first wait period, downloading the data available for the device. Systems and machine-readable media are also provided.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for scheduling data download requests for a device, the method comprising:

assigning to a device a first wait period of a random length below a first pre-determined maximum value and a second wait period of a random length below a second pre-determined maximum value prior to receiving a notification that data is available for download to the device;

receiving a notification that data is available for download to the device;

determining whether an amount of time elapsed since the data was made available for download to the device exceeds the first wait period;

determining an amount of time the device has been running since the first wait period elapsed; and

downloading for installation the data available for the device after the determination indicates that the amount of time elapsed since the data was made available for download exceeds the first wait period and the amount of time the device has been running since the first wait period elapsed exceeds the second wait period.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

when the determination indicates that the amount of time elapsed since the data was made available for download is less than the first wait period, waiting for the amount of time elapsed since the data was made available for download to exceed the first wait period.

3. A computer-implemented method of claim 1, further for scheduling data download requests for a device, the method comprising:

assigning to a device a first wait period of a random length below a first pre-determined maximum value and a second wait period of a random value below a second pre-determined maximum value;

receiving a notification that data is available for download to the device;

determining whether an amount of time elapsed since the data was made available for download to the device exceeds the first wait period;

determining a number of times the device has checked whether the data is available for download since the first wait period elapsed; and

downloading for installation the data available for the device after the determination indicates that the amount of time elapsed since the data was made available for download exceeds the first wait period and wherein the data available for the device is downloaded when the determination indicates that the number of times the device has checked whether the data is available for download since the first wait period elapsed exceeds the second pre-determined maximum value wait period.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 3, wherein the second pre-determined maximum value is embedded into the device.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first wait period is assigned to the device by the device.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the second wait period is assigned to the device by the device.

7. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the notification is received from a server hosting the data.

8. The computer implemented method of claim 7, wherein the notification is received in response to a scheduled data check with the server by the device.

9. The computer implemented method of claim 1,

wherein the notification comprises a value indicating that the data available for download to the device has been designated as urgent,

wherein the determining whether the amount of time elapsed since the data was made available for download to the device exceeds the first wait period comprises determining whether the data has been designated as urgent, and the method further comprising:

wherein the data available for the device is downloaded when the determination indicates that the data has been designated as urgent regardless of whether the amount of time elapsed since the data was made available for download to the device exceeds the first wait period or the amount of time the device has been running since the first wait period elapsed exceeds the second wait period.

10. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first pre-determined maximum value is assigned by an administrator.

11. A system for scheduling data download requests for a device, the system comprising:

a memory comprising instructions;

a processor configured to execute the instructions to;

assign to a device a first wait period of a random length below a first pre-determined maximum value and a second wait period of a random length below a second pre-determined maximum value prior to receiving a notification that data is available for download to the device;

receive a notification that data is available for download to the device;

determine whether an amount of time elapsed since the data was made available for download to the device exceeds the first wait period;

determine an amount of time the device has been running since the first wait period elapsed;

download for installation the data available for the device after the determination indicates that the amount of time elapsed since the data was made available for download exceeds the first wait period and the amount of time the device has been running since the first wait period elapsed exceeds the second wait period; and

when the determination indicates that the amount of time elapsed since the data was made available for download is less than the first wait period, waiting for the amount of time elapsed since the data was made available for download to exceed the first wait period.

12. A system for scheduling data download requests for a device, the system comprising of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions to:

a memory comprising instructions;

a processor configured to execute the instructions to;

assign to a device a first wait period of a random length below a first pre-determined maximum value and second wait period of a random value below a second pre-determined maximum value;

receive a notification that data is available for download to the device;

determine whether an amount of time elapsed since the data was made available for download to the device exceeds the first wait period;

determine a number of times the device has checked whether the data is available for download since the first wait period elapsed; and

download for installation the data available for the device after the determination indicates that the amount of time elapsed since the data was made available for download exceeds the first wait period and wherein the data available for the device is downloaded when the determination indicates that the number of times the device has checked whether the data is available for download since the first wait period elapsed exceeds the second pre-determined maximum value wait period.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the second pre-determined maximum value is embedded into the device.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein at least one of the first wait period or the second wait period is assigned to the device by the device.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the notification is received from a server hosting the data in response to a scheduled data check with the server by the device.

16. The system of claim 11,

wherein the notification comprises a value indicating that the data available for download to the device has been designated as urgent,

wherein the determining whether the amount of time elapsed since the data was made available for download to the device exceeds the first wait period comprises determining whether the data has been designated as urgent, and

wherein the data available for the device is downloaded when the determination indicates that the data has been designated as urgent regardless of whether the amount of time elapsed since the data was made available for download to the device exceeds the first wait period or the amount of time the device has been running since the first wait period elapsed exceeds the second wait period.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the first pre-determined maximum value is assigned by an administrator.

18. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium comprising machine-readable instructions for causing a processor to execute a method for scheduling data download requests for a device, the method comprising:

assigning to a device a first wait period of a random length below a first pre-determined maximum value and a second wait period of a random length below a second pre-determined maximum value prior to receiving a notification that data is available for download to the device;

receiving a notification that data is available for download to the device;

determining whether an amount of time elapsed since the data was made available for download to the device exceeds the first wait period;

determining an amount of time the device has been running since the first wait period elapsed;

when the determination indicates that the amount of time elapsed since the data was made available for download exceeds the first wait period, assigning to the device a second wait period of a random length below a second pre-determined maximum value;

when the determination indicates that the amount of time elapsed since the data was made available for download is less than the first wait period, waiting for the amount of time elapsed since the data was made available for download to exceed the first wait period;

when the amount of time elapsed since the data was made available for download exceeds the first wait period and the amount of time the device has been running since the first wait period elapsed exceeds the second wait period, downloading the data available for the device.

19. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium comprising machine-readable instructions for causing a processor to execute a method for scheduling data download requests for a device, the method comprising:

assigning to a device a first wait period of a random length below a first pre-determined maximum value and a second wait period of a random value below a second pre-determined maximum value;

receiving a notification that data is available for download to the device;

determining whether an amount of time elapsed since the data was made available for download to the device exceeds the first wait period;

determining a number of times the device has checked whether the data is available for download since the first wait period elapsed; and

downloading for installation the data available for the device after the determination indicates that the amount of time elapsed since the data was made available for download exceeds the first wait period and the determination indicates that the number of times the device has checked whether the data is available for download since the first wait period elapsed exceeds the second pre-determined maximum value.