Equipment group and initialization configuration and software updating method thereof

Abstract

The invention relates to a device group and an initial configuration and software updating method thereof, which are characterized in that a device is randomly selected from the device group as an initial host, initial configuration or software updating is carried out on the device, and then east-west wireless connection is established by using a star flash communication module, so that batch initialization and upgrading of other slaves are realized. According to the method, the one-transmitting and multi-receiving characteristic of the satellite flash communication is utilized, and the configuration or updating data is efficiently transmitted to a plurality of slaves at the same time, so that the problem of equipment group management in an environment without a northbound network or in an environment with an unstable network is solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of device group management and maintenance, and in particular to a device group initialization configuration and software update method. Background Art

[0002] Currently, many application scenarios require multiple devices to work together, such as monitoring systems, smart home devices, etc. In these scenarios, initial configuration or software updates are required to ensure that they can communicate and collaborate with other devices correctly. However, when a large number of device groups need to be connected to the network at the same time, traditional configuration methods may become ineffective.

[0003] There are two main traditional configuration methods: (1) Use wired or wireless methods on site to establish a one-to-one connection between a computer / mobile phone and a single device, and perform initial configuration or software updates on the device. However, this method is labor-intensive and involves a large number of repetitive operations when a large number of devices are deployed.

[0004] (2) Use wired or wireless communication methods to establish a northbound connection with the monitoring platform, and use the monitoring platform to send initial configuration or software updates to the device group in batches. However, this method relies on stable wired or wireless northbound communication. In the absence of a northbound network connection or an unstable northbound network connection, there will be problems with the inability to correctly initialize the configuration or software update. Northbound network connection refers to the transmission of data from the lower network (such as the access layer) to the upper network (such as the aggregation layer or core layer). For example, several cameras are deployed in a computer room. There are usually a large number of electronic devices and metal structures inside the computer room. These factors may interfere with or hinder the transmission of wireless signals, resulting in the inability to establish a reliable network connection. In addition, in order to ensure the security of data inside the computer room, measures are sometimes taken to isolate the computer room from the external network to prevent unauthorized access and attacks. In this scenario, the monitoring platform cannot be used to send initial configuration or software updates to the camera group in batches. Summary of the invention

[0005] The purpose of the present invention is to propose a device group and its initialization configuration and software update method, so as to solve the problem of a large number of repetitive operations and low efficiency when a large number of device groups are deployed, debugged or upgraded at the same time when there is no northbound network connection or the northbound network connection is unstable.

[0006] To achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides a device group initialization configuration and software update method, wherein the device group includes multiple devices, each device is equipped with at least one Star Flash communication module, and each device has a unique identification code or network address; when the device is not initialized, the device is in a first state; the first state is a state in which the device remains allowed to receive initialization configuration parameters; when the device is initialized, the device is in a second state; the second state is a state in which the device remains in normal operation and allows the reception of software update data; The method comprises the following steps: Randomly select a device as the initial host, and perform initial configuration or software update on the initial host via wired or wireless means. At this time, the remaining devices act as slaves of the initial host. The initial host establishes an east-west wireless connection with multiple slaves through the Star Flash communication module, and queries the identification codes or network addresses and device status of multiple slaves; Based on the characteristic of Star Flash communication that one sends and multiple receives, the initial host sends initialization configuration data or software update data to multiple slaves at the same time according to the identification codes or network addresses and device status of multiple slaves; After receiving the initialization configuration data or software update data sent by the initial master, the multiple slaves perform initialization configuration or software update according to the initialization configuration data or software update data.

[0007] Preferably, the method further comprises: The slave that completes the reception of initialization configuration data or software update data becomes the new master, establishes an east-west wireless connection with other slaves through the Star Flash communication module, queries the identification codes or network addresses and device status of other slaves, and sends initialization configuration data or software update data to other slaves based on the identification codes or network addresses and device status of other slaves, thereby realizing the initialization configuration and software update of all devices in the device group in a chain propagation manner.

[0008] Preferably, the method further comprises: A device newly added to the device group automatically acts as a slave, receives initialization configuration data or software update data from a neighboring host, and performs initialization configuration or software update according to the initialization configuration data or software update data.

[0009] Preferably, the method further comprises: The device newly added to the device group compares the software version of the received software update data with its own software version. If the software version of the received software update data is newer, the software is updated according to the received software update data. If its own software version is newer, the device newly added to the device group automatically becomes the new host. At this time, other devices act as slaves of the new host, triggering reverse synchronization updates of other devices in the device group. The new host establishes an east-west wireless connection with multiple slaves through the Star Flash communication module, queries the identification codes or network addresses and device status of multiple slaves, and based on the one-send-multiple-receive feature of Star Flash communication, sends software update data to multiple slaves according to the identification codes or network addresses and device status of multiple slaves.

[0010] Preferably, the method further comprises: The host of the device group detects whether there is a new device added to the device group. If so, it queries the identification code or network address and device status of the device newly added to the device group. If so, it sends initialization configuration data or software update data to the newly added device group based on the identification code or network address and device status of the device newly added to the device group.

[0011] Preferably, based on the characteristic of Star Flash communication that one sends and multiple receives, the host sends initialization configuration data or software update data to multiple slaves at the same time according to the identification codes or network addresses and device states of the multiple slaves, including: When the device state of the slave is the first state, the host sends initialization configuration data to the slave according to the identification code or network address of the slave; When the device state of the slave is the second state, the host queries the software version of the slave. If the software version of the slave is newer than that of the host, the host sends software update data to the slave according to the identification code or network address of the slave. Otherwise, the host does not send software update data to the slave.

[0012] The present invention also provides a device group, the device group includes a plurality of devices, each device is equipped with at least one Starflash communication module, and each device has a unique identification code or network address; Each device includes a first state and a second state; when the device is not initialized, the device is in the first state; the first state is a state in which the device maintains a state in which initialization configuration parameters are allowed to be received; when the multiple devices are initialized, the multiple devices are in the second state; the second state is a state in which the device maintains normal operation and allows the reception of software update data; The device is used to receive the user's initial configuration data or software update data by wired or wireless means when it acts as an initial host, and perform initial configuration or software update according to the initial configuration data or software update data, and the remaining devices act as slaves of the host; The initial host is used to establish an east-west wireless connection with multiple slaves through the Star Flash communication module, query the identification codes or network addresses and device status of multiple slaves, and based on the one-send-multiple-receive feature of Star Flash communication, send initialization configuration data or software update data to multiple slaves at the same time according to the identification codes or network addresses and device status of multiple slaves; The slave is used to perform initialization configuration or software update according to the initialization configuration data or software update data after receiving the initialization configuration data or software update data sent by the initial host.

[0013] Preferably, the slave machine is used to automatically become a new master after completing the reception of initialization configuration data or software update data, establish an east-west wireless connection with other slave machines through the Star Flash communication module, query the identification code or network address and device status of other slave machines, and send initialization configuration data or software update data to other slave machines according to the identification code or network address and device status of other slave machines, so as to realize the initialization configuration and software update of all devices in the device group in a chain propagation manner.

[0014] Preferably, the device group allows new devices to be added; the device newly added to the device group automatically acts as a slave to receive initialization configuration data or software update data from a neighboring host. The device newly added to the device group is used to compare the software version of the received software update data with its own software version. If the software version of the received software update data is newer, the software is updated according to the received software update data; if its own software version is newer, the device newly added to the device group automatically becomes a new host. At this time, other devices act as slaves of the new host, triggering reverse synchronization update of other devices in the device group. The new host establishes an east-west wireless connection with multiple slaves through the Star Flash communication module, queries the identification codes or network addresses and device status of multiple slaves, and based on the one-send-and-multiple-receive feature of Star Flash communication, sends software update data to multiple slaves according to the identification codes or network addresses and device status of multiple slaves.

[0015] Preferably, the host is used to send initialization configuration data to the slave according to the identification code or network address of the slave when the device state of the slave is a first state; when the device state of the slave is a second state, query the software version of the slave, if the software version of the slave is newer than the software version of the host, send software update data to the slave according to the identification code or network address of the slave, otherwise, do not send software update data to the slave.

[0016] The present invention provides a device group and its initialization configuration and software update method, which has the following beneficial effects: (1) The present invention adopts a decentralized initialization configuration. By randomly selecting a device as the initial host, it performs initialization configuration or software updates on it, and the remaining devices serve as slaves. This eliminates the need for centralized configuration through a monitoring platform, reducing the need for northbound network connections.

[0017] (2) Each device in the device group is equipped with at least one Star Flash communication module, which supports east-west wireless connection, that is, direct communication between devices. This allows a stable wireless connection to be established between the initial host and the slave, and communication can be maintained even in an interfered or isolated network environment.

[0018] (3) The traditional configuration method requires establishing a one-to-one connection with each device. In the present invention, once the initial host is configured, it can utilize the multi-receive feature of the Star Flash communication module to send initialization configuration data or software update data to multiple slaves at the same time, greatly reducing repetitive operations.

[0019] (4) In the present invention, the device is divided into two states according to whether it has been initialized. The initial host can identify the state of the slave and decide whether to send initialization configuration data or software update data according to the state, which improves the pertinence and efficiency of configuration and update.

[0020] In summary, the present invention provides an efficient and reliable device group initialization configuration and software update method, which is particularly suitable for realizing rapid deployment and upgrade of device groups in an environment where there is no northbound network connection or the northbound network connection is unstable. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the drawings required in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are only some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative work.

[0022] Figure 1 The present invention is a flowchart of a device group initialization configuration and software update method according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] The detailed description of the accompanying drawings is intended as an illustration of the current embodiments of the present invention and is not intended to represent the only form in which the present invention can be implemented. It should be understood that the same or equivalent functions can be accomplished by different embodiments that are intended to be included in the spirit and scope of the present invention.

[0024] An embodiment of the present invention provides a device group initialization configuration and software update method, wherein the device group includes multiple devices, each device is equipped with at least one Star Flash communication module, and each device has a unique identification code or network address; when the device is not initialized, the device is in a first state; the first state is a state in which the device remains allowed to receive initialization configuration parameters; when the device is initialized, the device is in a second state; the second state is a state in which the device remains in normal operation and allows the reception of software update data; The method comprises the following steps: Step S10, randomly select a device as an initial host, perform initial configuration or software update on the initial host via wired or wireless means, and the remaining devices serve as slaves of the initial host.

[0025] Specifically, a device is randomly selected in the device group as the initial host. This avoids relying on a specific device for initial configuration and increases the flexibility of the system. The initial host is configured via wired or wireless means, which can be manual operation, such as connecting a computer via USB for configuration, or sending configuration instructions via a wireless network.

[0026] In an example, suppose there is a surveillance system consisting of 100 cameras. First, a camera (for example, numbered #45) is randomly selected as the initial host, and then a laptop carried by a staff member is connected to the camera through a wire for initial configuration.

[0027] In step S20, the initial host establishes an east-west wireless connection with multiple slaves through the Star Flash communication module, and queries the identification codes or network addresses and device status of the multiple slaves.

[0028] Specifically, the Star Flash communication module is a technology that supports point-to-multipoint communication, allowing one device to communicate with multiple devices at the same time; the initial host uses the Star Flash communication module to establish a wireless connection with multiple slaves without going through a centralized network structure. After the wireless connection, the initial host queries the identification codes or network addresses and device status of multiple slaves in order to determine which devices require initialization configuration and which devices only require software updates.

[0029] In one example, camera #45 acts as the initial host and broadcasts a query request through the Star Flash communication module. After receiving the query, other cameras return their unique identification code (such as MAC address) and current status (uninitialized or initialized).

[0030] Step S30, the initial host simultaneously sends initialization configuration data or software update data to multiple slaves based on the one-send-multiple-receive characteristic of Star Flash communication and according to the identification codes or network addresses and device states of the multiple slaves.

[0031] Specifically, the one-send-to-multiple-receive feature allows the initial host to send data to multiple slaves at one time, improving the efficiency of configuration and update; according to the status of the slave, the initial host sends the corresponding data packet, the uninitialized device receives the initialization configuration data, and the initialized device receives the software update data.

[0032] In one example, camera #45 sends initialization configuration data to all uninitialized cameras based on the query results, and sends software update data to all initialized cameras.

[0033] Step S40: After receiving the initialization configuration data or software update data sent by the initial master, the multiple slaves perform initialization configuration or software update according to the initialization configuration data or software update data.

[0034] Specifically, after receiving the initialization configuration data or software update data, each slave performs the corresponding operation according to the data type; if it is initialization configuration data, it performs initialization configuration; if it is software update data, it performs software update. In this way, all devices can complete configuration and update without northbound network connection.

[0035] In one example, after an uninitialized camera receives initialization configuration data, it starts setting network parameters, time synchronization, etc., for example; and after an initialized camera receives software update data, it starts installing a new firmware version, for example.

[0036] Based on the above method steps, it can be seen that the method of this embodiment has the following advantages: (1) The method of this embodiment adopts a decentralized initialization configuration. By randomly selecting a device as the initial host, it is initialized and configured or the software is updated, and the remaining devices are used as slaves. In this way, there is no need for centralized configuration through the monitoring platform, which reduces the demand for northbound network connections.

[0037] (2) Each device in the device group is equipped with at least one Star Flash communication module, which supports east-west wireless connection, that is, direct communication between devices. This allows a stable wireless connection to be established between the initial host and the slave, and communication can be maintained even in an interfered or isolated network environment.

[0038] (3) The traditional configuration method requires establishing a one-to-one connection with each device. In the method of this embodiment, once the initial host is configured, it can use the multi-receive feature of the Star Flash communication module to send initialization configuration data or software update data to multiple slaves at the same time, greatly reducing repetitive operations.

[0039] (4) In the method of this embodiment, the device is divided into two states according to whether it has been initialized. The initial host can identify the state of the slave and decide whether to send initialization configuration data or software update data according to the state, which improves the pertinence and efficiency of configuration and update.

[0040] In summary, the method of this embodiment provides an efficient and reliable device group initialization configuration and software update method, which is particularly suitable for rapid deployment and upgrade of device groups in an environment where there is no northbound network connection or the northbound network connection is unstable.

[0041] In some embodiments, the method further comprises: The slave that completes the reception of initialization configuration data or software update data becomes the new master, establishes an east-west wireless connection with other slaves through the Star Flash communication module, queries the identification codes or network addresses and device status of other slaves, and sends initialization configuration data or software update data to other slaves based on the identification codes or network addresses and device status of other slaves, thereby realizing the initialization configuration and software update of all devices in the device group in a chain propagation manner.

[0042] Specifically, the one-transmit-multiple-receive feature of the Star Flash communication module allows a host to send data to multiple slaves at the same time, but its sending capacity is still limited. For example, factors such as the maximum number of concurrent connections, transmission distance, and signal strength will affect the number of slaves that the host can communicate with simultaneously.

[0043] For example, if the design limitation of a Star Flash communication module is that it can communicate with a maximum of 10 slaves at the same time, then when there are more than 10 slaves in the device group, the initial host cannot establish a connection with all slaves at once. In actual applications, the device group may contain hundreds or thousands of devices, such as hundreds of cameras in a large monitoring system and countless sensors and actuators in a smart home system. In this case, the sending capacity of a single host is far from meeting the needs of configuring or updating all slaves at once.

[0044] In order to solve this problem, the method of this embodiment further adopts a chain propagation mechanism, and the specific working principle is as follows: The initial master first configures or updates the slaves within its transmission capability, and then one (or several) of these slaves that have completed the configuration or update become the new master and continue to operate the next batch of slaves. In this way, each new master can configure or update the slaves nearby, thereby gradually expanding to the entire device group.

[0045] In an example, suppose a Star Flash communication module can communicate with up to 10 slaves at the same time, and there are 100 slaves in the device group. The initial host first establishes a connection with the first batch of 10 slaves and completes the configuration or update. Then one of the 10 slaves becomes the new host and continues to establish a connection with the next batch of 10 slaves, and so on until all 100 slaves have completed the configuration or update. Through this chain propagation method, even if the sending capacity of a single host is limited, it can effectively realize the configuration and update of a large number of devices, thus solving the problem of mismatch between the sending capacity and the size of the device group, and ensuring that the initialization configuration and software update of the entire device group can be carried out efficiently and orderly, even in the absence of northbound network connection or unstable northbound network connection. This method is particularly suitable for large-scale device deployment because it reduces the burden on individual devices and improves the configuration and update efficiency of the entire network.

[0046] In some embodiments, the method further comprises: A device newly added to the device group automatically acts as a slave, receives initialization configuration data or software update data from a neighboring host, and performs initialization configuration or software update according to the initialization configuration data or software update data.

[0047] Specifically, the method of this embodiment allows a device newly added to a device group to automatically integrate into the existing network and receive necessary initialization configuration data or software update data. Specifically, when a new device is added to an existing device group, it may not be initialized or may need a software update. The new device automatically enters slave mode because it needs to obtain the necessary initialization configuration data or software update data from the existing device group.

[0048] In one example, the new device acts as a slave and starts to listen or search for nearby hosts, which are devices that have completed initialization configuration or software updates. As a slave, the purpose of the new device is to receive initialization configuration data or software update data from the host. Once the new device identifies a nearby host, it will try to establish a wireless connection with the host. After the connection is established, the new device will receive initialization configuration data (such as network settings, time synchronization, security parameters, etc.) or software update data (such as firmware update packages) from the nearby host. After receiving the data, the new device will perform initialization configuration or software updates based on this data.

[0049] In one example, suppose a new camera is added to an already deployed surveillance system. After it is powered on, the new camera automatically enters slave mode and starts searching for nearby hosts. It finds a master camera that has been initialized and is running normally. The new camera establishes a wireless connection with the master camera and receives the initialization configuration data and software update data. After receiving this data, the new camera performs initialization configuration and updates its software, thus successfully integrating into the surveillance system.

[0050] The advantages of this mechanism of the present embodiment are that it simplifies the process of adding new devices, and automatically completes configuration and updates without manual intervention; it ensures that new devices can quickly work with existing device groups, improving the flexibility and scalability of the entire system; and it reduces network interruptions or configuration inconsistencies that may be caused by the addition of new devices.

[0051] In some embodiments, the method further comprises: The device newly added to the device group compares the software version of the received software update data with its own software version. If the software version of the received software update data is newer, the software is updated according to the received software update data. If its own software version is newer, the device newly added to the device group automatically becomes the new host. At this time, other devices act as slaves of the new host, triggering reverse synchronization updates of other devices in the device group. The new host establishes an east-west wireless connection with multiple slaves through the Star Flash communication module, queries the identification codes or network addresses and device status of multiple slaves, and based on the one-send-multiple-receive feature of Star Flash communication, sends software update data to multiple slaves according to the identification codes or network addresses and device status of multiple slaves.

[0052] Specifically, this embodiment proposes an intelligent software version control and update mechanism, which allows a device newly added to a device group to determine its role and behavior based on the newness of the software version. Specifically, after receiving software update data from a neighboring host, the device newly added to the device group will first compare the software version in the update data with its currently running software version. The purpose of the version comparison is to determine whether the new device needs to be updated or whether it has a newer software version.

[0053] If the version of the received software update data is newer, the new device will perform software updates based on this data to ensure consistency with the software versions of other devices in the group; if the software version of the new device is newer, this means that the new device has a newer software version and does not need to be updated but can become a new host because the user also initializes the configuration and software updates for the new device when adding it to the device group.

[0054] When the software version of the new device is newer, it will automatically become the new master. This conversion is based on the fact that the software version of the new device may contain important functional updates or security patches that need to be promoted to the entire device group. Other devices then become slaves of the new master and are ready to receive updates from the new master. The new master triggers reverse synchronization updates of other devices in the device group, that is, the original master and other slaves now need to receive software updates from the new master. This reverse synchronization ensures that the software version of the entire device group is up to date.

[0055] At this time, the new host is equivalent to executing the functions of the initial host. Similarly, the new host establishes an east-west wireless connection with multiple slaves through the Star Flash communication module, and queries the identification code or network address and device status of the slaves; then, using the one-send-to-multiple-receive feature of Star Flash communication, the new host sends software update data to multiple slaves at the same time according to the identification code or network address and device status of the slaves.

[0056] In an example, suppose a smart home company launches a new smart thermostat with a new version of firmware, V3.0. When a new thermostat is installed in a smart home system that is already running the old version, V2.5, the following situation exists: The new thermostat joins the network and receives the V2.5 firmware update data from the existing host (for example, an already initialized smart light bulb); the new thermostat compares the versions and finds that the V3.0 version it is running is newer; the new thermostat automatically becomes the new host, and the original smart light bulb and other devices become slaves; the new thermostat establishes a wireless connection with all slaves through the Star Flash communication module and queries their identification codes or network addresses and device status; the new thermostat uses the multi-receive feature of Star Flash communication to send the V3.0 firmware update data to all slaves; all slaves receive the update data and perform firmware upgrades to ensure that the entire smart home system runs the latest software version.

[0057] The advantage of this mechanism of the present embodiment is that it ensures that the device group always runs the latest software version, thereby improving the overall performance and security of the system; through intelligent version comparison, self-optimization and self-update of the device group are achieved, especially in the absence of external network support.

[0058] In some embodiments, the method further comprises: The host of the device group detects whether there is a new device added to the device group. If so, it queries the identification code or network address and device status of the device newly added to the device group. If so, it sends initialization configuration data or software update data to the newly added device group based on the identification code or network address and device status of the device newly added to the device group.

[0059] Specifically, in this embodiment, the host device is responsible for monitoring the network to detect whether there are new devices attempting to join the device group. The detection can be achieved in a variety of ways, such as monitoring specific signals on the network or using a network discovery protocol; when the host detects a new device, it queries the identification code or network address of the new device and the device status. The identification code or network address is used to uniquely identify the device in the network, and the device status tells the host whether the device has been initialized or requires a software update; the host sends the necessary initialization configuration data or software update data to the newly added device based on the queried information; the initialization configuration data may include network settings, security authentication, time synchronization, etc., and the software update data contains the latest firmware or software version.

[0060] In an example, suppose there is a smart home system that contains multiple smart sockets that can remotely control electrical appliances. The following is the process of a new smart socket joining a device group: When a new smart socket is installed and powered on, it will send a signal to join the network through the Star Flash communication module. The host in the device group (for example, a configured smart socket or central control unit) detects this signal and recognizes that a new device is trying to join; the host queries the MAC address (identification code) and device status of the new socket and finds that it is an uninitialized device; the host will send initialization configuration data to the new socket based on the MAC address of the new socket, including the SSID and password of the home Wi-Fi network, time synchronization information, and coordination parameters with other smart devices in the home; if the software version of the new socket is not the latest, the host will also send the latest firmware update. After receiving this data, the new socket will perform network configuration and firmware update, successfully join the smart home system, and can begin remote control of the appliances connected to it. In summary, the automated device joining and configuration process of this embodiment greatly simplifies the deployment and maintenance of the smart home system, ensuring that new devices can be quickly and seamlessly integrated into the existing network.

[0061] In some embodiments, based on the characteristic of Star Flash communication of sending multiple messages at a time, the host sends initialization configuration data or software update data to multiple slaves at the same time according to the identification codes or network addresses and device states of multiple slaves, including: When the device state of the slave is the first state, the host sends initialization configuration data to the slave according to the identification code or network address of the slave; When the device state of the slave is the second state, the host queries the software version of the slave. If the software version of the slave is newer than that of the host, the host sends software update data to the slave according to the identification code or network address of the slave. Otherwise, the host does not send software update data to the slave.

[0062] Specifically, this embodiment describes how the host can utilize the one-send-and-multiple-receive feature of Starflash communication to selectively send initialization configuration data or software update data to the slaves according to the different status and version information of the slaves. Specifically, the one-send-and-multiple-receive feature of Starflash communication allows the host to send data to multiple slaves at one time without establishing a connection with each slave separately, thereby improving the efficiency and range of data transmission.

[0063] The host will check the device status of each slave and decide what data to send based on the status; the first status usually means that the device has not been initialized and needs to receive initialization configuration data; the second status may mean that the device has been initialized, but may need a software update; when the slave is in the second status, the host will query the software version of the slave; if the software version of the slave is older, the host will send software update data to it; if the software version of the slave is newer or the same as that of the host, the host will not send software update data to avoid unnecessary updates and potential compatibility issues.

[0064] In one example, assume that there is a system consisting of multiple smart door locks that can be managed by a central control unit (host); when newly installed smart door locks join the network, they are in the first state, that is, the uninitialized state; the host detects these new door locks and confirms that their device state is the first state; the host sends initialization configuration data to the new door locks based on their MAC addresses, including security keys, time synchronization settings, and door lock permission configuration; on the other hand, some of the door locks that have been initialized may be in the second state, that is, they are already configured but may need a software update; the host queries the software versions of these door locks and finds that the software version of one of the door locks is V1.2, while the software version of the host is V1.3; the host determines that the software version of the door lock is older, so it sends software update data of version V1.3 to it based on the MAC address of the door lock; the door locks that receive the update data perform firmware upgrades, while other door locks whose software versions are already the latest or higher level will not receive the update data; in this way, the host can efficiently manage the entire smart door lock system, ensuring that each door lock is properly configured and updated, while avoiding unnecessary operations.

[0065] Corresponding to the method of the above embodiment, another embodiment of the present invention further provides a device group, the device group includes a plurality of devices, each device is equipped with at least one Starflash communication module, and each device has a unique identification code or network address; Each device includes a first state and a second state; when the device is not initialized, the device is in the first state; the first state is a state in which the device maintains a state in which initialization configuration parameters are allowed to be received; when the multiple devices are initialized, the multiple devices are in the second state; the second state is a state in which the device maintains normal operation and allows the reception of software update data; The device is used to receive the user's initial configuration data or software update data by wired or wireless means when it acts as an initial host, and perform initial configuration or software update according to the initial configuration data or software update data, and the remaining devices act as slaves of the host; The initial host is used to establish an east-west wireless connection with multiple slaves through the Star Flash communication module, query the identification codes or network addresses and device status of multiple slaves, and based on the one-send-multiple-receive feature of Star Flash communication, send initialization configuration data or software update data to multiple slaves at the same time according to the identification codes or network addresses and device status of multiple slaves; The slave is used to perform initialization configuration or software update according to the initialization configuration data or software update data after receiving the initialization configuration data or software update data sent by the initial host.

[0066] In some embodiments, the slave machine is used to automatically become a new master after completing the reception of initialization configuration data or software update data, establish an east-west wireless connection with other slave machines through the Star Flash communication module, query the identification code or network address and device status of other slave machines, and send initialization configuration data or software update data to other slave machines based on the identification code or network address and device status of other slave machines, thereby realizing initialization configuration and software update covering all devices in the device group in a chain propagation manner.

[0067] In some embodiments, the device group allows new devices to be added; the device newly added to the device group automatically acts as a slave to receive initialization configuration data or software update data from a neighboring host. The device newly added to the device group is used to compare the software version of the received software update data with its own software version. If the software version of the received software update data is newer, the software is updated according to the received software update data; if its own software version is newer, the device newly added to the device group automatically becomes a new host. At this time, other devices act as slaves of the new host, triggering reverse synchronization updates of other devices in the device group. The new host establishes an east-west wireless connection with multiple slaves through the Star Flash communication module, queries the identification codes or network addresses and device status of multiple slaves, and based on the one-send-and-multiple-receive feature of Star Flash communication, sends software update data to multiple slaves according to the identification codes or network addresses and device status of multiple slaves.

[0068] In some embodiments, the host is used to send initialization configuration data to the slave according to the identification code or network address of the slave when the device state of the slave is a first state; when the device state of the slave is a second state, query the software version of the slave, if the software version of the slave is newer than the software version of the host, send software update data to the slave according to the identification code or network address of the slave, otherwise, do not send software update data to the slave.

[0069] It should be noted that the working principle of the device group of this embodiment can be obtained by referring to the initialization and updating method of the above embodiment, so it will not be described in detail in this embodiment.

[0070] The embodiments of the present invention have been described above, and the above description is exemplary, not exhaustive, and is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described embodiments. The selection of terms used herein is intended to best explain the principles of the embodiments, practical applications, or technical improvements in the market, or to enable other persons of ordinary skill in the art to understand the embodiments disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A device group initialization configuration and software update method, characterized in that: The device group includes multiple devices, each device is equipped with at least one Star Flash communication module, and each device has a unique identification code or network address; when the device is not initialized, the device is in a first state; the first state is a state in which the device remains allowed to receive initialization configuration parameters; when the device is initialized, the device is in a second state; the second state is a state in which the device remains in normal operation and allows receiving software update data; The method comprises the following steps: Randomly select a device as the initial host, and perform initial configuration or software update on the initial host via wired or wireless means. At this time, the remaining devices act as slaves of the initial host. The initial host establishes an east-west wireless connection with multiple slaves through the Star Flash communication module, and queries the identification codes or network addresses and device status of multiple slaves; Based on the characteristic of Star Flash communication that one sends and multiple receives, the initial host sends initialization configuration data or software update data to multiple slaves at the same time according to the identification codes or network addresses and device status of multiple slaves; After receiving the initialization configuration data or software update data sent by the initial master, the multiple slaves perform initialization configuration or software update according to the initialization configuration data or software update data.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The method further comprises: The slave that completes the reception of initialization configuration data or software update data becomes the new master, establishes an east-west wireless connection with other slaves through the Star Flash communication module, queries the identification codes or network addresses and device status of other slaves, and sends initialization configuration data or software update data to other slaves based on the identification codes or network addresses and device status of other slaves, thereby realizing the initialization configuration and software update of all devices in the device group in a chain propagation manner.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The method further comprises: A device newly added to the device group automatically acts as a slave, receives initialization configuration data or software update data from a neighboring host, and performs initialization configuration or software update according to the initialization configuration data or software update data.

4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that The method further comprises: The device newly added to the device group compares the software version of the received software update data with its own software version. If the software version of the received software update data is newer, the software is updated according to the received software update data. If its own software version is newer, the device newly added to the device group automatically becomes the new host. At this time, other devices act as slaves of the new host, triggering reverse synchronization updates of other devices in the device group. The new host establishes an east-west wireless connection with multiple slaves through the Star Flash communication module, queries the identification codes or network addresses and device status of multiple slaves, and based on the one-send-multiple-receive feature of Star Flash communication, sends software update data to multiple slaves according to the identification codes or network addresses and device status of multiple slaves.

5. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that: The method further comprises: The host of the device group detects whether there is a new device added to the device group. If so, it queries the identification code or network address and device status of the device newly added to the device group. If so, it sends initialization configuration data or software update data to the newly added device group based on the identification code or network address and device status of the device newly added to the device group.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that Based on the characteristic of Star Flash communication of sending multiple messages at once, the host sends initialization configuration data or software update data to multiple slaves at the same time according to the identification codes or network addresses and device status of multiple slaves, including: When the device state of the slave is the first state, the host sends initialization configuration data to the slave according to the identification code or network address of the slave; When the device state of the slave is the second state, the host queries the software version of the slave. If the software version of the slave is newer than that of the host, the host sends software update data to the slave according to the identification code or network address of the slave. Otherwise, the host does not send software update data to the slave.

7. A device group, characterized in that: The device group includes a plurality of devices, each of which is equipped with at least one Starflash communication module, and each of which has a unique identification code or network address; Each device includes a first state and a second state; when the device is not initialized, the device is in the first state; the first state is a state in which the device maintains a state in which initialization configuration parameters are allowed to be received; when the multiple devices are initialized, the multiple devices are in the second state; the second state is a state in which the device maintains normal operation and allows the reception of software update data; The device is used to receive the user's initial configuration data or software update data by wired or wireless means when it acts as an initial host, and perform initial configuration or software update according to the initial configuration data or software update data, and the remaining devices act as slaves of the host; The initial host is used to establish an east-west wireless connection with multiple slaves through the Star Flash communication module, query the identification codes or network addresses and device status of multiple slaves, and based on the one-send-multiple-receive feature of Star Flash communication, send initialization configuration data or software update data to multiple slaves at the same time according to the identification codes or network addresses and device status of multiple slaves; The slave is used to perform initialization configuration or software update according to the initialization configuration data or software update data after receiving the initialization configuration data or software update data sent by the initial host.

8. The device group according to claim 7, characterized in that: The slave machine is used to automatically become a new master machine after completing the reception of initialization configuration data or software update data, establish an east-west wireless connection with other slave machines through the Star Flash communication module, query the identification code or network address and device status of other slave machines, and send initialization configuration data or software update data to other slave machines according to the identification code or network address and device status of other slave machines, so as to realize the initialization configuration and software update of all devices in the device group in a chain propagation manner.

9. The device group according to claim 7, characterized in that: The device group allows new devices to be added; the device newly added to the device group automatically acts as a slave to receive initialization configuration data or software update data from a neighboring host. The device newly added to the device group is used to compare the software version of the received software update data with its own software version. If the software version of the received software update data is newer, the software is updated according to the received software update data. If its own software version is newer, the device newly added to the device group automatically becomes a new host. At this time, other devices act as slaves of the new host, triggering reverse synchronization updates of other devices in the device group. The new host establishes an east-west wireless connection with multiple slaves through the Star Flash communication module, queries the identification codes or network addresses and device status of multiple slaves, and based on the one-send-and-multiple-receive feature of Star Flash communication, sends software update data to multiple slaves according to the identification codes or network addresses and device status of multiple slaves.

10. The device group according to any one of claims 7 to 9, characterized in that: The host is used to send initialization configuration data to the slave according to the identification code or network address of the slave when the device state of the slave is the first state; when the device state of the slave is the second state, query the software version of the slave, if the software version of the slave is newer than the software version of the host, send software update data to the slave according to the identification code or network address of the slave, otherwise, do not send software update data to the slave.

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