Terminal Device Firmware Update Bundling

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Solution Overview

Problem

As the number of devices requiring firmware updates increases, the network and server loads become heavy due to the terminal device needing to download and manage multiple firmware packages individually, leading to inefficiencies in the update process.

Innovation Solution

A terminal device that receives a common firmware package from a server and stores it in memory, then provides it to multiple accessory devices with the same firmware requirements, minimizing the number of downloads and installations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the terminal device downloads firmware packages for each device individually from the server, then each device can receive its required firmware package, but the network load and server load become heavy when the number of devices increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefirmware update deliveryVSAvoidnetwork load
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple firmware package transmissions into a single transmission by creating a bundled package containing firmware for multiple devices. The terminal device receives one bundled firmware package from the server that includes firmware for several devices, thereby reducing the number of separate downloads and minimizing network and server load while ensuring each device receives its required firmware update

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The bundled firmware package serves multiple devices simultaneously, making a single transmission universally applicable to multiple target devices. The package structure allows one transmission to fulfill the firmware update needs of multiple devices with the same firmware version requirement, eliminating the need for individual separate downloads for each device

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP2437164B1Terminal device and program
Publication Date: 2020.01.01 BROTHER KOGYO KK
  • EP2437164B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2437164B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2437164B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A terminal device configured to be connectable with a plurality of accessory devices and a server configured to store a firmware package, may include a processor, and a memory storing computer readable instructions that, when executed, cause the terminal device to perform functions. The functions may include a function of receiving the firmware package from the server, a function of storing the firmware package received from the server into the memory, a function of providing the stored firmware package to a first one of the plurality of accessory devices to install the firmware package therein, and a function of providing the stored firmware package to the other of the plurality of accessory devices to which the same firmware package is applied as the first one, to install the firmware package therein.