System and method for controlling updates to internet-of-things devices
A computer system includes a processor, a communications subsystem, and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium. The computer-readable medium stores instructions that when executed by the processor adapt the computer system to receive an indication of a second device selected, at a first device, for update; send an indication signalling the second device to send state information about the second device; receive state information about the second device; determine, based on the state information, that the second device is ready to perform an update; send, to the first device, an indication that the second device is ready to perform the update; receive, from the first device, an indication to update the second device; and, send a corresponding indication to the second device. The second device is configured to begin updating in response to such an indication without any direct interaction with it. Related methods and computer-readable media are also described.
1. A computer system comprising:
a processor;
a communications subsystem; and
a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by the processor adapt the computer system to:
receive, from a first device using the communications subsystem, an indication that a second device for which an update is available was selected, at the first device, for update;
send, to the second device using the communications subsystem, an indication signalling the second device to send state information about the second device;
receive, from the second device using the communications subsystem, the state information about the second device;
determine, by the processor based on the state information about the second device, that the second device is in a condition where the second device is ready to perform the update;
send, to the first device using the communications subsystem, an indication that the second device is ready to perform the update;
receive, from the first device using the communications subsystem, an indication to update the second device; and
send, to the second device using the communications subsystem, an indication to begin performing the update, wherein the second device is configured to begin updating responsive to such an indication without any direct interaction with the second device.
2. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further adapt the computer system to:
receive, from the second device, one or more indications as to a status of the performing of the update; and
send, to the first device, information about the performing of the update based on the one or more indications.
3. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the state information about the second device indicates whether the second device is ready to perform the update.
4. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the state information about the second device indicates whether the second device has downloaded the update.
5. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the second device is configured to download the update responsive to the indication to begin performing the update.
6. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the computer system communicates with each of the first and second devices via a network, wherein the first and second devices cannot communicate directly with each other via the network.
7. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the indication of the second device selected for update further indicates authentication information and wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further adapt the computer system to:
prior to sending the indication signalling the second device to send the state information about the second device, determine based on the authentication information that a user associated with the authentication information is authorized to update the second device.
8. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the first device is configured to provide a user interface, responsive to the indication that the second device is ready to perform the update, for initiating the update of the second device and wherein the first device is configured to send the indication to update the second device responsive to initiation of the update via the user interface.
9. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the second device is a component of another device and wherein determining that the second device is ready to perform the update comprises determining that the another device is not in use.
10. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions that when executed by the processor further adapt the computer system to, prior to receiving from the indication of the second device selected for update, send, to the first device using the communications subsystem, a notification that the update is available for the second device.
11. The computer system of claim 10 further comprising sending an indication to the second device using the communications subsystem, a notification that the update is available for the second device.
12. The computer system of claim 11 wherein the second device is configured to download the update responsive to the notification that the update is available for the second device.
13. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the first device is a smartphone.
14. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the second device is included in an Internet-of-Things connected device.
15. A computer-implemented method comprising:
receiving, at a server from a first device, an indication that a second device for which an update is available was selected, at the first device, for update;
sending, by the server to the second device, an indication signalling the second device to send state information about the second device to the server;
receiving, by the server from the second device, the state information about the second device;
determining, by the server based on the received state information about the second device, that the second device is in a condition where the second device is ready to perform the update;
sending, by the server to the first device, an indication that the second device is ready to perform the update;
receiving, by the server from the first device, an indication to update the second device; and
sending, by the server to the second device, an indication to begin performing the update, wherein the second device is configured to begin updating responsive to such an indication without any direct interaction with the second device.
16. The computer-implemented method of claim 15 , further comprising:
receiving, by the server from the second device, one or more indications as to a status of the performing of the update; and
sending, by the server to the first device, information about the performing of the update based on the one or more indications.
17. The computer-implemented method of claim 15 , wherein the state information about the second device indicates at least one of whether the second device is ready to perform the update and whether the second device has downloaded the update.
18. The computer-implemented method of claim 15 , wherein the second device is configured to download the update responsive to the indication to begin performing the update.
19. The computer-implemented method of claim 15 , wherein the indication of the second device selected for update further indicates authentication information, the method further comprising:
prior to sending the indication signalling the second device to send the state information about the second device to the server, determining by the server based on the authentication information that a user associated with the authentication information is authorized to update the second device.
20. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by a processor of a computer system adapt the computer system to:
receive, from a first device, an indication that a second device for which an update is available was selected, at the first device, for update;
send, to the second device, an indication signalling the second device to send state information about the second device;
receive, from the second device, the state information about the second device;
determine, by the processor based on the state information about the second device, that the second device is in a condition where the second device is ready to perform the update;
send, to the first device, an indication that the second device is ready to perform the update;
receive, from the first device, an indication to update the second device; and
send, to the second device, an indication to begin performing the update, wherein the second device is configured to begin updating responsive to such an indication without any direct interaction with the second device.