# US 10,310,837 B2 · Method and apparatus for updating industrial assets > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,310,837 B2 - Document ID: US10310837B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/247,371 - Filed: 2016-08-25 - Published: 2018-03-01 - Granted: 2019-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2016-08-25 - Assignees: General Electric Company - Applicants: General Electric Company - Inventors: Clifford Alex Collins; Stella Yu; Venkata Chadalawada - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10310837B2 ## CPC - G06F 8/65: Updates (security arrangements therefor G06F21/57) - G05B 19/41855: {by local area network [LAN], network structure} - H04L 41/0823: characterised by the purposes of a change of settings, e.g. optimising configuration for enhancing reliability (for optimising operational conditions of wireless networks H04W24/02) - H04L 41/0886: {Fully automatic configuration} - G05B 2219/31104: Remote configuration of parameters of controlled devices - H04L 67/12: specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks - H04L 67/34: {involving the movement of software or configuration parameters (network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416)} - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G) - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract A message is broadcast from an industrial device to a server. The message includes information identifying the type of the industrial device and indicates that the industrial device is to be configured. The message is received at the server, and at the server responsively determines correct configuration information associated with the type of the industrial device. The configuration information is transmitted from the server to the industrial device and a secure link is established between the server and the industrial device. The configuration information is received at the industrial device and the industrial device responsively ceases the broadcasting. Subsequently, the industrial device is configured according to the configuration information. Software from a storage unit is accessed according to the configuration information. Updated configuration information from the server to the industrial device over the secure link. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method, comprising: broadcasting a message from an industrial device to a first server, a second server, and a third server, and receiving the message at the first server, the second server, and the third server, the industrial device including a processor and a sensor, the industrial device being a switch, a valve, a medical device, a turbine, a windfarm, or an engine, the sensor measuring a value, the message including information identifying the type of the industrial device and indicating that the industrial device is to be configured, the industrial device not knowing the address and not using the address of the first server, the second server, and the third server, wherein a single one of the first server, the second server, and the third server has and identifies configuration information associated with the type of the industrial device, the broadcasting of the message continuing from the industrial device until the configuration information is received at the industrial device, and wherein ones of the first server, the second server, and the third server not having the configuration information ignore the message; wherein the first server includes the configuration information and retrieves the configuration information at the first server using the type; wherein the second server does not include the configuration information and ignores the message; wherein the third server does not include the configuration information and ignores the message; transmitting the configuration information from the first server to the industrial device and establishing a secure link between the first server and the industrial device; receiving the configuration information at the industrial device and responsively ceasing the broadcasting; subsequently configuring the industrial device according to the configuration information, the configuring including entering a parameter value of a sensor or adjusting operation of the processor at the industrial machine; at the industrial device identifying software needed to support the configuration and accessing the identified software from a storage unit according to the type of device indicated in the configuration information, the storage unit being separate from the first server, the second server, the third server and the industrial machine. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the industrial device is a device located at a factory or plant. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the updated configuration information is manually generated. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the updated configuration information is automatically generated. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the message is devoid of validation information. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the server includes a user interface configured to allow a user to initiate configuration updates. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the server operates the Fabric Configuration Service (FCS). ### Claim 8 An apparatus, comprising: a first server, a second server, and a third server; an industrial device that is configured to broadcast a message to each of the first server, the second server, and the third server, the industrial device including a processor and a sensor, the industrial device being a switch, a valve, a medical device, a turbine, a windfarm, or an engine, the sensor measuring a value, the message including information identifying the type of the industrial device and indicating that the industrial device is to be configured, wherein a single one of the first server, the second server, and the third server has configuration information associated with the type of the industrial device, the broadcasting of the message continuing from the industrial device to all of the servers until the configuration information is received at the industrial device, and wherein ones of the first server, the second server, and the third server not having the configuration information ignore the message; wherein the first server includes the configuration information and retrieves the configuration information at the first server using the type; wherein the second server does not include the configuration information and ignores the message; wherein the third server does not include the configuration information and ignores the message; wherein the first server identifies the configuration information specifically associated with the type of the industrial device the first server being configured to transmit the configuration information to the industrial device and establish a secure link between the first server and the industrial device; wherein the industrial device receives the configuration information and responsively ceases the broadcasting, the industrial device subsequently being configured according to the configuration information, the configuring including entering a parameter value of a sensor or adjusting operation of the processor at the industrial machine, the industrial device identifying software needed to support the configuration and accessing the identified software from a storage unit according to the type of device indicated in the configuration information, the storage unit being separate from the first server, the second server, the third server and the industrial machine. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the industrial device is a device located at a factory or plant. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the updated configuration information is manually generated. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the updated configuration information is automatically generated. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the message is devoid of validation information. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the server includes a user interface configured to allow a user to initiate configuration updates. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the server operates the Fabric Configuration Service (FCS).