US 10,592,228 B2Granted

Stylus firmware updates

AssigneeMicrosoft Technology Licensing, LLC

InventorsIan McLean, Nigel Stuart Keam

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Abstract

Examples are disclosed herein that relate to updating stylus firmware. One example provides a method of performing a stylus firmware upgrade in an interactive display system including a display and a stylus comprising sending, from the display, a signal to the stylus causing the stylus to enter a listen mode, while the stylus operates in the listen mode, sending, from the display, a firmware upgrade notification to the stylus configured for receipt by the listen mode, receiving, at the display, a reply to the firmware upgrade notification from the stylus, determining, at the display, whether the reply was received within a predetermined time range, and, responsive to determining that the reply was received within the predetermined time range, initiating transfer of a firmware update to the stylus if a newer firmware version is available.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A method of performing a stylus firmware upgrade in an interactive display system including a display and a stylus, comprising:

sending, from the display, a signal to the stylus by changing a power state of a stylus charger causing the stylus to execute listen mode instructions stored on the stylus, the listen mode instructions upon execution causing the stylus to enter a listen mode for firmware upgrade in which the stylus listens for a firmware upgrade notification from the display for a duration specified by the listen mode instructions, the stylus exiting the listen mode for firmware upgrade upon expiration of the duration and entering a normal mode if the stylus has not receiving the firmware upgrade notification by expiration of the duration;
when the stylus operates in the listen mode for firmware upgrade, sending from the display, the firmware upgrade notification of the stylus configured for receipt by the listen mode for firmware upgrade;
receiving, at the display, a reply to the firmware upgrade notification from the stylus, the reply including an identification of a firmware version of a firmware installed on the stylus, the reply sent from the stylus within a predetermined time range only if the firmware upgrade notification is received within the duration;
determining, at the display, whether the reply was received within the predetermined time range;
and
responsive to determining that the reply was received within the predetermined time range, initiating transfer of a firmware update to the stylus if a new firmware version is available.

3 more elements

An interactive display, comprising:

a processor;
and
memory holding instructions executable by the processor to:
send a signal to the stylus by changing a power state of a stylus charger causing the stylus to execute listen mode instructions stored on the stylus, the listen mode instructions upon execution causing the stylus to enter a listen mode for firmware upgrade in which the stylus listens for a firmware upgrade notification from the display for a duration specified by the listen mode instructions, the stylus exiting the listen mode for firmware upgrade upon expiration of the duration and entering a normal mode if the stylus has not receiving the firmware upgrade notification by expiration of the duration;
while the stylus operates in the listen mode for firmware upgrade, send the firmware upgrade notification of the stylus configured for receipt by the listen mode for firmware upgrade;
receive a reply to the firmware upgrade notification from the stylus, the reply including an identification of a firmware version of a firmware installed on the stylus, the reply sent from the stylus within a predetermined time range only if the firmware upgrade notification is received within the duration;
determine whether the reply was received within the predetermined time range;
and
responsive to determining that the reply was received within the predetermined time range, initiate transfer of a firmware update to the stylus if a new firmware version is available.

6 more elements

A computer-readable storage device having embodied thereon a program which, when executed by a computer, causes the computer to execute a method of performing a stylus firmware upgrade in an interactive display system including a display and a stylus, the method comprising:

sending a signal to the stylus by changing a power state of a stylus charger causing the stylus to execute listen mode instructions stored on the stylus, the listen mode instructions upon execution causing the stylus to enter a listen mode for firmware upgrade in which the stylus listens for a firmware upgrade notification from the display for a duration specified by the listen mode instructions, the stylus exiting the listen mode for firmware upgrade upon expiration of the duration and entering a normal mode if the stylus has not receiving the firmware upgrade notification by expiration of the duration;
while the stylus operates in the listen mode for firmware upgrade, sending the firmware upgrade notification of the stylus configured for receipt by the listen mode for firmware upgrade;
receiving a reply to the firmware upgrade notification from the stylus, the reply including an identification of a firmware version of a firmware installed on the stylus, the reply sent from the stylus within a predetermined time range only if the firmware upgrade notification is received within the duration;
determining whether the reply was received within the predetermined time range;
and
responsive to determining that the reply was received within the predetermined time range, initiating transfer of a firmware update to the stylus if a new firmware version is available.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.