US 10,949,189 B2Granted

Securely updating software on connected electronic devices

AssigneeSquare, Inc.

InventorsJohn Kelley, Max Guise, Todor Ristov, Imran Khan, Eric Monti

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Abstract

Techniques for securely updating a point-of-sale (POS) system that includes a merchant-facing device and a buyer-facing device are described. For instance, the merchant-facing device may execute first software that provides first POS functionality and the buyer-facing device may execute second software that provides second POS functionality. To update both devices, the merchant-facing device may receive a software update from a payment service via a network connection, and update the first software using the software update. The merchant-facing device can then cause, via a physical connection, the buyer-facing device to reboot in an update mode and send the software update to the buyer-facing device. In response, the buyer-facing device can update the second software using the software update and then reboot in a payments mode. In some instances, the buyer-facing device can then update a secure enclave on the buyer-facing device using the software update.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A system comprising:

a payment service that communicates with a first point-of-sale (POS) device via a network connection, the payment service configured to:
store a software update that includes an updated version of first software configured for the first POS device and an updated version of second software configured for a second POS device;
receive, from the first POS device via the network connection, an identifier associated with the first POS device;
identify the first POS device using the identifier;
receive, from the first POS device via the network connection, an indication that the first POS device has installed a previous version of the first software;
and
send, to the first POS device via the network connection, the software update;
the first POS device that communicates with the payment service via the network connection and communicates with the second POS device via a physical connection, the first POS device configured to:
receive, from the payment service via the network connection, the software update;
store, on the first POS device, the software update for the second POS device;
update the first software to the updated version of the first software using the software update;
detect a connection with the second POS device via the physical connection;
in response to detecting the connection and as a security measure to protect at least one of the first POS device or the second POS device, send, to the second POS device via the physical connection, a request for information indicating a current version of the second software that is installed on the second POS device;
receive, from the second POS device via the physical connection, an indication that the second POS device includes a previous version of the second software;
cause, via the physical connection, the second POS device to reboot into an update mode;
and
based at least in part on the second POS device rebooting into the update mode, send the updated version of the second software to the second POS device via the physical connection;
and
the second POS device that communicates with the first POS device via the physical connection, the second POS device configured to:
receive the updated version of the second software from the first POS device via the physical connection;
update the second software to the updated version of the second software;
and
based at least in part on updating the second software, reboot into a payments mode.

20 more elements

A method comprising:

storing a software update that includes an updated version of first software configured for a first point-of-sale (POS) device and an updated version of second software configured for a second POS device;
receiving, from the first POS device via a network connection, an identifier associated with the first POS device;
identifying the first POS device using the identifier;
receiving an indication that the first POS device has installed a previous version of the first software configured for the first POS device;
sending the software update to the first POS device;
receiving, by the first POS device via the network connection, the software update;
storing, on the first POS device, the software update for the second POS device;
updating the previous version of the first software on the first POS device using the updated version of the first software;
detecting, by the first POS device via a physical connection, a connection with the second POS device;
in response to detecting the connection, sending, to the second POS device via the physical connection, a request for information about the second software that is installed on the second POS device;
receiving, from the second POS device via the physical connection, an indication that the second POS device includes a previous version of the second software;
causing, by the first POS device via the physical connection, the second POS device to reboot into an update mode;
based at least in part on the second POS device rebooting into the update mode, sending, by the first POS device via the physical connection, the updated version of the second software to the second POS device;
receiving, at the second POS device, the updated version of the second software from the first POS device via the physical connection;
updating the second software to the updated version of the second software;
and
based at least in part on updating the second software, rebooting the second POS device into a payments mode.

14 more elements

A system, comprising:

one or more processors;
and
non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
storing a software update that includes an updated version of first software configured for a first point-of-sale (POS) device and an updated version of second software configured for a second POS device;
receiving, from the first POS device via a network connection, an identifier associated with the first POS device;
identifying the first POS device using the identifier;
receiving an indication that the first POS device has installed a previous version of the first software configured for the first POS device;
sending the software update to the first POS device;
receiving, by the first POS device via the network connection, the software update;
storing, on the first POS device, the software update for the second POS device;
updating the previous version of the first software on the first POS device using the updated version of the first software;
detecting, by the first POS device via a physical connection, a connection with the second POS device;
in response to detecting the connection, sending, to the second POS device via the physical connection, a request for information indicating about the second software that is installed on the second POS device;
receiving, from the second POS device via the physical connection, an indication that the second POS device includes a previous version of the second software;
causing, by the first POS device via the physical connection, the second POS device to reboot into an update mode;
based at least in part on the second POS device rebooting into the update mode, sending, by the first POS device via the physical connection, the updated version of the second software to the second POS device;
receiving, at the second POS device, the updated version of the second software from the first POS device via the physical connection;
updating the second software to the updated version of the second software;
and
based at least in part on updating the second software, rebooting the second POS device into a payments mode.

17 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/636,356Filed 28 Jun 2017
Published: US 2019/0004785 A13 Jan 2019
Granted: 16 Mar 2021
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification11 codes

G06F 8/65
Software deployment: updates
G06F 8/71
Software maintenance or management: version control ; Configuration management
G06Q 20/20
Payment architectures: point-of-sale [POS] network systems
G06Q 20/34
Characterised by the use of specific devices or networks: using cards, e.g. integrated circuit [IC] cards or magnetic cards