# US 11,907,703 B2 · System and method for phased software update deployment > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,907,703 B2 - Document ID: US11907703B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/694,840 - Filed: 2022-03-15 - Published: 2023-09-21 - Granted: 2024-02-20 - Earliest claimed: 2022-03-15 - Assignees: Zebra Technologies Corporation - Applicants: Zebra Technologies Corporation - Inventors: Ryan E. Brock; Michael J. Ringholm; Chris Kenley; Corbin P. Johnson - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11907703B2 ## CPC - G06F 8/65: Updates (security arrangements therefor G06F21/57) - 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) - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract A software deployment method in a server includes: obtaining a software update for deployment to a plurality of media processing devices; performing a primary deployment phase by: (i) transmitting the software update to selected media processing devices according to a primary deployment rate; (ii) responsive to the transmission, for each selected media processing device, updating a status indicator representing whether deployment of the software update succeeded; and (iii) determining, based on the status indicators, whether an update promotion condition has been satisfied; in response to determining that the update promotion condition has been satisfied, performing a secondary deployment phase by: transmitting the software update to further selected media processing devices according to a secondary deployment rate exceeding the primary deployment rate. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A software deployment method in a server, the method comprising: obtaining a software update for deployment to a plurality of devices; performing a primary deployment phase by: (i) transmitting the software update to selected devices of the plurality of devices according to a primary deployment rate for each of a sequence of time windows by selecting a subset of the plurality of devices based on stored activity data and transmitting the updated software to each device in the subset, a number of devices in the subset is limited by a primary subset limit; (ii) responsive to the transmission, for each selected device, updating a status indicator representing whether deployment of the software update succeeded; and (iii) determining, based on the status indicators, whether an update promotion condition has been satisfied; in response to determining that the update promotion condition has been satisfied, performing a secondary deployment phase by: transmitting the software update to further selected devices of the plurality of devices according to a secondary deployment rate exceeding the primary deployment rate for each of a sequence of further time windows by selecting the further subset of the devices based on stored activity data and transmitting the updated software to each device in the further subset, a number of devices in the further subset is limited by a secondary subset limit greater than the primary subset limit. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the stored activity data indicates historical activity for the plurality of devices; and wherein selecting the subset includes selecting the plurality of devices with historical activity below a threshold during a current time window. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein selecting the subset includes determining, based on the activity data, at least one of: (i) that each device in the subset is not currently active, and (ii) that each device in the subset has not been active within a configurable period preceding a current time. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the update promotion condition has been satisfied includes: determining whether a threshold portion of the plurality of devices in the subset have status indicators corresponding to successful deployment of the updated software. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to performing the primary deployment phase, performing a testing deployment phase by: transmitting, to a testing subset of the plurality of devices, the software update and an output command; and receiving a threshold number of update confirmations. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, further comprising, prior to performing the testing deployment phase, performing a monitored deployment phase by: transmitting the software update to a monitored subset of the plurality of devices; and receiving a command to proceed to the testing deployment phase. ### Claim 7 A computing device, comprising: a communications interface; and a processor configured to: obtain a software update for deployment to a plurality of devices; perform a primary deployment: (i) transmit the software update to selected devices of the plurality of devices according to a primary deployment rate for each of a sequence of time windows based on selection a subset of the plurality of devices based on stored activity data and transmission of the updated software to each device in the subset, a number of devices in the subset is limited by a primary subset limit; (ii) responsive to the transmission, for each selected device, update a status indicator representing whether deployment of the software update succeeded; and (iii) determine, based on the status indicators, whether an update promotion condition has been satisfied; in response to determining that the update promotion condition has been satisfied, to perform a secondary deployment phase: transmit the software update to further selected devices of the plurality of devices according to a secondary deployment rate exceeding the primary deployment rate for each of a sequence of further time windows based on selection of a further subset of the devices based on stored activity data and transmission of the updated software to each device in the further subset, a number of devices in the further subset is limited by a secondary subset limit greater than the primary subset limit. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The computing device of claim 7, wherein the stored activity data indicates historical activity for the plurality of devices; and wherein the processor is configured, to select the subset, to select the plurality of devices with historical activity below a threshold during a current time window. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The computing device of claim 7, wherein the processor is configured, to select the subset, to determine, based on the activity data, at least one of: (i) that each device in the subset is not currently active, and (ii) that each device in the subset has not been active within a configurable period preceding a current time. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The computing device of claim 7, wherein the processor is configured, to determine whether the update promotion condition has been satisfied, to: determine whether a threshold portion of the devices in the subset have status indicators corresponding to successful deployment of the updated software. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The computing device of claim 7, wherein the processor is further configured, to perform a testing deployment phase prior to the primary deployment phase, to: transmit, to a testing subset of the plurality of devices, the software update and an output command; and receive a threshold number of update confirmations. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The computing device of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured, to perform a monitored deployment phase prior to the testing deployment phase, to: transmit the software update to a monitored subset of the plurality of devices; and receive a command to proceed to the testing deployment phase. ### Claim 13 A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions executable by a processor to: obtain a software update for deployment to a plurality of devices; to perform a primary deployment: (i) transmit the software update to selected devices of the plurality of devices according to a primary deployment rate for each of a sequence of time windows based on selection a subset of the plurality of devices based on stored activity data and transmission of the updated software to each device in the subset, a number of devices in the subset is limited by a primary subset limit; (ii) responsive to the transmission, for each selected device, update a status indicator representing whether deployment of the software update; and (iii) determine, based on the status indicators, whether an update promotion condition has been satisfied; in response to determining that the update promotion condition has been satisfied, to perform a secondary deployment phase: transmit the software update to further selected devices of the plurality of devices according to a secondary deployment rate exceeding the primary deployment rate for each of a sequence of further time windows based on selection of a further subset of the devices based on stored activity data and transmission of the updated software to each device in the further subset, a number of devices in the further subset is limited by a secondary subset limit greater than the primary subset limit.