# US 12,217,038 B2 · Methods and apparatus to control architectural coverings > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,217,038 B2 - Document ID: US12217038B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/135,912 - Filed: 2018-09-19 - Published: 2019-03-28 - Granted: 2025-02-04 - Earliest claimed: 2017-09-19 - Assignees: Hunter Douglas Inc. - Applicants: Hunter Douglas, Inc. - Inventors: James Baugh; Mark Perry; David Hoogstrate; Henk Meewis - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12217038B2 ## CPC - H04L 67/34: {involving the movement of software or configuration parameters (network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416)} - G06F 8/65: Updates (security arrangements therefor G06F21/57) - H04L 12/2814: {Exchanging control software or macros for controlling appliance services in a home automation network (arrangements for maintenance or administration involving configuration of the network and network elements H04L41/08)} - H04L 67/125: involving control of end-device applications over a network - H04L 67/51: Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services - H04L 67/55: Push-based network services - H04L 67/568: Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching - H04L 69/08: Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion - E06B 9/68: Operating devices or mechanisms, e.g. with electric drive - E06B 2009/6809: {Control} - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - E06B: FIXED OR MOVABLE CLOSURES FOR OPENINGS IN BUILDINGS, VEHICLES, FENCES OR LIKE ENCLOSURES IN GENERAL, e.g. DOORS, WINDOWS, BLINDS, GATES (shades or blinds for greenhouses A01G9/22; curtains A47H; lids for car boots or bonnets B62D25/10; skylights E04B7/18; sunshades, awnings E04F10/00) ## Abstract Methods and apparatus to control architectural coverings are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a network interface to communicatively couple the apparatus with a repository via a network, a wireless covering interface to communicatively couple the apparatus with a first architectural covering, a covering enumerator to determine information about the first architectural covering, and a software collector to: retrieve software for the first architectural covering from a repository via the network interface, transmit an advertisement of the software to the first architectural covering, and in response to receiving a request for the software from the first architectural covering, transmit the software to the first architectural covering. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus comprising: a network interface to communicatively couple the apparatus with a repository via a network, the repository storing architectural covering software for one or more architectural coverings; a wireless covering interface to communicatively couple the apparatus with a first architectural covering; a processor; and a memory storing instructions that, upon execution by the processor, configure the apparatus to: determine first information about the first architectural covering including an architectural covering model number; transmit, to the repository, a first request for the architectural covering software of the one or more architectural coverings, the first request identifying the architectural covering model number; in response to receiving the architectural covering software indicating the architectural covering model number, store the architectural covering software in the memory; transmit, to the first architectural covering after receiving the architectural covering software, second information including the architectural covering model number to which the architectural covering software applies; and in response to receiving a second request for the architectural covering software from the first architectural covering, transmit the architectural covering software to the first architectural covering, wherein the second request is received after the second information is transmitted and is based on a determination by the first architectural covering that the architectural covering model is applicable to the first architectural covering. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second information is transmitted in an advertisement of the architectural covering software to the first architectural covering. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the execution of the instructions further configures the apparatus to transmit the advertisement to a second architectural covering. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second information comprises a unicast advertisement or a broadcast advertisement that identifies the architectural covering model number and a first software version. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the second request is received further based on a determination by the first architectural covering that the first software version is a more recent version than a second software version stored by the first architectural covering. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein execution of the instructions further configure the apparatus to receive a transmission parameter from the first architectural covering via the wireless covering interface, wherein the transmission parameter indicates a size for transmitting the architectural covering software in chunks to the first architectural covering, and wherein the architectural covering software is transmitted to the first architectural covering in chunks based on the transmission parameter. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 further configured to: in response to receiving user input indicating a movement command, transmit the movement command to the first architectural covering, wherein the movement command causes the first architectural covering to move based on the architectural covering software. ### Claim 8 A method comprising: determining first information about a first architectural covering including an architectural covering model number; transmitting, to a repository via a network interface, a first request for architectural covering software of one or more architectural coverings, the first request identifying the architectural covering model number; in response to receiving the architectural covering software indicating the architectural covering model number, storing the architectural covering software; transmitting, to the first architectural covering after receiving the architectural covering software, second information including the architectural covering model number to which the architectural covering software applies; and in response to receiving a second request for the architectural covering software from the first architectural covering, transmitting the architectural covering software to the first architectural covering via a wireless covering interface, wherein the second request is received after the second information is transmitted and is based on a determination by the first architectural covering that the architectural covering model is applicable to the first architectural covering. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the second information is transmitted in an advertisement of the architectural covering software to the first architectural covering. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, further including transmitting the advertisement to a second architectural covering. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further including storing the architectural covering software retrieved from the repository in a datastore. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the first architectural covering pulls the architectural covering software from the datastore. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the network interface communicates with the repository utilizing a first communication protocol and the wireless covering interface communicates with the first architectural covering utilizing a second communication protocol different from the first communication protocol. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the second communication protocol does not utilize internet protocol. ### Claim 15 A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed cause a machine to at least: determine first information about a first architectural covering including an architectural covering model number; transmit, to a repository via a network interface, a first request for architectural covering software of one or more architectural coverings, the first request identifying the architectural covering model number; in response to receiving the architectural covering software indicating the architectural covering model number, storing the architectural covering software; transmit, to the first architectural covering after receiving the architectural covering software, second information including the architectural covering model number to which the architectural covering software applies; and in response to receiving a second request for the architectural covering software from the first architectural covering, transmit the architectural covering software to the first architectural covering via a wireless covering interface, wherein the second request is received after the second information is transmitted and is based on a determination by the first architectural covering that the architectural covering model is applicable to the first architectural covering. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the second information is transmitted in an advertisement of the architectural covering software to the first architectural covering. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the machine to transmit the advertisement to a second architectural covering. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the machine to store the architectural covering software retrieved from the repository in a datastore. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the first architectural covering pulls the architectural covering software from the datastore. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the network interface communicates with the repository utilizing a first communication protocol and the wireless covering interface communicates with the first architectural covering utilizing a second communication protocol different from the first communication protocol. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 20, wherein the second communication protocol does not utilize internet protocol.