Patent ID: 8892699
Filing Date: 2014-11-18
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A method of automatically updating an existing firmware file stored in a memory of an intelligent electronic device (IED) communicatively coupled to a network in a monitoring system, comprising: the IED logging on to one of one or more remote servers on a periodic basis; downloading, by the IED, from one or more remote servers after logging on, an update file that includes a version of a firmware file and a filename of the firmware file; determining, in the IED, whether the firmware version specified in the update file is updated compared to a version of an existing firmware file; responsive to the firmware version specified in the update file being updated compared to the version of the existing firmware file, communicating from the IED to the remote server an instruction to download to the IED an updated firmware file specified in the update file; receiving at the IED from one of the one or more remote servers, the updated firmware file; and responsive to a first criterion being satisfied, automatically updating the existing firmware file stored in the memory of the IED with the updated firmware file; wherein the update file further includes an interoperability flag indicating to the IED whether to notify other compatible IED's in the network that the firmware update is available.