Patent ID: 8316123

Claim:
A method for managing boot image updates of client devices in a retail store environment comprising: determining that a server includes a new boot image; downloading a first portion of the new boot image from the server to the first client device via a first connection; when downloading of the first portion of the boot image over the first connection occurs at a rate below a predetermined threshold download rate, broadcasting a request from the first client device to a second client device and a third client device to determine if a second portion of the new boot image is available for download; receiving, at the first client device, an affirmative response to the request from the second client device; establishing a second connection with the second client device; downloading the second portion of the new boot image from the second client device while concurrently downloading the first portion; monitoring a cumulative download rate of the first client device, the cumulative download rate including download rate of the first portion of the boot image to the first client device over the first connection combined with download rate of the second portion of the boot image to the first client device over the second connection; comparing the cumulative download rate to the threshold download rate; and when the cumulative download rate is below the threshold download rate, broadcasting a request from the first client device to the third client device to determine if a third portion of the new boot image is available for download.