Patent ID: 8209678

Claim:
A method comprising: querying a consumer electronics (CE) device, by a portable device, for at least identification data of the CE device and a current software version for software operating on the CE device; storing the identification data and the current software version in a memory of the portable device; obtaining an update package at the portable device, the update package including at least a software update for the (CE) device with a proprietary software system, instructions to the portable device for installation of the software update on the CE device based on one or more requirements of the proprietary software system, and a communications protocol supported by the proprietary software system of the CE device to be utilized by the portable device for installing the software update on the CE device, wherein the obtaining further comprises in response to the portable device detecting a connection to a communications network, establishing a connection between the portable device and a CE upgrade server over the communications network, querying the CE upgrade server, by the portable device, to determine if a software update is available for the CE device based on the identification data stored in the memory of the portable device, receiving, at the portable device, verification data and a redirection from the CE upgrade server to request the software update from a proprietary CE upgrade server, requesting, by the portable device, the software update from the proprietary CE upgrade server, the request accompanied by the verification data to indicate to the proprietary CE upgrade server that the request is authorized by the CE upgrade server, downloading, from the proprietary CE upgrade server, the software update, if an update is available, the instructions, and the communications protocol for installing the software update, and storing the software update and the communications protocol in the memory of the portable device; and in response to the portable device detecting a communications link between the portable device and the CE device, the portable device installing the software update on the CE device based on the instructions and utilizing the communications protocol.