Hierarchical configuration of networked communication devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11469949-B2
Application number	US-202117387184-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 28, 2021
Priority date	Oct 10, 2018
Publication date	Oct 11, 2022
Grant date	Oct 11, 2022

Abstract

A device and method for sending a configuration setting update to a networked endpoint device are provided. A head-end device in a communication system receives, from an endpoint device, a version audit that includes version information associated with parameter values set at one or more hierarchical level assignments for one or more applications used at the endpoint device, sends, to the endpoint device, a data packet including one or more parameter updates, and receives, from the endpoint device, an error message in response to the endpoint device failing to receive the data packet or an acknowledgement of receipt of the data packet.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method performed by a head-end device in a communication system, the method comprising:
receiving, from an endpoint device, a version audit that includes version information for one or more applications used at the endpoint device, the version information associated with parameter values set at one or more hierarchical level assignments and including, for at least one of the one or more applications, a dot notation per application including a version indication for each of a set of parameter values that are set at each hierarchical level, each version indication separated by a dot;
sending, to the endpoint device, a data packet including one or more parameter updates, each parameter update including:
a parameter identification,
a designated parameter value for a parameter identified by the parameter identification, and
a predetermined level assignment for the designated parameter value, the one or more parameter updates including updates for parameters associated with a difference between a current configuration and a desired configuration, the difference determined based on the version audit; and

receiving, from the endpoint device, an error message in response to the endpoint device failing to receive the data packet; or
receiving, from the endpoint device, an acknowledgement of receipt of the data packet.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the receiving the acknowledgement of receipt is received in combination with one or more other messages from the endpoint device in order to conserve network bandwidth.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined level assignment for the designated parameter value comprises:
a first level assignment; and
a second level assignment that ranks lower in priority than the first level assignment.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the predetermined level assignment for the designated parameter value further comprises a third level assignment that ranks lower in priority than the second level assignment, and wherein:
the first level assignment is for an individual parameter value of the parameter that is specific to the endpoint device;
the second level assignment is for a group parameter value of the parameter that is specific to a predetermined group of endpoint devices to which the endpoint device belongs; and
the third level assignment is for a default parameter value of the parameter for all endpoint devices of the communication system to which the endpoint device belongs that use the parameter.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the predetermined level assignment is the second level assignment, and wherein the data packet includes an address associated with the predetermined group of endpoint devices.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the predetermined level assignment is the first level assignment, and wherein the data packet includes an address associated with only the endpoint device.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the data packet includes a tag identifier that identifies a configuration setting update and indicates a placement in an order of configuration data packets, and wherein when the tag identifier for the data packet indicates that the data packet is out of order such that a previously received data packet is a more recent configuration update, the data packet is ignored by the endpoint device.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein for at least one of the parameters the designated parameter value is null for removing a parameter setting and defaulting the predetermined level assignment to a highest priority level assignment.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the endpoint device belongs to a first group and also to a second group assigned to a higher priority level than the first group, wherein the parameter identified by the parameter identification is changeable for both the first group and the second group, and wherein the designated parameter value as set for the second group takes priority over the designated parameter value as set for the first group due to the higher priority level of the second group.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the endpoint device belongs to a first group and also to a second group, wherein the parameter identified by the parameter identification is changeable for both the first group and the second group, and wherein whether the designated parameter value is set as designated for the first group or as designated for the second group is based on one of:
one or more additional configuration parameters, or
predetermined arbitration guidelines set to prevent parameter conflicts.

11. A head-end device of a communication system, the head-end device comprising:
a processor;
a transceiver communicably coupled with the processor, the transceiver configured to communicate with an endpoint device over a network; and
a memory communicably coupled with the processor, the memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, direct the processor to:
receive, from the endpoint device, a version audit that includes version information for one or more applications used at the endpoint device, the version information associated with parameter values set at one or more hierarchical level assignments and including, for at least one of the one or more applications, a dot notation per application including a version indication for each of a set of parameter values that are set at each hierarchical level, each version indication separated by a dot;
send, to the endpoint device, a data packet including one or more parameter updates, each parameter update including:
a parameter identification,
a designated parameter value for a parameter identified by the parameter identification, and
a predetermined level assignment for the designated parameter value, the one or more parameter updates including updates for parameters associated with a difference between a current configuration and a desired configuration, the difference determined based on the version audit; and

receive, from the endpoint device, an error message in response to the endpoint device failing to receive the data packet; or
receive, from the endpoint device, an acknowledgement of receipt of the data packet.

12. The head-end device of claim 11 , wherein the predetermined level assignment for the designated parameter value comprises:
a first level assignment; and
a second level assignment that ranks lower in priority than the first level assignment.

13. The head-end device of claim 12 , wherein the predetermined level assignment for the designated parameter value further comprises a third level assignment that ranks lower in priority than the second level assignment, and wherein:
the first level assignment is for an individual parameter value of the parameter that is specific to the endpoint device;
the second level assignment is for a group parameter value of the parameter that is specific to a predetermined group of endpoint devices to which the endpoint device belongs; and
the third level assignment is for a default parameter value of the parameter for all endpoint devices of the communication system to which the endpoint device belongs that use the parameter.

14. The head-end device of claim 11 , wherein the data packet includes a tag identifier that identifies a configuration setting update and indicates a placement in an order of configuration data packets, and wherein when the tag identifier for the data packet indicates that the data packet is out of order such that a previously received data packet is a more recent configuration update, the data packet is ignored by the endpoint device.

15. The head-end devi

Assignees

• Itron Inc

Inventors

• Woodland Bernard M
• Collins Scott Michael

Classifications

• G06F8/658

  Incremental updates; Differential updates · CPC title

• G06F9/44505

  Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files · CPC title

• G06F8/65 Primary

  Updates (security arrangements therefor G06F21/57) · CPC title

• H04L45/74

  Address processing for routing · CPC title

• H04L67/34

  involving the movement of software or configuration parameters  (network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416) · CPC title