Firmware of modular assembly system

{
  "publication_number": "US10491380B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Firmware of modular assembly system",
  "abstract": "A method for updating firmware on a control module of a modular assembly system is provided. Information related to noise sampled from the control module is obtained. A first encryption key is calculated based on the information. Firmware to be updated on the control module is received from a host of the modular assembly system. The firmware is encrypted based on at least a second encryption key. In response to determining that the received firmware can be decrypted, the decrypted firmware is loaded into the control module. At least one of the obtaining, calculating, receiving, determining, and loading is performed by the control module.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A method for updating firmware on a control module of a modular assembly system, the method comprising: obtaining information related to noise sampled from the control module, the information comprising an initial signal that is obtained by analog-to-digital conversion (ADC); calculating a first encryption key based on the information by filtering a noise signal from the initial signal to form a filtered signal and subtracting the filtered signal from the initial signal, the filtering being performed by Kalman filter; receiving, from a host, a message for requesting firmware update; in response to receiving the message, transmitting, to the host, the first encryption key; receiving, from the host of the modular assembly system, firmware to be updated on the control module, wherein the firmware is encrypted based on at least a second encryption key that matches the first encryption key and is in a form of a plurality of data packages; determining that the received firmware can be decrypted based on the first encryption key; in response to determining that the received firmware can be decrypted, decrypting the received firmware; and loading the decrypted firmware into the control module, wherein at least one of the obtaining, calculating, sending, receiving, determining, decrypting, and loading is performed by the control module.",
    "2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: storing the first encryption key in a persistent storage of the control module.",
    "3. The method of claim 2, further comprising: in response to receiving the firmware to be updated, retrieving the first encryption key from the persistent storage.",
    "4. The method of claim 1, wherein the received firmware can be decrypted based on the first encryption key when the first and second encryption keys are the same.",
    "5. The method of claim 1, wherein the noise is sampled from power supply of the control module.",
    "6. The method of claim 1, wherein the obtaining further comprises: sampling the control module to obtain the initial signal before filtering out the noise signal.",
    "7. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of data packages are sequentially transmitted to the control module.",
    "8. The method of claim 7, wherein a size of each of the plurality of data packages is the same.",
    "9. A method for encrypting firmware to be updated on a control module of a modular assembly system, the method comprising: transmitting, to the control module, a message for requesting firmware update; receiving, from the control module, an encryption key calculated based on a noise signal of the control module, the noise signal being an initial signal of information related to noise sampled from the control module subtracting a filtered signal that is obtained by filtering out the noise signal from the initial signal, the initial signal being obtained by analog-to-digital conversion (ADC) and the filtered signal being obtained by Kalman filter; encrypting firmware based on at least the received encryption key; dividing the encrypted firmware into a plurality of data packages after the firmware is encrypted; and transmitting, to the control module, the encrypted firmware, wherein at least one of the receiving, encrypting, dividing, and transmitting is performed by a host of the modular assembly system.",
    "10. The method of claim 9, wherein the transmitting further comprises: sequentially transmitting, to the control module, each of the plurality of data packages.",
    "11. The method of claim 10, wherein a size of each of the plurality of data packages is the same.",
    "12. The method of claim 9, wherein the noise is sampled from power supply of the control module."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The disclosure relates generally to robotic systems, and more particularly, to modular assembly robotic toys.\n\nRobotic toys are cutting-edge products for childhood education because they can keep children engaged, educated, and entertained. Unlike a virtual character that resides only on a display screen, a robotic toy can be held in a child's arm or touched and thus, provides a visceral experience. Today, one focus is to explore how more sophisticated robotic systems could be used in educational settings. For example, the term “educational robotics” refers to the teaching practice during which the students use the robots to construct knowledge with the help of or for the robots themselves.\n\nWhile there is much potential for such systems, known robotic systems as toys have encountered issues such as difficulty of assembling, limited functions, and lack of flexibility and extensibility, especially when the users are young children.\n\nThe disclosure relates generally to robotic systems, and more particularly, to modular assembly robotic toys.\n\nIn one example, a system includes a plurality of assembly modules and one or more connectors. Each assembly module includes at least one connection interface. Each connector is configured to mechanically and electrically connect two of the plurality of assembly modules via the respective connection interfaces of the two assembly modules. The plurality of assembly modules include at least a control module and an analyzing module.",
  "cpc": [
    "A63H 33/005",
    "A63H 11/00",
    "A63H 27/001",
    "A63H 27/12",
    "A63H 29/22",
    "A63H 30/04",
    "A63H 33/042",
    "A63H 33/062",
    "A63H 33/26",
    "B25J 9/0003",
    "B25J 9/08",
    "B25J 9/1617",
    "G05B 15/02",
    "G06F 3/017",
    "G06F 3/04817",
    "G06F 3/0482",
    "G06F 3/04847",
    "G06F 3/0486",
    "G06F 3/04883",
    "G06F 3/167",
    "G06F 8/30",
    "G06F 8/65",
    "G06F 9/546",
    "G09B 5/00",
    "H01R 13/627",
    "H01R 13/6271",
    "H04L 41/12",
    "H04L 9/0816",
    "H04L 9/0819",
    "H04L 9/0894",
    "H04L 9/14"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "A63H 11/00",
    "A63H 27/00",
    "A63H 33/00",
    "A63H 33/04",
    "B25J 9/00",
    "B25J 9/08",
    "B25J 9/16",
    "G05B 15/02",
    "G06F 3/0481",
    "G06F 3/0484",
    "G06F 3/0488",
    "G06F 8/30",
    "G06F 8/65",
    "G06F 9/54",
    "H04L 12/24",
    "H04L 9/08",
    "H04L 9/14"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Shenzhen Bell Creative Science And Education Co Ltd"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Zuobing WANG",
    "Hongbo Qi",
    "Jinfu ZHOU",
    "Ziwen CHEN"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2017-05-22",
  "publication_date": "2019-11-26",
  "grant_date": "2019-11-26",
  "priority_date": "2016-03-31",
  "application_number": "US-201715601648-A",
  "family_id": "59958449",
  "cited_by_count": 0,
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}