在 survey 專利時, 忽然找到這一篇. 如果這個有專利, 那…很多人都可能陸續被告吧！？
United States Patent 7,269,829 Smith , et al. September 11, 2007
Method and system for remote update of microprocessor code for irrigation controllers
Abstract A remote download of microprocessor code for an irrigation controller is provided. A microprocessor, on an irrigation controller, is executing program code (in volatile memory) and receives a remote download of updated program code, which it stores into non-volatile random access memory, e.g., flash memory. The microprocessor is configured to receive the updated program code, via a communication port, and to store the updated program code into the non-volatile flash memory. Optionally, the updated program code is received at multiple controllers via a global transmission on a communication bus. The microprocessor receives a communication causing it to re-start. In response to the re-start communication, the microprocessor fetches the updated program code stored in the non-volatile flash memory into the program memory RAM to replace the original program code, and begins execution of the updated program code in the program memory RAM. A device is also provided for directing the download of program code to irrigation controllers. Options provide for global download of entirely new program code, global and/or individual download of particular pages of updated program code, and global downloads to controllers grouped by communication speed.
經過 Google 翻譯後, 變成：
提供遠程灌溉控制器的微處理器代碼下載。一個灌溉控制器上的微處理器，正在執行的程序代碼（揮發性記憶體）和接收的遠程下載更新的程序代碼，它存儲到非易失性隨機存取記憶體，例如，快閃記憶體。微處理器配置為接收更新的程序代碼，通過一個通信端口，並儲存到非揮發性快閃記憶體更新的程序代碼。或者，更新的程序代碼是收到多個控制器通過全球通信總線傳輸。微處理器接收到的溝通，導致它重新啟動。在重新啟動通信，微處理器獲取更新的程序代碼存儲到程序存儲器 RAM非易失性的閃存中，以取代原程序代碼，並開始執行更新的程序代碼在程序存儲器 RAM。還提供了指導程序代碼下載到灌溉控制器的設備。選項提供全球全新的程序代碼下載，全球和/或個人下載更新的程序代碼的特定頁面，和分組通信速度控制器的全球下載。
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這麼說來, 如果目標不是限於 "灌溉控制器", 那麼所有的網路 upgrade 不就都包含進去了.
既然這樣可以有專利, 多媒體裝置的升級也可以申請專利嗎？好奇怪的概念, 竟然還是這幾年通過的…
Cash Chou's Blog 