Switch™ Tech – Battery Firmware Update Guidelines
Date: 10/12/2023
Overview
We have completed a firmware update to change how the battery status is reported from the cores to enhance the end user experience. The currently deployed firmware process utilizes numerous incremental readings during user interactions with the core. These incremental readings occur before the battery has time to ‘recover’ as part of its normal process. This leads to the cores presenting a false battery level to end users when reports are run and prompts them to prematurely change the batteries.
The new process contained in the firmware release uses a more static daily reading process that occurs once a day at approximately 8:00pm each day. This is a time when the core is not likely to be heavily engaged and allows several hours for the battery to ‘recover’ from its daily usage. The reading is stored each day in memory and then reported once a user engages with the core. View Status can still be used at any time to audit the battery level.
Switch™ Deck Guidelines
Site administrators will need to deploy the firmware to the Switch™ Tech mobile apps before visiting the locks. To do this, navigate to the Firmware Updates tab in Switch Deck and select Apply Update next to the Switch Core firmware version 2.0.1.0. This will deploy the firmware file to mobile users with admin privileges.
Field Guidelines
1) Open the Switch™ Mobile Access app and navigate to the Admin tab at the bottom of the screen
2) Select the following commands:
- Update Firmware -> select version "2.0.1"
- Configure -> select the configuration of the door you are updating
- View Status
- You do NOT need to factory reset the core
3) Select "Start" in the upper right hand corner of the app
4) Wake up the Switch™ Core
5) The firmware update should take approximately 30 to 35 seconds to complete. Assume approximately 1 minute per core for the full execution of the complete process.
6) After the firmware update is complete run the View Status command in the mobile app. The View Status command will read the current battery voltage and set it.
Things to note:
- After the firmware update is complete the View Status command will store the current battery percentage. This value will be used to average the battery percentage over time.
- Because a reading is being taken right after a firmware update the percentage could be reported as lower than average, we expect 2 to 3 days before the reporting percentage becomes consistent.
- Every time a View Status command is executed the current battery voltage will be read and a percentage will be calculated based on that voltage. That percentage will then be used for audit reporting and averaging going forward.
Please contact me with any questions you may have.
Travis Willis - Senior Product Manager – Switch™ Tech