Firmware writing system

• US 20020162098A1
• Filed: 03/18/2002
• Published: 10/31/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Suzuki, Takuya
• Granted Patent: US 6,842,858 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/168
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 16/102 External programming circuits, e.g. EPROM programmers; In-circuit programming or reprogramming; EPROM emulators
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 16/105 Circuits or methods for updating contents of nonvolatile memory, especially with 'security' features to ensure reliable replacement, i.e. preventing that old data is lost before new data is reliably written

Abstract

A firmware writing system for writing firmware into an electronic device includes a flash memory for storing a system control program controlling the electronic device, and a RAM for storing the system control program and a writing control program for making control of writing a program into the flash memory. Through a JTAG interface, the system control program and the writing control program are stored in the RAM, and the writing control program stored in the RAM is executed so that the system control program is written into the flash memory.

Claims

1. A firmware writing system for writing firmware into an electronic device, comprising:

a flash memory for storing a system control program controlling said electronic device;

a random access memory for temporarily storing the system control program and a writing control program for making control of writing a program into said flash memory;

a control unit for controlling storage of a program in said random access memory and execution of the writing control program, said control unit being controlled by a JTAG system; and

a display unit for displaying a write error and a verify error;

wherein

the system control program and the writing control program are stored in said random access memory by said control unit, and the writing control program stored in said random access memory is executed by said control unit so that the system control program stored in said random access memory is written into said flash memory; and

a write error is displayed when the write error occurs upon writing of the system control program stored in said random access memory into said flash memory, while a verify error is displayed when contents of the system control program written in said flash memory are not in agreement with contents of the system control program stored in said random access memory.

2. A firmware writing system for writing firmware into an electronic device, comprising:

a first storage unit for storing a system control program controlling said electronic device;

a second storage unit for temporarily storing the system control program and a writing control program for making control of writing a program into said first storage unit; and

a control unit for controlling storage of a program in said second storage unit and execution of the writing control program;

wherein

the system control program and the writing control program are stored in said second storage unit by said control unit, and

the writing control program stored in said second storage unit is executed by said control unit so that the system control program stored in said second storage unit is written into said first storage unit.

3. The firmware writing system according to claim 2, wherein

said first storage unit is a flash memory.

4. The firmware writing system according to claim 2, wherein

said second storage unit is a random access memory.

5. The firmware writing system according to claim 2, wherein

said control unit is a control unit controlled by a JTAG system.

6. The firmware writing system according to claim 2, further comprising:

a write error display unit for displaying a write error, wherein

a write error is displayed when the write error occurs upon writing of the system control program stored in said second storage unit into said first storage unit.

7. The firmware writing system according to claim 6, wherein

said write error display unit is a display unit provided in said electronic device.

8. The firmware writing system according to claim 2, further comprising:

a verify error display unit for displaying a verify error, wherein

a verify error is displayed when contents of the system control program stored in said first storage unit are verified to be not in agreement with contents of the system control program stored in said second storage unit.

9. The firmware writing system according to claim 8, wherein

said verify error display unit is a display unit provided in said electronic device.

10. A method for writing firmware into an electronic device, comprising the steps of:

(a) connecting a host computer to a JTAG interface of said electronic device;

(b) temporarily storing a system control program for controlling said electronic device and a writing control program for making control of writing a program, from said host computer into a second storage unit;

(c) separating said host computer from said JTAG interface;

(d) conveying said electronic device; and

(e) executing said writing control program stored in said second storage unit so as to write said system control program from said second storage unit into a first storage unit.

11. The method for writing firmware according to claim 10, wherein:

said first storage unit is a flash memory.

12. The method for writing firmware according to claim 10, wherein:

said second storage unit is a random access memory.

13. The method for writing firmware according to claim 10, wherein:

the step (b) is controlled by a JTAG system.

14. The method for writing firmware according to claim 10, further comprising the steps of:

displaying a write error;

wherein a write error is displayed when said write error occurs upon writing of said system control program stored in said second storage unit into said first storage unit.

15. The method for writing firmware according to claim 10, further comprising the step of:

displaying a verify error;

wherein a verify error is displayed when contents of said system control program written in said first storage unit are verified to be not in agreement with contents of said system control program stored in said second storage unit.