Battery firmware customer/field update method

• US 20030135705A1
• Filed: 12/27/2001
• Published: 07/17/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Montero, Adolfo S.
• Granted Patent: US 6,931,481 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/163
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/263 Arrangements for using multiple switchable power supplies, e.g. battery and AC G06F1/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/572 Secure firmware programming, e.g. of basic input output system [BIOS]
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4257 Smart batteries, e.g. electronic circuits inside the housing of the cells or batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A method and system for upgrading a programmable battery unit in a mobile information handling system. The method and system make use of unique address words, checks, and comparisons stored in memory in order to allow upgrades in the battery unit. Non-reprogrammable section provides security in calculating checksums of addresses in the non-reprogrammable section and programmable section of memory.

Claims

1. A method of modifying a memory in a battery unit of a mobile information handling device comprising:

assigning a predetermined data word to an available address in memory;

receiving data in a non-reprogrammable section of the memory;

modifying a programmable section of the memory if the received data complies with the predetermined data word; and

performing a checksum of registers in the memory.

2. The method of modifying a memory in a battery unit of a mobile information handling device of claim 1 further comprising:

multiplexing the received data with a control signal before the non-programmable section of the memory receives the data.

3. The method of modifying a memory in a battery unit of a mobile information handling device of claim 1 further comprising:

performing additional security measures prior to modifying the programmable section of the memory.

4. The method of modifying a memory in a battery unit of a mobile information handling device of claim 2 further comprising:

performing additional security measures prior to modifying the programmable section of the memory.

5. The method of modifying a memory in a battery unit of a mobile information handling device of claim 1 further comprising:

controlling sent data from a firmware control hub in the mobile information handling device.

6. The method of modifying a memory in a battery unit of a mobile information handling device of claim 2 further comprising:

controlling sent data from a firmware control hub in the mobile information handling device.

7. The method of modifying a memory in a battery unit of a mobile information handling device of claim 3 further comprising:

controlling sent data from a firmware control hub in the mobile information handling device.

8. The method of modifying a memory in a battery unit of a mobile information handling device of claim 1 wherein data is transmitted along a system management bus.

9. The method of modifying a memory in a battery unit of a mobile information handling device of claim 2 wherein data is transmitted along a system management bus.

10. The method of modifying a memory in a battery unit of a mobile information handling device of claim 3 wherein data is transmitted along a system management bus.

11. The method of modifying a memory in a battery unit of a mobile information handling device of claim 4 wherein data is transmitted along a system management bus.

12. The method of modifying a memory in a battery unit of a mobile information handling device of claim 5 wherein data is transmitted along a system management bus.

13. The method of modifying a memory in a battery unit of a mobile information handling device of claim 6 wherein data is transmitted along a system management bus.

14. The method of modifying a memory in a battery unit of a mobile information handling device of claim 7 wherein data is transmitted along a system management bus.

15. A mobile information handling device wherein a memory in a battery unit powering the mobile information handling device is reprogrammed comprising:

a processor;

a computer readable medium coupled to the processor; and

computer code, encoded in the computer readable medium configured to cause the processor to;

assign a predetermined data word to an available address in memory;

receive data in a non-reprogrammable section of the memory;

modify a programmable section of the memory if the received data complies with the predetermined data word; and

perform a checksum of registers in the memory.

16. The mobile information handling device of claim 15 wherein the processor further:

multiplexes the received data with a control signal before the non-programmable section of the memory receives the data.

17. The mobile information handling device of claim 15 wherein the processor further:

performs additional security measures prior to modifying the programmable section of the memory.

18. The mobile information handling device of claim 16 wherein the processor further:

performs additional security measures prior to modifying the programmable section of the memory.

19. The mobile information handling device of claim 16 wherein a firmware control hub in the mobile information handling device controls sent data.

20. The mobile information handling device of claim 17 wherein a firmware control hub in the mobile information handling device controls sent data.

21. The mobile information handling device of claim 18 wherein a firmware control hub in the mobile information handling device controls sent data.

22. The mobile information handling device of claim 15 wherein data is transmitted along a system management bus.

23. The mobile information handling device of claim 16 wherein data is transmitted along a system management bus.

24. The mobile information handling device of claim 17 wherein data is transmitted along a system management bus.

25. The mobile information handling device of claim 18 wherein data is transmitted along a system management bus.

26. The mobile information handling device of claim 19 wherein data is transmitted along a system management bus.

27. The mobile information handling device of claim 20 wherein data is transmitted along a system management bus.

28. The mobile information handling device of claim 21 wherein data is transmitted along a system management bus.

29. An apparatus to modify a memory in a battery unit of a mobile information handling device comprised of:

means for assigning a predetermined data word to an available address in memory;

means for receiving data in a non-reprogrammable section of the memory;

means for modifying a programmable section of the memory if the received data complies with the predetermined data word; and

means for performing a checksum of registers in the memory.

30. The apparatus to modify a memory in a battery unit of a mobile information handling device of claim 29 further comprised of:

means for multiplexing the received data with a control signal before the non-programmable section of the memory receives the data.

31. The apparatus to modify a memory in a battery unit of a mobile information handling device of claim 29 further comprised of:

means for performing additional security measures prior to modifying the programmable section of the memory.

32. The apparatus to modify a memory in a battery unit of a mobile information handling device of claim 30 further comprised of:

means for performing additional security measures prior to modifying the programmable section of the memory.

33. The apparatus to modify a memory in a battery unit of a mobile information handling device of claim 29 further comprised of:

means for controlling sent data from a firmware control hub in the mobile information handling device.

34. The apparatus to modify a memory in a battery unit of a mobile information handling device of claim 30 further comprised of:

means for controlling sent data from a firmware control hub in the mobile information handling device.

35. The apparatus to modify a memory in a battery unit of a mobile information handling device of claim 31 further comprised of:

means for controlling sent data from a firmware control hub in the mobile information handling device.

36. The apparatus to modify a memory in a battery unit of a mobile information handling device of claim 29 wherein data is transmitted along a system management bus.

37. The apparatus to modify a memory in a battery unit of a mobile information handling device of claim 30 wherein data is transmitted along a system management bus.

38. The apparatus to modify a memory in a battery unit of a mobile information handling device of claim 31 wherein data is transmitted along a system management bus.

39. The apparatus to modify a memory in a battery unit of a mobile information handling device of claim 32 wherein data is transmitted along a system management bus.

40. The apparatus to modify a memory in a battery unit of a mobile information handling device of claim 33 wherein data is transmitted along a system management bus.

41. The method of modifying a memory in a battery unit of a mobile information handling device of claim 34 wherein data is transmitted along a system management bus.

42. The method of modifying a memory in a battery unit of a mobile information handling device of claim 35 wherein data is transmitted along a system management bus.

50. The computer program product of claim 42 wherein data is transmitted along a system management bus.

43. A computer program product that modifies a memory in a battery unit of a mobile information handling device comprising:

a first set of instructions to assign a predetermined data word to an available address in memory;

a second set of instructions to receive data in a non-reprogrammable section of the memory;

a third set of instructions to modify a programmable section of the memory if the received data complies with the predetermined data word; and

a fourth set of instructions to perform a checksum of registers in the memory.

44. The computer program product of claim 43 further comprising:

a fifth set of instructions to multiplex the received data with a control signal before the non-programmable section of the memory receives the data.

45. The computer program product of claim 43 further comprising:

a sixth set of instructions to perform additional security measures prior to modifying the programmable section of the memory.

46. The computer program product of claim 44 further comprising:

a sixth set of instructions to perform additional security measures prior to modifying the programmable section of the memory.

47. The computer program product of claim 43 further comprising:

a seventh set of instructions to control sent data from a firmware control hub in the mobile information handling device.

48. The computer program product of claim 44 further comprising:

a seventh set of instructions to control sent data from a firmware control hub in the mobile information handling device.

49. The computer program product of claim 45 further comprising:

a seventh set of instructions to control sent data from a firmware control hub in the mobile information handling device.

51. The computer program product of claim 43 wherein data is transmitted along a system management bus.

52. The computer program product of claim 44 wherein data is transmitted along a system management bus.

53. The computer program product of claim 45 wherein data is transmitted along a system management bus.

54. The computer program product of claim 46 wherein data is transmitted along a system management bus.

55. The computer program product of claim 47 wherein data is transmitted along a system management bus.

56. The computer program product of claim 48 wherein data is transmitted along a system management bus.