Firmware updating

• US 20040054883A1
• Filed: 09/13/2002
• Published: 03/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Goodman, Brian Gerard, Pierce, Timothy Keith, Klem, Robert Alan
• Granted Patent: US 7,089,547 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

Updating firmware stored in a rewritable non-volatile memory as a plurality of firmware code images having position dependent code. A plurality of update code images are made available that have position dependent code specifying positions of a rewritable non-volatile memory, such that each update code image is suitable for replacing a different stored code image. A computer processor determines which stored code image is to be updated; and selects the one of the plurality of update code images that has position dependent code suitable for replacing the code image to be updated.

Claims

1. A computer program product usable with a programmable computer having computer readable program code embodied therein, for updating firmware stored in a rewritable non-volatile memory, said rewritable non-volatile memory capable of storing a plurality of firmware code images, said firmware code images having position dependent code, comprising:

computer readable program code which causes a computer processor to determine which one of a plurality of firmware code images stored in said rewritable non-volatile memory is to be updated; and

computer readable program code which causes a computer processor to select one of a plurality of update firmware code images that has position dependent code suitable for replacing said determined firmware code image to be updated.

2. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein said computer readable program code which causes a computer processor to select said update firmware code image, causes a computer processor to indicate said selection at an interface.

3. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein said computer readable program code which causes a computer processor to select said update firmware code image, causes a computer processor to select said one update firmware code image from a plurality of update firmware code images stored in memory.

4. The computer program product of claim 3, additionally comprising computer readable program code which causes a computer processor to copy said selected one update firmware code image from said memory to overwrite said determined firmware code image at said rewritable non-volatile memory.

5. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein said computer readable program code which causes a computer processor to select said update firmware code image, causes a computer processor to select said one update firmware code image from a plurality of update firmware code images supplied at an interface, and to overwrite said determined firmware code image at said rewritable non-volatile memory.

6. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein at least one of said plurality of firmware code images stored in said rewritable non-volatile memory comprises currently operational code, and said computer program product additionally comprising:

computer readable program code which causes a computer processor to determine whether said selected one update firmware code image has successfully been stored in said rewritable non-volatile memory to overwrite said determined firmware code image; and

computer readable program code which causes a computer processor to mark at least one non-updated firmware code image of said plurality of firmware code images stored in said rewritable non-volatile memory to prevent said marked firmware code image from subsequently being used as current said operational code.

7. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein said computer readable program code is embedded in a boot sector of said non-volatile memory.

8. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein at least one of said plurality of firmware code images stored in said rewritable non-volatile memory comprises operational code, and wherein said computer readable program code is embedded in said firmware code image which is currently operational.

9. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein said computer readable program code is embedded in at least one of said update firmware code images.

10. A computer program product usable with a programmable computer having computer readable program code embodied therein, for updating firmware stored in a rewritable non-volatile memory, said rewritable non-volatile memory capable of storing a plurality of firmware code images, wherein at least one of said plurality of firmware code images stored in said rewritable non-volatile memory comprises currently operational code, comprising:

computer readable program code which causes a computer processor to determine which one of a plurality of firmware code images stored in said rewritable non-volatile memory is to be updated;

computer readable program code which causes a computer processor to replace said determined firmware code image to be updated with an update firmware code;

computer readable program code which causes a computer processor to determine whether said update firmware code image has successfully been stored in said rewritable non-volatile memory to overwrite said determined firmware code image; and

computer readable program code which causes a computer processor to mark at least one non-updated firmware code image of said plurality of firmware code images stored in said rewritable non-volatile memory to prevent said marked firmware code image from subsequently being used as a currently operational said firmware code image.

11. A computer program product usable with a programmable computer having computer readable program code embodied therein, comprising:

computer readable program code which causes a computer processor to supply a plurality of update firmware code images that have position dependent code, said position dependent code specifying positions of a rewritable non-volatile memory, each said firmware code image position dependent code specifying different positions of said rewritable non-volatile memory from any other said firmware code image of said plurality of update firmware code images, such that each said update firmware code image is suitable for replacing a different firmware code image stored in said non-volatile memory.

12. A device, comprising:

a computer processor; and

a rewritable non-volatile memory storing computer readable program code for operating said computer processor, said computer readable program code comprising a plurality of firmware code images, said firmware code images having position dependent computer readable program code, and comprising computer readable program code which causes said computer processor to;

determine which one of said plurality of firmware code images stored in said rewritable non-volatile memory is to be updated; and

select one of a plurality of update firmware code images that has position dependent code suitable for replacing said determined firmware code image to be updated.

13. The device of claim 12, additionally comprising an interface, and wherein said computer readable program code which causes said computer processor to select said update firmware code image, causes said computer processor to indicate said selection at said interface.

14. The device of claim 12, additionally comprising a memory, and wherein said computer readable program code which causes said computer processor to select said update firmware code image, causes said computer processor to select said one update firmware code image from a plurality of update firmware code images stored in said memory.

15. The device of claim 14, additionally comprising computer readable program code which causes said computer processor to copy said selected one update firmware code image from said memory to overwrite said determined firmware code image at said rewritable non-volatile memory.

16. The device of claim 12, wherein said computer readable program code additionally comprises:

computer readable program code which causes said computer processor to determine whether said selected one update firmware code image has successfully been stored in said rewritable non-volatile memory to overwrite said determined firmware code image; and

computer readable program code which causes said computer processor to mark at least one non-updated firmware code image of said plurality of firmware code images stored in said rewritable non-volatile memory to prevent said marked firmware code image from subsequently being used as a currently operational code image.

17. The device of claim 12, wherein said computer readable program code stored in said rewritable non-volatile memory additionally comprises a boot sector, and wherein said computer readable program code is embedded in said boot sector of said non-volatile memory.

18. The device of claim 12, wherein said computer readable program code for determining which one of a plurality of firmware code images is to be updated, and for selecting said one of a plurality of update firmware code images, is embedded in said firmware code image which is currently operational.

19. A device, comprising:

a computer processor;

a rewritable non-volatile memory storing firmware computer readable program code for operating said computer processor, said firmware computer readable program code comprising a plurality of firmware code images, said firmware code images having position dependent computer readable program code;

an interface; and

a memory for temporarily storing computer readable program code embedded in at least one update firmware code image received at said interface, said computer readable program code causing said computer processor to;

determine which one of said plurality of firmware code images stored in said rewritable non-volatile memory is to be updated; and

select one of a plurality of update firmware code images that has position dependent code suitable for replacing said determined firmware code image to be updated.

20. A device, comprising:

a computer processor; and

a rewritable non-volatile memory storing computer readable program code for operating said computer processor, said computer readable program code comprising a plurality of firmware code images, and comprising computer readable program code which causes said computer processor to;

determine which one of said plurality of firmware code images stored in said rewritable non-volatile memory is to be updated;

replace said determined firmware code image to be updated with an update firmware code image;

determine whether said update firmware code image has successfully been stored in said rewritable non-volatile memory to overwrite said determined firmware code image; and

mark at least one non-updated firmware code image of said plurality of firmware code images stored in said rewritable non-volatile memory to prevent said marked firmware code image from subsequently being used as a currently operational code image.

21. A method for updating firmware stored in a rewritable non-volatile memory, said rewritable non-volatile memory capable of storing a plurality of firmware code images, said firmware code images having position dependent code, comprising the steps of:

determining which one of a plurality of firmware code images stored in said rewritable non-volatile memory is to be updated; and

selecting one of a plurality of update firmware code images that has position dependent code suitable for replacing said determined firmware code image to be updated.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said step of selecting said update firmware code image, additionally comprises indicating said selection at an interface.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein said step of selecting said update firmware code image, comprises selecting said one update firmware code image from a plurality of update firmware code images stored in memory.

24. The method of claim 23, additionally comprising the step of copying said selected one update firmware code image from said memory to overwrite said determined firmware code image at said rewritable non-volatile memory.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein at least one of said plurality of firmware code images stored in said rewritable non-volatile memory comprises currently operational code, and said method additionally comprises the steps of:

determining whether said selected one update firmware code image has successfully been stored in said rewritable non-volatile memory to overwrite said determined firmware code image; and

marking at least one non-updated firmware code image of said plurality of firmware code images stored in said rewritable non-volatile memory to prevent said marked firmware code image from subsequently being used as a currently operational code image.

26. A method for updating firmware stored in a rewritable non-volatile memory, said rewritable non-volatile memory capable of storing a plurality of firmware code images, wherein at least one of said plurality of firmware code images stored in said rewritable non-volatile memory comprises currently operational code, comprising the steps of:

determining which one of a plurality of firmware code images stored in said rewritable non-volatile memory is to be updated;

replacing said determined firmware code image to be updated with an update firmware code image;

determining whether said update firmware code image has successfully been stored in said rewritable non-volatile memory to overwrite said determined firmware code image; and

marking at least one non-updated firmware code image of said plurality of firmware code images stored in said rewritable non-volatile memory to prevent said marked firmware code image from subsequently being used as a currently operational said firmware code image.

27. A method for supplying firmware for updating firmware stored in a rewritable non-volatile memory, said rewritable non-volatile memory capable of storing a plurality of firmware code images, comprising:

supplying a plurality of update firmware code images that have position dependent code, said position dependent code specifying positions of a rewritable non-volatile memory, each said firmware code image position dependent code specifying different positions of said rewritable non-volatile memory from any other said firmware code image of said plurality of update firmware code images, such that each said update firmware code image is suitable for replacing a different firmware code image stored in said non-volatile memory.