Method for remotely upgrading the firmware of a target device using wireless technology

• US 20080040713A1
• Filed: 11/29/2006
• Published: 02/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Snaptrack Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: STMicroelectronics Pvt Ltd. (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Inventors: Subbakrishna, Sriharsha, Kashivasi, Mohan, Gupta, Naresh
• Granted Patent: US 8,589,908 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57

Abstract

An embodiment of the present invention provides a system and method for remotely upgrading the firmware of a target device using wireless technology from the Bluetooth-enabled PC or Laptop to another Bluetooth device e.g., mouse, Keyboard, headset, mobile phone etc. Existing solutions either may not have upgrade capabilities, or may require the use of proprietary cables. An embodiment of the solution proposed here extends the “Connecting without cables” concept of Bluetooth to firmware upgrades. The system comprises a host device for sending the firmware required for upgradation; and a target device containing a first code and a second code wherein said first code identifies details of the firmware; and said second code identifies the completion of the download operation when the firmware is successfully downloaded.

Claims

1. A method for remotely upgrading the firmware of a target device using wireless technology comprising the steps of:

establishing the connection needed for upgrading the target device;

downloading the firmware image to the target device;

signaling the completion of the download operation;

rebooting the target device; and

verifying the successful completion of the download operation.

2. The method for remotely upgrading the firmware of a target device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said establishing the connection needed for upgrading the target device comprises the steps of:

obtaining a first code of the device firmware in the target device, which contains the identification details of the firmware to be downloaded;

checking said first code at the host device;

sending a download command to the target device;

obtaining a response form the target device confirming its acceptance for the download.

3. The method for remotely upgrading the firmware of a target device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said downloading incorporates validation mechanism including checksums.

4. The method for remotely upgrading the firmware of a target device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said signaling is done by sending a second code to the target device.

5. The method for remotely upgrading the firmware of a target device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said verification is done by checking the presence of a second code in the target device.

6. The method for remotely upgrading the firmware of a target device as claimed in claim 5 wherein normal operation is resumed if verification of the second code is successful.

7. The method for remotely upgrading the firmware of a target device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said download operation is resumed if verification fails.

8. The method for remotely upgrading the firmware of a target device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said wireless technology includes Bluetooth technology.

9. The method for remotely upgrading the firmware of a target device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said first code and a second code are Image Magic Number and Download Magic Number respectively.

10. A system for remotely upgrading the firmware of a target device using wireless technology comprising:

a host device for sending the firmware required for upgradation; and

a target device containing a first code and a second code wherein

i. said first code identifies details of the firmware; and

ii. said second code identifies the completion of the download operation when the firmware is successfully downloaded.

11. The system as claimed in claim 10 wherein the host device includes a PC or a laptop.

12. The system as claimed in claim 10 wherein the target device includes a Bluetooth enabled device for upgradation of said firmware.

13. The system as claimed in claim 10 wherein said wireless technology includes Bluetooth technology.

14. The system as claimed in claim 10 wherein said first code and said second code are Image Magic Number and Download Magic Number respectively.

15. A wireless device comprising

a first code identifying details of the firmware;

and

a second code identifying the completion of the download operation when the firmware is successfully downloaded.

16. A device, comprising:

a receiver operable to download first device-configuration firmware from a remote device via a wireless channel; and

a memory coupled to the receiver and operable to store the first firmware.

17. The device of claim 16 wherein the receiver is operable to download the firmware according to a Bluetooth protocol.

18. The device of claim 16, further comprising:

a transmitter; and

a processor coupled to the memory and to the transmitter and operable to determine whether the stored firmware includes an error,

if the firmware includes an error, then cause the transmitter to send to the remote device via the wireless channel a re-download request, cause the receiver to re-download the firmware via the wireless channel, and store the re-downloaded firmware in the memory; and

if the firmware does not include an error, then cause the transmitter to inform the remote device via the wireless channel that the receiver has successfully downloaded the firmware.

19. The device of claim 16, further comprising:

a transmitter; and

a processor coupled to the memory and to the transmitter and operable to determine whether the stored firmware includes an error,

if the firmware includes an error, then cause the transmitter to send to the remote device via the wireless channel a re-download request, cause the receiver to re-download the firmware via the wireless channel, and store the re-downloaded firmware in the memory; and

if the firmware does not include an error, cause the transmitter to inform the remote device via the wireless channel that the receiver has successfully downloaded the firmware, receive from the remote device via the wireless channel and the receiver a firmware-valid value that indicates the stored firmware is valid, and store the received value in the memory.

20. The device of claim 16, further comprising:

a transmitter;

wherein the memory is operable to store second firmware before receiving the first firmware; and

a processor coupled to the memory and to the transmitter and operable to determine whether the stored second firmware is valid, and

if the second firmware is not valid, then cause the receiver to download the first firmware.

21. The device of claim 16, further comprising:

a transmitter;

wherein the memory is operable to store second firmware before receiving the first firmware and to store a second-firmware-valid value that indicates the validity of the second firmware; and

a processor coupled to the memory and to the transmitter and operable to receive a firmware-download command from the remote device,

in response to the command, delete the value and cause the receiver to download the first firmware,

if the downloaded first firmware includes no errors, then cause the transmitter to inform the remote device via the wireless channel that the receiver successfully downloaded the first firmware, cause the receiver to download from the remote device via the wireless channel a first-firmware-valid value that indicates the validity of the first firmware, and store the first-firmware-valid value.

22. A device, comprising:

a receiver operable to receive from a remote device via a wireless channel a request to upload firmware; and

a transmitter operable to upload the firmware to the remote device via the wireless channel in response to the request.

23. The device of claim 22 wherein the receiver and the transmitter are respectively operable to communicate with the remote device according to a Bluetooth protocol.

24. The device of claim 22 wherein the transmitter is operable to send a firmware-download command to the remote device before the receiver receives the upload request from the remote device.

25. The device of claim 22 wherein:

the receiver is operable to receive from the remote device via the wireless channel a notification that the remote device received the firmware; and

the transmitter is operable to send to the remote device via the wireless channel a firmware-valid value in response to the notification.

26. The device of claim 22 wherein:

the receiver is operable to receive from the remote device via the wireless channel a checksum that indicates that the remote device received the firmware; and

the transmitter is operable to send to the remote device via the wireless channel a firmware-valid value in response to the checksum.

27. The device of claim 22, further comprising a processor coupled to the transmitter and operable to check a firmware identifier, and, if the firmware identifier indicates that the firmware is compatible with the remote device, then enable the transmitter to upload the firmware to the remote device.

28. An electronic system, comprising:

a first device including

a first receiver operable to receive from a second device via a wireless channel a request to upload firmware, and

a first transmitter operable to upload the firmware to the second device via the wireless channel in response to the request; and

the second device including

a second receiver operable to download the firmware from the first device via the wireless channel, and

a memory coupled to the second receiver and operable to store the downloaded.

29. The system of claim 28 wherein:

the first device comprises a computer; and

the second device comprises a computer peripheral.

30. A method, comprising:

downloading first device-configuration firmware via a wireless channel; and

storing the first firmware in a memory.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising:

determining whether the stored firmware includes an error;

if the firmware includes an error, then re-downloading the first firmware via the wireless channel and storing the re-downloaded firmware in the memory; and

if the firmware does not include an error, then indicating via the wireless channel that the firmware has been downloaded successfully.

32. The method of claim 30, further comprising:

determining whether the stored firmware includes an error;

if the firmware includes an error, then re-downloading the first firmware via the wireless channel and storing the re-downloaded firmware in the memory; and

if the firmware does not include an error, then indicating via the wireless channel that the firmware has been downloaded successfully, downloading via the wireless channel a firmware-valid value that indicates the stored firmware is valid, and storing the value in the memory.

33. The method of claim 30, further comprising:

determining before downloading the first firmware that no firmware is stored in the memory; and

downloading the first firmware comprises downloading the first firmware in response to the determination that no firmware is stored in the memory.

34. The method of claim 30, further comprising:

determining before downloading the first firmware that second firmware stored in the memory is invalid; and

downloading the first firmware comprises downloading the first firmware in response to the determination that the second firmware is invalid.

35. The method of claim 30, comprising:

receive a firmware-download command via the wireless channel;

in response to the command, deleting a second-firmware-valid value stored in the memory and indicating the validity of second firmware stored in the memory, and downloading the first firmware;

indicating via the wireless channel that the first firmware is successfully downloaded;

downloading via the wireless channel a first-firmware-valid value that indicates the validity of the first firmware; and

storing the first-firmware-valid value in the memory.

36. A method, comprising:

receiving via a wireless channel a request to upload firmware; and

uploading the firmware to a remote device via the wireless channel in response to the request.

37. The method of claim 36, further comprising sending a firmware-download command to the remote device before receiving the upload request.

38. The method of claim 36, further comprising:

receiving via the wireless channel a notification that the remote device received the firmware; and

sending to the remote device via the wireless channel a firmware-valid value in response to the notification.

39. The device of claim 36, further comprising:

checking a firmware identifier; and

if the firmware identifier indicates that the firmware is compatible with the remote device, then uploading the firmware to the remote device.