Memory device and method for performing a write-abort-safe firmware update

• US 20090172252A1
• Filed: 12/28/2007
• Published: 07/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SanDisk Technologies LLC (Western Digital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sandisk Technologies Incorporated (Western Digital Corporation)
• Inventors: Tuers, Daniel E., Ea, Dennis S., Tomlin, Andrew
• Granted Patent: US 8,775,758 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/103
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/654 using techniques specially adapted for alterable solid state memories, e.g. for EEPROM or flash memories

Abstract

A memory device and method for performing a write-abort-safe firmware update are disclosed. In one embodiment, a location in a memory of a memory device for a firmware update is allocated. The firmware update is written into the allocated location in the memory. A pointer is written to the firmware update in a directory, and a pointer is written to the directory in a location in the memory that is read during boot-up. In another embodiment, a block in a memory of a memory device is allocated for updated file system data comprising a firmware update and a directory. The updated file system data is written into the allocated location in the memory. A pointer is written to the firmware update in the directory, and a pointer is written to the updated file system data in a boot block in the memory, wherein the boot block is read during boot-up.

Claims

1. A method for performing a write-abort-safe firmware update on a memory device, the method comprising:

(a) allocating a location in a memory of a memory device for a firmware update;

(b) writing the firmware update into the allocated location in the memory;

(c) writing a pointer to the firmware update in a directory; and

(d) writing a pointer to the directory in a location in the memory that is read during boot-up of the memory device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the firmware update and the directory are part of updated file system data written to the memory.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the firmware update comprises data copied from previously-stored firmware.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising erasing previously-stored firmware.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the pointer to the directory is stored in a boot block in the memory.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the pointer to the directory is stored as a last-written sector in the boot block.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the pointer to the directory is stored as a last-written page in the boot block.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the boot block further comprises pointers for managing user data in the memory.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the boot block further comprises geometry information of the memory.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the memory device further comprises a read only memory storing computer-executable instructions for reading, during boot-up of the memory device, the location storing the pointer to the directory.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising storing a redundant copy of the firmware update in the memory.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein both the firmware update and the redundant copy of the firmware update are stored in less than 250 ms.

13. A method for performing a write-abort-safe firmware update on a memory device, the method comprising:

(a) allocating a block in a memory of a memory device for updated file system data comprising a firmware update and a directory;

(b) writing the updated file system data into the allocated location in the memory;

(c) writing a pointer to the firmware update in the directory; and

(d) writing a pointer to the updated file system data in a boot block in the memory, wherein the boot block is read during boot-up of the memory device, and wherein the pointer to the directory is stored as a last-written sector in the boot block.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the firmware update comprises data copied from previously-stored firmware.

15. The method of claim 13 further comprising erasing previously-stored firmware.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the boot block further comprises pointers for managing user data in the memory.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the boot block further comprises geometry information of the memory.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the memory device further comprises a read only memory storing computer-executable instructions for reading the boot block during boot-up of the memory device.

19. The method of claim 13 further comprising storing a redundant copy of the firmware update in the memory.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein both the firmware update and the redundant copy of the firmware update are stored in less than 250 ms.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the redundant copy of the firmware update is stored in a same block that stores the firmware update.

22. A memory device comprising:

a memory;

circuitry operative to;

allocate a location in the memory for a firmware update;

write the firmware update into the allocated location in the memory;

write a pointer to the firmware update in a directory; and

write a pointer to the directory in a location in the memory that is read during boot-up of the memory device.

23. The memory device of claim 22, wherein the firmware update and the directory are part of updated file system data written to the memory.

24. The memory device of claim 22, wherein the firmware update comprises data copied from previously-stored firmware.

25. The memory device of claim 22, wherein the circuitry is further operative to erase previously-stored firmware.

26. The memory device of claim 22, wherein the pointer to the directory is stored in a boot block in the memory.

27. The memory device of claim 26, wherein the pointer to the directory is stored as a last-written sector in the boot block.

28. The memory device of claim 26, wherein the pointer to the directory is stored as a last-written page in the boot block.

29. The memory device of claim 26, wherein the boot block further comprises pointers for managing user data in the memory.

30. The memory device of claim 26, wherein the boot block further comprises geometry information of the memory.

31. The memory device of claim 22 further comprising a read only memory storing computer-executable instructions for reading, during boot-up of the memory device, the location storing the pointer to the directory.

32. The memory device of claim 22, wherein the circuitry is further operative to store a redundant copy of the firmware update in the memory.

33. The memory device of claim 32, wherein both the firmware update and the redundant copy of the firmware update are stored in less than 250 ms.

34. A memory device comprising:

a memory;

circuitry operative to;

allocate a block in the memory for updated file system data comprising a firmware update and a directory;

write the updated file system data into the allocated location in the memory;

write a pointer to the firmware update in the directory; and

write a pointer to the updated file system data in a boot block in the memory, wherein the boot block is read during boot-up of the memory device, and wherein the pointer to the directory is stored as a last-written sector in the boot block.

35. The memory device of claim 34, wherein the firmware update comprises data copied from previously-stored firmware.

36. The memory device of claim 34, wherein the circuitry is further operative to erase previously-stored firmware.

37. The memory device of claim 34, wherein the boot block further comprises pointers for managing user data in the memory.

38. The memory device of claim 34, wherein the boot block further comprises geometry information of the memory.

39. The memory device of claim 34 further comprising a read only memory storing computer-executable instructions for reading the boot block during boot-up of the memory device.

40. The memory device of claim 34, wherein the circuitry is further operative to store a redundant copy of the firmware update in the memory.

41. The memory device of claim 40, wherein both the firmware update and the redundant copy of the firmware update are stored in less than 250 ms.

42. The memory device of claim 34, wherein the memory comprises a non-volatile, solid-state memory.