Method and Computer Program Product for Loading and Executing Program Code at Micro-processor

• US 20090278667A1
• Filed: 04/27/2009
• Published: 11/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xueshan Technologies Inc. (Wi-LAN Inc.)
• Original Assignee: MStar Semiconductor Incorporated (MediaTek, Inc.)
• Inventors: CHANG, CHIH YEN, HUANG, CHIH-HUA
• Granted Patent: US 8,362,880 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.510
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4401 Bootstrapping security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/445 Program loading or initiating bootstrapping G06F9/4401; security arrangements for program loading or initiating G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13095 PIN / Access code, authentication

Abstract

A method and apparatus for loading and executing program code at a micro-processor are disclosed. In this method, a monitoring procedure is performed to monitor whether the micro-processor receives a loading request corresponding to a target program code. If the loading request is received, the target program code is loaded from an external memory into an internal memory of the micro-processor. The micro-processor is then rebooted to enter a first mode in which the target program code in the internal memory is to be executed.

Claims

1. A method for loading and executing a target program code at a micro-processor, comprising steps of:

(a) performing a monitoring procedure for monitoring whether the micro-processor receives a loading request corresponding to the target program code;

(b) loading the target program code from an external memory into an internal memory of the micro-processor in response to the loading request; and

(c) rebooting the micro-processor to prompt the micro-processor enter a first mode in which the target program code in the internal memory is to be executed.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a step of:

(d) after Step (c), setting the micro-processor to enter a second mode in which the monitoring procedure is to be performed after the micro-processor is rebooted thereafter.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the external memory stores a plurality of predetermined program codes, each of which respectively corresponds to a communication protocol, and the target program code is one of the plurality of the predetermined program codes.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the communication protocol is a radio frequency identification (RFID) protocol.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the RFID protocol is selected from a group consisting of an ISO 14443A protocol, an ISO 14443B protocol, an ISO 15693 protocol, an ISO 18092 protocol, and an EPC UHF C1G2 protocol.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a monitor program code corresponding to the monitoring procedure is executed by the micro-processor and is stored in the external memory.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the external memory is a flash memory and the internal memory is a random access memory.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the program code is loaded from the external memory into the internal memory in a direct memory access mode.

9. A communication device, comprising:

an external memory, stored with a target program code corresponding to a target communication protocol; and

a micro-processor, coupled to the external memory and provided with an internal memory, for performing a monitoring procedure to monitor whether the micro-processor receives a loading request corresponding to the target program code, and loading the target program code into the internal memory in response to the loading request;

wherein the micro-processor is rebooted and enters into a first mode in which the target program code stored in the internal memory is to be executed after the target program code is loaded into the internal memory.

10. The communication device as claimed in claim 9, wherein when the micro-processor enters the first mode, a reboot setting is performed to reboot the micro-processor to prompt the micro-processor to enter a second mode in which the monitoring procedure is to be performed.

11. The communication device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the target communication protocol is an RFID protocol selected from a group consisting of an ISO 14443A protocol, an ISO 14443 protocol, an ISO 15693 protocol, an ISO 18092 protocol, and an EPC UHF C1G2 protocol.

12. The communication device as claimed in claim 9, wherein a monitor program code corresponding to the monitoring procedure is executed and is stored in the external memory.

13. The communication device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the external memory is a flash memory and the internal memory is a random access memory.

14. The communication device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the target program code is loaded from the external memory into the internal memory in a direct memory access mode.