System Of Updating Firmware And Method Thereof, And Method Of Creating Firmware

• US 20100169709A1
• Filed: 05/01/2009
• Published: 07/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Askey Computer Corporation (ASUSTek Computer, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Askey Computer Corporation (ASUSTek Computer, Inc.)
• Inventors: Chiu, Yi-Tung, Hsieh, Ching-Feng, Yu, Jen-Huan
• Application Number:
  US12/434,203
• Publication Number:
  US 20100169709A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 714/16
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1004 to protect a block of data words, e.g. CRC or checksum G06F11/1076 takes precedence; security arrangements for protecting computers or computer systems against unauthorized activity G06F21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1433 during software upgrading

Abstract

A system and method of updating firmware and a method of creating firmware are provided. The system includes a firmware storage module having first firmware and second firmware. The first and second firmware each have image header file data, including a cyclic redundancy checksum (CRC) and an image header file creation time. The method of updating firmware includes determining whether the first and second firmware have an abnormality according to the CRC information. When an abnormality is present in the first or second firmware, the abnormality-stricken firmware is replaced with new firmware. When the abnormality is absent from the first and second firmware, the first firmware is compared with the second firmware in terms of the image header file creation time such that the firmware with the earlier creation time is replaced by the new firmware. Operable firmware is available even if the firmware updating operation fails.

Claims

1. A system of updating firmware, wherein the system allows a firmware updating operation to be performed on firmware stored in an electronic device, the system comprising:

a firmware storage module disposed in the electronic device for at least storing a first firmware version and a second firmware version, wherein the first firmware version and the second firmware version each have image header file data comprising a cyclic redundancy checksum and an image header file creation time;

a receiving module for receiving an instruction for executing a firmware update so as to obtain new firmware;

a determining module for (a) receiving the instruction for executing a firmware update, (b) determining whether the new firmware obtained by the receiving module has an abnormality according to the cyclic redundancy checksum in the new firmware, (c) ending the firmware updating operation upon a determination being made of the presence of an abnormality in the new firmware, (d) determining whether the first firmware version and the second firmware version stored in the firmware storage module have an abnormality according to the cyclic redundancy checksum in the first firmware and the second firmware upon determining absence of an abnormality in the new firmware, (e) locking, upon determination of the presence of an abnormity in one version of the first firmware and the second firmware, the abnormality-stricken firmware as target firmware, (f) comparing, upon determination of absence of any abnormity in the first firmware and the second firmware, the first firmware with the second firmware in terms of the image header file creation time thereof so as to define target firmware for replacement by locking the first firmware or the second firmware, whichever has the earlier said image header file creation time, and (g) ending the firmware updating operation upon determination of the presence of an abnormality in the first firmware and the second firmware; and

an updating module for replacing the target firmware locked for replacement by the determining module with the new firmware so as to complete performing the firmware updating operation on firmware stored in the electronic device.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a firmware executing module for re-executing executable firmware in the electronic device.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the determining module further (a) determines, before the firmware executing module re-executes the executable firmware, whether the first firmware and the second firmware have an abnormality after the firmware updating operation according to the cyclic redundancy checksum of the first firmware and the second firmware stored in the firmware storage module so as to lock, upon determination of presence of an abnormality in one version of the first firmware and the second firmware, the abnormality-free firmware as executable firmware, (b) compares, upon determination of absence of abnormity in the first firmware and the second firmware, the first firmware with the second firmware in terms of the image header file creation time thereof so as to define the executable firmware by locking the first firmware or the second firmware, whichever has the later said image header file creation time, and (c) ends system startup upon determination of presence of the abnormality in the first firmware and the second firmware.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the cyclic redundancy checksum comprises header checksum information, data stream length information, and data checksum information.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the firmware storage module is one of a flash ROM and an EEPROM.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the new firmware is obtained by one of network transmission, CD-ROM reading, and USB reading.

7. A method of updating firmware, wherein the method allows a firmware updating operation to be performed on firmware stored in an electronic device having a firmware storage module stored with a first firmware version and a second firmware version each at least having image header file data comprising a cyclic redundancy checksum and an image header file creation time, the method comprising the steps of:

obtaining new firmware upon receipt of an instruction for executing a firmware update;

checking the cyclic redundancy checksum of the new firmware for an error, and going to the next step upon determination that the cyclic redundancy checksum of the new firmware is error-free;

determining whether the first firmware and the second firmware have an abnormality according to the cyclic redundancy checksum of the first firmware and the second firmware so as to lock, upon determination of the presence of an abnormality in one of the first firmware and the second firmware, the abnormality-stricken firmware as target firmware for replacement, and comparing, upon determination of the absence of abnormity in the first firmware and the second firmware, the first firmware with the second firmware in terms of the image header file creation time thereof so as to define target firmware by locking the first firmware or the second firmware, whichever has earlier said image header file creation time, and ending the firmware updating operation upon determination of the presence of an abnormality in both the first firmware and the second firmware; and

replacing the locked target firmware with the new firmware so as to complete performing the firmware updating operation on firmware stored in the electronic device.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein, after replacing the locked target firmware with the new firmware, the method further comprises the step of:

restarting the electronic device and determining whether the first firmware and the second firmware have an abnormality according to the cyclic redundancy checksum of the first firmware and the second firmware so as to execute, upon determination of the presence of an abnormality in one of the first firmware and the second firmware, the abnormality-free firmware, and comparing, upon determination of absence of the abnormity in the first firmware and the second firmware, the first firmware with the second firmware in terms of the image header file creation time thereof so as to execute the first firmware or the second firmware, whichever has the later said image header file creation time, and ending the firmware startup procedure upon determination of the presence of an abnormality in both the first firmware and the second firmware.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the cyclic redundancy checksum comprises header checksum information, data stream length information, and data checksum information.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the image header file data further comprises identification code information such that another version of the new firmware is obtained anew when the identification code information of the new firmware is compared with and therefore determined to be different from the identification code information of the first firmware or the second firmware.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein, before the step of comparing the identification code information, the method further comprises the step of:

determining whether the new firmware has an abnormality according to the cyclic redundancy checksum of the new firmware so as to end the firmware updating operation upon determination of the presence of an abnormality in the new firmware and proceeding to the step of comparing the identification code information upon determination of absence of the abnormality in the new firmware.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the identification code information comprises product serial numbers from manufacturers.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein the new firmware is obtained by one of network transmission, CD-ROM reading, and USB reading.

14. A method of creating firmware for use with a system of updating firmware, comprising:

presetting a maximum length of a data stream for firmware storage;

combining kernel file data and file system data to create temporary file data;

creating image header file data comprising a cyclic redundancy checksum and an image header file creation time;

adding the image header file data to the temporary file data so as to form firmware; and

determining whether the actual length of the data stream stored in the firmware is less than the preset maximum length of the data stream for firmware storage so as to increase, upon affirmative determination, the length of the data stream of the temporary file data until the actual length of the data stream stored in the firmware equals the preset maximum length of the data stream for firmware storage.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the image header file data further comprises identification code information.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the cyclic redundancy checksum comprises header checksum information, data stream length information, and data checksum information.