FIRMWARE UPDATE IN A MEDICAL DEVICE WITH MULTIPLE PROCESSORS

• US 20120096451A1
• Filed: 10/15/2010
• Published: 04/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Roche Diabetes Care Inc. (Roche Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Roche Diagnostics Operations Incorporated (Roche Holding AG)
• Inventors: Tenbarge, James D., Timmerman, Robert, Nierzwick, Mark, Reinke, Robert E., Long, James R., Sabo, Robert P., Pash, Phillip E., Birtwhistle, Daniel, Markinsohn, D. Bradley
• Application Number:
  US12/905,498
• Publication Number:
  US 20120096451A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/170
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1433 during software upgrading
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1666 where the redundant component is memory or memory area
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/40 for the management of medical equipment or devices, e.g. scheduling maintenance or upgrades

Abstract

The present disclosure describes a handheld diabetes management device that implements a failsafe firmware upgrading protocol to reduce required user interaction and risk of device downtime. The general processing module executes first software from nonvolatile memory. The general processing module receives second software from an external port and writes the second software to the nonvolatile memory. Based on an upgrade signal, the general processing module switches execution from the first software to the second software, evaluates proper operation of the general processing module, and switches execution back to the first software from the second software when proper operation of the general processing module using the second software is not detected. A communications module, in electrical communication with the general processing module, stores third software and executes the third software. The general processing module receives fourth software from the external port and replaces the third software with the fourth software.

Claims

1. A handheld diabetes management device that implements a failsafe firmware upgrading protocol to reduce risk of device downtime and to reduce required user interaction, the handheld diabetes management device comprising:

a nonvolatile memory;

a general processing module in electrical communication with the nonvolatile memory, wherein the general processing module executes first software from the nonvolatile memory;

an external port in electrical communication with the general processing module,

wherein the general processing module receives second software from the external port and writes the second software to the nonvolatile memory, and

wherein based on an upgrade signal, the general processing module;

switches execution from the first software to the second software,

evaluates proper operation of the general processing module, and

switches execution back to the first software from the second software when proper operation of the general processing module using the second software is not detected; and

a communications module in electrical communication with the general processing module,

wherein the communications module stores third software and executes the third software, and

wherein the general processing module receives fourth software from the external port and replaces the third software with the fourth software.

2. The handheld diabetes management device of claim 1 further comprising a wireless control module in electrical communication with the communications module, wherein the general processing module selectively updates operating instructions of the wireless control module via the communications module.

3. The handheld diabetes management device of claim 2 wherein the general processing module replaces previous operating instructions of the wireless control module with updated operating instructions via the communications module.

4. The handheld diabetes management device of claim 3 wherein, when proper operation of the wireless control module using the updated operating instructions is not detected, the general processing module replaces the updated operating instructions of the wireless control module with the previous operating instructions via the communications module.

5. The handheld diabetes management device of claim 1 wherein, when proper operation of the communications module using the fourth software is not detected, the general processing module replaces the fourth software with the third software.

6. The handheld diabetes management device of claim 1 wherein the general processing module uploads user information to a remote host via the external port prior to switching execution of the general processing module from the first software to the second software.

7. The handheld diabetes management device of claim 6 wherein the general processing module stores the user information in one or more databases, and wherein the general processing module deletes the one or more databases when proper operation of the general processing module using the second software is detected.

8. The handheld diabetes management device of claim 7 wherein the processing module receives updated databases including the user information from the remote host.

9. The handheld diabetes management device of claim 1 wherein the general processing module deletes the first software when proper operation of the general processing module using the second software is detected.

10. The handheld diabetes management device of claim 1 wherein the second software is self-contained such that the general processing module executes the second software independent of any portion of the first software.

11. A method of operating a handheld diabetes management device to implement a failsafe firmware upgrading protocol to reduce risk of device downtime and to reduce required user interaction, the method comprising:

storing first software in a nonvolatile memory;

receiving second software from an external port;

writing the second software to the nonvolatile memory;

selectively receiving an upgrade signal and, based on the upgrade signal;

switching execution from the first software to the second software,

evaluating proper operation of the second software, and

switching execution back to the first software from the second software when proper operation of second software is not detected;

receiving third software from the external port; and

replacing fourth software of a communications module with the third software.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising selectively updating operating instructions of a wireless control module via the communications module.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising replacing previous operating instructions of the wireless control module with updated operating instructions via the communications module.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

evaluating proper operation of the wireless control module using the updated operating instructions; and

when proper operation of the wireless control module using the updated operating instructions is not detected, replacing the updated operating instructions of the wireless control module with the previous operating instructions via the communications module.

15. The method of claim 11 further comprising, when proper operation of the communications module using the third software is not detected, replacing the third software with the fourth software.

16. The method of claim 11 further comprising uploading user information to a remote host via the external port prior to switching execution from the first software to the second software.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

storing the user information in one or more databases; and

deleting the one or more databases when proper operation of the second software is detected.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising receiving updated databases including the user information from the remote host.

19. The method of claim 11 further comprising deleting the first software when proper operation of the second software is detected.

20. The method of claim 11 wherein the second software is self-contained such that execution of the second software is independent of any portion of the first software.