FIRMWARE UPDATES FOR MULTIPLE PRODUCT CONFIGURATIONS

• US 20140344797A1
• Filed: 05/14/2013
• Published: 11/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SanDisk Technologies LLC (Western Digital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sandisk Technologies Incorporated (Western Digital Corporation)
• Inventors: Rajagopalan, Saranyan, Karni, Oded, Goodwin, Kevin Leigh, Velasco, Nolen, Shenoy, Kunal Ramachandra
• Granted Patent: US 9,116,774 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/169
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/64 Retargetable
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/654 using techniques specially adapted for alterable solid state memories, e.g. for EEPROM or flash memories
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/71 Version control security arrangements therefor G06F21/57; Configuration management

Abstract

Techniques described herein relate to updating firmware of multiple non-volatile memory devices having diverse configurations using a common update file. The non-volatile memory device may include a flash memory device having a non-volatile memory array. Particular implementations described herein relate to circuits, devices, systems, and methods that update, with a common update file, firmware residing on multiple non-volatile memory devices having diverse configurations.

Claims

1. A method for updating firmware instructions on a first device, the method comprising:

receiving, at the first device, a file, the file comprising at least two different firmware update files, each firmware update file comprising a respective file header, each file header having information about a corresponding set of intended firmware configuration targets, the first device comprising a first set of firmware instructions of a first configuration;

executing a first update, by the first device, of the first set of firmware instructions by replacing at least a first portion of the first set of firmware instructions with at least a second portion of a selected one or more of the at least two different firmware update files;

wherein, prior to executing the update, the first set of firmware instructions causes the first device to parse the respective file headers such that the selected one or more firmware update files comprise only those firmware update files for which the first configuration is included in the corresponding set of intended firmware configuration targets.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the file at a second device, the second device comprising a second set of firmware instructions of a second configuration;

executing a second update, by the second device, of the second set of firmware instructions by replacing at least a first portion of the second set of firmware instructions with at least a third portion of a selected one of the at least two different firmware update files;

wherein,

prior to executing the second update, the second set of firmware instructions causes the second device to parse the respective file headers such that the selected one or more firmware update files comprise only those firmware update files for which the second configuration is included in the corresponding set of intended firmware configuration targets.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first configuration defines a memory capacity of the first device and an existing firmware version of the first device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the information includes memory capacity, and firmware version of each intended firmware configuration target.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

executing a subsequent update, by the first device, of an existing set of firmware instructions on the first device by replacing at least a third portion of the existing firmware instructions with at least a fourth portion of a different selected one of the at least two different firmware update files;

wherein, prior to executing the subsequent update, the existing set of firmware instructions causes the first device to parse the respective file headers such that the selected one or more intended firmware update files comprise only those firmware update files for which the first configuration is included in the corresponding set of intended firmware configuration targets.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first device comprises a non volatile memory array.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the non volatile memory array comprises a flash memory.

8. An apparatus comprising:

a non-volatile memory array, the non-volatile memory array including firmware instructions; and

a memory controller;

the memory controller configured to;

receive a file, the file comprising at least two different firmware update files, each firmware update file comprising a respective file header, each file header having information about a corresponding set of intended firmware configuration targets, the apparatus comprising a first set of firmware instructions of a first configuration;

execute a first update of the first set of firmware instructions by replacing at least a first portion of the first set of firmware instructions with at least a second portion of a selected one of the at least two different firmware update files;

wherein, prior to executing the first update, the first set of firmware instructions causes the apparatus to parse the respective file headers such that the selected one or more intended firmware update files comprise only those firmware update files for which the first configuration is included in the corresponding set of intended firmware configuration targets.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the first configuration defines a memory capacity of the apparatus and an existing firmware version of the apparatus.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the information includes memory capacity, and firmware version of each intended firmware configuration target.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, the memory controller further configured to:

execute a subsequent update, by the apparatus, of an existing set of firmware instructions on the apparatus by replacing at least a third portion of the existing firmware instructions with at least a fourth portion of a different selected one of the at least two different firmware update files;

wherein, prior to executing the subsequent update, the existing set of firmware instructions causes the apparatus to parse the respective file headers such that the selected one or more intended firmware update files comprise only those firmware update files for which the first configuration is included in the corresponding set of intended firmware configuration targets.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the non volatile memory array comprises a flash memory.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon instructions which, when executed by a controller, cause the controller to perform operations, the operations comprising:

receiving, at a first device, a file, the file comprising at least two different firmware update files, each firmware update file comprising a respective file header, each file header having information about a corresponding set of intended firmware configuration targets, the first device comprising a first set of firmware instructions of a first configuration;

executing a first update, by the first device, of the first set of firmware instructions by replacing at least a first portion of the first set of firmware instructions with at least a second portion of a selected one or more of the at least two different firmware update files;

wherein, prior to executing the update, the first set of firmware instructions causes the first device to parse the respective file headers such that the selected one or more firmware update files comprise only those firmware update files for which the first configuration is included in the corresponding set of intended firmware configuration targets.

14. The storage medium of claim 13, further comprising:

receiving the file at a second device, the second device comprising a second set of firmware instructions of a second configuration;

executing a second update, by the second device, of the second set of firmware instructions by replacing at least a first portion of the second set of firmware instructions with at least a third portion of a selected one of the at least two different firmware update files;

wherein,

prior to executing the second update, the second set of firmware instructions causes the second device to parse the respective file headers such that the selected one or more firmware update files comprise only those firmware update files for which the second configuration is included in the corresponding set of intended firmware configuration targets.

15. The storage medium of claim 13, wherein the first configuration defines a memory capacity of the first device and an existing firmware version of the first device.

16. The storage medium of claim 13, wherein the information includes memory capacity, and firmware version of each intended firmware configuration target.

17. The storage medium of claim 13, further comprising:

executing a subsequent update, by the first device, of an existing set of firmware instructions on the first device by replacing at least a third portion of the existing firmware instructions with at least a fourth portion of a different selected one of the at least two different firmware update files;

wherein, prior to executing the subsequent update, the existing set of firmware instructions causes the first device to parse the respective file headers such that the selected one or more intended firmware update files comprise only those firmware update files for which the first configuration is included in the corresponding set of intended firmware configuration targets.

18. The storage medium of claim 13, wherein the first device comprises a non volatile memory array

19. The storage medium of claim 18, wherein the non volatile memory array comprises a flash memory.