Method and apparatus for upgrading firmware boot and main codes in a programmable memory

• US 6,275,931 B1
• Filed: 06/22/1998
• Issued: 08/14/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ABB Technology Limited (ABB Limited)
• Original Assignee: Elsag International NV
• Inventors: Molnar, Richard J., Wozniak, Michael J., Narayanaswamy, Shanthala
• Primary Examiner(s): Beausoleil, Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ziemer, Rita A
• Application Number:
  US09/102,183
• Publication Number:
  US 20010011347A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,149 Days
• Field of Search: 713/2, 713/1, 711/4, 711/1
• US Class Current: 713/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4406 Loading of operating system

Abstract

A system for loading upgraded, that is, new boot code and/or main firm ware has a programmable memory that has two boot code regions. One of the regions holds the active boot code while the other region holds the inactive boot code. During a boot code upgrade, the boot code in the inactive region, is under control of the boot code in the active region, replaced with the new boot code. Once the replacement process is verified as having been successful and the vector table in the new boot code is copied to the processor vector table in the memory, the processor can be reset so that the new boot code becomes the active boot code and the previously active boot code becomes the inactive boot code.

Claims

1. A system for providing new boot code for a processor comprising:

a. a writable non-volatile memory comprising;

i. one region having active non-write protected boot code therein, said boot code having the functionality to allow an instrument containing said memory to communicate with a process control system; and

ii. another region having therein an inactive non-write protected boot code which is a functional equivalent of said active boot code;

b. a source of said new boot code; and

c. means including said processor and under control of said active boot code for replacing said inactive boot code with said new boot code from said source.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said memory further comprises a processor vector table and said new boot code includes a vector table, said replacing means causing after said new boot code has replaced said inactive boot code said new boot code vector table to be copied to said memory processor vector table so that said new boot code can become said active boot code upon resetting of said processor.

3. A system for providing new boot code for a processor comprising:

a. a writable non-volatile memory comprising;

i. one region having non-write protected active boot code therein, said boot code having the functionality to allow an instrument containing said memory to communicate with a process control system; and

ii. another region having therein an inactive non-write protected boot code which is a functional equivalent of said active boot code; and

b. a source of said new boot code connected to said processor;

said processor operating under control of said active boot code for replacing said inactive boot code with said new boot code from said source.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein said memory further comprises a processor vector table and said new boot code includes a vector table, said processor causing after said new boot code has replaced said inactive boot code said new boot code vector table to be copied to said memory processor vector table so that said new boot code can become said active boot code upon resetting of said processor.

5. A method of providing new boot code for a processor, comprising the steps of:

a. providing a writable non-volatile memory having one region having active non-write protected boot code for said processor therein, said boot code having the functionality to allow an instrument containing said memory to communicate with a process control system and another region having therein an inactive non-write protected boot code which is a functional equivalent of said active boot code;

b. connecting a source of new boot code to said processor;

c. transmitting said new boot code from said source to said processor; and

d. writing under control of said active boot code said new boot code to said another region to thereby replace said inactive boot code.

6. The method of claim 5 further including after said writing step the step of verifying that said new boot code is written to said another region.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said memory also has a processor vector table and said new boot code includes a vector table and said method further includes after said verifying step the step of copying said new boot code vector table to said memory processor vector table.

8. The method of claim 7 further including after said copying step the step of resetting said processor so that said new boot code becomes said active boot code.

9. In a device having a processor a method of providing new boot code for said processor, comprising the steps of:

a. providing in said device a writable non-volatile memory having one region having active non-write protected boot code for said processor therein, said boot code having the functionality to allow an instrument containing said memory to communicate with a process control system and another region having therein an inactive non-write protected boot code which is a functional equivalent of said active boot code;

b. connecting a source of new boot code to said processor;

c. transmitting said new boot code from said source to said processor; and

d. writing under control of said active boot code said new boot code to said another region to thereby replace said inactive boot code.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said new boot code source is external to said device.

11. The method of claim 9 further including after said writing step the step of verifying that said new boot code is written to said another region.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said memory also has a processor vector table and said new boot code includes a vector table and said method further includes after said verifying step the step of copying said new boot code vector table to said memory processor vector table.

13. The method of claim 12 further including after said copying step the step of resetting said processor so that said new boot code becomes said active boot code.

14. A system for providing new boot code for a processor in a device, comprising:

a. a writable non-volatile memory in said device, said memory comprising;

i. one region having active non-write protected boot code therein, said boot code having the functionality to allow an instrument containing said memory to communicate with a process control system; and

ii. another region having therein an inactive non-write protected boot code which is a functional equivalent of said active boot code;

b. means for connecting a source of said new boot code to said device; and

c. means including said processor and under control of said active boot code for replacing said inactive boot code with said new boot code from said source.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein said device has a housing and said processor, said replacing means, and said memory are inside said housing.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein said new boot code source is outside of said housing.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein said source includes a connector and said means for connecting said source to said device comprises a connector on said housing and a cable compatible with said source connector and said housing connector.

18. A method for upgrading the boot code in an instrument having a non-volatile memory having a first boot code block having a vector table and a boot code area therein, and a second boot code block having a vector table and a boot code area therein, each of said first and said second boot code areas having non-write protected boot code therein, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) determining from a processor vector table stored in said non-volatile memory which of said first and said second boot code blocks is then currently active, said boot code in said first boot code area having the functionality to allow said instrument to communicate with a process control system;

(b) writing said upgraded boot code and an associated vector table into said boot code area and vector table area, respectively, of that one of said first and said second boot code blocks which is not then currently active;

(c) determining the successful transfer of said upgraded boot code and said associated vector table to that one of said first and said second boot code blocks which is not then currently active;

(d) causing said then currently active boot code to overwrite said processor vector table with said vector table associated with said upgraded boot code; and

(e) resetting said instrument upon verification that said overwriting of said processor vector table has occurred so that said upgraded boot code becomes the currently active boot code for said instrument after resetting has occurred.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein in said writing step said upgraded boot code is written to a start address in said boot code area of that one of said first and said second boot code blocks which is not then currently active which is different than the start address of the boot code in said boot code area of that one of said first and said second boot code blocks which is then currently active.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein said boot code in said first boot code block boot code area and said boot code in said second boot code block second area are functional equivalents of each other.

21. The method of claim 18 wherein said step of determining which of said first and said second boot code blocks is then currently active is preceded by the step of connecting said instrument to a processing device, said processing device obtaining said upgraded boot code from a remote source.

22. A method for upgrading the boot code in an instrument having a non-volatile memory having a first boot code block having a vector table and a boot code area with currently active non-write protected boot code therein, and a second boot code block having a vector table and a boot code area with currently inactive non-write protected boot code therein, said currently active boot code having the functionality to allow said instrument to communicate with a process control system, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) writing said upgraded boot code and an associated vector table into said boot code area and vector table area, respectively, of said second boot code block;

(b) determining the successful transfer of said upgraded boot code and said associated vector table to said second boot code block;

(c) causing said then active boot code to overwrite a processor vector table stored in said memory with said associated upgraded vector table; and

(d) resetting said instrument upon verification that said overwriting of said processor vector table has occurred to thereby make the upgraded boot code said active boot code for said instrument after said resetting has occurred.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein in said writing step said upgraded boot code is written to a start address in said boot code area of said second boot code block which is different than the start address of said currently active boot code in said boot code area of said first block.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein said currently active boot code and said currently inactive boot code are functional equivalents of each other.

25. The method of claim 22 wherein said writing step is preceded by the step of connecting said instrument to a processing device, said processing device obtaining said upgraded boot code from a remote source.

26. A method for operating an instrument having a non-volatile memory, said memory having a first boot code block having a vector table and a boot code area with currently active non-write protected boot code therein, and a second boot code block having a vector table and a boot code area with currently inactive non-write protected boot code therein, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) using said currently active boot code to operate said instrument, said currently active boot code having the functionality to allow said instrument to communicate with a process control system; and

(b) upgrading said currently inactive boot code comprising the steps of;

(i) writing said upgraded boot code and an associated vector table into said boot code area and vector table area, respectively, of said second boot code block;

(ii) determining the successful transfer of said upgraded boot code and said associated vector table to said second boot code block;

(iii) causing said active boot code to overwrite a processor vector table stored in said memory with said associated upgraded vector table; and

(iv) resetting said instrument upon verification that said overwriting of said processor vector table has occurred to thereby make said upgraded boot code the active boot code for said instrument after said resetting has occurred.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein in said writing step said upgraded boot code is written to a start address in said boot code area of said second boot code block which is different than the start address of said currently active boot code in said boot code area of said first block.

28. The method of claim 26 wherein said currently active boot code and said currently inactive boot code are functional equivalents of each other.

29. The method of claim 26 wherein said writing step is preceded by the step of connecting said instrument to a processing device, said processing device obtaining said upgrade boot code from a remote source.

30. The method of claim 26 wherein said step of upgrading said inactive boot code terminates prior to the completion of said writing step and said instrument continues to operate using only said currently active boot code.

31. A system for upgrading boot code in a nonvolatile memory of an instrument comprising:

(a) a processing device having said upgraded boot code, said instrument connected to said processing device for receiving said upgraded boot code from said processing device;

said instrument non-volatile memory comprising;

(i) a first boot code block having a vector table and a boot code area with currently active non-write protected boot code therein, said currently active boot code having the functionality to allow said instrument to communicate with a process control system;

(ii) a second boot code block having a vector table and a boot code area with currently inactive non-write protected boot code therein; and

(iii) a processor vector table stored therein;

said processing device causing said instrument to overwrite said currently inactive boot code with said upgraded boot code and said vector table of said second boot code block with a vector table associated with said upgraded boot code, and said currently active boot code to overwrite said processor vector table with said associated upgraded vector table;

said currently active boot code resetting said instrument when said overwriting of said processor vector table has occurred to thereby make said upgraded boot code the active boot code for said instrument after said resetting has occurred.

32. The system of claim 31 wherein said processing device receives said upgraded boot code from a remote source.

33. A method for upgrading boot code in a nonvolatile memory of an instrument, said memory having a first boot code block having a vector table and a boot code area with currently active non-write protected boot code therein, said currently active boot code having the functionality to allow said instrument to communicate with a process control system and a second boot code block having a vector table and a boot code area with currently inactive non-write protected boot code therein, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) connecting said instrument to a processing device for receiving said upgraded boot code from said processing device;

(b) upgrading said currently inactive boot code, said currently inactive boot code a functional equivalent of said currently active boot code, said upgrading comprising the steps of;

(i) writing said upgraded boot code and an associated vector table into said boot code area and vector table area, respectively, of said second boot code block;

(ii) determining the successful transfer of said upgraded boot code and said associated vector table to said second boot code block;

(iii) causing said active boot code to overwrite a processor vector table stored in said memory with said associated upgraded vector table; and

(iv) resetting said instrument upon verification that said overwriting of said processor vector table has occurred to thereby make said upgraded boot code the active boot code for said instrument after said resetting has occurred.

34. The method of claim 33 further comprising before said step of connecting said instrument to said processing device the step of connecting said processing device to a remote source for receiving said upgraded boot code from said remote source.