Method for just-in-time updating of programming parts

• US 6,954,929 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2001
• Issued: 10/11/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Kroeger, Christopher S, Maciorowski, David R., Erickson, Michael John
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo, Ted T.
• Application Number:
  US09/917,982
• Publication Number:
  US 20030023962A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,534 Days
• Field of Search: 717124-127, 717168-178, 717120-122, 702117-123, 710 36- 47, 710/109, 710/220, 710 72- 74, 710313-315, 716/15, 716 12- 17, 703 21- 22, 709212-233, 709311-312, 709319-321, 709324-327, 711100-112, 713 1- 2, 713/100
• US Class Current: 717/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/63 Image based installation; Cloning; Build to order

Abstract

The invention provides a method of implementing firmware updates to programmable parts within circuit boards on a manufacturing line. An image file of firmware for each of the parts is created and stored on a firmware server. The programmable parts are preferably integrated with the printed circuit boards; each of the boards networks to the firmware server by connection with an interface server, such that the image files download to the circuit board for programming the board'"'"'s internal programmable parts. Networking between the parts and the firmware server can include communications across the Internet and/or one or more area networks. Multiple interface servers may be integral with the products incorporating the programmable parts so that many products may be updated concurrently.

Claims

1. A method of implementing firmware updates to a programmable part within a printed circuit board, comprising the steps of:

creating an image file of firmware used to program the part;

storing the image file at a firmware server;

integrating the programmable part with the printed circuit board;

networking the printed circuit board with the firmware server; and

automatically polling the firmware server to download the firmware to program the programmable part.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of automatically polling comprises downloading the firmware to the printed circuit board.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of integrating a serial chip with the printed circuit board, the serial chip polling the firmware server to download the firmware, the programmable part having bootstrap software to download the firmware from the serial chip to the programmable part.

4. The method of claim 1, the step of networking comprising utilizing one or more of the Internet, LAN, WAN or mixtures thereof.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising updating the image file at the firmware server, wherein subsequent download of the image file to a programmable part is seamless to the updated firmware.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of networking comprises utilizing a first interface server local to the programmable part and remote from the firmware server.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of utilizing a first interface server comprises coupling the printed circuit board to a connector of the first interface server.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of networking comprises networking the firmware server with the printed circuit board.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising decoupling the printed circuit board from the first interface server.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising utilizing bootstrap software associated with the programmable part to program the programmable part.

11. A system for programming programmable parts in a manufacturing line, comprising:

a firmware server connected to a network for storing one or more firmware image files;

one or more interface servers with the manufacturing line and connected to the network, for capturing at least one of the firmware image files from the firmware server; and

one or more printed circuit boards having one or more programmable parts and connected with at least one of the interface servers, the printed circuit boards polling the firmware server to download at least one of the firmware image files and program at least one of the programmable parts with firmware corresponding to the at least one firmware image file.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein one of the interface servers sequentially connects with a plurality of printed circuit boards.

13. The system of claim 12, the one interface server comprising a connector for physically coupling with the plurality of circuit boards.

14. The system of claim 13, the connector having one or more pins that interface in a programming configuration with pads or pins on the plurality of printed circuit boards to program the programmable parts.

15. The method of claim 11, the at least one programmable part utilizing bootstrap software to program the at least one programmable part.

16. A method of implementing firmware updates to programmable parts within one or more circuit boards, comprising the steps of:

creating one or more image files of firmware used to program the parts;

storing the image files at a firmware server; and

polling the firmware server such that at least one of the image files downloads to at least one of the circuit boards for programming at least one of the programmable parts.

17. The method of claim 16, the step of polling comprising utilizing one or more of the Internet, LAN, WAN or mixtures thereof.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising updating at least one of the firmware image files at the firmware server, wherein subsequent download of the one firmware image file to one or more of the programmable parts is seamless to the updated firmware.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of polling comprises utilizing one or more interface servers remote from the firmware server.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of utilizing the interface servers comprises coupling one or more of the printed circuit boards to a connector of at least one of the interface servers.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of polling comprises simultaneously networking a plurality of interface servers to the firmware server.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of utilizing the interface servers comprises networking devices within one or more of the circuit boards to a network coupled to the firmware server.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising the step of concurrently programming a plurality of programmable parts on one or more of the circuit boards through downloading, over the network, a plurality of the image files to the plurality of programmable parts.