Method for fault tolerant updating of an electronic device

• US 7,082,549 B2
• Filed: 08/07/2003
• Issued: 07/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bitfone Corp. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Rao, Bindu Rama, O'Neill, Patrick
• Primary Examiner(s): Peikari, B. James
• Application Number:
  US10/636,864
• Publication Number:
  US 20040123282A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,083 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 714/6.2
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/08 in hierarchically structured memory systems, e.g. virtual memory systems
• 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 8/658 Incremental updates; Differential updates
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72406 by software upgrading or downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/245 from a network towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99954 Version management

Abstract

Methods for updating an electronic device having a non-volatile memory are disclosed. An embodiment of the present invention may permit the update of an electronic device from a first code version to a second code version using a fault-tolerant, bank-by-bank method. An update package comprising update instructions may be received via a public and/or wireless network, and the update instructions may be used to convert the first code version to the second code version. The bank order of the conversion may be specified in the update package, and may be non-sequential.

Claims

1. A method of updating an electronic device comprising a non-volatile memory having a plurality of banks containing a first code version, the method comprising:

(a) selecting one of the plurality of banks;

(b) duplicating the selected bank to a working bank;

(c) copying the selected bank to a backup bank;

(d) converting the contents of the working bank from the first code version to a second code version;

(e) moving the converted working bank to the selected bank;

(f) verifying the successful completion of at least one of the duplicating, the copying, and the converting using at least one of a cyclic redundancy check, a message digest, a digital signature, and a checksum; and

(g) repeating (a) through (f) until each of the plurality of banks has been updated.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the converting uses at least one update instruction.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the working bank is located in volatile memory.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the selecting uses at least one of at least a cyclic redundancy check, a message digest, a digital signature, a checksum, and a specified bank order.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the selecting uses at least one of a cyclic redundancy check, a message digest, a digital signature, and a checksum when resuming the updating following one of at least a reset or a power up, and wherein the selecting uses a specified bank order at all other times.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving an update package.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the update package comprises at least one update instruction.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the update package comprises a bank order specification.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein the receiving is accomplished using a public network.

10. The method of claim 6 wherein the receiving is accomplished using a wireless network.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining the progress of the updating using at least one of at least a cyclic redundancy check, a message digest, a digital signature, and a checksum.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the converting uses at least a portion of at least one of the plurality of banks other than the selected bank.

13. A method of updating an electronic device from a first code version to a second code version, the electronic device comprising a non-volatile memory having a plurality of banks containing the first code version, the method comprising:

(a) receiving an update package comprising at least one update instruction;

(b) selecting one of the plurality of banks using at least one of at least a cyclic redundancy check, a message digest, a digital signature, a checksum, and a specified bank order;

(c) converting the selected bank from the first code version to the second code version using the at least one update instruction; and

(d) repeating (b) through (c) in a bank by bank manner until each of the plurality of banks has been updated.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the selecting uses at least one of at least a cyclic redundancy check, a message digest, a digital signature, and a checksum when resuming the updating following at least one of a reset and a power up, and wherein the selecting uses a specified bank order at all other times.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the converting further comprises:

duplicating the selected bank to a working bank;

copying the selected bank to a backup bank;

transforming the contents of the working bank from the first code version to the second code version; and

moving the transformed contents of the working bank to the selected bank.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the working bank is located in volatile memory.

17. The method of claim 13 wherein the converting uses at least a portion of at least one of the plurality of banks other than the selected bank.

18. The method of claim 13 wherein the update package comprises a bank order specification.

19. The method of claim 13 wherein the banks are selected in a non-sequential bank order.

20. The method of claim 13 wherein the receiving is via a public network.

21. The method of claim 13 wherein the receiving is via a wireless network.

22. A method of updating an electronic device from a first code version to a second code version, the electronic device comprising a non-volatile memory having a plurality of banks containing the first code version, the method comprising:

(a) receiving an update package comprising at least one update instruction using a public network;

(b) selecting one of the plurality of banks;

(c) converting the selected bank from the first code version to the second code version using the at least one update instruction; and

(d) repeating (b) through (c) in a bank by bank manner until each of the plurality of banks has been updated.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the converting further comprises:

duplicating the selected bank to a working bank;

copying the selected bank to a backup bank;

transforming the contents of the working bank from the first code version to the second code version; and

moving the transformed contents of the working bank to the selected bank.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the working bank is located in volatile memory.

25. The method of claim 23 wherein the transforming uses the original and the transformed contents of the previously updated bank, in addition to at least one other of the plurality of banks.

26. The method of claim 22 wherein the converting uses at least a portion of at least one of the plurality of banks other than the selected bank.

27. The method of claim 22 wherein the selecting uses at least one of at least a cyclic redundancy check, a message digest, a digital signature, a checksum, and a specified bank order.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein the selecting uses at least one of at least a cyclic redundancy check, a message digest, a digital signature, and a checksum when resuming the updating following at least one of a reset and a power up, and wherein the selecting uses a specified bank order at all other times.

29. The method of claim 22 wherein the update package comprises a bank order specification.

30. The method of claim 22 wherein the one of the plurality of banks is selected in a non-sequential bank order.