Method and apparatus for field firmware updates in data storage systems
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A data storage device, comprising:
- a memory device storing device firmware; and
a controller coupled to the memory device and operating in accordance with the device firmware, the controller operable to determine whether the device firmware can be updated with new firmware based on whether a major version of the new firmware matches a major version of the device firmware and based on whether a difference between a minor version of the new firmware and a minor version of the device firmware does not exceed an incremental value;
wherein the device firmware is not updated with the new firmware when the difference between the minor version of the new firmware and the minor version of the device firmware exceeds the incremental value;
wherein the device firmware is updated with the new firmware when the difference between the minor version of the new firmware and the minor version of device firmware does not exceed the incremental value;
wherein the data storage device is configured to provide access to the memory device responsive, at least in part, to authenticating a host or providing cryptographic capabilities to the host.
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Abstract
Data storage devices and methods for updating firmware are disclosed. For example, one such data storage device includes a device firmware and a controller, where the controller operates in accordance with the device firmware. The controller determines whether or not the device firmware can be updated with new firmware at least partially based on whether or not the new firmware meets a criterion related to a configuration profile of the device firmware.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A data storage device, comprising:
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a memory device storing device firmware; and a controller coupled to the memory device and operating in accordance with the device firmware, the controller operable to determine whether the device firmware can be updated with new firmware based on whether a major version of the new firmware matches a major version of the device firmware and based on whether a difference between a minor version of the new firmware and a minor version of the device firmware does not exceed an incremental value; wherein the device firmware is not updated with the new firmware when the difference between the minor version of the new firmware and the minor version of the device firmware exceeds the incremental value; wherein the device firmware is updated with the new firmware when the difference between the minor version of the new firmware and the minor version of device firmware does not exceed the incremental value; wherein the data storage device is configured to provide access to the memory device responsive, at least in part, to authenticating a host or providing cryptographic capabilities to the host. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A data storage device, comprising:
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a memory; a device firmware stored in the memory, the firmware having operating instruction and a plurality of configuration characteristics of the data storage device, the plurality of configuration characteristics comprising at least a hardware characteristic of at least the memory; a device controller coupled to the memory to control data storage in and retrieval, from the memory; and a smart card coupled to the device controller, the smart card operable to verify whether one or more of a plurality of new firmware instances can be used to update the device firmware before updating the firmware based on the hardware characteristic and whether a difference between a version of the device firmware and a version of each of the one or more of a plurality of new firmware instances does not exceed an incremental value, the smart card further operable to indicate to a host which of the plurality of new firmware instances can be used to update the device, the smart card further operable to authenticate the host responsive, at least in part, to receipt of a host signal, wherein the firmware is not updated with the one or more of the plurality of new firmware instances when the difference between the version of the device firmware and the version of each of the one or more of the plurality of new firmware instances exceeds the incremental value; wherein the firmware is updated with the one or more of the plurality of new firmware instances when the difference between the version of the device firmware and the version of each of the one or more of the plurality of new firmware instances does not exceed the incremental value. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An electronic device, comprising:
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a memory device storing device firmware having operating instructions and a configuration profile; and a controlling unit coupled to the memory device and operating in accordance with the device firmware, the controlling unit operable to determine whether the device firmware can be updated with new firmware based, at least in part, on whether a difference between a minor version of the new firmware and a minor version of the device firmware does not exceed an incremental value, the controlling unit further operable to determine if firmware can be updated based, at least in part, on authenticating a host, wherein the device firmware is not updated with the new firmware when the difference between the minor version of the new firmware and the minor version of the device firmware exceeds the incremental value, wherein the device firmware is updated with the new firmware when the difference between the minor version of the new firmware and the minor version of the device firmware does not exceed the incremental value, wherein the device firmware and the new firmware have a same major version. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method of updating a current firmware of a data storage device, comprising:
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identifying a minor version of the current firmware; identifying a minor version of a new firmware; and determining, with the data storage device, whether or not a difference between the minor version of the new firmware and the minor version of the current firmware does not exceed an incremental value, wherein the current firmware and the new firmware have a same major version; and selectively updating the current firmware with the new firmware, wherein the current firmware is not updated with the new firmware when the difference between the minor version of the new firmware and the minor version of the current firmware exceeds the incremental value, wherein the current firmware is updated with the new firmware when the difference between the minor version of the new firmware and the minor version of the current firmware does not exceed the incremental value. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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22. A method of updating a current firmware of an electronic device, comprising:
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including information about a minor firmware version in current firmware stored in the electronic device; providing access to the memory device of the electronic device responsive, at least in part, to authenticating a user; comparing the minor firmware version stored in the current firmware to a minor firmware version stored in new firmware to determine whether a difference between the minor firmware version of the new firmware and the minor firmware version of the current firmware does not exceed an incremental value; and selectively updating the current firmware with the new firmware, wherein the current firmware is not updated with the new firmware when the difference between the minor version of the new firmware and the minor version of the current firmware exceeds the incremental value, wherein the current firmware is updated with the new firmware when the difference between the minor version of the new firmware and the minor version of the current firmware does not exceed the incremental value. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24)
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Specification