Method and apparatus for field firmware updates in data storage systems

• US 9,229,706 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2015
• Issued: 01/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Asnaashari, Mehdi
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, CHUN KUAN
• Application Number:
  US14/645,106
• Publication Number:
  US 20150186131A1
• Time in Patent Office: 300 Days
• Field of Search: 710/8
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/33 using certificates
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/572 Secure firmware programming, e.g. of basic input output system [BIOS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/031 Protect user input by software means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2153 Using hardware token as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0605 by facilitating the interaction with a user or administrator
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0607 by facilitating the process of upgrading existing storage systems, e.g. for improving compatibility between host and storage device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0632 by initialisation or re-initialisation of storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0679 Non-volatile semiconductor memory device, e.g. flash memory, one time programmable memory [OTP]
• 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 9/4411 Configuring for operating with peripheral devices; Loading of device drivers

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.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a memory device including device firmware; and

a controller coupled to the memory device, the controller configured to determine whether the device firmware can be updated with new firmware based on a difference between a minor version of the new firmware and a minor version of the device firmware,

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 an incremental value, and

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.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein access to the memory device is provided to a host responsive to authenticating the host.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein access to the memory device is provided to a host responsive to providing cryptographic capabilities to the host.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to determine whether the device firmware can be updated with the new firmware based on the minor version of the new firmware and the minor version of the device firmware,

wherein the device firmware is not updated with the new firmware when the minor version of the new firmware is less than the minor version of the device firmware, and

wherein the device firmware is updated with the new firmware when the minor version of the new firmware is higher than the minor version of device firmware.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to check for available instances of new firmware when the apparatus is connected to a host system.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to compare a respective configuration profile of the new firmware with a configuration profile of the device firmware to identify if the new firmware can be used to update the device firmware.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller comprises a device controller coupled to a memory and configured to control data storage in and retrieval from the memory, and wherein the apparatus further comprises a smart card coupled to the device controller.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein a configuration profile of the device firmware is stored in the smart card, and wherein the smart card is configured to determine whether or not the device firmware can be updated with the new firmware based at least in part on a comparison of the configuration profile of the device firmware and a configuration profile of the new firmware.

9. An apparatus comprising:

a memory;

a device firmware stored in the memory;

a device controller coupled to the memory and configured to control data storage in and retrieval from the memory; and

a smart card coupled to the device controller, the smart card configured 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 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,

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, and

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.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the smart card is further configured to verify whether or not one or more of the plurality of new firmware instances can be used to update the device firmware, based at least in part, on a configuration profile of the device firmware, the smart card further configured to determine whether or not a respective configuration profile of the one or more of the plurality of new firmware instances meets a criterion related to the configuration profile of the device firmware.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the smart card is further configured to update the device firmware with the one or more of a plurality of new firmware instances if the configuration profile of the one or more of the plurality of new firmware instances meets the criterion related to the configuration profile of the device firmware.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the smart card is further configured to store a configuration profile of the device firmware, and the device controller is further configured to compare a respective configuration profile of each of the plurality of new firmware instances to the configuration profile of the device firmware to identify those of the one or more of the plurality of new firmware instances that meet a criterion with respect to the configuration profile of the device firmware.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the smart card is further configured to update the device firmware with one of the plurality of new firmware instances without user intervention.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the smart card is further configured to update the device firmware with one of the plurality of the new firmware instances with user intervention.

15. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the smart card is further configured 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 version of the device firmware and the version of each of the one or more of a plurality of new firmware instances,

wherein the firmware is not updated with the one or more of the plurality of new firmware instances when the version of the device firmware is higher than the version of each of the one or more of the plurality of new firmware instances, and

wherein the firmware is updated with the one or more of the plurality of new firmware instances when the version of the device firmware is less than the version of each of the one or more of the plurality of new firmware instances.

16. A method comprising:

determining, with a controller, a difference between a minor version of a new firmware and a minor version of a current firmware of a memory device;

updating the current firmware of the memory device with the new firmware when the difference between the minor version of the new firmware and the minor version of the current firmware of the memory device does not exceed an incremental value; and

not updating the current firmware of the memory device when the difference between the minor version of the new firmware and the minor version of the current firmware of the memory device exceeds an incremental value.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising authenticating a host responsive, at least in part, to receipt of a host signal.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising providing access to the memory device responsive to authenticating the host.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein authenticating the host comprises receiving a password, a personal identification number, a key, a certificate, or combinations thereof.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising checking for available instances of new firmware when the memory device is coupled to a host.

21. The method of claim 16, further comprising indicating to a host whether the current firmware of the memory device may be updated with the new firmware.