Method, medium, and apparatus for re-programming flash memory of a computing device

• US 9,430,220 B2
• Filed: 07/22/2014
• Issued: 08/30/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Wist, Alan D., Alrabady, Ansaf I.
• Primary Examiner(s): APONTE, FRANCISCO JAVIER
• Application Number:
  US14/338,193
• Publication Number:
  US 20160026458A1
• Time in Patent Office: 770 Days
• Field of Search: 717/168
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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

Abstract

A method of re-programming flash memory of a computing device is presented here. Software content having a plurality of software modules can be re-programmed by identifying, from the software modules, a first set of software modules to be programmed by delta programming and a second set of software modules to be programmed by non-delta programming. A first set of sectors of the flash memory is assigned for programming the first set of software modules, and a second set of sectors is assigned for programming the second set of software modules. At least some of the second set of sectors are designated as temporary backup memory space. The first set of sectors is programmed with the first set of software modules, using delta programming and the designated temporary backup memory space. After programming the first set of sectors, the second set of sectors is programmed with the second set of software modules, using non-delta programming.

Claims

1. A method of re-programming flash memory of a computing device with software content comprising a plurality of software modules, the method comprising:

identifying, from the plurality of software modules, a first set of software modules to be programmed by delta programming and a second set of software modules to be programmed by non-delta programming;

assigning a first set of sectors of the flash memory for re-programming with the first set of software modules using delta programming, and a second set of sectors of the flash memory for re-programming with the second set of software modules using non-delta programming, wherein each of the first set of sectors and the second set of sectors is already programmed with existing software modules;

determining a maximum sector size to be programmed using delta programming;

designating at least some of the second set of sectors as temporary backup memory space, wherein the designating includes allocating an amount of the flash memory equal to at least the maximum sector size for use as the temporary backup memory space;

copying at least some program code of the existing software modules from the first set of sectors to the designated temporary backup memory space;

after the copying, re-programming the first set of sectors with the first set of software modules, using delta programming and using the designated temporary backup memory space to preserve the copied program code of the existing software modules in a recoverable form during the re-programming of the first set of sectors; and

after re-programming the first set of sectors, re-programming the second set of sectors with the second set of software modules, using non-delta programming, wherein re-programming the second set of sectors replaces the copied program code of the existing software modules with new program code that represents the second set of software modules.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining a delta program file that represents a difference between an existing set of software modules in the first set of sectors and the first set of software modules, wherein re-programming the first set of sectors uses the delta program file.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the computing device is an electronic control unit of a vehicle; and

the plurality of software modules comprises an application software module and a program calibration module associated with the application software module.

4. A non-transitory computer readable medium having computer executable instructions stored thereon and capable of performing a method when executed by a processor, the method comprising:

identifying, from a plurality of software modules, a first set of software modules to be programmed into a flash memory by delta programming and a second set of software modules to be programmed into the flash memory by non-delta programming;

assigning a first set of sectors of the flash memory for re-programming with the first set of software modules using delta programming, and a second set of sectors of the flash memory for re-programming with the second set of software modules using non-delta programming, wherein each of the first set of sectors and the second set of sectors is already programmed with existing software modules;

determining a maximum sector size to be programmed using delta programming;

designating at least some of the second set of sectors as temporary backup memory space, wherein the designating includes allocating an amount of the flash memory equal to at least the maximum sector size for use as the temporary backup memory space;

copying at least some program code of the existing software modules from the first set of sectors to the designated temporary backup memory space;

after the copying, re-programming the first set of sectors with the first set of software modules, using delta programming and using the designated temporary backup memory space to preserve the copied program code of the existing software modules in a recoverable form during the re-programming of the first set of sectors; and

after re-programming the first set of sectors, re-programming the second set of sectors with the second set of software modules, using non-delta programming, wherein re-programming the second set of sectors replaces the copied program code of the existing software modules with new program code that represents the second set of software modules.

5. The computer readable medium of claim 4, wherein the method performed by the computer-executable instructions further comprises:

obtaining a delta program file that represents a difference between an existing set of software modules in the first set of sectors and the first set of software modules, wherein re-programming the first set of sectors uses the delta program file.

6. The computer readable medium of claim 4, wherein the plurality of software modules comprises an application software module and a program calibration module associated with the application software module.

7. An electronic control unit for a vehicle, the electronic control unit comprising:

a processor architecture having at least one processor device;

a flash memory to store program code representing a plurality of software modules; and

computer readable media having computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the processor architecture, cause the electronic control unit to;

initiate re-programming of the flash memory with a first software module and a second software module;

obtain a delta program file associated with the first software module;

assign a first set of sectors of the flash memory for re-programming with the first software module using delta programming, and a second set of sectors of the flash memory for re-programming with the second software module using non-delta programming, wherein each of the first set of sectors and the second set of sectors is already programmed with existing software modules;

determining a maximum sector size to be programmed using delta programming;

designating at least some of the second set of sectors as temporary backup memory space, wherein the designating includes allocating an amount of the flash memory equal to at least the maximum sector size for use as the temporary backup memory space;

copy program code of the existing software modules from the first set of sectors to the second set of sectors;

after the copying, delta program the first set of sectors of the flash memory with the first software module, using the delta program file and using the second set of sectors as the temporary backup memory space to preserve the copied program code of the existing software modules in a recoverable form during delta programming of the first set of sectors; and

after delta programming the first set of sectors, program the second set of sectors with the second software module, using non-delta programming, wherein programming the second set of sectors replaces the copied program code of the existing software modules with new program code that represents the second software module.

8. The electronic control unit of claim 7, wherein:

the first software module comprises an application software module; and

the second software module comprises a calibration module associated with the application software module.

9. The electronic control module of claim 7, wherein the delta program file is obtained from an external source to update an existing software image of the flash memory.

10. The electronic control module of claim 9, wherein the delta program file represents a difference between the existing software image and the first software module.

11. The electronic control module of claim 7, wherein the computer-executable instructions cause the electronic control unit to:

obtain program code that represents the second software module in its entirety, wherein the program code is used during the non-delta programming.

12. The electronic control module of claim 11, wherein the obtained program code comprises a compressed image.