PROCESSING SYSTEM CAPABLE OF DOWNLOADING FIRMWARE CODE AND BEING TESTED AT SAME SITE DURING MP PHASE

• US 20090055820A1
• Filed: 08/24/2007
• Published: 02/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MediaTek, Inc.
• Original Assignee: MediaTek, Inc.
• Inventors: Huang, Shih-Hung
• Granted Patent: US 8,122,445 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/178
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57

Abstract

A processing system capable of downloading a firmware code and being tested at the same site during a mass production phase includes: a processor for performing operations of the processing system, where the processor has a plurality of terminals as communication terminals of the processing system, and is capable of receiving the firmware code through the plurality of terminals of the processor; and a storage unit, coupled to the processor, for storing the firmware code received from the processor.

Claims

1. A processing system capable of downloading a firmware code and being tested at the same site during a mass production phase, comprising:

a processor for performing operations of the processing system, wherein the processor has a plurality of terminals as communication terminals of the processing system, and is capable of receiving the firmware code through the plurality of terminals of the processor; and

a storage unit, coupled to the processor, for storing the firmware code received from the processor.

2. The processing system of claim 1, wherein the processing system is an embedded system.

3. The processing system of claim 2, wherein the processor is an Advanced RISC Machine (ARM) processor or the like.

4. The processing system of claim 1, wherein the storage unit is a non-volatile memory.

5. The processing system of claim 1, wherein the storage unit is a Flash memory.

6. The processing system of claim 1, further comprising:

a read only memory (ROM) for storing a hardware code for the processor.

7. The processing system of claim 6, wherein the hardware code comprises at least one command for downloading the firmware code into the storage unit via the processor.

8. The processing system of claim 6, wherein the hardware code comprises a command for loading another command that is utilized for downloading the firmware code into the storage unit via the processor.

9. The processing system of claim 1, wherein the processor is utilized as an interface of the storage unit while downloading the firmware code into the storage unit.

10. The processing system of claim 1, wherein the processor and the storage unit are packaged together by utilizing a multi-chip package (MCP).

11. A method for downloading a firmware code into a processing system and testing the processing system at the same site during a mass production phase, comprising:

providing a processor and a storage unit within the processing system, wherein the processor is capable of being utilized for performing operations of the processing system, and the processor has a plurality of terminals as communication terminals of the processing system;

utilizing the processor to receive the firmware code through the plurality of terminals of the processor; and

utilizing the storage unit to store the firmware code received from the processor.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the processing system is an embedded system.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the processor is an Advanced RISC Machine (ARM) processor or the like.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the storage unit is a non-volatile memory.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the storage unit is a Flash memory.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

providing a read only memory (ROM); and

utilizing the ROM to store a hardware code for the processor.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the hardware code comprises at least one command for downloading the firmware code into the storage unit via the processor.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the hardware code comprises a command for loading another command that is utilized for downloading the firmware code into the storage unit via the processor.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the processor is utilized as an interface of the storage unit while downloading the firmware code into the storage unit.

20. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

packaging the processor and the storage unit together by utilizing a multi-chip package (MCP).