Systems and Methods for Failsafe Firmware Upgrades

• US 20190018669A1
• Filed: 12/06/2017
• Published: 01/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CalAmp Corporation
• Original Assignee: CalAmp Corporation
• Inventors: Cook, Russell, Ramiah, Somasundaram
• Granted Patent: US 10,599,421 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2365 Ensuring data consistency and integrity
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/63 Image based installation; Cloning; Build to order
• 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 9/4401 Bootstrapping security arrangements therefor G06F21/57

Abstract

Systems and methods for failsafe firmware upgrades in accordance with embodiments of the invention are disclosed. One embodiment includes a vehicle telematics device, including: a processor; and a firmware memory comprising a firmware image coupled to the processor, wherein the firmware image further comprise a first segment and a second segment; wherein a primary bootloader application located in the firmware image: verifies the integrity of the first segment; verifies the integrity of the second segment; selects a firmware image contained in the firmware memory using a failsafe process; and—boots the vehicle telematics device using the selected firmware image.

Claims

1. A vehicle telematics device, comprising:

a processor; and

a firmware memory coupled to the processor, wherein the firmware memory comprises;

a primary bootloader application, and

a firmware image comprising a first segment and a second segment;

wherein the primary bootloader application is configured to;

verify the integrity of the first segment;

verify the integrity of the second segment;

select a firmware image contained in the firmware memory by using a failsafe process; and

boot the vehicle telematics device by using the selected firmware image.

2. The vehicle telematics device of claim 1, wherein the firmware memory further comprises a default image and a transferred image, wherein the primary bootloader application selects the firmware image to boot the vehicle telematics device when the first segment is invalid and the second segment is invalid, and wherein the transferred image stored within the firmware memory is independent of a partition location such that transferring a single image is sufficient without the need to transfer a plurality of images, thereby saving time and cost of transferring images.

3. The vehicle telematics device of claim 1, wherein the primary bootloader application verifies the integrity of the first segment by using a checksum in a first image header.

4. The vehicle telematics device of claim 1, wherein the primary bootloader application verifies the integrity of the second segment by using a checksum in a second image header.

5. The vehicle telematics device of claim 1, wherein the primary bootloader application selects the first segment to boot the vehicle telematics device when the first segment is valid and the second segment is invalid.

6. The vehicle telematics device of claim 1, wherein the primary bootloader application selects the second segment to boot the vehicle telematics device when the second segment is valid and the first segment is invalid.

7. The vehicle telematics device of claim 1, wherein the primary bootloader application:

checks an image ID for the first segment; and

checks an image ID for the second segment.

8. The vehicle telematics device of claim 7, wherein the image ID for the first segment is located in a first image header and the image ID for the image segment is located in a second image header.

9. The vehicle telematics device of claim 7, wherein the primary bootloader application selects the first segment to boot the vehicle telematics device when the first segment is valid, the second segment is valid, and the image ID for the first segment is equal to the image ID for the second firmware image segment.

10. The vehicle telematics device of claim 7, wherein the primary bootloader application selects the second segment to boot the vehicle telematics device when the first segment is valid, the second segment is valid, and the image ID for the second segment is greater than the image ID for the first segment.

11. The vehicle telematics device of claim 1, wherein the firmware memory is a flash memory.

12. A method for firmware updates, the method comprising:

running a primary bootloader application contained in a firmware image by using a vehicle telematics device, wherein the vehicle telematics device comprises a processor and a firmware memory coupled to the processor and the firmware image is contained in the firmware memory, the firmware image further comprising a first segment, and a second segment;

verifying the integrity of the first segment by using the vehicle telematics device;

verifying the integrity of the second segment by using the vehicle telematics device;

selecting a firmware image contained in the firmware memory to boot by using a failsafe process; and

booting the vehicle telematics device by using the selected firmware image.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the firmware memory comprises a default image and a transferred image, the method further comprising:

selecting the default firmware image to boot the vehicle telematics device when the first segment is invalid and the second firmware image segment is invalid,

wherein the transferred image stored within the firmware memory is independent of a partition location such that transferring a single image is sufficient without the need to transfer a plurality of images, thereby saving time and cost of transferring images.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein verifying of the integrity of the first firmware image segment comprises using a checksum in a first image header by using the vehicle telematics device.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein verifying the integrity of the second segment comprises using a checksum in a second image header by using the vehicle telematics device.

16. The method of claim 12, the method further comprising selecting the first segment to boot the vehicle telematics device when the first segment is valid and the second segment is invalid.

17. The method of claim 12, the method further comprising selecting the second segment to boot the vehicle telematics device when the second segment is valid and the first segment is invalid.

18. The method of claim 12, the method further comprising:

checking an image ID for the first segment by using the vehicle telematics device; and

checking an image ID for the second segment by using the vehicle telematics device.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the image ID for the first segment is located in a first image header and the image ID for the second segment is located in a second image header.

20. The method of claim 18, the method further comprising selecting the first segment to boot the vehicle telematics device when the first firmware image segment is valid, the second firmware image segment is valid, and the image ID for the first firmware image segment is equal to the image ID for the second firmware image segment.