Method and apparatus for providing updated firmware in a data processing system

• US 5,878,256 A
• Filed: 10/16/1991
• Issued: 03/02/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lenovo PC International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Capps, Louis Bennie Jr., Begun, Ralph Murray, Bealkowski, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Robertson, David L.
• Application Number:
  US07/777,844
• Time in Patent Office: 2,694 Days
• Field of Search: 395/425, 395/500, 395/575, 395/712, 395/652, 364/900, 364/268, 340/301.1, 711/103, 711/154
• US Class Current: 713/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1433 during software upgrading

Abstract

A programmable firmware store for a personal computer system includes a plurality of nonvolatile alterable electronic memories connected in a mutually paralleled circuit arrangement. The memories are connected to a controller that controls the memories to read firmware from and write firmware into the electronic memories, and to write-protect at least one of the memories. Any memory can be write-protected as initially selected by a user or technician of the system. The initial selection can be changed easily to write-protect another of the memories. The firmware in one memory includes code for checking the validity of firmware stored in another memory, and for selecting one or the other of the memories dependent upon a version code of the firmware. The controller also includes an update code for updating the firmware in a selected memory.

Claims

1. A method of utilizing firmware in a data processing system, comprising the steps of:

a) providing first and second non-volatile, alterable memories, each of said first and second non-volatile, alterable memories containing said firmware;

b) designating one of said first and second non-volatile, alterable memories as a cold-start memory and the other of said first and second non-volatile, alterable memories as an alternate memory;

c) performing preliminary initialization of said data processing system using said firmware from said cold start memory;

d) determining which of said cold-start memory or said alternate memory has a newer version of said firmware, and selecting whichever of said cold-start memory or said alternate memory that has said newer version of said firmware as an active memory; and

e) continuing initialization of said data processing system using said newer version of said firmware from said active memory.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

a) after said data processing system is initialized, selecting said alternate memory as active;

b) updating said firmware in said alternate memory; and

c) repeating said steps of performing preliminary initialization of said data processing system using said firmware from said cold-start memory, determining which of said cold-start memory or said alternate memory has a newer version of said firmware and selecting whichever of said cold-start memory or said alternate memory having said newer version of said firmware as an active memory and continuing initialization of said data processing system using said firmware from said active memory.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the steps of:

a) determining if said firmware contained in said alternate memory is valid after said firmware contained in said alternate memory is updated; and

b) if said firmware in said alternate memory is not valid, then selecting said cold-start memory as said active memory.

4. An apparatus for utilizing firmware in a data processing system, comprising:

a) means for providing first and second non-volatile, alterable memories, each of said first and second non-volatile, alterable memories containing said firmware;

b) means for designating one of said first and second non-volatile, alterable memories as a cold-start memory and the other of said first and second nonvolatile, alterable memories as an alternate memory;

c) means for performing preliminary initialization of said data processing system using said firmware from said cold start memory;

d) means for determining which of said cold-start memory or said alternate memory has a newer version of said firmware, and selecting whichever of said cold-start memory or said alternate memory that has said newer version of said firmware as an active memory; and

e) means for continuing initialization of said data processing system using said newer version of said firmware from said active memory.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising:

a) means for selecting said alternate memory as active after said data processing system is initialized;

b) means for updating said firmware in said alternate memory.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising:

a) means for determining if said firmware contained in said alternate memory is valid after said firmware contained in said alternate memory is updated; and

b) means for selecting said cold-start memory as said active memory if said firmware in said alternate memory is not valid.