JPH10289098A - Method for managing firmware version - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily refer to version information loaded on present hardware by previously recording version information on various pieces of firmware which are actually used in a specified hardware system in software loaded in the hardware system. SOLUTION: Version information on firmware which is actually used is previously inputted to the data part of a main memory 3. Namely, firmware version information which is actually used is recorded in a data system in software. Necessary firmware is taken out from a disk unit 5 and it is transferred to an ROM writing unit 6 by giving an instruction from a maintenance operation terminal 4 based on firmware version information. Thus, firmware matched with firmware which is used in present hardware can easily be written for a new ROM.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a firmware version management and firmware writing method and an apparatus for achieving the same, and more particularly, to a method for adding hardware with firmware in an electronic exchange or the like. Firmware version management and firmware management that can easily write the same firmware version as the firmware version actually used in the currently used hardware to a new ROM having additional hardware, etc. The present invention relates to a writing method and an apparatus for achieving the same.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, the version of firmware used in an electronic exchange or the like is managed as management information at the time of manufacture, and when it is changed, it is managed by performing change management recording. More specifically, RO provided in currently used hardware (hereinafter referred to as working hardware) is used.
The version of the firmware stored in the ROM has been determined based on the print information attached to M.

[0003] Conventionally, when newly adding hardware equipped with firmware, new hardware in which the same firmware version as the firmware version actually used in the current hardware is added (additional hardware). New RO of hardware)
When it is necessary to store the firmware in M, in the manufacturing process, a firmware having a version considered to be the same as the firmware mounted on the current hardware is selected and mounted.

[0004]

However, as described above, conventionally, it has been difficult to say that the firmware version is sufficiently managed.
For example, there has been a problem that the recognition of the version installed in the working hardware is erroneous.

Further, when it becomes necessary to store firmware of the same version as that actually used in the current hardware in a new ROM provided in the additional hardware, as described above, Since the firmware version information used in the current hardware is not accurately grasped at the time of manufacturing the additional hardware, the firmware may be selected based on the misidentified version information.

If the firmware version is improperly selected and the firmware stored in the ROM of the working hardware and the firmware stored in the ROM of the additional hardware do not match, the working hardware is actually When the additional hardware is transported to a place provided in the company, and then added on-site, the system may malfunction as a result.

[0007] Further, after going to the site where the working hardware to be installed is provided to add the additional hardware, it is recognized that an inappropriate version of the firmware is mounted on the additional hardware. In such a case, since there is no firmware set or ROM writer etc. related to the current hardware at the site, it is difficult to perform a rewrite operation or the like for the ROM included in the additional hardware. Was.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a firmware version management method for enabling a maintenance person such as an electronic exchange to easily refer to version information installed in active hardware, and a ROM for additional hardware. An object of the present invention is to provide a firmware writing method version management method for enabling appropriate firmware writing.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for achieving the above-mentioned method.

The techniques related to the present invention are disclosed in JP-A-7-50716 (hereinafter referred to as Conventional Example 1) and JP-A-6-50716.
JP-A-224896 (hereinafter referred to as Conventional Example 2) and JP-A-2-158294 (hereinafter referred to as Conventional Example 3), all of which can achieve the above-mentioned objects. is not.

That is, in the first conventional example, when a plurality of software update operations are required to realize a certain function, the update management is performed, so that the update operation is enabled only when all the updates are successful. However, it has a drawback that it is not possible to manage the version of the firmware mounted on the hardware or to write the firmware.

Further, the second prior art is characterized in that the updated contents of the digitized document are recorded in the text so that the document can be restored. However, the version of the firmware mounted on the hardware is required. There is a disadvantage that management and writing of firmware cannot be performed.

Further, in the third conventional example, the version information is centrally managed by collecting the version information of the ROM in use on the home terminal side at the center using bidirectional communication with the center. The feature is that it is not possible to refer to the version information of the used firmware and write the same version of firmware to a new ROM at the same time on the home terminal side where there is no means of two-way communication and is in the user's position. There was a disadvantage.

[0014]

The present invention provides the following means for solving the above-mentioned problems.

That is, according to the present invention, version information on various firmware actually used in a specific hardware system is recorded in advance in a data format in software loaded on the hardware system. Thus, a firmware version management method characterized by the following is obtained.

Further, according to the present invention, in the firmware version management method, in order to refer to the firmware version, a request is made from input means provided in the specific hardware, and the data is included in the software in a data format. A firmware version management method characterized by reading out the recorded version information and displaying the version information on display means provided in the specific hardware.

Further, according to the present invention, the firmware version management method recognizes version information related to the firmware used in the specific hardware system, and performs the process for the specific hardware system. When installing additional hardware, it is necessary to store the same firmware version as the firmware version used in the specific hardware system in a ROM included in the additional hardware. In the event that this occurs, the firmware set indicated by the version information and a ROM writer are provided in advance for the specific hardware system, and when the necessity arises, the ROM writing is performed. The firmware set using the Method of writing firmware and writes transferred to the ROM provided in the wear are obtained.

Further, according to the present invention, the following exchanges can be obtained by applying the concepts of the management method and the writing method.

That is, according to the present invention, a main memory for recording software configured to include firmware version information as data, a processor connected to the main memory, A read command, which is a request for reading the version information of the firmware recorded in the data format from the main memory, is input to the processor, and read from the main memory via the processor by the read command. And a maintenance operation terminal for displaying the version information of the firmware.

Further, according to the present invention, in the electronic exchange, a disk unit connected to the maintenance and operation terminal for storing a set of firmware having the same version as the firmware version information; And a ROM writer for obtaining the firmware set via the maintenance and operation terminal and writing the obtained firmware set to a new ROM. Can be

[0021]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIG. 1, the electronic exchange according to the present embodiment includes a processor (hereinafter, referred to as CPU) 2 connected to a switching network (or switching network; hereinafter, referred to as NW) 1. , A main memory (hereinafter referred to as MM) 3 connected to the CPU 2, and a CP.
A maintenance operation terminal (hereinafter referred to as MAT) 4 connected to U2, a disk unit (hereinafter referred to as DKU) 5 connected to MAT4, and a ROM writer (hereinafter referred to as ROMW) also connected to MAT4. .) 6.

The MM 3 is for storing software of an electronic exchange composed of programs and data, and its data portion is previously input with version information relating to firmware actually used. That is, the firmware version information actually used is recorded in software in a data format.

The MAT 4 plays a role of an input / output device in the electronic exchange. More specifically, MM3
A write request to the ROM W6 can be input based on a read command for requesting to read the contents of the firmware, and the version information of the firmware read according to the read command. here,
Particularly, the read command includes a command that can specify firmware to be referred to.

The DKU 5 is for recording a set of firmware related to the hardware currently in use.

In the electronic exchange of this embodiment having such a configuration, the version information of the firmware currently used for the hardware can be referred to as follows. That is, the maintenance person of the electronic exchange inputs a read command to the CPU 2 from the MAT 4 and causes the CPU 2 to read the contents stored in the MM 3, thereby easily knowing the firmware version information loaded in the MM 3. Can be
Can be updated.

Further, based on the firmware version information thus read out, the maintenance person of the electronic exchange issues an instruction from the MAT 4 to extract necessary firmware from the DKU 5 in which the complete firmware is recorded, and The necessary firmware can be transferred to the ROM W6 via the MAT 4. As a result, it is possible to easily write the firmware that matches the firmware used in the current hardware from the ROM W6 to a new ROM provided for additional hardware or the like.

Although the present embodiment has been described by taking an electronic exchange as an example, it is needless to say that the present invention can be applied to other storage program control type systems, for example, an electronic computer and a data processing device. No.

[0029]

As described above, according to the present invention, the version information of the firmware used in the current hardware is stored in the data format in the software used in the current hardware. ,
A maintenance person such as an electronic exchange can easily refer to and update the firmware version information used for the current hardware.

Further, based on this information, the firmware of the same version information as that of the firmware in the current hardware system is stored in the disk unit and the ROM writer is provided. When installing additional hardware, a desired version of firmware can be written from the disk unit to the ROM of the additional hardware via the ROM writer.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an electronic exchange according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Switching network (NW) 2 Processor (CPU) 3 Main memory (MM) 4 Maintenance operation terminal (MAT) 5 Disk unit (DKU) 6 ROM writer (ROMW)

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Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A method in which version information relating to various types of firmware actually used in a specific hardware system is recorded in advance in a data format in software loaded on the hardware system. How to manage firmware versions. 2. The firmware version management method according to claim 1, wherein in order to refer to the firmware version,
Request from input means provided in the specific hardware,
A firmware version management method, comprising: reading out the version information recorded in a data format in the software; and displaying the version information on a display unit provided in the specific hardware. 3. The firmware version management method according to claim 2, wherein version information relating to the firmware used in the specific hardware system is recognized, and a new version is provided for the specific hardware system. In the case where additional hardware is installed, it is necessary to store firmware of the same version as that of the firmware used in the specific hardware system in a ROM included in the additional hardware. For this case, the specific hardware system is provided with the firmware set indicated by the version information and a ROM writer in advance, and when the necessity arises, the ROM writer is provided. The firmware set is added to the additional hardware using A method for writing firmware, wherein the firmware is transferred and written to the ROM. 4. A main memory for recording software configured to include firmware version information as data; a processor connected to the main memory; a processor connected to the processor; A read command, which is a request for reading the stored version information of the firmware, is input to the processor, and the version information of the firmware read from the main memory via the processor by the read command. An electronic exchange comprising: a maintenance operation terminal for displaying a message. 5. The electronic exchange according to claim 4, wherein the disk unit is connected to the maintenance operation terminal, and stores a set of firmware having the same version as the firmware version information, and is connected to the maintenance operation terminal. The firmware set is acquired via the maintenance and operation terminal, and a new RO
An electronic exchange, comprising: a ROM writer for writing the acquired firmware set to M.