TW201709055A - Field firmware upgrading method and computer-readable medium - Google Patents

Abstract

A field firmware upgrading method is adopted in a field firmware upgrading system having a computing device and a storage device. First, the computing device is boot up to a real-time operating system (RTOS), wherein the RTOS and a firmware of the storage device are communicated with each other via a driver. The RTOS send reading commands to the firmware, such that the firmware perform a reading operation meeting a prefix proceeding, wherein the prefix proceeding defines an order which specific logic block addresses (LBAs) are read. After the firmware performs the reading operation meeting the prefix proceeding, the RTOS sends writing commands to the firmware, such that the firmware perform a writing operation meeting a specific writing proceeding, and thus from a target LBA defined by the specific writing proceeding, an image file is written of the storage device.

Description

Instant firmware update method and computer readable medium

The present invention relates to a storage device, and more particularly to a real-time operating system through a (real-time operating system, RTOS , for ^{example: Windows ®, Linux ®, Android} ®) to update the firmware update method of the instant storage apparatus of the firmware, And a computer readable medium having a plurality of code codes for performing the instant firmware update method, wherein the computer readable medium is a non-transitory medium.

With the development of electronic technology, various types of storage devices have been proposed. Early use of magnetic media as a storage device has the problem of slow access speed, so many storage devices now use NAND flash memory as a storage device, for example, a micro secure memory card ( Micro SD card), embedded multimedia card (eMMC) or solid state drive (SSD).

For the user, the performance and reliability of the storage device must be to a certain extent. Therefore, in some cases, the firmware of the storage device needs to be updated to improve its performance and reliability. Some storage devices (for example, embedded multimedia cards) need to enter the specific mode through the host to perform firmware update. For example, the host must first enter the boot mode to allow the host to input a command provided by the device vendor to perform a specific function to update the firmware. However, the above-mentioned conventional way of updating the firmware is inconvenient for the user.

The embodiment of the invention provides an instant firmware update method, which is applicable to an instant firmware update system including a computer device and a storage device. First, the computer device is activated to operate in an immediate operating system, wherein the real-time operating system communicates with the firmware of the storage device through the driver. The real-time operating system issues a plurality of read commands to the firmware to enable the firmware to perform a read operation conforming to the prefix process, wherein the prefix process defines an order in which a plurality of specific logical block addresses are read. After the firmware performs the read operation conforming to the prefix process, the real-time operating system item firmware issues multiple write commands, so that the firmware performs the write operation of the specific write process, and the firmware image file is written into the process. The defined target logical block address begins to be written to the storage device.

The embodiment of the invention further provides a non-transitory computer readable medium, the computer readable medium comprising a plurality of code codes for performing the instant firmware update method as described above.

Accordingly, the embodiment of the present invention provides an instant firmware update method for updating a firmware of a storage device through a real-time operating system and a computer readable medium thereof, so that the user can give a firmware update to the storage device. Great convenience for users.

The detailed description of the present invention and the accompanying drawings are to be understood by the claims The scope is subject to any restrictions.

1‧‧‧ Instant Firmware Update System

11‧‧‧Computer equipment

12‧‧‧Storage device

121‧‧‧Flash memory

122‧‧‧ Controller

S21~S23, S311~S314, S321~S326‧‧‧ Step procedure

H411, H421‧‧ heading

C412‧‧‧Question Key

C422‧‧‧Question success message

LBA(m)~LBA(z), LBA(k)‧‧‧ logical block address

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an instant firmware update system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a flow chart of a method for updating an instant firmware according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a detailed flowchart of a method for updating an instant firmware according to an embodiment of the present invention.

4 is a schematic diagram of content corresponding to multiple logical block addresses of a flash memory according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Various illustrative embodiments are described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the inventive concept may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the illustrative embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these exemplary embodiments are provided so that this invention will be in the In the drawings, the size and relative sizes of layers and regions may be exaggerated for clarity. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout, and the term "or" as used herein may include all combinations of any one or more of the associated listed items.

Embodiment of the present invention provides a real-time operating system via: Instant firmware update method for updating firmware stored in the apparatus (e.g., ^{Windows ®, Linux ®, Android ®} ). The user can perform a firmware update by sending a command to the firmware through the immediate operating system without requiring the host (ie, the computer device) to enter a specific mode. For example, the instant method may be a firmware update app Android ^® system, the user to run this application on Android ^® system which can easily update the firmware. In addition, the embodiment of the present invention further provides a computer readable medium having a plurality of code codes for performing the above-mentioned instant firmware update method, wherein the computer readable medium is a non-transitory medium.

The real-time operating system and the firmware communicate through the driver, and the above description of the instant firmware update method is as follows. First, the real-time operating system issues multiple read commands to the firmware. The firmware check reads whether the read flow of multiple logic block addresses (LBAs) conforms to the prefix flow of multiple specific logical block addresses. If the read process conforms to the prefix process, the challenge key is returned to the immediate operating system based on the content of the last specific address in the prefix process. The real-time operating system waits for information about the firmware backhaul to know if the read process conforms to the prefix process and whether the challenge key is successfully received.

After receiving the challenge key, the real-time operating system decrypts the answer message based on the challenge key to the firmware, where the answer message is a target logical block address. If the firmware determines that the answer message is correct, the firmware will read the corresponding message of the answer message. The content of the logical block address is returned to the real-time operating system according to the content of the target logical block address, and the real-time operating system, after receiving the successful question of the cross-examination, represents the real-time operating system and the firmware. The handshake confirmation has been completed and a new firmware image can be written to the target logical block address.

Then, the real-time operating system issues a write command to the firmware file file with the checksum from the target logical block address to the firmware. Then, after receiving the write command, the firmware starts to write the firmware image with the checksum from the target logical block address to complete the pair after successfully writing the firmware image with the checksum. Firmware update of the storage device.

The storage device may be a storage device (for example, a built-in solid state drive) in the computer device, and may also be an external or extended storage device (for example, a micro digital security memory card or an embedded multimedia card). The embedded multimedia card of the version v4.x can only update the firmware by entering the boot mode. Therefore, the firmware can be updated by the real-time operating system by using the instant firmware update method of the embodiment of the present invention. More convenience. The embedded multimedia card of the version v5.x can provide the user with the firmware of the storage device through the real-time operating system, but the detailed method is different from the instant firmware update method of the embodiment of the present invention, and the version is The embedded multimedia card can also use the instant firmware update method of the embodiment of the present invention. Briefly, in accordance with the above, the present invention is not limited by the type of storage device.

Please refer to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an instant firmware update system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The computer device 11 as the master terminal and the storage device 12 form an instant firmware update system 1, and the computer device 11 is electrically connected to the storage device 12. The storage device 12 has a flash memory 121 and a controller 122, wherein the flash memory 121 is electrically connected to the controller 122. In this embodiment, the storage device 12 is an externally connected or expanded flash memory storage device. In other embodiments, the storage device 12 can also be a flash memory storage device built into the computer device 11 and stored. The type of device 12 is not intended to limit the invention.

Next, please refer to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 simultaneously. FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a method for updating the firmware in the embodiment of the present invention. The instant firmware update method can be implemented in the instant firmware update system 1 of FIG. 1. Further, the real-time operating system runs in the computer device 11, and the real-time operating system communicates with the firmware of the storage device 12 through the driver. . The firmware code can be stored in the flash memory 121, and the firmware is executed by the controller 122 to control the access operation of the flash memory 121.

First, in step S21, the computer device 11 is activated to start the operation to the real-time operating system. Next, in step S22, a plurality of read commands are sent to the firmware through the real-time operating system to perform a read operation of the prefix process, and then a plurality of write commands are issued to the firmware to perform writing of the specific write flow. Action to write the firmware image with the checksum to the flash memory 121, wherein the specific write flow defines the logical block address to be written by the firmware image. Next, in step S23, the firmware update is completed.

Further, in step S22, after performing the reading operation of the prefix process, the real-time operating system can obtain the challenge key, and then the real-time operating system obtains the answer message according to the challenge key to correspond to a target logical block address. After the firmware confirms the answer message and reads the content of the target logical block address to return the challenge success message to the firmware, the real-time operating system will release the target logical block address and write the checksum toughness. The write command of the body image file is sent to the firmware (that is, the write operation of the specific write process is performed, wherein the specific write process defines the logic of the target logical block address written in the firmware image file as the write start point. Block address).

Next, please refer to FIG. 3. FIG. 3 is a detailed flowchart of the method for updating the instant firmware according to the embodiment of the present invention. In Figure 3, the real-time operating system communicates with the firmware of the storage device through the driver, and the real-time operating system will issue a plurality of read commands to the firmware, and the firmware will read multiple logics in the flash memory. Block address. Therefore, in step S311, the real-time operating system waits for the firmware reply information to determine whether the read flow of the plurality of logical block addresses read in the flash memory is equal to the prefix flow of the plurality of specific logical block addresses. And when the read process conforms to the prefix process, determine whether Received the challenge key for the firmware reply. If the read process is equal to the prefix process and the challenge key of the firmware reply is received, the immediate operation system performs the next step S312; otherwise, step S311 continues to be performed by the immediate operation system.

In step S321, the firmware determines whether the read flow of the read multiple logical block addresses is equal to the prefix flow of the specific logical block addresses, and replies the relevant information to the real-time operating system. If the read process is equal to the prefix process, the firmware performs the next step S322; otherwise, step S321 continues to be performed by the firmware. Next, in step S322, the firmware returns the disk key to the real-time operating system based on the content of the last specific logical block address in the prefix process.

Please refer to FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 simultaneously. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of content corresponding to multiple logical block addresses of the flash memory according to the embodiment of the present invention. In step S311, the real-time operating system determines whether the firmware sequentially reads the logical block addresses LBA(m), LBA(n), LBA(o), LBA(p), .. through the information of the firmware reply. The contents of LBA(y), LBA(z), where m, n, ..., y, z are different from each other, and are not sorted by power or power. That is, the prefix process defines that a number of specific logical block addresses LBA(m), LBA(n), LBA(o), LBA(p), ..., LBA(y), LBA(z) are read. In the order, the real-time operating system first determines whether the read process of reading the plurality of logical block addresses by the firmware reply is equal to whether the information of the prefix process is true. If the information of the firmware reply is true, then in step S311, the real-time operating system determines whether the firmware returns the challenge key C412.

In addition, in step S321, the firmware determines whether the contents of the logical block addresses LBA(m), LBA(n), LBA(o), LBA(p), ..., LBA(y), LBA(z) are dependent on The sequence is read and the relevant information is replied to the real-time operating system. If the contents of the logical block addresses LBA(m), LBA(n), LBA(o), LBA(p), ..., LBA(y), LBA(z) are sequentially read, according to the logical block The content of the address LBA(z) is replied to the challenge key C412 to the instant operating system. Please note that the content of the logical block address LBA(z) includes the header H411 and the challenge key C412, and the header H411 can be further checked by the firmware to confirm the challenge key of the logical block address LBA(z). Whether C412 is correct or not, in other embodiments, header H411 can also be changed to be part of challenge key C412.

On the other hand, the previous prefix process refers to multiple specific logical block addresses LBA(m), LBA(n), LBA(o), LBA(p), ..., LBA(y), LBA(z). The order, however, in other embodiments, the prefix flow may also be representative of a plurality of specific logical block addresses LBA(m), LBA(n), LBA(o), LBA(p), ..., LBA ( y), LBA (z) is a sequence of address difference values formed by multiple address differences of the two, and the reading process is based on the sequence of the plurality of logical block addresses being read. The sequence of address differences formed by the difference between the two addresses may only represent the read process equal to the prefix process if the sequence of the two-bit difference difference is met.

Next, please go back to FIG. 3. In step S312, the real-time operating system obtains the target logical block address based on the challenge key, and issues a read command to the firmware to read the content of the target logical block address, that is, Said, the real-time operating system decrypts the challenge key to obtain an answer message back to the firmware and the command firmware to perform a reading operation according to the answer message, wherein the answer message corresponds to the target logical block address. In step S323, the firmware determines whether the answer message replied by the real-time operating system is correct, that is, whether the target logical block address is correct. If the answer message is correct, the firmware further performs step S324, otherwise, step S321 is continued.

Then, in step S324, the firmware reads the content of the target logical block address, and based on the content of the target logical block address, returns the challenge success message to the real-time operating system. In step S313, the real-time operating system determines whether a challenge success message is received. If the challenge success message is received, the immediate job system then proceeds to step S314, otherwise, proceeds to step S311.

In step S314, the real-time operating system issues a write command to the firmware with the firmware image file of the checksum from the target logical block address. Then, after the firmware receives the write command, in step S325, the firmware starts to write the firmware image file with the checksum from the target logical block address, and determines whether the firmware image file is successfully written. If the firmware image is successfully written, the firmware performs step S326 to complete the firmware update. Otherwise, step S321 is continued. Please note that the above checksum is not intended to limit the present invention. In other words, it is also possible to write a firmware image without a checksum. Preferably, for data correctness, it is generally designed to write a firmware image with a checksum.

Referring to FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 simultaneously, further, in step S312, the real-time operating system decrypts based on the challenge key C412 to obtain an answer message, that is, the target logical block address LBA(k). Then, in step S323, the firmware checks whether the target logical block address LBA(k) of the answer message is correct, and in step S324, reads the challenge success message C422 in the content of the target logical block address LBA(k). And passed back to the real-time operating system. In step S313, the immediate job system checks if a challenge success message C422 is received. In step S314, the immediate operating system issues a write command to the firmware to start writing the firmware image file with the checksum from the target logical block address LBA(k), and in step S325, the firmware starts from the target logical block. The address LBA(k) begins to write the firmware image with the checksum and determines whether the firmware image with the checksum is successfully written.

Please note that the content of the logical block address LBA(k) includes the header H421 and the challenge success message C422, and the header H421 can be further checked by the firmware to confirm the challenge success message of the logical block address LBA(k). Whether C422 is correct or not, in other embodiments, header H421 can also be changed to be part of the challenge success message C422. On the other hand, the above-mentioned challenge key C412 is dynamically determined when the firmware update method is executed. Therefore, the target logical block address LBA(k) and the challenge success message C422 are also dynamically determined. Simply put, the data stored in the logical block addresses LBA(m)~LBA(y) is the data stored in the flash memory before, and the data in the logical block addresses LBA(z) and LBA(k) are Dynamically generated dummy data, the purpose of which is to use the handshake between the real-time operating system and the firmware.

In summary, the embodiment of the present invention provides an instant firmware update method for updating a firmware of a storage device through an instant operation system. The above-mentioned instant firmware update method can be applied to different storage devices, and is particularly suitable for an embedded multimedia card of version v4.x, so that the user does not need to make the host (ie, the computer device) enter a specific mode. Then, the firmware can be issued to the firmware through the real-time operating system. The specific behavior is used to perform firmware update, so the user is given convenience in firmware update. In addition, the above-mentioned instant firmware update method has certain security, and it is not easy to be recorded by the side view to know the storage address of the firmware image file, so as to prevent malicious elements from arbitrarily tampering with the contents of the firmware image file.

The above description is only the preferred embodiment of the present invention, but the features of the present invention are not limited thereto, and any one skilled in the art can easily change or modify it in the field of the present invention. Covered in the following patent scope of this case.

S21~S23‧‧‧Step process

Claims (10)

An instant firmware update method is applicable to a real-time firmware update system including a computer device and a storage device, wherein the instant firmware update method includes: the computer device is booted to an immediate operation system, wherein the instant job The system communicates with a firmware of the storage device through a driver program; the real-time operating system issues a plurality of read commands to the firmware, so that the firmware performs a read operation conforming to a prefix process, wherein the prefix process Defining an order in which a plurality of specific logical block addresses are read; and after the firmware performs the read operation conforming to the prefix flow, the real-time operating system issues a plurality of write commands to the firmware to enable the firmware A write operation of a specific write process is performed, and a firmware image file is written to the storage device from a target logical block address defined by the write process. The instant firmware update method of claim 1, wherein the firmware determines, after receiving the read commands, whether a read process of reading a plurality of logical block addresses conforms to the prefix process, and accordingly Responding a related first information to the real-time operating system. If the reading process conforms to the prefix process, the firmware returns a question key to the instant based on the content of the last specific logical block address in the prefix process. working system. The instant firmware update method of claim 2, wherein the content of the last specific logical block address in the prefix process includes a header and the challenge key, and the firmware is used to check the standard to confirm the challenge. Key. The instant firmware update method of claim 2, wherein the real-time operating system decrypts the challenge key to obtain an answer message having a target logical block address, and returns the answer message to the firmware. Commanding the firmware to read the contents of the target logical block address. The instant firmware update method of claim 4, wherein the firmware further confirms whether the answer message is correct, and if the answer message is correct, reading the content of the target logical block address to obtain a question success message. And passed back to the instant operating system System. The instant firmware update method of claim 5, wherein the content of the target logical block address includes a header and the challenge success message, and the firmware is used to check the criterion to confirm the challenge success message. The instant firmware update method of claim 1, wherein the challenge key, the target logical block address, and the challenge success message are dynamically generated. The instant firmware update method of claim 1, wherein the firmware image file has a checksum. The instant firmware update method of claim 1, wherein the order in which the specific logical block addresses are read refers to a sequence of address difference values of the specific logical block addresses. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising a plurality of code codes for performing an instant firmware update method as in one of claims 1-9.