Firmware update system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11016750-B2
Application number	US-201916351992-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 13, 2019
Priority date	Mar 13, 2019
Publication date	May 25, 2021
Grant date	May 25, 2021

Abstract

A system includes reception of a first portion of a firmware image, determination, based on the first portion of the firmware image, of whether to update the firmware based on the firmware image, transmission of an acknowledgement signal if it is determined to update the firmware based on the first portion of the firmware image, reception of a remaining portion of the firmware image, and updating of the firmware based on the firmware image.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
a power supply unit comprising:
a power supply unit memory storing firmware; and
a processing unit to execute the firmware; and

a platform management controller to transmit a first portion of a firmware image to the power supply unit, the first portion of the firmware image including information identifying a version of the firmware image,
wherein the power supply unit is to:
receive the first portion of the firmware image;
determine, based on the first portion of the firmware image, whether the version of the firmware image is compatible with hardware of the power supply unit and newer than a version of the firmware stored in the power supply unit memory; and
if it is determined by the power supply unit that the version of the firmware image is compatible with hardware of the power supply unit and newer than a version of the firmware stored in the power supply unit memory, transmit an acknowledgement signal from the power supply unit to the platform management controller, receive a second portion of the firmware image from the platform management controller, and update the firmware stored in the power supply unit memory based on the first portion and the second portion of the firmware image.

2. A system according to claim 1 , the platform management controller further to:
receive the acknowledgement signal from the power supply unit; and
in response to the acknowledgement signal, transmit the second portion of the firmware image to the power supply unit.

3. A system according to claim 2 , wherein the platform management controller is a baseboard management controller, and the first portion of the firmware image is transmitted over an I 2 C bus.

4. A system according to claim 2 , wherein the power supply unit receives the first portion of the firmware image from the platform management controller over a communication bus, the system further comprising:
a second power supply unit to receive the first portion of the firmware image from the platform management controller over the communication bus.

5. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the first portion of the firmware image is a first line of a header of the firmware image.

6. A system according to claim 1 , the power supply unit further to transmit an error code if it is determined that the version of the firmware image is not compatible with hardware of the power supply unit and newer than the version of the firmware stored in the memory.

7. A system according to claim 1 , wherein determining that the version of the firmware image is compatible with hardware of the power supply unit and newer than a version of the firmware stored in the power supply unit memory comprises determining a device associated with the firmware image based on the first portion of the firmware image.

8. A method for a platform management controller and a power supply unit of a server, comprising:
receiving, at the platform management controller and from a rack manager server, a first portion of a firmware image, the first portion of the firmware image including information identifying a version of the firmware image;
transmitting the first portion of the firmware image from the platform management controller to the power supply unit;
determining, by the power supply unit and based on the first portion of the firmware image, whether the version of the firmware image is compatible with hardware of the power supply unit and newer than a version of firmware stored in a power supply unit memory of the power supply unit; and
if it is determined by the power supply unit that the version of the firmware image is compatible with hardware of the power supply unit and newer than a version of the firmware stored in the power supply unit memory;
transmitting an acknowledgement signal from the power supply unit to the platform management controller;
receiving a second portion of the firmware image from the platform management controller; and
updating the firmware stored in the power supply unit memory based on the first portion and the second portion of the firmware image.

9. A method according to claim 8 ,
wherein the first portion of the firmware image is transmitted over an I 2 C bus from a baseboard management controller to a power supply unit.

10. A method according to claim 8 , wherein the first portion of the firmware image is a first line of a header of the firmware image.

11. A method according to claim 8 , further comprising:
transmitting an error code if it is determined by the power supply unit that the version of the firmware image is not compatible with hardware of the power supply unit and newer than a version of the firmware stored in the power supply unit memory.

12. A method according to claim 8 , wherein determining that the version of the firmware image is compatible with hardware of the power supply unit and newer than the version of firmware stored in the power supply unit memory comprises determining a device associated with the firmware image based on the first portion of the firmware image.

13. A system comprising:
a rack manager server; and
a plurality of servers in communication with the rack manager server, each of the plurality of servers comprising a platform management controller and a respective power supply unit,
the rack manager server to transmit a firmware image to each platform management controller,
each platform management controller to transmit a first portion of the firmware image to its respective power supply unit, the first portion including information identifying a version of the firmware image, and
each power supply unit to determine, based on the first portion, whether the version of the firmware image is compatible with hardware of the power supply unit and newer than a version of the firmware stored in a respective power supply unit memory, and, if it is determined that the version of the firmware image is compatible with hardware of the power supply unit and newer than the version of the firmware stored in the respective power supply unit memory, to transmit an acknowledgement signal to its respective platform management controller, to receive a second portion of the firmware image from its respective platform management controller, and to update the firmware stored in the respective power supply unit memory based on the first portion and the second portion of the firmware image.

14. A system according to claim 13 , wherein the first portion of the firmware image is a first line of a header of the firmware image.

15. A system according to claim 13 , each power supply unit to transmit an error code to its respective platform management controller if it is determined that the version of the firmware image is not compatible with hardware of the power supply unit and newer than the version of the firmware stored in the respective power supply unit memory.

16. A system according to claim 13 , wherein determining that the version of the firmware image is compatible with hardware of the power supply unit and newer than the version of firmware stored in the respective power supply unit memory comprises determining a device associated with the firmware image based on the first portion of the firmware image.

Assignees

• Microsoft Technology Licensing Llc

Inventors

• Harris Shaun L
• Siegler John Joseph
• Sok Banha
• Kazi Rameez Kadar

Classifications

• G06F2213/0016

  Inter-integrated circuit (I2C) · CPC title

• G06F8/65 Primary

  Updates (security arrangements therefor G06F21/57) · CPC title

• G06F8/654 Primary

  using techniques specially adapted for alterable solid state memories, e.g. for EEPROM or flash memories · CPC title

• G06F13/4282

  on a serial bus, e.g. I2C bus, SPI bus (on daisy chain buses G06F13/4247) · CPC title