Operating method for performing firmware image chunk update and verification of whether damage as occurred on storage device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11520483-B2
Application number	US-202117198353-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 11, 2021
Priority date	Sep 24, 2020
Publication date	Dec 6, 2022
Grant date	Dec 6, 2022

Abstract

A controller is included in a storage device communicating with a host device. The controller is configured to receive a firmware image download command and a firmware image corresponding to the firmware image download command from the host device, perform verification for determining whether the firmware image is damaged in response to the received firmware image download command, and when a firmware update request for the firmware image is received from the host device, determine whether to perform a firmware update based on the firmware image by using a verification result of the firmware image.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A controller that is included in a storage device communicating with a host device, the controller comprising:
a buffer configured to store a first firmware image chunk corresponding to a first firmware image download command received from the host device; and
a register configured to store a verification result of the first firmware image chunk obtained through verification performed based on receiving the first firmware image chunk,
wherein the controller is configured to:
receive a firmware image download command and a firmware image corresponding to the firmware image download command from the host device,
obtain a verification result by performing verification for determining whether the firmware image is damaged in response to the received firmware image download command,
when a firmware update request for the firmware image is received from the host device, determine whether to perform a firmware update based on the firmware image by using the verification result,
receive a second firmware image chunk, store the second firmware image chunk in the buffer, perform verification on the first firmware image chunk and the second firmware image chunk each stored in the buffer, and store a verification result of each of the first firmware image chunk and the second firmware image chunk in the register.

2. The controller of claim 1 , wherein the firmware image comprises a data area including firmware update information and an authentication area including authentication information corresponding to the firmware update information and is divided into a plurality of firmware image chunks by the host device.

3. The controller of claim 2 , wherein the buffer comprises a first area configured to store the firmware update information and a second area configured to store the authentication information.

4. The controller of claim 3 , wherein the controller is configured to perform verification on a validity of data stored in the first area based on the authentication information stored in the second area.

5. The controller of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to perform the verification by using authentication information included in the first firmware image chunk and authentication information included in the second firmware image chunk.

6. The controller of claim 1 , comprising:
a buffer configured to store the firmware image received from the host device; and
a register configured to store a verification result of the firmware image, wherein,
when the firmware image stored in the buffer is determined to be valid, the controller is configured to store the firmware image in a memory device and to perform a firmware update by using the firmware image stored in the memory device.

7. A firmware update method of a storage device, the firmware update method comprising:
receiving a firmware image download command and a firmware image corresponding to the firmware image download command from a host device;
obtaining a verification result by performing verification for determining whether the firmware image is damaged in response to the received firmware image download command;
receiving a firmware update request for the firmware image from the host device;
checking the verification result to determine whether to perform a firmware update based on the firmware image, based on the verification result; and
storing a first firmware image chunk in a buffer,
wherein the storing of the first firmware image chunk stored in the buffer comprises storing firmware update data of the first firmware image chunk in a first area of the buffer and storing authentication information about the first firmware image chunk in a second area of the buffer
wherein the performing of the verification for determining whether the firmware image is damaged comprises performing verification on a validity of a plurality of firmware image chunks stored in the buffer based on the authentication information stored in the second area and storing a verification result in a register.

8. The firmware update method of claim 7 , wherein the receiving of the firmware image comprises:
receiving the first firmware image chunk, obtained through division by the host device, from the host device; and
the firmware image comprises a data area including firmware update information and an authentication area including authentication information corresponding to the firmware update information.

9. The firmware update method of claim 8 , wherein the storage device is configured to receive a second firmware image chunk from the host device, store the second firmware image chunk in the buffer, and perform verification on the first firmware image chunk and the second firmware image chunk each stored in the buffer.

10. The firmware update method of claim 8 , wherein the determining of whether to perform the firmware update based on the firmware image comprises:
checking the verification result stored in the register;
when all of the plurality of firmware image chunks stored in the buffer are valid, storing the plurality of firmware image chunks in a memory device; and
performing the firmware update based on the plurality of firmware image chunks stored in the memory device.

11. A storage device for performing a firmware update, the storage device comprising:
a memory device; and
a controller configured to receive a firmware image download command and a firmware image corresponding to the firmware image download command from a host device, obtain a verification result by performing verification for determining whether the firmware image is damaged based on the received firmware image download command, receive a firmware update request for the firmware image from the host device, check the verification result, and when the firmware image is determined to be valid as a result of checking the verification result, store the firmware image in the memory device, wherein the firmware update is performed based on the firmware image stored in the memory device,
wherein the controller is configured to store the firmware image in a buffer,
wherein the controller is configured to receive a plurality of firmware image chunks from the host device and to store the plurality of firmware image chunks in the buffer,
the buffer comprises a first area and a second area, and
the second area of the buffer is configured to store pieces of authentication information about the plurality of firmware image chunks.

12. The storage device of claim 11 , wherein
the first area is configured to store firmware update information about the firmware image and the second area is configured to store authentication information corresponding to the firmware update information.

13. The storage device of claim 11 , wherein, when all of the plurality of firmware image chunks stored in the buffer are valid,
the controller is configured to store the plurality of firmware image chunks in the memory device.

14. The storage device of claim 12 , wherein the controller is configured to store a verification result of the firmware image in a register, and when the firmware update request is received, check the verification result stored in the register.

15. The storage device of claim 12 , wherein, when the firmware image stored in the buffer is damaged, the controller is configured to store damage information about the firmware image in a register.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• KANG Soohwan
• Kim Jaesub
• Seo Jeongbeom

Classifications

• G06F8/65 Primary

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

• G06F3/0659

  Command handling arrangements, e.g. command buffers, queues, command scheduling · CPC title

• G06F9/44589

  Program code verification, e.g. Java bytecode verification, proof-carrying code (high-level semantic checks G06F8/43; prevention of errors by analysis, debugging or testing of software G06F11/36) · CPC title

• G06F9/4406

  Loading of operating system · CPC title

• G06F3/0656

  Data buffering arrangements · CPC title