Firmware Update Method and Power System Thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016011887-A1
Application number	US-201514793919-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 8, 2015
Priority date	Jul 9, 2014
Publication date	Jan 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A firmware update method is provided for use in an information processing system powered by a power system. The power system is powered by an external power source and the power system includes a rechargeable battery and a controller. The method includes checking a power status of the rechargeable battery through the controller in response to a firmware update procedure. A power status of the rechargeable battery is determined to be sufficient to perform the firmware update procedure, and an insufficiency of the external power source to power the power system is determined. Power for the firmware update procedure is limited, through the controller, to the rechargeable battery.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for use in an information processing system powered by a power system, the power system being powered by an external power source and including a rechargeable battery and a controller, the method comprising:
checking a power status of the rechargeable battery through the controller in response to a firmware update procedure; determining that a power status of the rechargeable battery is sufficient to perform the firmware update procedure and that the external power source is insufficient to power the power system; and the controller limiting power for the firmware update procedure to the rechargeable battery.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising the controller using the external power source to charge the rechargeable battery in response to determining that the power status of the rechargeable battery is insufficient.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the firmware update procedure comprises updating at least one module of the information processing system.

4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising supplying the power to perform the update by the rechargeable battery in response to exceeding a threshold, and wherein checking the power status of the rechargeable battery includes checking if the power status of the rechargeable battery exceeds the threshold.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising rebooting the information processing system and performing the firmware update procedure in response to the controller determining that a power status of the rechargeable battery is sufficient to perform the firmware update procedure and that the external power source is insufficient to power the power system, including the information processing system entering a first mode, the first mode requiring a lower amount of power than a second mode.

6 . The method of claim 5 , further comprising rebooting the information processing system in response to completing the firmware update.

7 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising the information processing system entering the second mode in response to the firmware update procedure being completed, wherein the second mode includes the power system supplying power to the information processing system.

8 . A system comprising:
an information processing system; and a power system to power the information processing system, the power system being powered by an external power source, wherein the power system comprises a rechargeable battery, a controller electrically coupled to the rechargeable battery and the information processing system, and a detection module electrically coupled between the controller and the external power source; wherein, in response to a firmware update procedure for the information processing system, the controller to check a power status of the rechargeable battery and to limit power for the firmware update procedure to the rechargeable battery in response to a determination that the power status of the rechargeable battery is sufficient to perform the firmware update procedure and a determination by the detection module that the external power source is insufficient to power the power system.

9 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the controller comprises a power detecting device to check the power status of the rechargeable battery.

10 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the power detecting device includes a register to obtain a charging progress.

11 . The system of claim 8 , further comprising the controller to use the external power source to charge the rechargeable battery in response to determining that the power status of the rechargeable battery is insufficient to perform the firmware update procedure.

12 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the information processing system comprises a system management module and an interface firmware module, and wherein the firmware update procedure updates at least one of the system management module and the interface firmware module.

13 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the power to perform the firmware update is supplied by the battery in response to a threshold being exceeded, and wherein the controller checking the power status of the rechargeable battery includes checking if the power status of the rechargeable battery exceeds the threshold.

14 . The system of claim 8 , further comprising a reboot of the information processing system, including a firmware update procedure performed in response to the controller determining that a power status of the rechargeable battery is sufficient to perform the firmware update procedure and that the external power source is insufficient to power the power system, including the information processing system to enter a first mode, the first mode requiring a lower amount of power than a second mode.

15 . The system of claim 14 , further comprising the reboot of the information processing system in response to completion of the firmware update.

16 . The system of claim 15 , further comprising the processing system to enter the second mode in response to the firmware update procedure being completed, wherein the second mode includes the power system supplying power to the information processing system normally.

17 . The system of claim 15 , further comprising the reboot of the information processing system in response to completion of the firmware update.

18 . A computer program product for use in an information processing system powered by a power system, the power system being powered by an external power source and including a rechargeable battery and a controller, the computer program product comprising a computer-readable storage device having computer readable program code embodied thereon, which when executed causes a computer to implement a method comprising:
checking a power status of the rechargeable battery through the controller in response to a firmware update procedure; determining that a power status of the rechargeable battery is sufficient to perform the firmware update procedure and that the external power source is insufficient to power the power system; and the controller limiting power for the firmware update procedure to the rechargeable battery.

19 . The computer program product of claim 18 , further comprising supplying the power to perform the update by the rechargeable battery in response to a threshold being exceeded, and wherein checking the power status of the rechargeable battery includes checking if the electricity of the rechargeable battery exceeds the threshold.

20 . The computer program product of claim 18 , further comprising rebooting the information processing system and performing the firmware update procedure in response to the controller determining the power status of the rechargeable battery being sufficient to perform the firmware update procedure and that the external power source is insufficient to power the power system, including the information processing system entering a first mode, the first mode requiring a lower amount of power than a second mode.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Chung Hank Ch
• Hsing Lin C

Classifications

• G06F1/266 Primary

  Arrangements to supply power to external peripherals either directly from the computer or under computer control, e.g. supply of power through the communication port, computer controlled power-strips · CPC title

• G06F1/3293

  by switching to a less power-consuming processor, e.g. sub-CPU · CPC title

• G06F1/3287

  by switching off individual functional units in the computer system · CPC title

• G06F9/4416 Primary

  Network booting; Remote initial program loading [RIPL] · CPC title

• G06F1/30

  Means for acting in the event of power-supply failure or interruption, e.g. power-supply fluctuations (for resetting only G06F1/24) · CPC title