Method and device for upgrading firmware

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016162284-A1
Application number	US-201514841911-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 1, 2015
Priority date	Dec 9, 2014
Publication date	Jun 9, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method for upgrading firmware in a device, includes: when firmware of a first chip in the device needs to be upgraded, identifying a first partition of a flash memory in a second chip in the device, the first partition being a backup partition for downloading firmware of the second chip; downloading new firmware of the first chip to the first partition of the flash memory in the second chip; and copying the new firmware of the first chip from the first partition of the flash memory in the second chip to an effective region in the first chip.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for upgrading firmware in a device, comprising:
when firmware of a first chip in the device needs to be upgraded, identifying a first partition of a flash memory in a second chip in the device, the first partition being a backup partition for downloading firmware of the second chip; downloading new firmware of the first chip to the first partition of the flash memory in the second chip; and copying the new firmware of the first chip from the first partition of the flash memory in the second chip to an effective region in the first chip.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
when firmware of the second chip needs to be upgraded, downloading new firmware of the second chip to the first partition of the flash memory in the second chip; activating the first partition to be an active partition for storing firmware used by the second chip; and setting a second partition of the flash memory to be the backup partition.

3 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the identifying of the first partition of the flash memory in the second chip comprises:
acquiring partition information regarding the flash memory; and identifying the first partition according to the partition information.

4 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising verifying the downloaded new firmware of the first chip.

5 . A device, comprising:
a processor; and a memory for storing instructions executable by the processor; wherein the processor is configured to: when firmware of a first chip in the device needs to be upgraded, identify a first partition of a flash memory in a second chip in the device, the first partition being a backup partition for downloading firmware of the second chip; download new firmware of the first chip to the first partition of the flash memory in the second chip; and copy the new firmware of the first chip from the first partition of the flash memory in the second chip to an effective region in the first chip.

6 . The device according to claim 5 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
when firmware of the second chip needs to be upgraded, download new firmware of the second chip to the first partition of the flash memory in the second chip; activate the first partition to be an active partition for storing firmware used by the second chip; and set a second partition of the flash memory to be the backup partition.

7 . The device according to claim 5 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
acquire partition information regarding the flash memory; and identify the first partition according to the partition information.

8 . The device according to claim 5 , wherein the processor is further configured to verify the downloaded new firmware of the first chip.

9 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a device, cause the device to perform a method for upgrading firmware, the method comprising:
when firmware of a first chip in the device needs to be upgraded, identifying a first partition of a flash memory in a second chip in the device, the first partition being a backup partition for downloading firmware of the second chip; downloading new firmware of the first chip to the first partition of the flash memory in the second chip; and copying the new firmware of the first chip from the first partition of the flash memory in the second chip to an effective region in the first chip.

10 . The storage medium according to claim 9 , wherein the method further comprises:
when firmware of the second chip needs to be upgraded, downloading new firmware of the second chip to the first partition of the flash memory in the second chip; activating the first partition to be an active partition for storing firmware used by the second chip; and setting a second partition of the flash memory to be the backup partition.

11 . The storage medium according to claim 9 , wherein the identifying of the first partition of the flash memory in the second chip comprises:
acquiring partition information regarding the flash memory; and identifying the first partition according to the partition information.

12 . The storage medium according to claim 9 , wherein the method further comprises verifying the downloaded new firmware of the first chip.

Assignees

• Xiaomi Inc

Inventors

• Meng Deguo
• Liu Xin
• Hou Enxing

Classifications

• G06F8/654 Primary

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

• G06F8/665 Primary

  Physics · mapped topic