Method and apparatus for updating firmware

Abstract

A device having updatable firmware code includes a non-volatile memory for storing the firmware code; a clock enable controller for generating a clock signal according to a clock source signal when a clock disable signal is unasserted, and further for pausing the clock signal when the clock disable signal is asserted; a micro-controller coupled to the non-volatile memory for performing device operations according to the firmware code and the clock signal, and further for asserting a trigger signal to initiate an update process of the firmware code; and an update controller coupled to the micro-controller, the clock enable controller, and the non-volatile memory for asserting the clock disable signal and then updating the firmware code upon assertion of the trigger signal.

Description

technical field [0001] The present invention relates to a device with a microcontroller, in particular to a method and device for updating the firmware of the microcontroller. Background technique [0002] In our modern high-tech society, various types of computers and electronic devices are abundant. At the heart of many of these devices is a microcontroller, which can be considered the "brain" of the device. Generally speaking, microcontrollers execute required operations according to machine codes (or called firmware codes). Firmware is an electronic instruction set set in a microcontroller, which is used to make the microcontroller perform required functions and achieve its design goals. For example, the firmware in a basic electronic watch is relatively simple, mainly used to track time and handle functions such as alarm clock and ringtone required by the user. The firmware of the mobile phone is relatively complex, providing the user interface, mobile phone transmis...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

Make other programs of the microcontroller 110 unable to use the complete space of the volatile memory 120, thus reducing the effective use space of the volatile memory 120

Moreover, the operation of copying firmware from one memory to another is itself a cumbersome and time-consuming step and requires several machine code steps or clock cycles of the microprocessor to complete

These additional procedures or machine code steps themselves are quite difficult, so it is more likely to cause instability or crash of the overall system

[0009] Again, some programs must store some specific data of the user in the non-volatile memory 130. However, during updating the program, the microcontroller 110 cannot access the non-volatile memory 130. In this way, it is possible These programs will cause errors, which will reduce the performance of the system and even cause the system to crash

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