Runtime firmware activation for memory devices

A persistent memory module, comprising:

• one or more memory devices;
• a controller to control the one or more memory devices, the controller including a current firmware;
• the controller to update the current firmware with a new firmware responsive to an instruction from a basic input/output system (BIOS) providing runtime services to an operating system (OS) operating a platform to activate the new firmware during any one of a sleep state and a soft reboot of the OS operating the platform;
• a mailbox in the controller, the mailbox to receive the instruction from the BIOS providing the runtime services to the platform;
• and
• the controller to invoke a reset process responsive to receipt of the instruction, the reset process to:
• determine that the new firmware is eligible to update the current firmware in the controller,
• determine the one or more memory devices includes a persistent memory device in a volatile region of memory for the platform,
• save a volatile data associated with the volatile region of memory, and
• restore the volatile data associated with the volatile region of memory upon completion of the reset process.

A system comprising:

• a platform;
• a platform control hub (PCH) coupled to the platform, the PCH having an interface to enable an operating system (OS) on the platform to activate a new firmware in a persistent memory module at runtime without restarting the OS;
• wherein the interface includes a basic input/output system (BIOS) to provide runtime services to activate the new firmware in connection with any one or more of a sleep state and a soft reboot of the OS, the OS including any of a Windows OS and a Linux OS;
• and
• wherein the interface further includes a logic to instruct the BIOS to enable the OS to publish, via an Advanced Configuration Power Interface (ACPI) to the PCH, a request to instruct the persistent memory module to activate the new firmware during the soft reboot of the OS.

A memory device circuitry, comprising:

• a controller coupled to one or more memory devices;
• a firmware to configure the controller to control the one or more memory devices;
• the controller to update the firmware with a new firmware responsive to an instruction from a basic input/output system (BIOS) providing runtime services to an operating system (OS) operating a platform to activate the new firmware during any one of a sleep state and a soft reboot of the OS operating the platform;
• a register in the controller, the register configured to receive the instruction from the BIOS providing the runtime services to the platform;
• and
• the controller to trigger a reset process responsive to receipt of the instruction, the reset process to:
• determine that the new firmware is eligible to update the firmware in the controller,
• determine that any of the one or more memory devices is in a volatile partition of memory in the platform,
• save a volatile data associated with the volatile partition of memory, and
• restore the volatile data associated with the volatile partition of memory upon completion of the reset process.