Interface and warm reset path for memory device firmware upgrades

A semiconductor apparatus comprising:

• one or more substrates;
• and
• logic coupled to the one or more substrates, wherein the logic is implemented at least partly in one or more of configurable logic or fixed-functionality hardware logic, the logic coupled to the one or more substrates to:
• exchange activation information between system firmware and an operating system (OS), wherein the activation information includes one or more of status information, activation state information, capability information, activation time information or quiesce time information;
• conduct a runtime upgrade of device firmware based on the activation information, wherein the runtime upgrade bypasses a reboot of a computing system;
• determine whether memory initialization code associated with the computing system supports warm resets;
• activate the device firmware if the memory initialization code supports warm resets;
• and
• invoke a microcontroller to activate the device firmware if the memory initialization code does not support warm resets, wherein the device firmware is to be activated before being executed from a memory device.

At least one computer readable storage medium comprising a set of executable program instructions, which when executed by a computing system, cause the computing system to:

• exchange activation information between system firmware and an operating system (OS), wherein the activation information includes one or more of status information, activation state information, capability information, activation time information or quiesce time information;
• conduct a runtime upgrade of device firmware based on the activation information, wherein the runtime upgrade bypasses a reboot of the computing system;
• determine whether memory initialization code associated with the computing system supports warm resets;
• activate the device firmware if the memory initialization code supports warm resets;
• and
• invoke a microcontroller to activate the device firmware if the memory initialization code does not support warm resets, wherein the device firmware is to be activated before being executed from a memory device.

A method comprising:

• exchanging activation information between system firmware and an operating system (OS), wherein the activation information includes one or more of status information, activation state information, capability information, activation time information or quiesce time information;
• conducting a runtime upgrade of device firmware based on the activation information, wherein the runtime upgrade bypasses a reboot of a computing system;
• determining whether memory initialization code associated with the computing system supports warm resets,
• activating the device firmware if the memory initialization code supports warm resets;
• and
• invoking a microcontroller to activate the device firmware if the memory initialization code does not support warm resets, wherein the device firmware is to be activated before being executed from a memory device.