Limited time evaluation system for firmware
OwnerRichard A. Bramley JR.inventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The invention relates to an apparatus and method for updating firmware. The method comprises reading at least a portion of the firmware from a first firmware storage device to a second firmware storage device. The firmware is updated by adding the firmware update to the portion of the firmware contained in the second firmware storage device so as to modify the firmware. The modified firmware is then written from the second firmware storage device back into the first storage device. Various embodiments are described.
Claims23
An apparatus for updating a firmware, comprising:
- a first firmware storage device to store the firmware;
- a computing unit to perform an update process,
- a program used by the computing unit to perform the update process;
- a second firmware storage device to temporarily store at least a portion of the firmware received from the first firmware storage device,
- wherein the computer unit utilizes the program to
- a. read out at least a portion of the firmware from the first firmware storage device to the second firmware storage device,
- b. update the firmware by adding the firmware update to the portion of the firmware contained in the second firmware storage device so as to modify the firmware, and
- c. write the modified firmware from the second firmware storage device back into the first storage device.
A method for updating a first firmware, comprising:
- reading the first firmware,
- merging at least a portion of the first firmware with a second firmware to form an updated firmware,
- writing at least a portion of the updated firmware back to the location from which the first firmware was read.
A method for updating firmware, the method comprising:
- reading the firmware to be updated,
- placing the firmware in a shadow RAM,
- reading a new feature and timing information corresponding to the new feature,
- determining if the new feature has expired, and
- writing the new feature into shadow RAM if it has not expired.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.