Boot Control Apparatus Redundant Storage Integrity Verification
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing system booting technologies face delays and inconvenience during software upgrades, particularly when the new software is not verified correctly, leading to potential system booting failures and prolonged startup times, especially when large software updates are involved.
Innovation Solution
A control apparatus with nonvolatile storage that includes multiple partitions for redundant software storage, where the system checks the integrity of the upgraded software on first reset and boots using either the new software if normal, or designated backup software if the new software is faulty, ensuring immediate and reliable system startup.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the system downloads upgraded software to replace the current booting software, then the software can be updated to a newer version, but the system may fail to boot if the upgrade fails or the new software is faulty
Solution Approach 1:
The nonvolatile storage is divided into multiple partitions, with at least a first partition storing current booting software and a second partition storing upgraded software. This segmentation allows the system to independently store and switch between different software versions, preventing booting failure if the upgraded software is faulty.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs integrity verification of the upgraded software before switching to it. If verification fails, the system automatically reverts to the previous booting software, cushioning against potential booting failures caused by faulty or corrupted upgraded software.
2Reliability
If the system verifies the integrity of upgraded software before booting, then booting reliability is improved, but the booting time increases due to verification delays
Solution Approach 1:
The integrity verification of upgraded software is performed in advance during the download phase before the system needs to boot. This preliminary action ensures that verification is completed before booting, allowing the system to make informed decisions about which software to load without delaying the actual booting process.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically selects which software to load based on verification results. If the upgraded software passes verification, it is loaded; if verification fails, the system loads the previous software. This dynamic adaptation prevents verification delays from affecting booting time when the upgraded software is indeed faulty.
3Ease of operation
If the system automatically switches to upgraded software after download, then the upgrade process is simplified, but the system may boot with faulty software causing failures
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates feedback from integrity verification results to automatically determine which software to load. The verification process provides feedback about the quality of upgraded software, and the system uses this feedback to make intelligent decisions, automatically switching to upgraded software only when verification passes.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-verification of upgraded software integrity before deployment. This self-service mechanism eliminates the need for manual verification by users, automatically ensuring software quality while maintaining ease of operation. The system serves itself by detecting and preventing faulty software installation.
Data Source
AI summary
A control device ensures system booting without delay or failure even if the system cannot be booted using newly downloaded upgraded software. Nonvolatile storage 14 stores booting software used for system booting at the time of system power on or reset, and booting software information which designates the booting software. At the time of booting software upgrade, download unit 12 downloads the upgraded version of the booting software and stores it in nonvolatile storage 14. Booting unit 13 boots the system using the upgraded software if the data thereof is normal, otherwise boots the system using the booting software.