Dual-Storage Firmware Update Mechanism for Home Appliances

Solution Overview

Problem

Current firmware updating methods for electronic devices, particularly home appliances, face challenges in stabilizing the process and ensuring minimal disruption to the existing operating system, especially when updating firmware based on device management commands, and require detailed procedures to handle firmware updates efficiently.

Innovation Solution

The solution involves an electronic device with a memory structure that includes an active and inactive storage area, where the first controller executes a first operating system and manages firmware updates by receiving commands through an OMA device management standard, allowing for the storage and activation of update data, even if errors occur, and includes a second controller for home appliance functions, enabling seamless updates without affecting the current operating system.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If firmware update is performed in the active storage area, then update speed is improved, but system stability deteriorates due to potential errors affecting the running operating system

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveupdate speedVSAvoidsystem stability

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The storage area is divided into multiple independent regions including active storage area and inactive storage area. The inactive storage area is further segmented into update temporary storage area and update target storage area. This segmentation allows the update process to be isolated from the running system, enabling fast updates without compromising system stability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The firmware update data is first downloaded and stored in the inactive storage area before the actual update execution. The update temporary storage area receives the update data in advance, and only after successful reception does the system switch to using the update target storage area. This preliminary action ensures that the running operating system is not disrupted during the download phase.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Adaptability or versatility

If the entire storage area is used for update operations, then update capability is improved, but the risk of disrupting the current operating system increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveupdate capabilityVSAvoiddisruption risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The storage area is divided into multiple independent regions including active storage area and inactive storage area. The inactive storage area is further segmented into update temporary storage area and update target storage area. This segmentation allows the update process to be isolated from the running system, enabling full update capability while minimizing disruption risk.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The inactive storage area acts as an intermediary between the external update source and the active storage area containing the running operating system. All update operations are performed in the inactive storage area first, and only after successful completion are the updates transferred to the active area, thus protecting the running system from direct disruption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Device complexity

If firmware update is performed without isolated storage area, then device complexity is reduced, but update reliability deteriorates due to potential errors affecting system operation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestorage structure complexityVSAvoidupdate reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The storage area is divided into multiple independent regions including active storage area and inactive storage area. The inactive storage area is further segmented into update temporary storage area and update target storage area. This segmentation allows the update process to be isolated from the running system, enabling full update capability while minimizing disruption risk.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS9198039B2Method and device for updating firmware based on device management command

Publication Date: 2015.11.24 LG ELECTRONICS INC

AI summary

An electronic device includes a memory including a first storage area in an active state and a second storage area in an inactive state, and a first controller configured to execute a first operating system stored in the first storage area, and execute a management command for firmware update on the first operating system, wherein the first controller receives the management command from a management serer, receives update data based on the management command, store the update data in the second storage area, activates the second storage area, deactivates the first storage area, and executes an updated first operating system within the update data.