Embedded System Firmware Structure for Web-Based User Interface

Solution Overview

Problem

Embedded systems face challenges in efficiently managing memory resources, particularly when switching user interfaces for different languages, as conventional methods require complete firmware updates and rebooting, leading to inefficiencies and increased costs due to limited memory capacity.

Innovation Solution

The firmware structure separates user interface components into distinct presentation and execution parts, allowing for updates to only the presentation part without altering the execution part, enabling language switching without rebooting and optimizing memory usage by dynamically loading presentation parts into RAM.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the firmware is updated to switch user interface language, then the user interface can be changed, but the entire firmware image must be overwritten and the system must reboot

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser interface language switchingVSAvoidfirmware update time

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The firmware is segmented into execution code (stored in flash memory) and presentation data (stored in RAM). The presentation part is further divided into static content and dynamic content. This segmentation allows only the necessary presentation part to be updated when switching languages, without requiring complete firmware reflash and reboot.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The presentation part is pre-loaded into RAM during system initialization, before the user needs to switch languages. This allows the updated presentation data to be immediately available when language switching is requested, eliminating the need for system reboot.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Adaptability or versatility

If the firmware is updated to switch user interface language, then the user interface can be changed, but the system must reboot

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser interface language switchingVSAvoidfirmware update convenience

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The firmware is segmented into execution code (stored in flash memory) and presentation data (stored in RAM). The presentation part is further divided into static content and dynamic content. This segmentation allows only the necessary presentation part to be updated when switching languages, without requiring complete firmware reflash and reboot.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Reliability

If the firmware is decompressed to obtain executable code, then the system can operate, but the RAM memory space is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem operationVSAvoidRAM memory space

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The firmware is segmented into execution code (stored in flash memory) and presentation data (stored in RAM). The presentation part is further divided into static content and dynamic content. This segmentation allows only the necessary presentation part to be updated when switching languages, without requiring complete firmware reflash and reboot.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of decompressing and loading the entire firmware into RAM, only the necessary presentation part is decompressed and loaded into RAM. The execution code remains in flash memory, reducing the RAM memory space requirement.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentUS8793564B2Embedded system with web-based user interface, firmware structure thereof and method for providing information thereof

Publication Date: 2014.07.29 ARCADYAN

AI summary

Embedded system with web-based user interface, firmware structure thereof, and method for providing information thereof are provided. The firmware of the embedded system includes an execution part and a presentation part, which are separated, wherein the execution part includes a web service program and a program interface while the presentation part includes a web page which includes a request for dynamic content associated with the program interface so as to obtain corresponding dynamic content. When the system takes the presentation part as the static content of its web-based user interface, the web service program, in response to a static content request, reads the web page from the non-volatile memory and outputs it to a device, and in response to the dynamic content request, invokes the program interface to obtain the corresponding dynamic content and output it to the device.