Firmware Update Control Apparatus Managing Reboot Timings
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Solution Overview
Problem
In computer systems, updating firmware for multiple components simultaneously can lead to failures if done in an incorrect order, resulting in prolonged update times to avoid risks, which degrades user convenience and system reliability.
Innovation Solution
An update control method that acquires update information and new control programs for multiple computers, determines update priority, and manages reboot timings based on the progress status to ensure safe and efficient simultaneous updates of control programs across the system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the firmware of multiple components is updated simultaneously with a long margin time to reduce failure risk, then the reliability of the update process is improved, but the total update time increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the firmware update process into distinct phases: preparation phase (downloading and verifying firmware files) and execution phase (actual updating and rebooting). By separating these phases and processing multiple components in parallel during the preparation phase, the system achieves both reliability through controlled sequential execution and time efficiency through parallel processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary actions by downloading and verifying firmware files before the actual update execution. The system pre-organizes firmware files in a designated directory and validates their integrity beforehand, so that when the update execution phase begins, the components can be updated sequentially without repeated file downloads or verification, reducing overall update time while maintaining reliability.
2Productivity
If the firmware of multiple components is updated simultaneously to improve efficiency, then the total update time is reduced, but the risk of incorrect update order causing failure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the update process into preparation and execution phases, where multiple components can be processed in parallel during preparation but must execute sequentially during the actual update phase. This segmentation allows the system to achieve high productivity through parallel file preparation while ensuring update correctness through controlled sequential execution with proper timing margins.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates feedback mechanisms where the update control apparatus monitors the status of each component's firmware update and adjusts the timing of subsequent updates accordingly. The system waits for each component to complete its update and reboot before initiating the next component's update, ensuring that the update order is correct and preventing failures while maintaining efficient parallel processing of multiple components.
Data Source
AI summary
An update control method executed by a processor included in an update control apparatus configured to update control programs respectively set up in a plurality of computers, the update control method includes acquiring update information and new control programs, the update information indicating update priority of the control programs of the plurality of computers and a progress status of the update; providing the new control programs to the plurality of computers; updating the progress status included in the update information based on information about a computer with the update of the control program completed among the computers; determining, based on the updated progress status, timings to reboot the plurality of respective computers such that the control programs of the plurality of computers are updated according to the update priority indicated by the update information; and updating the control programs of the plurality of computers based on the determined timings.