Network Processor Booting via Ethernet and EEPROM
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional network processors face challenges in achieving a small footprint, easy bootability with up-to-date storage devices, support for multiple booting interfaces, system recovery, and selectable operating modes within a single system, due to limitations in existing solutions such as pin-strapping and UART interface booting speeds.
Innovation Solution
A network processor system that incorporates an Ethernet-compatible interface for booting, allowing for faster software transmission with reduced ROM code size, and includes a second non-volatile EEPROM memory for flexible operation with various flash devices, enabling booting from multiple interfaces including UART and Ethernet, and allowing system recovery without relying on flash memory.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If pin-strapping is used to control booting behavior, then the network processor can be configured to boot from known storage devices, but the solution is limited and cannot support future or unknown storage devices
Solution Approach 1:
The network processor automatically detects the type of storage device connected and configures its own booting behavior without external intervention. The boot ROM analyzes the storage device interface capabilities and autonomously selects the appropriate booting method (parallel NOR Flash, serial flash, UART, or Ethernet), eliminating the need for manual pin-strapping configuration while maintaining broad compatibility.
2Adaptability or versatility
If UART interface is used for booting, then the network processor can boot without non-volatile memory, but the booting speed is much too slow for typical applications
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically selects the optimal booting interface based on the detected storage device capabilities. When fast storage devices like parallel NOR Flash or serial flash are detected, the system uses those high-speed interfaces for rapid booting. When only slow interfaces like UART are available, the system falls back to UART booting, thus adapting the booting speed to the actual hardware conditions while maintaining flexibility.
3Speed
If Ethernet interface is used for booting, then software can be transmitted much faster than over UART, but the ROM code size required would be much larger
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the Ethernet booting functionality from the main ROM by using a separate, dedicated boot ROM section that contains only the essential Ethernet boot code. This extracted boot ROM is specifically designed for Ethernet booting operations, allowing fast software transmission over Ethernet while keeping the main ROM size manageable by separating the booting functions from the main application code.
4Ease of manufacture
If conventional booting methods are used, then the network processor can boot from external non-volatile memory, but system recovery and on-site programming become difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The boot ROM is designed with multi-functionality to handle various booting scenarios and recovery situations. It can boot from multiple storage interfaces (parallel NOR Flash, serial flash, UART, Ethernet) and automatically selects the appropriate method based on the detected storage device. This universal design enables both straightforward manufacturing with standard components and easy system recovery or reprogramming through alternative interfaces if the primary storage device fails.
Data Source
AI summary
A network processor system includes a network processor 1, which is provided with a number of interfaces 9, 11, 13, 15, 19, including one or more Ethernet interfaces 9, 11 and a UART interface 19, which can be used to load a software package into the network processor 1. The software package can thus be modified when required, or when the software package previously stored in the network processor system is corrupted. The Ethernet data packets received on the Ethernet interfaces 9, 11 are in a special format, which the network processor 1 can recognize, to distinguish them from conventional Ethernet packets. Thus, the network processor 1 does not have to be programmed to handle the full range conventional Ethernet data packets. The network processor 1 is provided with a second external non-volatile data storage device 7 in the form of a EEPROM memory 7. The EEPROM memory 7 provides a writable extension of the internal ROM memory of the network processor. It can, for example, be used to store the parameters of other components of a network processor system (e.g. a flash memory 5) so that the network processor 1 can be used in conjunction with components of a wide range of types.