Persistent Memory Firmware Update Status Reporting

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing information handling systems lack a reliable mechanism to determine the success of firmware updates in persistent memory devices during power-on self-test (POST), only reporting whether the update was staged rather than whether it was successfully executed.

Innovation Solution

The system employs a BIOS non-volatile random access memory (NVRAM) attribute to track the status of firmware updates by comparing an attribute value to a default value, an error code, and a current firmware version, logging a successful or failed update message during POST.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the system only reports whether firmware update was staged, then the reporting mechanism is simple, but the reliability of firmware update status determination is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefirmware update status determinationVSAvoidreporting mechanism

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the BIOS compares the firmware version attribute value against the current firmware version to determine update status. This feedback loop provides reliable status determination by continuously monitoring and comparing version information, allowing the system to distinguish between staged and successfully executed updates through structured feedback from the firmware version attribute.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a firmware version attribute value as an intermediary element that mediates between the firmware update process and the status reporting mechanism. This intermediary stores the staged firmware version information, allowing the BIOS to compare and determine update status without directly accessing the firmware execution state, thus providing reliable status determination while maintaining reporting mechanism simplicity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Measurement precision

If the BIOS compares attribute value to multiple values (default, error code, firmware version), then the accuracy of update status detection is improved, but the complexity of the detection process increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveupdate status detectionVSAvoiddetection process

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the status detection process into distinct comparison steps: first comparing the attribute value to a default value to determine if an update was staged, then comparing to the current firmware version to determine if the update was successfully executed. This segmentation of the detection process into discrete comparison operations improves measurement precision while making the detection process more manageable and less complex through structured step-by-step evaluation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS11681807B2Information handling system with mechanism for reporting status of persistent memory firmware update

Publication Date: 2023.06.20 DELL PROD LP

AI summary

During a power-on self-test (POST), a basic input/output system (BIOS) retrieves an attribute value associated with the persistent memory device, and compares the attribute value to a default value. In response to the attribute value matching the default value, the BIOS may determine that a firmware management protocol was not executed during a previous POST. In response to the attribute value not matching the default value, the BIOS may compare the attribute value to a current firmware version of firmware within the persistent memory device.