Pre-Boot Firmware Recovery via Network-Based Component Replacement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Component firmware corruption leads to decreased performance, data loss, and malfunctions in computing devices, often requiring manual user intervention or OS-specific recovery that can be inefficient and storage-intensive.
Innovation Solution
A BIOS-based system detects firmware corruption during pre-boot and retrieves replacement firmware from a centralized remote server using a mapping that associates component firmware identifiers with network addresses, allowing for automated recovery without OS involvement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If backup copies of component firmware are stored on the computing device, then firmware replacement can be performed quickly, but storage space is consumed and backups may become stale
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the firmware backup storage function from the local computing device and relocates it to a remote server. The mapping stores only metadata (firmware identifiers and network addresses) locally, while the actual firmware images are stored remotely, eliminating local storage consumption while enabling rapid recovery through network retrieval.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a mapping as an intermediary between the computing device and remote firmware sources. The mapping contains firmware identifiers and network addresses, serving as a local cache that enables quick location of remote firmware without storing the actual firmware images locally, thus balancing speed and storage requirements.
2Quantity of substance
If manual downloading and installation of firmware is performed, then storage space is saved, but user intervention time and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service by enabling the computing device to automatically detect firmware corruption, query the mapping for the correct firmware version, download the replacement firmware, and install it without user intervention. The system autonomously completes the entire firmware recovery process, eliminating manual operations while maintaining storage efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary action by pre-storing firmware metadata (identifiers and network addresses) in the mapping before corruption occurs. This advance preparation enables the system to quickly locate and retrieve the correct firmware version immediately upon corruption detection, without requiring user search or selection efforts.
3Reliability
If OS-based firmware detection and replacement is implemented, then firmware recovery can be performed, but it requires OS launch which increases time and may fail if severe corruption prevents OS startup
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary action by implementing firmware corruption detection and replacement capability in the BIOS, which executes before the operating system is launched. The BIOS checks firmware integrity during the pre-boot phase and can automatically initiate recovery procedures, ensuring that firmware issues do not prevent OS startup and eliminating the time delay associated with OS-based recovery.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent inverts the traditional recovery approach by moving the detection and replacement functionality from the operating system layer to the BIOS layer. Instead of the OS detecting and repairing firmware, the BIOS performs detection and triggers recovery before the OS even loads, fundamentally reversing the hierarchy and improving both reliability and speed.
Data Source
AI summary
An example non-transitory machine-readable medium includes recovery instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to detect a corruption of first installed instructions of first component firmware at a computing device and second installed instructions of second component firmware at the computing device. In response to detection of the corruption during pre-boot, if the first installed instructions are detected as corrupt, the recovery instructions request and receive first replacement instructions from a first network address, and replace in the computing device the first installed instructions with the first replacement instructions. If the second installed instructions are detected as corrupt, the recovery instructions request and receive second replacement instructions from a second network address different from the first network address, and replace in the computing device the second installed instructions with the second replacement instructions.