Electrical computers and digital processing systems: support – Digital data processing system initialization or configuration – Loading initialization program
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-18
2003-08-05
Lee, Thomas (Department: 2185)
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: support
Digital data processing system initialization or configuration
Loading initialization program
C709S221000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06604194
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a communication terminal system and, in particular, to a method and apparatus for updating a communication terminal system's program at a remote site using a network.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In current systems, program updating can be easily performed by the use of a flash memory instead of a Read Only Memory(ROM). Particularly, in a system which updates a program to a new version through a network, a flash memory is used.
The prior art with respect to a program updating method and apparatus for a communication terminal system is described with reference to the accompanied drawings.
FIG. 1
is a block diagram showing a constitution of an example of a communication system according to the conventional art.
A communication terminal system includes a flash memory
130
for storing a program for the system operation control, a system memory
140
for storing operational data according to the operation of the system, a CPU (Central Processing Unit)
110
for controlling the entire operation of the system, a network interface unit
150
for communicating with a remote server, a user interface unit
160
for inputting signals using a keyboard or a mouse, a VGA (Video Graphic Array) interface unit
170
for outputting video signals by a display apparatus (not shown), and a system control unit
120
connected with the CPU
110
, the flash memory
130
, the system memory
140
, the network interface unit
150
, the user interface unit
160
, and the VGA interface unit
170
. A bus is connected with the remote server in which a new version of data exists via the network interface unit
150
, and the CPU
110
updates the data stored in the flash memory
130
to the new version of data which exists in the remote server.
The data stored in the flash memory
130
, as shown in
FIG. 2
, comprises a system initialization code source, a master code source, and a master code copy. The system initialization code source is positioned starting from an ‘0’(HEX) address of the flash memory
130
. When the system is powered “ON” the operation of the CPU
110
starts from the ‘0’(HEX) address. Therefore the CPU
110
executes the system initialization code to initialize the system when the power is “ON”.
The master code source is a basic program of the system for controlling the network operation, VGA operation, etc. The master code copy is reproduced from the master code source. The data updating process of the flash memory
130
will be explained referring to FIG.
1
and FIG.
3
.
FIG. 3
is a flow chart of an example of the data updating process according to the prior art.
When the system is powered “on ”, the CPU
110
controls the system control unit
120
so as to output the ‘
0
’(HEX) address of the flash memory
130
. When the system control unit
120
transfers the system initialization code source stored in the ‘
0
’(HEX) address of the flash memory
130
to the CPU
110
, the system initialization code source is executed to initialize the system. After system initialization, the CPU
110
loads the master code source and copy stored in the flash memory
130
into the system memory
140
by controlling the system control unit
120
. The reason thereof is to properly operate the program already being executed when updating the data stored in the flash memory
130
.
The CPU
110
checks the check sum of the master code source, and if there is no malfunction, determines the master code source as normal and thus executes the master code source stored in the system memory
140
. Afterwards, the CPU searches a server and determines whether the master code stored in the flash memory
130
requires an update or not by comparing the master code source stored in the flash memory
130
with the master code of the server.
If the master code of the flash memory
130
requires an update to a new version, the CPU
110
, after updating the master code copy of the flash memory
130
with the master code of the server, updates the master code source of the flash memory
130
and turns the power “OFF/ON”, thereby actuating the system with an updated master code.
If the master code does not require an update, the CPU
110
implements the following function according to the signal of a keyboard or a mouse input through the user interface unit
160
and displays a progress on a display apparatus through the VGA interface unit
170
.
A master code in an abnormal state will now be explained.
After the system initialization, the checksum of the master code source is checked and the master code is determined as abnormal, the CPU
110
checks the checksum of the master code copy in order to determine if there is something wrong with the master code copy.
If the master code copy is normal, the CPU
110
executes the master code copy, searches a server through the network interface unit
150
, and determines whether the master code copy needs an update by comparing the master code copy stored in the flash memory
130
with the master code of the server.
If the master code copy requires an update, the CPU
110
, after updating the master code source of the flash memory
130
with the master code of the server, updates the master code copy and turns the power “OFF/ON”, thereby actuating the system with an updated master code.
If the master code copy does not require an update, the CPU
110
updates the master code source stored in the flash memory
130
with the master code of the server and turns the power “OFF/ON”, thereby actuating the system with an updated master code.
The reason why the master code source is updated although it does not require an update when compared with the server is because the master code source was determined damaged before executing the master code copy.
As described above, in a communication terminal system which updates a program through a network, flash memories are more popularly used. In order to update a program to a new version, a flash memory area to be updated should be deleted and a new version of program should be stored thereon.
However, there is a problem that when a power failure arises during program updating, the program in an area to be updated is deleted and cannot be restored and thus program updating is not performed correctly, resulting in an inoperable system. To solve this problem, in the prior art, the flash memory is provided with the master code copy as well as the master code source. That is, if the master code source is lost due to a power failure or the like during the master code source updating, the CPU
110
executes the system with the master code copy, and the master code source is updated with the master code of the server. As described above, the problem can be solved by providing the flash memory with the master code copy.
Unlike the master code, however, there is another problem that if a system initialization code is lost or incorrectly updated when updating the same, the system is not operable. The reason therefor is that since a system initialization code starts from the ‘
0
’(HEX) address of the flash memory area, the system initialization code copy is not placed at the ‘
0
’(HEX) address in the flash memory area though the system initialization code copy is provided. Therefore, the operation of the CPU
110
starts from the ‘
0
’(HEX) address of the flash memory when the system is powered “ON” though there is a problem with the system initialization code, and thus the system initialization code source with the problem is executed, so that it is impossible to update the system initialization code to a new version or the existing version.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, an object of the present invention, for correcting the conventional problems is to provide a program updating method and apparatus for removing a system inoperable state or wrong operation state due to a power failure during program updating and by providing a memory with a circuit which designates a save area of a system initialization code copy while storing the system initializ
Birch & Stewart Kolasch & Birch, LLP
Lee Thomas
LG Electronics Inc.
Wang Albert
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