Importance

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Abstract

A firmware controlled device saves status and configuration information in a separate portion of memory that is not affected by a firmware update. In addition, information that may change during a firmware update, and may need to remain constant, is saved in the separate portion of memory that is not affected by a firmware update. In a first example embodiment, a reset process for the firmware controlled device is divided into two portions. In a first portion of the device reset process, the contents of the separate portion of memory are updated, either from firmware or by interaction with other devices. In a second portion of the device reset process, all other reset functions are performed. The first portion of the reset process is performed only during a power-on reset, or in response to an overall system reset. In particular, the first portion of the device reset process is not performed after a firmware update. In the second example embodiment, data that needs to remain constant are copied to the separate portion of memory as part of a firmware update process. Then, as part of a reset process, the device checks to see if a firmware update has occurred. If a firmware update has occurred, the data in the separate portion of memory are copied to the appropriate destinations, and the data in the separate portion of memory are cleared. As a result, for either example embodiment, the contents of the separate portion of memory are not disturbed during or after a firmware update, and a system reboot is not necessary after a device firmware update.

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First Claim