Granted Patent B2

US 6,907,496 · App. 10/138,901 · Granted Jun 14, 2005

Abstract

Claims (49)

1. A method in a data processing system for updating a flash memory, the method comprising:

determining a configuration of the flash memory to form an identified configuration; and

applying a code update to the flash memory based on the identified configuration, wherein the determining step further determines a size of the flash memory.

2. A method in a data processing system for updating a flash memory, the method comprising:

determining a configuration of the flash memory to form an identified configuration; and

applying a code update to the flash memory based on the identified configuration, wherein the determining step comprises:

querying an address within a current section of the flash memory for geometry information;

selecting an adjacent section of the flash memory as the current section of the flash memory; and

repeating the querying step and selecting step until a selected amount of memory has been selected without detecting any geometry information.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the section of memory is an eight megabyte section of memory.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the selected amount of memory is a 64 megabyte amount of memory.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein a memory chip is identified each time geometry information is detected.

6. The method of claim 2 , wherein each section of memory is an eight megabyte section.

7. A method in a data processing system for updating a flash memory, the method comprising:

scanning, from a starting address, through a selected amount of memory for geometry information;

continuing to scan through subsequent first selected amounts of memory for geometry information until a second selected amount of memory has been scanned without encountering geometry information;

recording an identification of a memory chip each time geometry information is encountered;

identifying a size of the memory based on a number of sections scanned; and

applying a code update after the continuing step completes.

8. A data processing system for updating a flash memory, the data processing system comprising:

a bus system;

a communications unit connected to the bus system;

a memory connected to the bus system, wherein the memory includes a set of instructions; and

a processing unit connected to the bus system, wherein the processing unit executes the set of instructions to scan, from a starting address, through a selected amount of memory for geometry information; continue to scan through subsequent first selected amounts of memory for geometry information until a second selected amount of memory has been scanned without encountering geometry information; record an identification of a memory chip each time geometry information is encountered; identify a size of the memory based on a number of sections scanned; and apply a code update after the continuing step completes.

9. A data processing system for updating a flash memory, the data processing system comprising:

determining means for determining a configuration of the flash memory to form an identified configuration; and

applying means for applying a code update to the flash memory based on the identified configuration, wherein the determining means further determines a size of the flash memory.

10. A data processing system for updating a flash memory, the data processing system comprising:

determining means for determining a configuration of the flash memory to form an identified configuration; and

applying means for applying a code update to the flash memory based on the identified configuration, wherein the determining means comprises:

querying means for querying an address within a current section of the flash memory for geometry information;

selecting means for selecting an adjacent section of the flash memory as the current section of the flash memory; and

repeating means for repeating the querying step and selecting step until a selected amount of memory has been selected without detecting any geometry information.

11. The data processing system of claim 10 , wherein the section of memory is an eight megabyte section of memory.

12. The data processing system of claim 11 , wherein the selected amount of memory is a 64 megabyte amount of memory.

13. The data processing system of claim 10 , wherein a memory chip is identified each time geometry information is detected.

14. The data processing system of claim 10 , wherein each section of memory is an eight megabyte section.

15. A data processing system for updating a flash memory, the data processing system comprising:

first scanning means for scanning, from a starting address, through a selected amount of memory for geometry information;

second scanning means for continuing to scan through subsequent first selected amounts of memory for geometry information until a second selected amount of memory has been scanned without encountering geometry information;

recording means for recording an identification of a memory chip each time geometry information is encountered;

identifying means for identifying a size of the memory based on a number of sections scanned; and

applying means for applying a code update after the continuing step completes.

16. A computer program product in a computer readable medium for updating a flash memory, the computer program product comprising:

first instructions for scanning, from a starting address, through a selected amount of memory far geometry information;

second instructions for continuing to scan through subsequent first selected amounts of memory for geometry information until a second selected amount of memory has been scanned without encountering geometry information;

third instructions for recording an identification of a memory chip each time geometry information is encountered;

fourth instructions for identifying a size of the memory based on a number of sections scanned; and

fifth instructions for applying a code update after the continuing step completes.

Assignments (8)