In-application upgrade method for optical module firmware not breaking service
View Patent ↗An in-application upgrade method is used for optical module firmware not breaking a service. A storage area for internal programs of an optical module is divided into two areas which are respectively used for storing upgrade and application programs, and is divided into an area for backing up an interrupt vector table of a Boot program. An upper computer is in communication with the optical module. The interrupt vector table is switched, and the jump between the Boot program and the application program is achieved. The method includes extracting the contents of firmware, entering a download mode and updating the firmware. The original firmware is erased, and new firmware is written. An application mode is entered, the upper computer sending an exit command from the download mode. The upgrade program exits and a new application program is executed. The optical module operates normally without interruption.
1. An in-application upgrade method for optical module firmware comprising:
extracting contents of firmware to a storage area, wherein the storage area is to store internal programs of an optical module, wherein the storage area is divided into two areas which are respectively used for storing an upgrade program and an application program, and is divided into a special area for backing up an interrupt vector table of a Boot program;
entering a download mode;
erasing original firmware;
writing new firmware;
entering an application mode, wherein entering the application mode comprises sending a command of exiting from the download mode after data and a code pass verification, exiting from an upgrade program and turning to execute a new application program, and an optical module operating normally;
sending a corresponding status indicator in spite of entering either the application program or a Boot program;
reading the indication to judge the status of the program;
notifying an operator of executing either the Boot program or the application program by an existing MCU(Micro Control Unit) of the optical module;
sending a command to switch between the two statuses; and
after entering the download mode, switching the existing interrupt vector table into a Boot program interrupt vector table using a program pointer in response to determining to upgrade the firmware and the program pointer turns to point to the Boot program.
2. The in-application upgrade method of claim 1 , wherein extracting the contents of the firmware comprises executing the application program when a system is operating normally, and sending a command of entering the download mode when needing to update the firmware.
3. The in-application upgrade method of claim 1 , wherein the status of a register partially controlling the optical module and an I/O port remains unchanged, so that basic functions of the optical modules, such as transmission and remains unchanged, so that basic functions of the optical module, such as transmission and reception, are sustained not to affect the normal operation of the optical module.
4. The in-application upgrade method of claim 1 , wherein erasing original firmware comprises sending a command to erase an appointed area in the optical module and to delay until the erasure is completed in the download mode.
5. The in-application upgrade method of claim 1 , wherein writing new firmware comprises:
sending a writing command;
loading the code of the new firmware; and
writing into an appointed storage area of the optical module, and wherein the application mode is entered after the data and the code pass the verification.
6. The in-application upgrade method of claim 1 , wherein the optical module and the upper computer are configured to execute a command transfer, update and download of the firmware and model switching through an I2C bus, and an adopted I2C address and a read-write mode are the same as an address of a communication protocol of the optical module.