IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,494,104
Granted Patent B2
US 11,494,104 · App. 16/526,591 · Granted Nov 8, 2022

Memory system with accessible storage region to gateway

Inventors: Atsushi Yamazaki (Hachioji Tokyo, JP); Kentaro Umesawa (Kawasaki Kanagawa, JP); Naoko Yamada (Yokohama Kanagawa, JP); Yuta Kageyama (Yokohama Kanagawa, JP)
Assignee: KIOXIA CORPORATION
G06F3/0647G06F3/0604G06F3/0673G06F11/26
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,494,104
App. No.
16/526,591
Granted
Nov 8, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

A memory system comprising a first storage region which stores first firmware corresponding to an external first electronic control apparatus; a second storage region which stores second firmware corresponding to an external gateway and third firmware corresponding to the first electronic control apparatus; and a controller configured to transmit the second firmware and the third firmware to the gateway on the basis of a first command received from the gateway, and transmit the first firmware to the gateway on the basis of a second command received from the gateway.

Claims (123)

1. A memory system comprising:

a first storage region which stores first firmware corresponding to an external first electronic control apparatus;

a second storage region which stores second firmware corresponding to an external gateway and third firmware corresponding to the first electronic control apparatus; and

a controller, wherein

the first storage region is configured to be accessible to the gateway when the gateway is started using a first software, and accessible to the gateway when the gateway is started using a second software,

the second storage region is configured to be inaccessible to the gateway when the gateway is started using the first software, and accessible to the gateway when the gateway is started using the second software, and

the controller is configured to transmit the second firmware and the third firmware to the gateway on the basis of a first command received from the gateway, and transmit the first firmware to the gateway on the basis of a second command received from the gateway.

2. A control system comprising:

the memory system according to claim 1 ;

the gateway; and

the first electronic control apparatus, wherein

the gateway is connected to the memory system,

the first electronic control apparatus is connected to the gateway, and

the gateway is configured to:

receive the second firmware and the third firmware from the memory system;

execute the second firmware and transmit the third firmware to the first electronic control apparatus;

receive first information from the first electronic control apparatus;

transmit the second command based on the first information to the memory system;

receive the first firmware from the memory system; and

transmit the first firmware to the first electronic control apparatus.

3. The control system according to claim 2 , wherein

the first electronic control apparatus is configured to:

execute the third firmware to execute a self-diagnosis operation of examining a state of the first electronic control apparatus;

transmit a result of the self-diagnosis operation to the gateway as the first information; and

execute the first firmware.

4. The control system according to claim 2 , wherein

the gateway is configured to:

check whether the first electronic control apparatus is altered;

transmit a request to the memory system to start the gateway using the second software responsive to determining that the first electronic control apparatus is altered; and

transmit the first command to the memory system after the gateway is started using the second software.

5. The control system according to claim 2 , further comprising:

a watchdog; wherein

the watchdog is configured to instruct the gateway to check whether the first electronic control apparatus is altered;

the gateway is configured to transmit second information corresponding to the instruction to the watchdog;

the watchdog is further configured to transmit a request to the memory system to start the gateway using the second software on the basis of the received second information or based on the second information not being received in a predetermined period from the instruction; and

the gateway is further configured to transmit the first command to the memory system after the gateway is started using the second software.

6. The control system according to claim 5 , further comprising:

a second electronic control apparatus which is connected to the gateway, wherein

the gateway is configured to check whether the second electronic control apparatus is altered after the first electronic control apparatus executes the first firmware.

7. A control system comprising:

the memory system according to claim 1 ;

the gateway;

the first electronic control apparatus; and

a second electronic control apparatus; wherein

the gateway is connected to the memory system;

the first electronic control apparatus is connected to the gateway;

the second electronic control apparatus is connected to the gateway; and

the gateway is configured to:

receive the second firmware and the third firmware from the memory system;

execute the second firmware and transmit the third firmware to the first electronic control apparatus;

receive first information from the first electronic control apparatus;

transmit the second command based on the first information to the memory system;

receive the first firmware from the memory system; and

transmit the first firmware to the second electronic control apparatus.

8. The control system according to claim 7 , wherein

the first electronic control apparatus is configured to control an external first equipment and the second electronic control apparatus is configured to control an external second equipment;

the first electronic control apparatus is configured to execute the third firmware to execute a self-diagnosis operation of examining a state of the first electronic control apparatus, and transmit a result of the self-diagnosis operation to the gateway as the first information; and

the second electronic control apparatus is configured to execute the first firmware responsive to receiving the first firmware from the gateway and control both the first equipment and the second equipment.

9. The control system according to claim 7 , wherein

the first electronic control apparatus is configured to control an external first equipment;

the first electronic control apparatus is configured to execute the third firmware to execute a self-diagnosis operation of examining a state of the first electronic control apparatus, and to transmit a result of the self-diagnosis operation to the gateway as the first information; and

the second electronic control apparatus is configured to execute the first firmware and control the first equipment.

10. A method for managing firmware using a control system that comprises a gateway, a first electronic control apparatus, and a memory system including a first storage region which stores first firmware corresponding to the first electronic control apparatus and a second storage region which stores second firmware corresponding to the gateway and third firmware corresponding to the first electronic control apparatus, the method comprising:

receiving, by the controller, a first command from the gateway;

transmitting, by the controller to the gateway, the second firmware and the third firmware responsive to receiving the first command;

receiving, by the controller, a second command from the gateway; and

transmitting, by the controller to the gateway, the first firmware responsive to receiving the second command,

wherein the first storage region is configured to be accessible to the gateway when the gateway is started using a first software, and accessible to the gateway when the gateway is started using a second software, and

the second storage region is configured to be inaccessible to the gateway when the gateway is started using the first software, and accessible to the gateway when the gateway is started using the second software.

11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the gateway is connected to the memory system and first electronic control apparatus is connected to the gateway, the method further comprising:

receiving, by the gateway, the second firmware and the third firmware from the memory system;

executing, by the gateway, the second firmware and transmitting the third firmware to the first electronic control apparatus;

receiving, by the gateway, first information from the first electronic control apparatus;

transmitting, by the gateway, the second command based on the first information to the memory system;

receiving, by the gateway, the first firmware from the memory system; and

transmitting, by the gateway, the first firmware to the first electronic control apparatus.

12. The method according to claim 11 , further comprising:

executing, by the first electronic control apparatus, the third firmware to execute a self-diagnosis operation of examining a state of the first electronic control apparatus;

transmitting, by the first electronic control apparatus, a result of the self-diagnosis operation to the gateway as the first information; and

executing, by the first electronic control apparatus, the first firmware.

13. The method according to claim 11 , further comprising:

checking, by the gateway, whether the first electronic control apparatus is altered;

transmitting, by the gateway, a request to the memory system to start the gateway using the second software responsive to determining that the first electronic control apparatus is altered; and

transmitting, by the gateway, the first command to the memory system after the gateway is started using the second software.

14. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the control system further comprises a watchdog, the method further comprising:

instructing, by the watchdog, the gateway to check whether the first electronic control apparatus is altered;

transmitting, by the gateway, second information corresponding to the instruction to the watchdog; and

transmitting, by the watchdog, a request to the memory system to start the gateway using the second software on the basis of the received second information or based on the second information not being received in a predetermined period from the instruction; and

transmitting, by the gateway, the first command to the memory system after the gateway is started using the second software.

15. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the control system further comprises a second electronic control apparatus which is connected to the gateway, the method further comprising:

checking, by the gateway, whether the second electronic control apparatus is altered after the first electronic control apparatus executes the first firmware.

16. The method according to claim 10 wherein the control system further comprises a second electronic control apparatus connected to the gateway, the first electronic control apparatus is connected to the gateway, and the gateway is connected to the memory system, the method further comprising:

receiving, by the gateway, the second firmware and the third firmware from the memory system;

executing, by the gateway, the second firmware and transmitting the third firmware to the first electronic control apparatus;

receiving, by the gateway, first information from the first electronic control apparatus;

transmitting, by the gateway, the second command based on the first information to the memory system;

receiving, by the gateway, the first firmware from the memory system; and

transmitting, by the gateway, the first firmware to the second electronic control apparatus.

17. The method according to claim 16 , further comprising:

controlling, by the first electronic control apparatus, an external first equipment;

control, by the second electronic control apparatus, an external second equipment;

executing, by the first electronic control apparatus, the third firmware to execute a self-diagnosis operation of examining a state of the first electronic control apparatus, and transmitting a result of the self-diagnosis operation to the gateway as the first information; and

executing, by the second electronic control apparatus, the first firmware responsive to receiving the first firmware from the gateway and controlling both the first equipment and the second equipment.

18. The method according to claim 16 , further comprising

controlling, by the first electronic control apparatus, an external first equipment;

executing, by the first electronic control apparatus, the third firmware to execute a self-diagnosis operation of examining a state of the first electronic control apparatus, and transmitting a result of the self-diagnosis operation to the gateway as the first information; and

executing, by the second electronic control apparatus, the first firmware and control the first equipment.

19. A control system comprising:

a gateway;

a first electronic control apparatus configured to control an external apparatus;

a second backup electronic control apparatus; and

a memory system comprising:

a first storage region which stores first firmware for controlling the external apparatus;

a second storage region which stores second firmware corresponding to the gateway and third firmware corresponding to the first electronic control apparatus; and

a controller configured to transmit the second firmware and the third firmware to the gateway on the basis of a first command received from the gateway, and transmit the first firmware to the gateway on the basis of a second command received from the gateway, wherein

the gateway is configured to receive the first firmware from the memory system, and to transmit the first firmware to the second backup electronic control apparatus, and

the second backup electronic control apparatus is configured to execute the first firmware to control the external apparatus.

20. The control system of claim 19 , wherein:

the third firmware is self-diagnosis firmware;

the first electronic control apparatus is configured to:

execute the third firmware to execute a self-diagnosis operation of examining a state of the first electronic control apparatus; and

transmit a result of the self-diagnosis operation to the gateway; and

the gateway is configured to transmit the second command to the memory system on the basis of the result of the self-diagnosis operation.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jan 17, 2022
From: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
To: KIOXIA CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 058751/0379 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 3, 2020
From: YAMAZAKI, ATSUSHI; UMESAWA, KENTARO; YAMADA, NAOKO; KAGEYAMA, YUTA
To: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 051702/0590 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP JP2019-051116 · Mar 19, 2019 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20200301598A1 · Sep 24, 2020