IP Library Granted Patent US 11,269,614
Granted Patent B2
US 11,269,614 · App. 16/813,888 · Granted Mar 8, 2022

Transfer of firmware updates using an in-band interface

Inventors: Krishnakumar Narasimhan (Chennai, IN); Anusha Bhaskar (Bangalore, IN); Muniswamy Setty K S (Bangalore, IN); Parmeshwr Prasad (Bangalore, IN)
Assignee: Dell Products, L.P.
G06F8/65G06F9/4411G06F13/1668
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,269,614
App. No.
16/813,888
Granted
Mar 8, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems and methods for transferring firmware updates using an in-band interface are described. In an embodiment, an Information Handling System (IHS) may include a processor and a memory coupled to the processor, the memory having program instructions stored thereon that, upon execution, cause the IHS to: receive a firmware update package having a payload; create a namespace in a persistent memory; copy the payload to a segment of the persistent memory associated with the namespace; and write, to an Extensible Firmware Interface (EFI) variable, an Emulator Device Path (EDP) pointing to the payload.

Claims (34)

1. An Information Handling System (IHS), comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory having program instructions stored thereon that, upon execution, cause the IHS to:

receive a firmware update package having a payload;

create a namespace in a persistent memory;

copy the payload to a segment of the persistent memory associated with the namespace;

write, to an Extensible Firmware Interface (EFI) variable, an Emulator Device Path (EDP) pointing to the payload;

compare a device path map against the EDP using the Basic Input/Output System (BIOS);

in response to a match between the EDP and a path in the device path map, obtain the payload using the BIOS and update a corresponding device firmware using the payload; and

reboot.

2. The IHS of claim 1 , wherein to receive, create, copy, and write, the IHS uses an Operating System (OS).

3. The IHS of claim 1 , wherein the persistent memory comprises a non-volatile dual in-line memory module (NVDIMM) or storage class memory (SCM).

4. The IHS of claim 1 , wherein the EDP is provided by a kernel driver.

5. A memory storage device having program instructions stored thereon that, upon execution by one or more processors of an Information Handling System (IHS), cause the IHS to:

receive a firmware update package having a payload;

create a namespace in a persistent memory;

copy the payload to a segment of the persistent memory associated with the namespace;

write, to an Extensible Firmware Interface (EFI) variable, an Emulator Device Path (EDP) pointing to the payload;

compare a device path map against the EDP using a Basic Input/Output System (BIOS);

in response to a match between the EDP and a path in the device path map, obtain the payload using the BIOS and update a corresponding device firmware using the payload; and

reboot.

6. The memory storage device of claim 5 , wherein to receive, create, copy, and write, the IHS uses an Operating System (OS).

7. The memory storage device of claim 5 , wherein the persistent memory comprises a non-volatile dual in-line memory module (NVDIMM) or storage class memory (SCM).

8. The memory storage device of claim 5 , wherein the EDP is provided by a kernel driver.

9. A method, comprising:

receiving a firmware update package having a payload;

creating a namespace in a persistent memory;

copying the payload to a segment of the persistent memory associated with the namespace;

writing, to an Extensible Firmware Interface (EFI) variable, an Emulator Device Path (EDP) pointing to the payload;

comparing a device path map against the EDP using a Basic Input/Output System (BIOS);

in response to the EDP matching a path in the device path map, obtaining the payload using the BIOS and updating a corresponding device firmware using the payload; and

rebooting.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the receiving, creating, copying, and writing are performed by an Operating System (OS).

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the EDP is provided by a kernel driver.

Assignments (13)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (052851/0917) Recorded Jun 23, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 060436/0509 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (052852/0022) Recorded Jun 23, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 060436/0582 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (052851/0081) Recorded Jun 23, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 060436/0441 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (053311/0169) Recorded Jun 23, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 060438/0742 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (053546/0001) Recorded Jun 23, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL MARKETING L.P. (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.); DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL USA L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; DELL MARKETING CORPORATION (SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC. AND WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.); EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 071642/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST AT REEL 052771 FRAME 0906 Recorded Nov 2, 2021
From: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 058001/0298 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 5, 2020
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 052852/0022 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 5, 2020
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC; THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 052851/0081 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 5, 2020
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 052851/0917 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 5, 2020
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 053311/0169 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 28, 2020
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
Reel/Frame 052771/0906 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Apr 22, 2020
From: CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES INC.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL USA L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A.
Reel/Frame 053546/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 10, 2020
From: NARASIMHAN, KRISHNAKUMAR; BHASKAR, ANUSHA; K S, MUNISWAMY SETTY; PRASAD, PARMESHWR
To: DELL PRODUCTS, L.P.
Reel/Frame 052062/0497 →
Continuity (1)
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