Irrigation smart controllers with programming and firmware updating
Embodiments of the present disclosure include systems and methods for downloading and installing software updates upon an irrigation control unit (ICU). Some of the disclosed embodiments include error checking and integrity verification procedures which help ensure that the new software is properly installed. In some embodiments the update is coordinated in conjunction with the ICU's regular contact with a control server.
1. A method, implemented at an irrigation control unit (ICU), for updating the ICU, the ICU including a network interface, a first memory, and a second memory, the method comprising:
receiving, via the network interface, a data block, a first error code, and a first family ID value;
determining that the first family ID value received via the network interface is the same as a second family ID value stored in a boot portion of the second memory;
confirming an integrity of the data block based upon the first error code; generating a second error code based upon the data block; storing the data block in the first memory;
confirming the integrity of the data block as stored in the first memory based upon the second error code;
transferring a portion of contents of the first memory to the second memory, the portion
including the data block as stored in the first memory; and restarting the ICU based on the boot portion.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: storing a plurality of configuration parameters to the second memory.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, from a first server address via the at least one network interface, a time and a second server address to request a software update; and
transmitting a request, to the second server address, for a data block associated with the software update, the request including a data block number;
wherein the received data block is received from the second server address based on the data block number included in the request.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
generating a third error code based upon a plurality of data blocks stored in the first memory, the plurality of data blocks including the received data block; and
confirming the integrity of the plurality of data blocks based upon the third error code.
5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
generating an event based on any of the first error code, the second error code; or the third error code.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein storing the data block in the first memory comprises storing the data block in a directory in the first memory, wherein the directory comprises a first address entry and a second address entry, wherein the first address entry comprises the beginning of the block in the first memory and the second address entry comprises the beginning of the block in the second memory.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the boot sector comprises all operating code needed to interpret a directory in the first memory, to burn the first memory contents into the second memory according to the directory, and to restart the system.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first memory is an EEPROM and the second memory is a FLASH memory.