Abstract:
The invention provides a method of implementing firmware updates to programmable parts within circuit boards on a manufacturing line. An image file of firmware for each of the parts is created and stored on a firmware server. The programmable parts are preferably integrated with the printed circuit boards; each of the boards networks to the firmware server by connection with an interface server, such that the image files download to the circuit board for programming the board&#39;s internal programmable parts. Networking between the parts and the firmware server can include communications across the Internet and/or one or more area networks. Multiple interface servers may be integral with the products incorporating the programmable parts so that many products may be updated concurrently.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is related to copending and cofiled applications for U.S. letters patent Ser. No. 09/918,030, filed Jul. 30, 2001 and entitled METHOD FOR ACCESSING SCAN CHAINS AND UPDATING EEPROM-RESIDENT FPGA CODE THROUGH A SYSTEM MANAGEMENT PROCESSOR AND JTAG BUS Ser. No. 09/918,023 filed Jul. 30, 2001 and entitled METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR IN-SYSTEM PROGRAMMING THROUGH A COMMON CONNECTION POINT OF PROGRAMMABLE LOGIC DEVICES ON MULTIPLE CIRCUIT BOARDS OF A SYSTEM; and Ser. No. 09/918,023, filed Jul. 30, 2001 and entitled SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR IN-SYSTEM PROGRAMMING THROUGH AN ON-SYSTEM JTAG BRIDGE OF PROGRAMMABLE LOGIC DEVICES ON MULTIPLE CIRCUIT BOARDS OF A SYSTEM, all of the aforementioned applications incorporated herewith by reference thereto. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Many systems and products incorporate programmable parts, such as FPGAs, PLDs, EEPROMS and microprocessors. Often, the programming for these parts changes during the development stage, prototyping stage and even into the production stage. It is important and yet difficult to incorporate the latest programming into the parts at each stage, particularly in the advanced manufacturing stages when several entities may be involved. 
     In the manufacturing stage, for example, an outside contract vendor may program these parts for systems and products designed by the originating company; a contract manufacturer may perform the actual integrations of the parts within the systems and products, for sale under label of the originating company. The difficulties occur when the originating company identifies technical issues with firmware that must be changed and incorporated into the integration and/or manufacturing processes. The firmware changes must be communicated first to the contract vendor, and then physically integrated as a change into the parts integrations. 
     Implementing programming changes from the originating company and the contract vendor and manufacturer is thus tedious and difficult; and yet any delay in programming parts within these products and systems can cause critical program problems for the originating company. Likewise, an incorrect programming of parts with firmware that is not the latest revision can also cause critical program problems; systems and products may become inoperable in such instances. 
     There are two general methods for updating programming to programmable parts within such systems and products, and according to the prior art: 
     1. New program revisions are sent from the originating company to the contracting vendor. The vendor programs a few parts and sends them back to the originating company for verification. Once verified, the contract vendor is authorized to program the parts in larger quantities; the contract vendor then ships parts to the contract manufacturer, where programmed parts with older revisions are purged and the newer revision parts are integrated within the processes. 
     This method has several drawbacks. First, changes according to this method can take several weeks. Second, there is often considerable confusion about which revision should be implemented into the systems or products. Third, each company—the originating company, the contract vendor, and the contract manufacturer—typically expends significant overhead and resources in implementing and verifying the method. And fourth, manufacturing costs significantly increase when large quantities of programmed parts are purged to prepare for new revisions of these parts. 
     2. Parts are programmed in In-Circuit Test (ICT) An ICT generally consists of a “bed of nails” configuration to access signals on a circuit board. An ICT can be used to test boards, or components, but it may also be used to program parts. For example, certain pin configurations to a programmable part may be used to program the part; while other pin configurations to the programmable part may be used to test the part. There are several difficulties with the ICT: First, a long development time usually results from constructing an ICT. Second, the typical ICT cannot operate at high speeds, lengthening the time to program the part. Third, the use of an ICT is not generally scaleable to program many parts; the ICT then may become a bottleneck to efficient manufacturing and inventories. 
     It is, accordingly, one object of the invention to provide methods for programming of parts through a network. Other objects of the invention are apparent within the description that follows. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In one aspect, the invention provides a method of releasing new firmware updates to a programmable part within a circuit board. The method includes the steps of creating an image file of firmware used to program the part; storing the image file at a server; integrating the programmable part with the printed circuit board; and networking the circuit board to the server such that the image file downloads to the circuit board for programming the programmable part. The method may include the further step of automatically polling the server to download the firmware to the circuit board. 
     In one aspect, the method includes the step of integrating a serial chip with the printed circuit board, the serial chip polling the server to download the firmware, the programmable part having bootstrap software to download the firmware from the serial chip to the programmable part. 
     In one aspect, the method includes the step of utilizing the Internet in networking the circuit board with the server. A LAN or WAN may also be used in networking the circuit board with the server, alone or in combination with the Internet, to accomplish the steps of the invention. 
     In another aspect, the method includes the further step of updating the firmware image file at the server, subsequent downloads of the firmware image file to a programmable part being seamless to the updated firmware. 
     In another aspect, a system is provided for programming programmable parts in a manufacturing line. A firmware server connects to a network; the server storing a firmware image file. An interface server with the manufacturing line connects to the network and captures the image file from the firmware server. A first system with a first programmable part interfaces with the interface server to program the first programmable part with the firmware image file. A second system with a second programmable part then interfaces with the interface server to program the second programmable part with the firmware image file. Alternatively, each of the systems has an interface server for integrating with the firmware server; the interface servers each downloading firmware to programmable parts associated with its system. Preferably, the interface server includes a connector for physically coupling with a circuit board within the first and second systems, the first and second programmable parts being electronically and respectively coupled with the first and second printed circuit boards. The connector has one or more pins that interface in a programming configuration with pads or pins on the printed circuit boards to program the programmable parts. In the system, the image file may be updated or replaced with another image file without affecting interaction between the interface server and the system. 
     In still another aspect, the interface server has a connector with a plurality of pins for programming the part. The pins connect to the part, or to a connector of a printed circuit board housing the part, or to a system and signal lines coupled to the part, to program the part. The connector and pins may for example act similar to an ICT device. 
     In an alternative aspect, a system is provided for programming a series of programmable parts in a manufacturing line. A firmware server connects to a network; the server storing a firmware image file. An interface server connects to the network and captures the image file from the firmware server. Sequentially, one programmable part and then another interfaces with the interface server; the interface server programs each programmable part, in sequence, with the firmware image file. Preferably, the interface server includes a connector for physically coupling with pins of the programmable parts. The connector has one or more pins that interface in a programming configuration with the parts to facilitate programming the programmable parts. 
     In other aspects of the invention, multiple firmware image files are stored on a firmware server. Multiple interface servers connect in network with the firmware server to download one or more of the files to programmable parts associated with the interface servers. Typically, each of the interface servers resides within a product that includes at least one printed circuit board having the programmable parts; each of the servers downloading firmware for the programmable parts of that circuit board. 
     The invention is next described further in connection with preferred embodiments, and it will become apparent that various additions, subtractions, and modifications can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       A more complete understanding of the invention may be obtained by reference to the drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  shows a system constructed according to the invention for programming one or more programmable parts, in accord with the invention; and 
         FIG. 2  shows another system of the invention for programming programmable parts in accord with the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       FIG. 1  shows a system  10  constructed according to the invention. System  10  includes a firmware server  12  connected by a network  14  to an interface server  16 . Network  14  may for example be the Internet, a LAN or WAN, or combinations thereof. Firmware server  12  stores a firmware image file  17 ; firmware image file  17  is used to program a programmable part  20  for use within a system  22 . Communications between server  12  across network  14  and to interface server  16  may be secure link enabled by a virtual private network or other private link. 
     System  22  may for example be a product incorporating a printed circuit board  24  (PCB  24 ). Programmable part  20  may and preferably is integrated with printed circuit board  24 . Programmable part  20  may for example be a FPGA, PLD, EEPROM or other programmable logic; programmable part  20  may alternatively be a programmable processor like a PIC processor from MICRO CHIP, a 68HC05 family processor from MOTOROLA, a 68HC11 processor from MOTOROLA, and a 8051 or 8096 processors from INTEL. 
     Interface server  16  interfaces with programmable part  20  to program part  20  according to image file  17 . In the preferred embodiment, interface server  16  has a connector  30  to physically connect with a connector  25  of PCB  24 , to program part  20 . Accordingly, connector  30  has a plurality of pins  32  arranged in a programming configuration to couple with PCB  24 . 
     Those skilled in the art should appreciate that system  10  may program part  20  with alternative connections to connector  30 . For example, connector  30  may connect directly to part  20 , in a pin-specific configuration of pins  32 , to program part  20 . Alternatively, connector  30  may connect with system  22 —and specifically by connection of pins  32  to internal signal lines  34  connected to part  20 —to equivalently program part  20  in the appropriate programming configuration. 
     It should therefore be clear that system  10  is illustrative to show one or more possible configurations for programming part  20 . Specifically, in one configuration, interface server  16  connects directly to PCB  24  by connector pins  32  of connector  30  to program part  20  within PCB  24 . In a second configuration, interface server  16  couples to system  22  by connector pins  32  coupled to signal lines  34 ; signal lines  34  thus connect in the right programming configuration to PCB  24 . In the third configuration, interface server  16  couples directly to part  20  via its connector and pins  30 ,  32 , respectively. In this third configuration, therefore, PCB  24  and system  22  are not part of the process and are not, thus, included during the step of programming part  20 . 
     System  10  preferably operates within a manufacturing process with many parts  20  programmed in sequence (or to some extent concurrently, if multiple servers  16  are within the manufacturing process).  FIG. 1  thus illustratively shows system  10  with a robotics link  60  that shuttles sequential parts  20  for programming by interface server  16 . Depending on the configuration, link  60  may sequentially shuttle parts  20  for programming, or PCBs  24  with parts  20  for programming, or systems  22  with PCBs and parts  24 ,  20 , for programming.  FIG. 1  shows a second system  22 ′, second PCB  24 ′ and part  20 ′ illustrating a second of the many parts  20  programmed in sequence. 
     In one embodiment, PCB  24  includes a serial or memory device  26  used to poll and/or capture firmware image file  17  from server  16  automatically. 
     Firmware image file  17  is updated by overwriting a similarly named image file to firmware server  12 . An engineer desiring to update image file  17  to a newer revision for programming part  20  can thus update part  20  by communicating the later revision firmware from his computer  70  connected to firmware server  12 . Updating the firmware  17  in this manner is “seamless” to the programming process at the location of interface server  16 ; that is, continued programming of parts  20  may occur without special configuration or communication indicating the newer revision. 
     Interface server  16  may be, and preferably is, integral with system  22 ; in addition, the invention may program more than a single part within a PCB.  FIG. 2  illustrates this preferred embodiment in a system  100  of the invention. System  100  includes a firmware server  112  connected by a network  114  to one or more interface servers  116 . System  100  is shown to connect to two interface servers  116 A,  116 B simultaneously; system  100  may further connect to additional or fewer servers  116 , as a matter of design choice. 
     Network  114  may for example be the Internet, a LAN or WAN, or combinations thereof. Secure communications between servers  116  and firmware server  112  may occur through one of known techniques, as a matter of design choice. Firmware server  112  stores a series of firmware image files  17 A 1  . . .  17 AN,  117 B 1  . . .  117 BN; firmware image files  117  are used to program a corresponding number of programmable parts  20 A 1  . . .  120 AN,  120 B 1  . . .  120 BN. The number of files  117  and corresponding parts  120  is a matter of design choice; those skilled in the art should appreciate that system  100  may for example program one or more parts  120  without departing from the scope of the invention. 
     Systems  122  may for example be a product incorporating a printed circuit board  124 . System  100  is shown to include two systems  122 A,  122 B, each with a corresponding interface server  116 A,  116 B and boards  124 A,  124 B; however system  100  may further include additional or fewer systems  122  as a matter of design choice. 
     Programmable parts  120  may and preferably are integrated with printed circuit boards  124 . Programmable parts  120  may for example be a FPGA, PLD, EEPROM or other programmable logic; programmable parts  120  may alternatively be a programmable processor. 
     Interface servers  116  interface with programmable parts  120  to program parts  120  according to image files  117 . In the preferred embodiment, interface server  116  resides within system  122  and connects to program parts  120  via one or more signal lines  121  (for example, server  116 A connects to parts  120 A within system  122 A; server  116 B connects to parts  120 B within system  122 B). 
     System  100  preferably operates within a manufacturing process with many parts  120  programmed concurrently. Firmware image files  117  may be updated by overwriting a similarly named image file to firmware server  112 . An engineer desiring to update one or more of image files  117  to a newer revision for one or more of programming parts  120  may thus update the parts by communicating the later revision firmware from his computer  170  connected to firmware server  112 . Updating firmware  117  in this manner is “seamless” to the programming process at the location of interface server  116 ; that is, continued programming of parts  120  may occur without special configuration or communication indicating the newer revision. 
     Those skilled in the art should appreciate that interface servers  116  may embody built-in parts and/or components within systems  122 , or within boards  124 , to accomplish the same function, without departing from the scope of the invention. Specifically, interface servers  116  may be, or may include, smart components or processors coupled with printed circuit boards  124 ; such smart components or processors then directly communicate with the network firmware server  112 . 
     The inventions of FIG.  1  and  FIG. 2  have several advantages. First, systems  10 ,  100  are very fast as compared to prior art methods for updating firmware for programmable parts, such as those using the ICT. Second, a single firmware image is preferably used throughout the manufacturing life cycle of system  22 ,  122 ; this eliminates the overhead and tracking of revisions for various firmware upgrades to parts. Third, the process of updating firmware to programmable parts is less disruptive to the manufacturing process, increasing product throughput and reducing error rates. 
     The invention thus attains the objects set forth above, among those apparent from the preceding description. Since certain changes may be made in the above methods and systems without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. It is also to be understood that the following claims are to cover all generic and specific features of the invention described herein, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall there between.