Abstract:
An updating device connected to a network adapter card ROM, the updating device includes a baseboard management controller. The baseboard management controller is electrically connected to the network adapter card ROM. The baseboard management controller stores an update data for the network adapter card ROM. When the baseboard management controller starts, the baseboard management controller writes the update data into the network adapter card ROM. A method of updating a network adapter card ROM is also provided.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    1. Technical Field 
         [0002]    The present disclosure relates to an updating device. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    Software of an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM) of a network adapter card can be updated by a manufacturer of the EEPROM. Updating the software of the EEPROM requires a computer with an operating system. However, assembling the computer and setting up the operating system just for updating the EEPROM is not expedient and will waste a lot of time. 
         [0005]    What is needed, therefore, is system and method capable of avoiding or overcoming the described limitations. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]    Many aspects of the embodiments can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the embodiments. 
           [0007]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram of an updating device according to an exemplary embodiment. 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is a flowchart of a method of updating a network adapter card ROM according to an exemplary embodiment. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0009]    Embodiments of the present disclosure are described in detail as follows, with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
         [0010]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a computer  10  according to an embodiment is shown. The computer  10  includes an updating device  11 , a network adapter card ROM  12 , and a power supply  13 . 
         [0011]    The network adapter card ROM  12  and the power supply  13  are both electrically connected to the updating device  11 . The network adapter card ROM  12  is an EEPROM. The power supply  13  powers the computer  10 . When the power supply  13  is electrically connected to an external power supply (not shown), the power supply  13  powers the updating device  11  and the network adapter card ROM  12 . The updating device  11  updates data/software of the network adapter card ROM  12  including about a network adapter card type information, manufacture names, and driving programs. The updating device  11  includes a baseboard management controller (BMC)  110 . 
         [0012]    The BMC  110  stores updated data for the network adapter card ROM  12 , an identification information corresponding to the update data, and an update program for the network adapter card ROM  12 . The identification information marks/tags the updated data. When the BMC  110  receives an update command, the BMC  110  captures the identity information of the network adapter card ROM  13  by applying a preset identifying mechanism. The update command can be preset in the computer  10  by users. 
         [0013]    The BMC  110  is a controller that provides intelligent management of an intelligent platform management, and has an independent operating system. If the power supply  13  is taken directly from the external power supply, the BMC  110  runs without booting the operation system of the computer  10 , and the updating device  11  can function effectively even if the power supply  13  of the computer  10  does not boot up the operating system of the computer  10 . 
         [0014]    In the present embodiment, the BMC  110  is a microchip. The BMC  110  communicates with a peripheral device by a serial peripheral interface (SPI) bus. The SPI bus includes a data input line SI, a data output line SO, a slave select line  SS , and a clock line SCLK. 
         [0015]    The data input line SI, the data output line SO, the slave select line  SS , and the clock line SCLK are respectively and electrically connected to an SI terminal, an SO terminal, an  SS  terminal, and an SCLK terminal of the network adapter card ROM  12 . 
         [0016]    The manner of updating the network adapter card ROM  12  is the same as for the updating of the BIOS is in a DOS-based operating system. The slave select line  SS  is at a low level voltage. The low level voltage is 0. The network adapter card ROM  12  is defined as a slave device. The BMC  110  is defined as a master device. The BMC  110  sends an SCLK signal to the network adapter card ROM  12  to update the network adapter card ROM  12 . The BMC  110  and the network adapter card ROM  12  communicate with each other by the a data input line SI, a data output line SO, an SI terminal, and an SO terminal. When the update program is finished, the slave select line  SS  goes to a high level voltage, and the communication between the BMC  110  and the network adapter card ROM  12  is cut off. The high level voltage is 1. At this time, the update operation of the network adapter card is complete. The capacities and updating functions of the BMC  110  allow it to operate independently of the computer operating system, the BMC  110  and the network adapter card ROM  12  can communicate with each other without starting the computer  10 . 
         [0017]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , an updating method of the network adapter card includes the following steps. 
         [0018]    In step S 1 , power on the updating device  11 . The power supply  13  directly powers the updating device  11 . 
         [0019]    In step S 2 , start BMC  110 . When the updating device  11  is powered by the power supply  13 , the BMC  110  begins to function automatically. 
         [0020]    In step S 3 , does the network adapter card ROM  12  needs to be updated? The BMC  110  determines whether the update operation need to be operated or not by the update command preset in the computer  10  by users. If the network adapter card ROM  12  does not need to be updated, then the BMC  110  performs step S 7 . If the network adapter card ROM  12  does need to be updated, then the BMC  110  performs step S 4 . 
         [0021]    In step S 4 , run the update program stored in the BMC  110  to operate an update operation, the BMC  110  is defined as a master device, and the network adapter card ROM  12  is defined as a slave device. In the present embodiment, the slave select line  SS  of the BMC  110  is at low level voltage. The low level voltage is 1. The BMC  110  is defined as a master device. The network adapter card ROM  12  is defined as a slave device. The BMC  110  controls the network adapter card ROM  12  to updates data. 
         [0022]    In step S 5 , update the data stored in the network adapter card ROM  12  by the update data. Data stored in the network adapter card ROM  12  is updated by the update data stored in the BMC  110 . 
         [0023]    In step S 6 , update operation of the network adapter card ROM  12  completed? In the present embodiment, the BMC  110  monitors the data stored in the network adapter card ROM  12 . When the slave select line  SS  is at high level voltage, then the BMC  110  performs step S 7 , otherwise the BMC  110  performs step S 4 . The high level voltage is 1. 
         [0024]    While certain embodiments have been described and exemplified above, various other embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing disclosure. The present disclosure is not limited to the particular embodiments described and exemplified, and the embodiments are capable of considerable variation and modification without departure from the scope of the appended claims.