Field-programmability

<p>An <a href="/facts/Electronics/E4JhgISq">electronic</a> device or <a href="/facts/Embedded_system/a4muX1wU">embedded system</a> is said to be field-programmable or in-place programmable if  its <a href="/facts/Firmware/62UVKIUK">firmware</a> (stored in <a href="/facts/Non-volatile_memory/EN72wMD9">non-volatile memory</a>, such as <a href="/facts/Read-only_memory/P9QMuDLH">ROM</a>) can be modified "in the field", without disassembling the device or returning it to its manufacturer.
</p><p>This is often an extremely desirable feature, as it can reduce the cost and turnaround time for replacement of <a href="/facts/Computer_bug/I1uSXySv">buggy</a> or obsolete firmware.  For example, a <a href="/facts/Digital_camera/LSGTserm">digital camera</a> vendor could distribute firmware supporting a new image <a href="/facts/File_format/qrXbwJaH">file format</a> by instructing consumers to <a href="/facts/Download/qN7fWmyI">download</a> a new firmware <a href="/facts/ROM_image/D7ngQLxV">image</a> to the camera via a <a href="/facts/USB/XcIKWLyg">USB</a> cable.
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Field-programmability open-in-new

Field-programmability