ivstools

ivstools command [-h] [options] firmware_file

info
    Display detailed information about the IVS firmware image, including version, components, and checksums.

unpack output_dir
    Extract firmware contents to a directory for inspection or modification.

pack input_dir output_fw
    Repackage a directory of firmware components into a valid IVS image.

sign --key private_key
    Cryptographically sign a firmware image using a private key.

flash --device /dev/mtdX
    Flash the firmware to the specified device (requires root).

validate
    Verify firmware integrity, signatures, and compatibility.

-h, --help
    Show help for the command or subcommand.

-v, --version
    Print ivstools version.

--debug
    Enable verbose debug output.

ivstools is a suite of command-line utilities developed by Intel for managing IVS (Intel Vision System) firmware images used with Image Processing Units (IPU), particularly IPU6 on Meteor Lake and Lunar Lake platforms.

These tools are essential for embedded Linux systems in automotive, robotics, and IoT applications using MIPI CSI-2 cameras. They enable developers to inspect, unpack, modify, repack, sign, validate, and flash firmware blobs containing calibration data, ISP (Image Signal Processor) configurations, and sensor-specific parameters.

Key use cases include customizing camera tuning for libcamera integration, debugging sensor pipelines, and deploying production firmware on Intel platforms. ivstools works alongside kernel modules like intel-ipu6 and user-space stacks such as libcamera or GStreamer.

The tools ensure firmware integrity through cryptographic signing and validation, preventing boot failures or suboptimal image quality. Usage typically requires root privileges for flashing operations and specific hardware support.

Flashing operations require root and can brick hardware if misused; always validate firmware first. Limited to Intel IPU6+ platforms. Not for general consumer use.

ivstools info fw.ivs
ivstools unpack fw.ivs ./extracted/
ivstools flash fw.ivs --device /dev/mtd0

Requires intel-ipu6 kernel modules, openssl for signing, and mtd-utils for flashing.

Developed by Intel starting in 2023 for Linux 6.5+ kernel support of IPU6 on Meteor Lake (Arc Graphics). Evolved from earlier IPU3/4 tools, with active maintenance in intel/media-driver and linux-intel-ipu6 repositories.

libcamera(1), modprobe(8), mtd-utils(1)