# US 10,481,675 B2 · Dual-processor system and control method thereof > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,481,675 B2 - Document ID: US10481675B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/428,430 - Filed: 2017-02-09 - Published: 2017-09-28 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2016-03-25 - Assignees: Xiamen Sigmastar Technology Ltd - Applicants: MStar Semiconductor, Inc. - Inventors: Lin-Chung Tsai; Fang-Sheng Lin; Chih-Hsiang Chiu; Hong-Chi Chen - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10481675B2 ## CPC - G06F 1/3293: by switching to a less power-consuming processor, e.g. sub-CPU - G06F 1/3287: by switching off individual functional units in the computer system - G06F 9/441: {Multiboot arrangements, i.e. selecting an operating system to be loaded} - G06F 9/44505: {Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files} - G06F 13/24: using interrupt (G06F13/32 takes precedence) - Y02D 10/00: Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - Y02D: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES [ICT], I.E. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES AIMING AT THE REDUCTION OF THEIR OWN ENERGY USE ## Abstract A dual-processor system includes a power supply, a temporary memory, a non-volatile memory and two processors. The non-volatile memory stores an initialization program code, a first configuration file corresponding to a first operating system, and a second configuration file corresponding to a second operating system. Compared to the first operating system, the second operating system has a shorter interrupt latency and a shorter thread switching latency. After the power supply starts to supply power, the first processor executes the initialization program code to perform operations of initializing the temporary memory, loading the second configuration file into the temporary memory, notifying the second processor to fetch the second configuration file from the temporary buffer, loading the first configuration rile into the temporary memory and establishing the first operating system according to the first configuration file. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A dual-processor system, comprising: a power supply; a temporary memory; a non-volatile memory, storing a first configuration file corresponding to a first operating system and a second configuration file corresponding to a second operating system, the second operating system having a shorter interrupt latency and a shorter thread switching latency compared to the first operating system; a first processor; and a second processor; wherein, after the power supply starts supplying power to the first processor, the first processor performs operations of: initializing the temporary memory; loading the second configuration file into the temporary memory; notifying the second processor to establish the second operating system according to the second configuration file in the temporary memory; loading the first configuration file into the temporary memory; and establishing the first operating system according to the first configuration file in the temporary memory; and before the first processor completes establishing the first operating system, the second processor has completed establishing the second operating system. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The dual-processor system according to claim 1, further comprising: a detection device, coupled to the power supply, detecting an ambient environment condition; wherein, in response to having detected that the ambient environment condition satisfies a predetermined condition, the power supply starts supplying power to the first processor. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The dual-processor system according to claim 1, further comprising: a capturing element, coupled to the second processor and the temporary memory; wherein the second processor controls the capturing element to capture an external update and to store the external update into the temporary memory after the second processor completes establishing the second operating system. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The dual-processor system according to claim 3, wherein the second processor controls the capturing element to start capturing the external update before the first processor completes establishing the first operating system. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The dual-processor system according to claim 3, further comprising: a transmission device, coupled to the first processor; wherein, the first processor fetches the external update from the temporary memory and requests the transmission device to send the external update. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The dual-processor system according to claim 1, wherein the first operating system is a Linux operating system. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The dual-processor system according to claim 1, wherein the second operating system is a real-time operating system (RTOS). ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The dual-processor system according to claim 1, wherein the first processor sets one of the temporary memory, the non-volatile memory, the first processor and the second processor to operate at a rated speed. ### Claim 9 A control method for a dual-processor system, the dual-processor system comprising a power device, a temporary memory, a non-volatile memory, a first processor and a second processor; the non-volatile memory storing a first configuration file corresponding to a first operating system and a second configuration file corresponding to a second operating system, the second operating system having a shorter interrupt latency and a shorter thread switching latency compared to the first operating system; the control method comprising: after the power supply starts supply power to the first processor: initializing the temporary memory by the first processor; loading the second configuration file into the temporary memory by the first processor; notifying the second processor to establish the second operating system according to the second configuration file in the temporary memory by the first processor; loading the first configuration file into the temporary memory by the first processor; and establishing the first operating system according to the first configuration file by the first processor; wherein, before the first processor completes establishing the first operating system, the second processor has completed establishing the second operating system. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The control method according to claim 9, further comprising: detecting an ambient environment condition; and in response to having detected that the ambient environment condition satisfies a predetermined condition, starting supplying power to the first processor by the power supply. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The control method according to claim 9, further comprising: controlling a capturing element to capture an external update and to store the external update into the temporary memory by the second processor after the second processor completes establishing the second operating system. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The control method according to claim 11, further comprising: controlling the capturing element to start capturing the external update by the second processor before the first processor completes establishing the first operating system. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The control method according to claim 11, further comprising: fetching the external update from the temporary memory and requesting a transmission device to send the external update by the first processor. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The control method according to claim 9, wherein the first operating system is a Linux operating system. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The control method according to claim 9, wherein the second operating system is a real-time operating system (RTOS). ### Claim 16 (depends on 9) The control method according to claim 9, further comprising: setting one of the temporary memory, the non-volatile memory, the first processor and the second processor to operate at a rated speed by the first processor.