Arrangements for initialization-time and run-time integration of firmware and software extensions for supporting add-in hardware
AssigneeIntel Corporation
InventorDavid A. Wyatt
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Arrangements for initialization-time and run-time integration of firmware and driver software extensions for supporting add-in hardware.
Claims49
A firmware-initializing arrangement comprising:
- an initialization-time integrator to load at least one firmware extension, from a selection of additional firmware extensions, that matches a hardware extension detected during initialization, and integrating the at least one firmware extension onto an executable base system firmware's run-time image during initialization,
- and to dynamically adjust, during initialization, system base firmware component interfaces and addressing pointers of the at least one firmware extension, with adjustment being according to at least one of:
- component relocation addressing information of a firmware memory location in active firmware memory where the at least one firmware extension is to be integrated, and base addressing information of at least one subroutine in base firmware, the initialization-time integrator being operative in real-time during initialization.
A system comprising:
- at least one of a memory and a power supply;
- and
- an initialization-time integrator to dynamically integrate at least one firmware extension onto base firmware in real-time during an initialization-time of a system.
A method comprising dynamically integrating at least one firmware extension onto base firmware in real-time during an initialization-time of a system.
A machine-readable medium having stored thereon at least one sequence of instructions that, when executed, causes a machine to dynamically integrate at least one firmware extension onto base firmware in real-time during an initialization-time of a system.
A method of providing firmware support for child firmware added to a platform in which the method is implemented, the method comprising:
- relocatably-adjusting, at an initialization time, at least one relocatable child firmware component from hardware-specific executable code and data, to accommodate integration of the at least one relocatable child firmware component with parent base firmware into active firmware memory, the at least one relocatable child firmware component being operative to provide run-time services and functional support algorithms for the child hardware;
- and,
- initialization-time integrating the at least one relocatable child firmware component with the parent base firmware in the active firmware memory.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.