Configuring computer systems
AssigneeSun Microsystems, Inc.
InventorPaul J. Garnett
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A computer system 10 with one or more processors 12 can be configured to operate in any one of a number of thermal environments. A setting system 14 sets operating parameters of the computer system such as processor operating voltage and frequency. A selecting system 16 selects values of operating parameters for use in setting by responding to an input of configuring data 20 to select a set of parameter values from a parameter value storage memory 18. The configuring data 20 may be input by the insertion of a smart card 58. Such configuring is useful in adapting computer systems during manufacture for compliance with desired specifications without hardware modification.
Claims27
A computer system having at least one processor whose operating characteristics are dependent upon values of variable operating parameters of the computer system, the computer system being configurable for use in any one of a set of predetermined thermal environments and comprising:
- a parameter value storage memory storing a plurality of sets of operating parameter values, each set of operating parameter values corresponding to a respective one of the set of thermal environments;
- a configuring system for storing configuring data representative of a selection of thermal environment within which the computer system is to be configured to be operable;
- a selecting system operable to select from the parameter value storage memory a selected set of operating parameter values according to the configuring data;
- and
- a setting system for setting one or more of the operating parameters of the computer system, wherein the setting system is responsive to the selecting system to set the operating parameters at the operating parameter values of the selected set corresponding to the selection of thermal environment represented by the configuring data.
A method of operating a computer system having at least one processor whose operating characteristics are dependent upon values of variable operating parameters of the computer system, the computer system being configurable for use in any one of a set of predetermined thermal environments;
- the method comprising:
- storing in a parameter value storage memory a plurality of sets of operating parameter values, each set of operating parameter values corresponding to a respective one of the set of thermal environments;
- a configuring system of the computer system storing configuring data representative of a selection of thermal environment within which the computer system is to be configured to be operable;
- a selecting system of the computer system selecting from the parameter value storage memory a selected set of operating parameter values according to the configuring data;
- and
- a setting system of the computer system setting one or more of the operating parameters of the computer system, wherein the setting system is responsive to the selecting system to set the operating parameters at the operating parameter values of the selected set corresponding to the selection of thermal environment represented by the configuring data.
A method of manufacturing a computer system having at least one processor whose operating characteristics are dependent upon values of variable operating parameters of the computer system, the computer system being configurable for use in any one of a set of predetermined thermal environments;
- the computer system comprising:
- a parameter value storage memory storing a plurality of sets of operating parameter values, each set of operating parameter values corresponding to a respective one of the set of thermal environments;
- a configuring system for storing configuring data representative of a selection of thermal environment within which the computer system is to be configured to be operable;
- a selecting system operable to select from the parameter value storage memory a selected set of operating parameter values according to the configuring data;
- and
- a setting system for setting one or more of the operating parameters of the computer system, wherein the setting system is responsive to the selecting system to set the operating parameters at the operating parameter values of the selected set corresponding to the selection of thermal environment represented by the configuring data;
- the method comprising storing the sets of operating parameter values in the parameter value storage memory;
- operating an external processor to generate the configuring data;
- and inputting the configuring data to the computer system for storing in the configuring system so as to configure the computer system for use in the selected thermal environment.
A storage medium comprising processor implementable instructions for instructing one or more processors to carry out a method of operating a computer system having at least one processor whose operating characteristics are dependent upon values of variable operating parameters of the computer system, the computer system being configurable for use in any one of a set of predetermined thermal environments;
- the method comprising:
- storing in a parameter value storage memory a plurality of sets of operating parameter values, each set of operating parameter values corresponding to a respective one of the set of thermal environments;
- a configuring system of the computer system storing configuring data representative of a selection of thermal environment within which the computer system is to be configured to be operable;
- a selecting system of the computer system selecting from the parameter value storage memory a selected set of operating parameter values according to the configuring data;
- and
- a setting system of the computer system setting one or more of the operating parameters of the computer system, wherein the setting system is responsive to the selecting system to set the operating parameters at the operating parameter values of the selected set corresponding to the selection of thermal environment represented by the configuring data.
A signal comprising processor implementable instructions for instructing one or more processors to carry out a method of operating a computer system having at least one processor whose operating characteristics are dependent upon values of variable operating parameters of the computer system, the computer system being configurable for use in any one of a set of predetermined thermal environments;
- the method comprising:
- storing in a parameter value storage memory a plurality of sets of operating parameter values, each set of operating parameter values corresponding to a respective one of the set of thermal environments;
- a configuring system of the computer system storing configuring data representative of a selection of thermal environment within which the computer system is to be configured to be operable;
- a selecting system of the computer system selecting from the parameter value storage memory a selected set of operating parameter values according to the configuring data;
- and
- a setting system of the computer system setting one or more of the operating parameters of the computer system, wherein the setting system is responsive to the selecting system to set the operating parameters at the operating parameter values of the selected set corresponding to the selection of thermal environment represented by the configuring data.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.