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US 2004/0111597 A1Published application
Firmware override handling system
AssigneeIntel Corporation
InventorsMichael A. Rothman, Vincent J. Zimmer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present disclosure relates to allowing the utilization of an override group of hardware settings and, more particularly, to allowing the utilization of a customized group of hardware settings without the modification of a platform group of hardware settings.
Claims36
1:
- A method comprising:
- determining if a hardware system should be configured to a default group of hardware settings;
- if so, selecting from a plurality of groups of hardware settings stored within at least one non-volatile memory, the plurality having, at least,
- a platform specific group of hardware settings, and
- a customized group of hardware settings;
- reading the selected group of hardware settings from a non-volatile memory;
- and
- initializing the hardware system according to the read group of hardware settings.
5 more elements
2:
- The method of claim 1, wherein determining if a hardware system should be configured to a default group of hardware settings includes:
- detecting if a prior boot of the hardware system was successful;
- if not, determining that the hardware system should be configured utilizing the default group of hardware settings.
3:
- The method of claim 1, wherein determining if a hardware system should be configured to a default group of hardware settings includes:
- obtaining input data from a user to select if hardware system should be configured to a default group of hardware settings.
4:
- The method of claim 2, wherein reading the selected group of hardware settings from a non-volatile memory includes:
- reading a group of hardware settings that are stored in an internal form representation format having a series of configuration sets;
- wherein each configuration set facilitates the configuration of at least one hardware setting and includes:
- an encoded opcode to specify what type of hardware setting is being configured;
- and
- a series of tokenizing strings to facilitate the creation of a human readable question and answer related to the hardware setting.
3 more elements
5:
- The method of claim 4, wherein reading the selected group of hardware settings from a non-volatile memory includes reading a group of hardware settings that are stored in at least one of the following formats:
- an extensible markup language (XML) format;
- a hypertext markup language (HTML) format;
- a compressed binary format;
- and
- an encrypted binary format.
3 more elements
6:
- The method of claim 4, wherein reading the selected group of hardware settings from a non-volatile memory includes
- reading a cryptographically signed and compressed binary image;
- and
- using a signature of the image to confirm that the image has not been modified after the image was signed.
1 more element
7:
- The method of claim 1, wherein the platform specific and the customized group of hardware settings are stored within one non-volatile memory;
- and
- the customized group of hardware settings is appended to the platform specific group of hardware settings.
8:
- The method of claim 7, wherein when the customized group of hardware settings is selected, reading the selected group of hardware settings from a non-volatile memory includes:
- reading the platform specific group of hardware settings;
- reading the customized group of hardware settings;
- and
- overriding the platform specific group of hardware settings with the customized group of hardware settings to override.
2 more elements
9:
- The method of claim 7, wherein the customized group of hardware settings facilitates the marketing of a specific brand of hardware system;
- and
- the platform specific group of hardware settings facilitates the operation of the hardware system.
10:
- An apparatus comprising:
- a hardware initializor to configure a hardware system using a group of hardware settings;
- a default setting restorer to determine if a hardware system should be configured utilizing a default group of hardware settings;
- an override configuration driver to select the default group of hardware settings from a plurality of default hardware settings having, at least,
- a platform specific group of hardware settings, and
- a customized group of hardware settings;
- a first non-volatile memory to store the platform specific group of hardware settings;
- and
- a second non-volatile memory to store the customized group of hardware settings.
6 more elements
11:
- The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a non-volatile memory to store a prior group of hardware settings that was utilized during a prior boot of the hardware system;
- and
- wherein, the default setting restorer is capable of selecting from the prior group of hardware settings and the default group of hardware settings.
12:
- The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the default setting restorer is capable of:
- determining if a hardware system should be configured utilizing a default group of hardware settings based, at least in part, upon the success of the prior boot of the hardware system;
- selecting the prior group of hardware settings when the hardware system was successfully booted;
- and
- selecting the default group of hardware settings when the hardware system was not successfully booted.
2 more elements
13:
- The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the plurality of default hardware settings are stored in an internal form representation format having a series of configuration sets;
- wherein each configuration set facilitates the configuration of at least one hardware setting and includes:
- an encoded opcode to specify what type of hardware setting is being configured;
- and
- a series of tokenizing strings to facilitate the creation of a human readable question and answer related to the hardware setting.
2 more elements
14:
- The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the plurality of default hardware settings are stored in at least one of the following formats:
- an extensible markup language (XML) format;
- a hypertext markup language (HTML) format;
- a compressed binary format;
- and
- an encrypted binary format.
3 more elements
15:
- The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the platform specific and the customized group of hardware settings are stored within the same non-volatile memory;
- and the customized group of hardware settings is appended to the platform specific group of hardware settings.
16:
- The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the platform specific group of hardware settings is stored as a cryptographically signed, compressed binary image;
- and
- the override configuration driver is capable of checking the signature of the platform specific group of hardware settings to assure that the platform specific group of hardware settings has not been modified.
17:
- The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the override configuration driver is capable of utilizing a override configuration variable to select the default group of hardware settings;
- and the value of the override configuration variable cannot be altered.
18:
- The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the customized group of hardware settings includes a subset of hardware settings stored in the platform specific group of hardware settings.
19:
- The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the customized group of hardware settings facilities that marketing of a specific brand of hardware system.
20:
- A hardware system comprising:
- a plurality of components that are capable of being configured with a group of hardware settings;
- an initializor to configure the system using the group of hardware settings;
- a default setting restorer to determine if the system should be configured utilizing a default group of hardware settings;
- an override configuration driver to select the default group of hardware settings from a plurality of default hardware settings having, at least,
- a platform specific group of hardware settings, and
- a customized group of hardware settings;
- a first non-volatile memory to store the platform specific group of hardware settings;
- and
- a second non-volatile memory to store the customized group of hardware settings.
7 more elements
21:
- The hardware system of claim 20, further comprising a non-volatile memory to store a prior group of hardware settings that was utilized during a prior boot of the hardware system;
- and
- wherein, the default setting restorer is capable of selecting between the prior group of hardware settings and the default group of hardware settings.
22:
- The hardware system of claim 21, wherein the default setting restorer is capable of:
- determining if a hardware system should be configured utilizing a default group of hardware settings based, at least in part, upon the success of the prior boot of the hardware system;
- selecting the prior group of hardware settings when the hardware system was successfully booted;
- and
- selecting the default group of hardware settings when the hardware system was not successfully booted.
2 more elements
23:
- The hardware system of claim 20, wherein the plurality of default hardware settings are stored in an internal form representation format having a series of configuration sets;
- wherein each configuration set facilitates the configuration of at least one hardware setting and includes:
- an encoded opcode to specify what type of hardware setting is being configured;
- and
- a series of tokenizing strings to facilitate the creation of a human readable question and answer related to the hardware setting.
2 more elements
24:
- The hardware system of claim 23, wherein the plurality of default hardware settings are stored in at least one of the following formats:
- an extensible markup language (XML) format;
- a hypertext markup language (HTML) format;
- a compressed binary format;
- and
- an encrypted binary format.
3 more elements
25:
- The hardware system of claim 23, wherein the platform specific and the customized group of hardware settings are stored within the same non-volatile memory;
- and the customized group of hardware settings is appended to the platform specific group of hardware settings.
26:
- The hardware system of claim 20, wherein the platform specific group of hardware settings is stored as a cryptographically signed, compressed binary image;
- and
- the override configuration driver is capable of checking the signature of the platform specific group of hardware settings to assure that the platform specific group of hardware settings has not been modified.
27:
- The hardware system of claim 26, wherein the override configuration driver is capable of utilizing an override configuration variable to select the default group of hardware settings;
- and the value of the override configuration variable cannot be altered.
28:
- The hardware system of claim 20, wherein the customized group of hardware settings includes a subset of hardware settings stored in the platform specific group of hardware settings.
29:
- The hardware system of claim 20, wherein the customized group of hardware settings facilities that marketing of a specific brand of hardware system.
30:
- An article comprising:
- a storage medium having a plurality of machine accessible instructions, wherein when the instructions are executed by a processor, the instructions provide for:
- determining if a hardware system should be configured to a default group of hardware settings;
- if so, selecting from a plurality of groups of hardware settings stored within at least one non-volatile memory, the plurality having, at least,
- a platform specific group of hardware settings, and
- a customized group of hardware settings;
- reading the selected group of hardware settings from a non-volatile memory;
- and
- initializing the hardware system according to the read group of hardware settings.
6 more elements
31:
- The article of claim 30, wherein the instructions providing for determining if a hardware system should be configured to a default group of hardware settings includes instructions providing for:
- detecting if a prior boot of the hardware system was successful;
- if not, determining that the hardware system should be configured utilizing the default group of hardware settings.
32:
- The article of claim 30, wherein the instructions providing for determining if a hardware system should be configured to a default group of hardware settings includes instructions providing for:
- obtaining input data from a user to select whether hardware system should be configured to a default group of hardware settings.
33:
- The article of claim 31, wherein the instructions providing for reading the selected group of hardware settings from a non-volatile memory includes instructions providing for:
- reading a group of hardware settings that are stored in an internal form representation format having a series of configuration sets;
- wherein each configuration set facilitates the configuration of at least one hardware setting and includes:
- an encoded opcode to specify what type of hardware setting is being configured;
- and
- a series of tokenizing strings to facilitate the creation of a human readable question and answer related to the hardware setting.
3 more elements
34:
- The article of claim 33, wherein the instructions providing for reading the selected group of hardware settings from a non-volatile memory includes instructions providing for reading a group of hardware settings that are stored in at least one of the following formats:
- an extensible markup language (XML) format;
- a hypertext markup language (HTML) format;
- a compressed binary format;
- and
- an encrypted binary format.
3 more elements
35:
- The article of claim 33, wherein the instructions providing for reading the selected group of hardware settings from a non-volatile memory includes instructions providing for:
- reading a cryptographically signed and compressed binary image;
- and
- using a signature of the image to confirm that the image has not been modified after the image was signed.
1 more element
36:
- The article of claim 30, wherein the instructions provide for the platform specific and the customized group of hardware settings to be stored within one non-volatile memory;
- and
- the instructions provide for the customized group of hardware settings to be appended to the platform specific group of hardware settings.