System management controller (SMC) negotiation protocol for determining the operational mode of SMCs
AssigneeIntel Corporation
InventorPeter Hawkins
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A computer system module includes a system management controller to negotiate with other system management controllers to determine the controller's initial operational state. In an embodiment, negotiation with other system management controllers is based at least in part on one of controller capability, user configured preferences, module type, and geographical address.
Claims20
A system comprising:
- a first system management controller capable of negotiating with at least a second system management controller to determine an initial operational mode of said first system management controller, said first system management controller comprising an input/output port and being capable of sending mode request messages that comply with the Intelligent Platform Management Interface specification via said input/output port to negotiate with said second system management controller to determine said initial operational mode of said first system management controller.
A machine-readable medium having stored thereon instructions to be executed by a first system management controller, when executed, said instructions causing the first system management controller to:
- transition from a reset to a request state;
- and
- send a controller mode request to other system management controllers to determine an initial operational mode of said first system management controller, said controller mode request comprising a message that complies with the Intelligent Platform Management Interface specification.
A method of determining an initial operational mode of a first system management controller comprising:
- transitioning said first system management controller from a rest state to a request state;
- sending a mode request from said first system management controller to at least a second system management controller, said mode request sent as a message that complies with the Intelligent Platform Management Interface specification;
- and
- selecting an initial operational mode of said first system management controller based on, at least in part, a response, or a lack of a response, from said second system management controller to said mode request, said response or lack of response being based on, at least in part, a negotiation protocol state of said second system management controller.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.