Microprocessor systems
AssigneeFalanx Microsystems AS
InventorsJorn Paul Nystad, Mario Blazevic, Borgar Ljosland, Edvard Sørgård, Frank Langtind
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A distribution medium (20) for providing an application to a host system (4) includes an interface element (21) for interfacing with the host (4), a memory or storage module (22) that stores application code representing the application and a hardware element (23). The hardware element (23) directly accesses application content stored in the memory (22), processes that application content to transform it to another form, and then provides the transformed content to the host system (4).
Claims62
A distribution medium for an application for a microprocessor-based system, comprising:
- memory means for storing code representing the application;
- and
- a hardware element for providing a process or processes of the application.
The distribution medium of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the application process or processes that is or that are implemented in hardware on the distribution medium operate on application content stored on the distribution medium.
The distribution medium of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the hardware element of the distribution medium implements an application process or processes that transforms application content stored on the distribution medium to another form.
The distribution medium of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the application process or processes that is or that are implemented in hardware on the distribution medium comprise a process or processes for transforming graphics application content stored on the distribution medium.
The distribution medium of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the application processes implemented in hardware on the distribution medium can access directly application content stored on the distribution medium.
The distribution medium of any one of the preceding claims, comprising:
- means for storing commands and data for the hardware element of the distribution medium;
- and wherein
- the hardware element comprises means for autonomously fetching the stored commands and data and for using or executing them.
The distribution medium of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising:
- a memory that stores commands that can be shared between and/or used by both a host microprocessor-based system and the application processing implemented in hardware on the distribution medium.
The distribution medium of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising:
- a memory that stores memory indexes that can be shared and/or used by both a host microprocessor-based system and the application processes implemented in hardware on the distribution medium.
The distribution medium of any one of the preceding claims, wherein some or all of the application code stored on the distribution medium is stored in a memory means that is not accessible to a host microprocessor-based system.
A distribution medium for providing an application to a host microprocessor-based system, the distribution medium comprising:
- means for storing application code representing the application, wherein some of the application code is stored so that it can be accessed by the host system, and some of the application code is stored so that it cannot be accessed by the host system.
A distribution medium for providing an application to a host microprocessor-based system, the distribution medium comprising:
- a memory means for storing application content that can be accessed by the host system;
- a memory means for storing application content that cannot be accessed by the host system;
- and
- means for transforming application content stored in the memory means that cannot be accessed by the host system and for making that transformed application content available to the host system.
A distribution medium for an application for a microprocessor-based system, the distribution medium comprising:
- means for storing code representing a process or processes of the application;
- and
- a hardware element for implementing the code representing the process or processes of the application, whereby the hardware element may implement that application process or processes;
- wherein
- the code representing the process or processes of the application that is to be implemented by the hardware element of the distribution medium is stored on the distribution medium in such a manner that it cannot be accessed by a host system that is to use the application.
A distribution medium for a computer game, in which the game includes one or more graphics processing processes, and in which all or part of the graphics processes defined by the game are provided as a hardware graphics processing element included in the distribution medium.
The distribution medium of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the application comprises:
- a game or game engine, or a database, mapping or navigation application or an encryption and/or decryption application.
A distribution medium for an application for a microprocessor-based system, the distribution medium comprising:
- means for storing application code for the application;
- and
- means for implementing at least a part of the application code of the application in hardware.
A distribution medium for an application for a microprocessor-based system, in which the application is provided by both hardware and software elements of the distribution medium.
The distribution medium of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising:
- means for storing data to allow a microprocessor-based system to retrieve application code for the application from a source external to the distribution medium.
A distribution medium for an application for a microprocessor-based system, comprising:
- memory means for storing data to allow a microprocessor-based system to retrieve application code for the application from a source external to the distribution medium;
- and
- a hardware element for providing a process or processes of the application.
The distribution medium of any one of the preceding claims, comprising means for storing data received from an external source in use.
A microprocessor-based system including the distribution medium of any one of the preceding claims.
A system for executing an application, the system comprising:
- a host system for processing application code for the application;
- and
- a distribution medium comprising a hardware element for executing one or more processes of the application.
A system for executing an application, comprising:
- a host system for executing the application, and
- a distribution medium for providing the application to the host system;
- wherein:
- the host system comprises means for using data stored on the distribution medium to retrieve code for the application from a source external to the distribution medium;
- and
- the distribution medium comprises a hardware means for executing a process or processes of the application.
A system for executing an application, the system comprising:
- a host system for executing the application;
- and
- a distribution medium;
- wherein the host system further comprising means for storing code for the application on the distribution medium.
A method of operating a microprocessor-based system that includes a host system for executing an application, and a distribution medium for providing the application to the host system, the method comprising:
- executing processes of the application both on the host system and in hardware on the distribution medium.
A method of operating a microprocessor-based system that includes a host system for executing an application, and a distribution medium for providing the application to the host system, the distribution medium including a hardware element for executing one or more application processes, the method comprising:
- the host system processing application code for the application;
- and
- the distribution medium executing one or more processes of the application using the hardware element of the distribution medium.
A method of operating a microprocessor-based system that includes a host system for executing an application, and a distribution medium for providing the application to the host system, the distribution medium including a hardware element for transforming some of the application content of the application, the method comprising:
- the host system copying application code stored on the distribution medium and using that code to process application content of the application;
- and
- the distribution medium transforming other application content using its hardware element and making the transformed application content available to the host system.
A method of operating a microprocessor-based system that includes a host system for executing an application, and a distribution medium for providing the application to the host system, the method comprising:
- the host system using data stored on the distribution medium to retrieve code for the application from a source external to the distribution medium;
- and
- executing a process or processes of the application in hardware on the distribution medium.
A method of operating a microprocessor-based system that includes a host system for executing an application, and a distribution medium for providing the application to the host system, the method comprising:
- the host system storing code for the application on the distribution medium.
A method of making a distribution medium for an application for a microprocessor-based system, which application includes both application content and an application process or processes, the method comprising:
- providing in the distribution medium hardware for providing at least a part of the application process or processes.
A method of making a distribution medium for an application for a microprocessor-based system, which application includes an application process or processes, the method comprising:
- providing in the distribution medium data to allow a microprocessor-based system to retrieve application code for the application from a source external to the distribution medium;
- and
- providing in the distribution medium hardware for providing at least a part of the application process or processes.
A distribution medium substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to any one of FIGS. 3 to 9 of the accompanying drawings.
A microprocessor-based system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to any one of FIGS. 3 to 9 of the accompanying drawings.
A system for executing an application substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to any one of FIGS. 3 to 9 of the accompanying drawings.
A method of operating a microprocessor-based system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to any one of FIGS. 3 to 9 of the accompanying drawings.
A method of making a distribution medium substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to any one of FIGS. 3 to 9 of the accompanying drawings.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.