US 5,675,748 A · Method and apparatus for automatically configuring computer system hardware and software

Abstract

A hardware configuration system for enabling automatic configuration of hardware in a computer system. First, at system ipl, the particular computer system is identified based on its identification number. Then, a specific software component object is instantiated based on the computer system. All of the details of the standard computer system are predefined in the software component object based on supported hardware and peripherals for the specific hardware. Then a test is performed to determine if additional hierarchies are present. Each hierarchy has an associated identification number. If so, then for each hierarchy, the hierarchy is processed as discussed above. The result is a set of instantiated objects completely specifying the hardware environment.

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Drawings

Claims16

Dependent claims

An apparatus for configuring a computer system in response to a configuration request, the computer system having a memory means and a plurality of hardware components connected in a hardware hierarchy having a root component, a plurality of first lower level components and at least one second lower level component, the apparatus comprising:

(a) means for storing in the memory means class information defining a plurality of machine classes, each of the plurality of machine classes corresponding to one of the plurality of hardware components;
(b) first means responsive to the configuration request and to an identification number stored in the computer system for instantiating for the root component a machine-specific object from a first one of the plurality of machine classes;
(c) means using the machine-specific object to configure the mot component and to generate an identity for each of the plurality of first lower level components;
(d) second means responsive to the identity for instantiating a hardware module object from one of the machine classes for each of the plurality of first lower level components;
(e) means using each of the hardware module objects to configure the corresponding first lower level component and to generate a hardware signature for the second lower level component;
and
(f) third means responsive to the hardware signature for instantiating a hardware module object from one of the machine classes for the second lower level component;
(g) means for storing in the memory class information defining a plurality of software classes, each of the plurality of software classes corresponding to one of the plurality of hardware components;
(h) means responsive to the configuration request cooperating with the first second and third instantiating means for instantiating a software object for each of the machine-specific object and hardware module objects, the software objects being arranged in a software hierarchical tree structure extending from a root software object;
and
(i) means in the root software object responsive to a hardware interrupt generated by one of the hardware components for passing the hardware interrupt down the hierarchical tree structure to a software object corresponding to the hardware component.

8 more elements

A method for configuring a computer system in response to a configuration request, the computer system having a memory means and a plurality of hardware components connected in a hardware hierarchy having a root component, a plurality of first lower level components and at least one second lower level component, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) storing in the memory means class information defining a plurality of machine classes, each of the plurality of machine classes corresponding to one of the plurality of hardware components;
(b) instantiating for the root component, a machine-specific object from a first one of the plurality of machine classes based on an identification number stored in the computer system;
(c) using the machine-specific object to configure the root component and to generate an identity for each of the plurality of first lower level components;
(d) instantiating a hardware module object from one of the machine classes for each of the plurality of first lower level components using the first lower level component identities;
(e) using each of the hardware module objects to configure the corresponding first lower level component and to generate a hardware signature for the second lower level component;
and
(f) instantiating a hardware module object from one of the machine classes for the second lower level component using the hardware signature;
(g) storing in the memory class information defining a plurality of software classes, each of the plurality of software classes corresponding to one of the plurality of hardware components;
(h) instantiating a software object for each of the machine-specific object and hardware module objects, the software objects being arranged in a software hierarchical tree structure extending from a root software object;
and
(i) passing a hardware interrupt down the hierarchical tree structure to a software object corresponding to the hardware component.

8 more elements

A computer program product comprising:

a computer usable medium having a computer program thereon for automatically configuring a computer system having a plurality of hardware components connected in a hardware hierarchy having a root component, a plurality of first lower level components and at least one second lower level component, the computer program including:
(a) class information defining a plurality of machine classes, each of the plurality of machine classes corresponding to one of the plurality of hardware components and having code defining a first function for configuring the one hardware component and a second function for identifying hardware components connected to the one hardware component;
(b) first means for instantiating for the root component a machine-specific object from a first one of the plurality of machine classes from an identification number stored on the computer system;
(c) means for calling the first function in the machine-specific object to configure the root component and for calling the second function in the machine-specific object to generate an identity for each of the plurality of first lower level components;
(d) second means responsive to the identity for instantiating a hardware module object from one of the machine classes for each of the plurality of first lower level components;
(e) means for calling the first function in each of the hardware module objects to configure the corresponding first lower level component and for calling the second function in each of the hardware module objects to generate a hardware signature for the second lower level component;
and
(f) third means responsive to the hardware signature for instantiating a hardware module object from one of the machine classes for the second lower level component;
(g) means for storing in the memory class information defining a plurality of software classes, each of the plurality of software classes corresponding to one of the plurality of hardware components;
(h) means responsive to the configuration request and cooperating with the first second and third instantiating means for instantiating a software object for each of the machine-specific object and hardware module objects, the software objects being arranged in a software hierarchical tree structure extending from a root software object;
and
(i) means in the root software object responsive to a hardware interrupt generated by one of the hardware components for passing the hardware interrupt down the hierarchical tree structure to a software object corresponding to the hardware component.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Description11,159 words

Summary619 words

#1. Field of the Invention

#The present invention is generally directed to configuring hardware in a computer system, and more particularly to a system and method for automatically configuring hardware in a computer system.

#2. Related Art

Brief description of the drawings8 figures

#FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a computer system in which the hardware configuration system in accordance with a preferred embodiment operates;

#FIG. 2 is a class diagram of a hardware configuration framework according to a preferred embodiment in accordance with a preferred embodiment;

#FIG. 3 is a diagram used to illustrate the operation of a THardwareConfiguration object in accordance with a preferred embodiment;

Detailed description10,376 words

#The present invention is directed to an object-oriented system and method for configuring the hardware of a computer system. Since it is object-based, the present invention will be described herein using object-oriented terms and concepts. Such object-oriented terms and concepts are well known, and are discussed in many publicly available documents, such as Object-Oriented Design by Grady Booch (Benjamin Cummings 1991).

#FIG. 1 illustrates a high-level block diagram of a computer system 102 in which the object-oriented configuration system in accordance with a preferred embodiment operates. It should be noted that the present invention alternatively encompasses the configuration system in combination with the computer system 102.

#The computer system 102 includes hardware components 104, such as a random access memory (RAM) 108 and a central processing unit (CPU) 106. It should be noted that the CPU 106 may represent a single processor or multiple processors operating in parallel.

Facts

Application

08/608,326Filed 8 Mar 1996 · continuation

Priority

21 Dec 1993

Granted

7 Oct 1997

Term ended

21 Dec 2013

Estimated · how

20 years from earliest known nonprovisional domestic filing. Maintenance-fee lapses, terminal disclaimers and statutory extensions have not been checked. The continuity chain may be incomplete; this is not an enforceability determination. Patent term adjustment is unavailable; no adjustment was added.

Classification2 codes

G06F 9/4411
Bootstrapping: configuring for operating with peripheral devices; Loading of device drivers
G06F
Computing and data processing

Method and apparatus for automatically configuring computer system hardware and software

Life of this patent

Method and apparatus for automatically configuring computer system hardware and software

Life of this patent

Life of this patent

Abstract

Drawings

Drawings

Claims16

Description11,159 words

Drawings

Classification2 codes

Life of this patent

Description11,159 words