Mechanism for optimizing location of machine-dependent code
US6178550A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 31, 1995 |
| Grant date | Jan 23, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 31, 2015 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F9/4843
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Method and apparatus for optimizing the location of machine-dependent code is disclosed. In a departure from the art, code for implementing an applications program interface (API) or other machine dependent program is divided into a system management mode (SMM) portion and a non-SMM portion, depending on whether the code needs to be implemented in a secure environment or not, respectively. In a preferred embodiment, the non-SMM portion of the API maintains a BIOS jump table comprising an indexed array of function addresses, and the SMM portion of the API maintains a parallel, but nonidentical, SMM jump table. For each API function that is to be executed in SMM, that is, for each function that must be executed in a secure environment, the indexed BIOS jump table entry calls an SMM interface (SMI) function, which initiates SMM by generating a system management interrupt and accesses the parallel SMM jump table. The indexed SNM jump table entry is used to call the designated function, which is then executed in SMM.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.