Patent · US Expired

System and method for booting a computer

US6301657A · kind A · utility

26Cited by
5References
14Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 21, 2000
Grant dateOct 9, 2001
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 21, 2020

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06F11/1417
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

There is disclosed a computer,system including a microprocessor on an integrated circuit chip comprising an on-chip CPU and a communication bus. The communication bus provides a parallel communication path between the CPU and the first memory local to the CPU. An external port of the integrated circuit is connected to said bus and to an external computer device having a second memory. The external computer device is operable to transmit control signals through the port: a) to suspend execution by the CPU of instructions obtained from the first memory; b) to provide from the second memory boot code to be executed by the CPU; and c) to restart operation of the CPU using said boot code. There is also disclosed a method of operating such a computer system.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.