Shared embedded microcontroller interface
US6446153B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 14, 1997 |
| Grant date | Sep 3, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 21, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F9/4812
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A computer system is described where one or more processors executing operating system (OS) code and System Management (SM) code can access the same host interface of an embedded controller. The embedded controller, in turn, is coupled to one or more system devices such as an IDE power plane switch, a thermal A/D monitor, a System Management Bus (SMBus), etc. The embedded controller asserts a system management interrupt (SMI) to the system management environment of the processing unit(s) as well as a system control interrupt to the operating system environment of the processing unit(s). Accordingly, the processing unit(s) executing operating system code and system management code is able to control and/or monitor a number of system devices in the computer system by communicating with the embedded controller via its host interface and interrupts.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.