Patent · US Expired

Method for preserving data through a processor softboot

US6513075B1 · kind B1 · utility

4Cited by
5References
12Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateAug 24, 1999
Grant dateJan 28, 2003
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 24, 2019

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06F9/4401
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method for preserving data through a softboot process is presented. Areas in a device DRAM are reserved for data structures generated during execution of a boot code stored in the device ROM. A communications channel between the device and an external device is established and data structures related to the communications channel status and startup diagnostics are written to reserved areas of DRAM. Firmware stored on an external device is downloaded to a different area of DRAM. After a softboot, the data structures in DRAM are accessed by firmware enabling the communications channel to be maintained and startup diagnostics data to be utilized.

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