Method and apparatus for execution of an application during computer pre-boot operation and post-boot under normal OS control
US6564318B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 18, 1999 |
| Grant date | May 13, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 18, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F9/4401
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A special BIOS includes a program application manager (PAM) and a file system structure (FSS) that points to addresses on a mass storage device (MSD) for an application and at least one presentation playable by the application. The BIOS calls the PAM on startup, and the PAM checks for an application, and finding same loads and executes the application before loading the operating system (OS). In a preferred embodiment the FSS is programmable, and the system after OS boot is started checks MSD devices for new FSS parameters, and finding same loads the parameters to the programmable FSS of the BIOS. In some embodiments parameters may cause presentations and associated applications to be accessed and executed in a rotating or serial order. In other embodiments the BIOS represents its own address space in RAM to the OS at OS boot to include the application, enabling the application to continue to execute during OS boot. In further embodiments a special driver is executed after OS boot to bind the application into the OS configuration so the application may continue to operate in a stable manner.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.