Methods and apparatus for booting a host adapter device devoid of nonvolatile program memory
US6868492B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 20, 2001 |
| Grant date | Mar 15, 2005 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 21, 2023 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F9/4411
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Methods and associated structure for booting host adapter devices in a system where the host adapter devices are devoid of independent, nonvolatile memory devices for storage of programmed instructions operable within the intelligent host adapter device. The operational programmed instructions for the intelligent host adapter device are stored in the nonvolatile memory of the system motherboard along with the standard BIOS code of the system. The intelligent host adapter device operational programmed instructions are then downloaded by the BIOS code into the host adapter's volatile local program memory to initialize operation of the intelligent host adapter device. Further, device driver code operable in the operating system on the motherboard will upload the previously downloaded programmed instructions from the intelligent host adapter so that the programmed instructions may be reloaded to the host adapter in response to reset conditions, power management events, and other conditions.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.