Approaches for meeting SMI duration limits by time slicing SMI handlers
US8381182B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 1, 2010 |
| Grant date | Feb 19, 2013 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 26, 2031 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F9/461
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Approaches that allow the context of an SMI task to be saved between SMIs. Upon entering an SMI handler for a task, a new task context stack is created. Thereafter, the SMI handler uses the task context, leaving the original stack unchanged. When the time limit for a single SMI is almost reached, the CPU is directed back to the original stack, and the task context stack persists in memory and retains the context of the task in hand. The soft SMI exits with an indication to signify that a new SMI should be invoked to continue processing. The entity that caused the first soft SMI then invokes another, passing in an indication to signify that this is a continuation of the prior task. On entering the SMI handler, the handler notes the request for continuation, switches to the saved task context stack and continues processing where it left off.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.