KERNEL FUNCTION CREATING MECHANISM, ENTERTAINMENT APPARATUS HAVING SAME, AND PERIPHERAL DEVICE CONTROL METHOD BY SAME

• US 20010054120A1
• Filed: 03/01/2001
• Published: 12/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Horikawa, Tsutomu, Hakamatani, Tadayasu
• Granted Patent: US 6,754,724 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/22
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/126 and has means for transferring I/O instructions and statuses between control unit and main processor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/28 using burst mode transfer, e.g. direct memory access DMA, cycle steal G06F13/32 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/547 Remote procedure calls [RPC]; Web services

Abstract

Abstract of Disclosure

An entertainment apparatus includes a storage unit that stores outside a kernel a device driver for a peripheral device. To make the peripheral device operable, a CPU causes an I/O processor to execute the device driver using a remote procedure call. Data is transferred between the peripheral device and the CPU through a direct memory access using a communication protocol that is commonly used in the apparatus.

Claims

1. An entertainment apparatus, comprising:

device connecting means for connecting a peripheral device to the entertainment apparatus;

storing means for storing program codes outside a kernel;

control means for executing said program codes; and

a kernel creator for executing entertainment processing using the peripheral device, said kernel creator causing said control means to execute said program codes using a remote procedure call so as to make the peripheral device operable.

2. The entertainment apparatus according to

claim 1

, wherein said kernel creator is operable, based on said remote procedure call, to cause said control means to read said program codes from said storing means and to transfer a result of execution of said program codes through a direct memory access.

3. The entertainment apparatus according to

claim 2

, further comprising a queue between said kernel creator and the peripheral device, wherein said control means performs data exchange between the peripheral device and said queue using a first direct memory access, and said control means performs data exchange between said kernel creator and said queue using a second direct memory access that is asynchronous with said first direct memory access.

4. The entertainment apparatus according to

claim 3

, wherein the data exchange by said first direct memory access and the data exchange by said second direct memory access are executed using a communication protocol that is commonly used in the apparatus.

5. The entertainment apparatus according to

claim 1

, wherein the peripheral device is detachably connected to said device connecting means and the peripheral device includes a secondary storage medium that stores data, the data being transferred to said kernel creator through a direct memory access following execution of said program codes.

6. A kernel function mechanism in an entertainment apparatus for controlling a peripheral device connected to the entertainment apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of program codes stored outside a kernel;

control means for executing said program codes; and

a kernel creator for executing entertainment processing using the peripheral device, said kernel creator causing said control means to execute said plurality of program codes using a remote procedure call so as to make the peripheral device operable.

7. The kernel function mechanism according to

claim 6

, wherein the peripheral device transfers data addressed to said kernel creator from the peripheral device using a direct memory access.

8. The kernel function mechanism according to

claim 7

, wherein said data transfer is performed according to a communication protocol commonly used in the entertainment apparatus.

9. A method for controlling a peripheral device that is in communication with an entertainment apparatus, comprising:

storing program codes outside a kernel in the entertainment apparatus;

executing said program codes using a kernel creator to cause control means to use a remote procedure call to make the peripheral device operable; and

executing entertainment processing usingsaid kernel creator and the peripheral device.

10. The method according to claim9, wherein executing said program codes includes at least transferring data addressed to said kernel creator from the peripheral device using a direct memory access.

11. The method of claim10, wherein said transferring of datauses a communication protocol commonly used in the apparatus.

12. A semiconductor device in an entertainment apparatus,the entertainment apparatus having control means for executing program codes stored outside a kernel and device connecting means for connecting a peripheral device to said entertainment apparatus, said semiconductor device comprising:

a kernel creator that causes the control means to execute the program codes using a remote procedure call so as to make the peripheral device operable, and that then executes entertainment processing using the peripheral device.

13. A method of using a computer program for operating a computeras an entertainment apparatus, said computer having control means for executing program codes stored outside a kernel in the computer, and having device connecting means for connecting said computer to a peripheral device,comprising:

establishing communication between said control means and the peripheral device;

causing said control means to execute said program codes using a remote procedure call so as to make the peripheral device operable; and

executing entertainment processing using the peripheral device.

14. An entertainment apparatus, comprising:

a connector operable to connect a peripheral device to the entertainment apparatus;

a memory, said memory storing program codes outside a kernel, said program codes being executable so as to render the peripheral device operable;

a first processor; and

a second processor for executing entertainment processing using the peripheral device, said second processor causing said first processor to use a remote procedure call to execute said program codes.

15. A kernel function mechanism in an entertainment apparatus for controlling a peripheral device that is in communication with the entertainment apparatus, comprising:

a first processor;

a plurality of program codes stored outside a kernel in the entertainment apparatus; and

a second processor for executing entertainment processing using the peripheral device, said second processor causing said first processor to use a remote procedure call to execute said plurality of program codes so as to make the peripheral device operable.

16. A method for controlling a peripheral device that is in communication with an entertainment apparatus having a kernel, comprising:

storing program codes outside the kernel;

executing said program codes using a second processor to cause a first processor to use a remote procedure call to make the peripheral device operable; and

executing entertainment processing using said second processor and the peripheral device.

17. A semiconductor device in an entertainment apparatus, the entertainment apparatus having a first processor to execute program codes stored outside a kernel, and being in communication with a peripheral device, said semiconductor device comprising:

a second processor that causes the first processor to execute the program codes using a remote procedure call to make the peripheral device operable, and that then executes entertainment processing using the peripheral device.

18. A method of using a computer program for operating a computer as an entertainment apparatus, said computer having a processor for executing program codes stored outside a kernel in the computer, and being in communication with a peripheral device, comprising:

establishing communication between said processor and the peripheral device;

causing said processor to execute said program codes using a remote procedure call to make the peripheral device operable; and

executing entertainment processing using the peripheral device.