Method and system for configuring an operating system in a computer system

• US 20030097554A1
• Filed: 11/21/2001
• Published: 05/22/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo PC International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Cromer, Daryl Carvis, Locker, Howard Jeffrey, Springfield, Randall Scott, Cheston, Richard Wayne, Ward, James Peter, Rhoades, David Benson
• Granted Patent: US 7,257,701 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/441 Multiboot arrangements, i.e. selecting an operating system to be loaded
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/454 Multi-language systems; Localisation; Internationalisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A method and system for configuring an operating system in a computer system including language selection during bootup rather than at manufacture. A first aspect of the method and system comprises providing a plurality of operating system images in the computer system, each of the plurality of operating system images being based upon a particular language, selecting one of the plurality of operating system images based on the language supported by the computer system and loading the selected operating system image into the computer system. A second aspect of the method and system comprises providing a language-independent operating system image in the computer system, determining a language supported by the computer system, loading the language-independent operating system image into the computer system, and associating the language supported by the computer system with the language-independent operating system image.

Claims

1. A method for configuring an operating system in a computer system, the method comprising the steps of:

a) providing a plurality of operating system images in the computer system, each of the plurality of operating system images being based upon a particular language;

b) selecting one of the plurality of operating system images based on the language supported by the computer system; and

c) utilizing the selected operating system image by the computer system.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein step b) further comprises:

b1) querying a keyboard of the computer system to determine the language being supported by the computer system.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the keyboard comprises a universal serial bus (USB) keyboard.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the keyboard comprises at least one report descriptor wherein the at least one report descriptor comprises a language supported by the computer system.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein step b1) further comprises:

b1i) querying the at least one report descriptor to determine the language supported by the keyboard.

6. A system for configuring an operating system in a computer system, the system comprising:

means for providing a plurality of operating system images in the computer system, each of the plurality of operating system images being based upon a particular language;

means for selecting one of the plurality of operating system images based on the language supported by the computer system; and

means for utilizing the selected operating system image by the computer.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the computer comprises a keyboard and the means for selecting one of the plurality of operating system images comprises means for querying the keyboard to determine the language being supported by the computer.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the keyboard comprises a universal serial bus (USB) keyboard.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the keyboard comprises at least one report descriptor and the at least one report descriptor comprises the language supported by the computer.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the means for querying the keyboard further comprises:

means for querying the at least one report descriptor to determine the language supported by the keyboard.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 10 wherein step b) further comprises:

b1) querying a keyboard of the computer system to determine the language being supported by the computer system.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 12 wherein the keyboard comprises a universal serial bus (USB) keyboard.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 13 wherein the keyboard comprises at least one report descriptor wherein the at least one report descriptor comprises a language supported by the computer system.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 14 wherein step b1) further comprises:

b1i) querying the at least one report descriptor to determine the language supported by the keyboard.

11. A computer readable medium containing program instructions for configuring an operating system in a computer system, the program instructions comprising the steps of:

a) providing a plurality of operating system images in the computer system, each of the plurality of operating system images being based upon a particular language;

b) selecting one of the plurality of operating system images based on the language supported by the computer system; and

c) utilizing the selected operating system image by the computer system.

16. A method for configuring an operating system in a computer system, the method comprising the steps of:

a) providing a language-independent operating system an image and a plurality of language files in the computer system;

b) determining a language supported by the computer system; and

c) associating the language supported by the computer system with the language-independent operating system image utilizing one of the language files.

17. The method claim 16 wherein step b) further comprises:

b1) querying a keyboard of the computer system to determine the language being supported by the computer system.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the keyboard comprises a universal serial bus (USB) keyboard.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the keyboard comprises at least one report descriptor wherein the at least one report descriptor comprises a language supported by the computer system.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein step b1) further comprises:

b1i) querying the at least one report descriptor to determine the language supported by the keyboard.

21. A system for configuring an operating system in a computer system, the system comprising:

a) means for providing a language-independent operating system an image and a plurality of language files in the computer system;

b) means for determining a language supported by the computer system; and

c) means for associating the language supported by the computer system with the language-independent operating system image utilizing one of the language files.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein the computer comprises a keyboard and the means for selecting one of the plurality of operating system images comprises means for querying the keyboard to determine the language being supported by the computer.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein the keyboard comprises a universal serial bus (USB) keyboard.

24. The system of claim 23 wherein the keyboard comprises at least one report descriptor and the at least one report descriptor comprises the language supported by the computer.

25. The system of claim 24 wherein the means for querying the keyboard further comprises:

means for querying the at least one report descriptor to determine the language supported by the keyboard.

26. A computer readable medium containing program instructions for configuring an operating system in a computer system, the program instructions comprising the steps of:

a) providing a language-independent operating system an image and a plurality of language files in the computer system;

b) determining a language supported by the computer system; and

c) associating the language supported by the computer system with the language-independent operating system image utilizing one of the language files.

27. The method claim 26 wherein step b) further comprises:

b1) querying a keyboard of the computer system to determine the language being supported by the computer system.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein the keyboard comprises a universal serial bus (USB) keyboard.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein the keyboard comprises at least one report descriptor wherein the at least one report descriptor comprises a language supported by the computer system.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein step b1) further comprises:

b1i) querying the at least one report descriptor to determine the language supported by the keyboard.