Database for storing device handle data in an extensible firmware interface environment

• US 20080028200A1
• Filed: 07/28/2006
• Published: 01/31/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: American Megatrends International, LLC
• Original Assignee: American Megatrends Incorporated
• Inventors: Polyudov, Feliks
• Granted Patent: US 7,743,072 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4411 Configuring for operating with peripheral devices; Loading of device drivers

Abstract

Methods, apparatus, and computer-readable media for providing a device handle database in an EFI environment are disclosed. According to one method, a device handle database is created for storing data identifying the protocols that have been installed on one or more device handles. The database includes a sorted array of elements utilized to store protocol data for a family of protocols having the same GUID. Each element in the array comprises a family data structure including a field for storing the GUID for the family along with a field for storing a pointer to a linked list that stores the protocol instance data for each of the protocols in the family. Each node in the linked list is also a member of a linked list for storing protocol data for all of the protocols installed on a given device handle.

Claims

1. A method for creating a device handle database in an extensible firmware interface environment, the method comprising:

creating a device handle database for storing data identifying the device handles upon which one or more protocols have been installed, the device handle database comprising an array of elements, each element in the array of elements operative to store protocol data for a family of protocols having an identical globally unique identifier (GUID).

2. The method of claim 1, wherein each element in the array comprises a family data structure, each family data structure including a field for storing the GUID for the family and a field for storing a pointer to a linked list for storing the protocol data for each of the protocols in the family.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the linked list comprises one or more nodes, each node corresponding to a protocol in the family and having a field for storing a pointer to a protocol interface for the protocol and a field for storing a pointer to the family data structure for the linked list of protocols identified by the GUID.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein each node further comprises a field for storing a pointer to a device handle data structure identifying the device handle upon which the protocol is installed.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein each node further comprises a field for storing a link to a next node in the linked list for storing the protocol data for the protocols in the family.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein each node further comprises a field for storing a link to a next node in a linked list of nodes corresponding to protocols that have been installed on the same device handle.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the array of elements is sorted based upon the GUID in the family data structure.

8. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform the method of claim 1.

9. A computer-controlled apparatus capable of performing the method of claim 1.

10. A method for creating a device handle database in an extensible firmware interface environment, the method comprising:

generating a first linked list having one or more nodes, each node in the first linked list storing protocol data for a protocol having the same globally unique identifier (GUID) as other nodes in the first linked list; and

generating a second linked list from the nodes, each of the nodes in the second linked list storing data for a protocol installed on the same device handle as other nodes in the second linked list, and wherein each of the nodes participates in a first linked list a second linked list.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein each node further comprises a field for storing a pointer to a family data structure, the family data structure including a field for storing the GUID and a field for storing a pointer to the first linked list.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein each node further comprises a field for storing a pointer to a device handle data structure, the device handle data structure including a field for storing a pointer to the second linked list.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein each node further comprises a field for storing a link to a next node in the first linked list and a field for storing a pointer to a next node in the second linked list.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising providing an array having one or more elements, each of the elements operative to store a family data structure, the array being sorted by the GUID stored in each family data structure.

15. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform the method of claim 10.

16. A computer-controlled apparatus capable of performing the method of claim 10.

17. A computer-readable medium having a data structure stored thereon, the data structure for use in storing a device handle database in an extensible firmware interface environment, the data structure comprising:

one or more first linked lists, each of the first linked lists having one or more nodes corresponding to installed protocols having an identical globally unique identifier (GUID); and

one or more second linked lists, each of the second linked lists having one or more nodes corresponding to protocols installed on the same device handle, and wherein each of the nodes participates in a first linked list and a second linked list.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the data structure further comprises a sorted array of elements, each of the elements operative to store a family data structure including a field for storing a GUID for one of the first linked lists and a field for storing a pointer to one of the first linked lists.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the data structure further comprises one or more device handle data structures, each device handle data structure including a field for storing a pointer to one of the second linked lists.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein each of the nodes includes a field for storing a pointer to a protocol interface.