METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SHUTTING DOWN A COMPUTER SYSTEM
First Claim
1. A method of initiating a shutdown of a computer to a state from which it may be repeatedly rebooted, in which the computer has at least one central processing unit (CPU), a loaded operating system, a system working memory and non-volatile reprogrammable memory, the method comprising:
- maintaining prior to shut down in non-volatile reprogrammable memory a stored image of at least the current system working memory, the computer hardware configuration and context information and the CPU register content, varying the stored image if the hardware information or context has changed;
on a shutdown request, forthwith powering down the machine.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method for quickly shutting down a personal computer system using a non-volatile reprogrammable memory device. A compressed memory image of the contents of the system working memory, hardware configuration and other relevant information is stored in the non-volatile reprogrammable memory. When shutting down, the process detects changed hardware and diverts from the immediate shut down to identify the changed hardware and create a new memory image before completing the shut down.
37 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A method of initiating a shutdown of a computer to a state from which it may be repeatedly rebooted, in which the computer has at least one central processing unit (CPU), a loaded operating system, a system working memory and non-volatile reprogrammable memory, the method comprising:
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maintaining prior to shut down in non-volatile reprogrammable memory a stored image of at least the current system working memory, the computer hardware configuration and context information and the CPU register content, varying the stored image if the hardware information or context has changed;
on a shutdown request, forthwith powering down the machine. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A computer system capable of providing an abbreviated shut down including
a digital processing means, a working memory for the digital processing means, a non-volatile reprogrammable memory a memory image stored in the non-volatile reprogrammable memory of desired contents of the system working memory and other portions of in memory created before shutting down and sufficient to provide rebooting of the computer to a working state, the memory image including at least an image of the system working memory, the computer hardware configuration and context information and the CPU register content maintained as they were prior to the last request for shutdown, the image having been varied to include any changes in hardware configuration.
Specification