Methods and systems for providing manufacturing mode detection and functionality in a UEFI BIOS

• US 20100042821A1
• Filed: 08/13/2008
• Published: 02/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Harmer, Tracy D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,086,838 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 and systems are described for managing manufacturing modes in a unified extensible firmware interface (UEFI) basic input output system (BIOS). The UEFI BIOS can include a PEI (pre-EFI) manufacturing mode driver, a PEI interface, PEI drivers, a DXE (driver execution environment) manufacturing mode driver, a DXE interface, DXE drivers, a SMM (system management mode) manufacturing mode driver, a SMM interface, and SMM drivers. Manufacturing mode data is stored and accessed through a PEI manufacturing mode driver, a DXE manufacturing mode driver, or a SMM manufacturing mode driver, and/or any combination thereof. The PEI interface is used to communicate manufacturing mode data between PEI drivers and the PEI manufacturing mode driver. The DXE interface is used to communicate manufacturing mode data between DXE drivers and the DXE manufacturing mode driver. And the SMM interface is used to communicate manufacturing mode data between SMM drivers and the SMM manufacturing mode driver.

Claims

1. A method for managing manufacturing modes in a unified extensible firmware interface (UEFI) basic input output system (BIOS), comprising:

providing a processor within an information handling system;

providing a storage device coupled to communicate with the processor and having a unified extensible firmware interface (UEFI) basic input output system (BIOS) stored thereon, the UEFI BIOS a DXE (driver execution environment) manufacturing mode driver, a DXE interface and DXE drivers;

using the DXE interface to communicate manufacturing mode data between DXE drivers and the DXE manufacturing mode driver;

storing manufacturing mode data in a data storage device through the DXE manufacturing mode driver; and

accessing manufacturing mode data from the data storage device through the DXE manufacturing mode driver.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the UEFI BIOS further includes a SMM (system management mode) manufacturing mode driver, a SMM interface and SMM drivers;

and further comprising using the SMM interface to communicate manufacturing mode data between SMM drivers and the SMM manufacturing mode driver;

storing manufacturing mode data in a data storage device through the SMM manufacturing mode driver; and

accessing manufacturing mode data from the data storage device through the SMM manufacturing mode driver.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the UEFI BIOS further includes a PEI (pre-EFI) manufacturing mode driver, a PEI interface and PEI drivers;

and further comprising using the PEI interface to communicate manufacturing mode data between PEI drivers and the PEI manufacturing mode driver;

storing manufacturing mode data in a data storage device through the PEI manufacturing mode driver; and

accessing manufacturing mode data from the data storage device through the PEI manufacturing mode driver.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the information handling system comprises a desktop information handling system, a portable information handling system, or a server information handling system

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing manufacturing date information within the manufacturing mode data, the manufacturing date information including a date of manufacture for the information handling system.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing manufacturing date information within the manufacturing mode data, the manufacturing date information including a date of first power up for the information handling system.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing stop-ship information within the manufacturing mode data.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising incrementing a counter for each stop-ship event to provide a stop-ship count and storing who/why information for each stop-ship event concerning what driver encountered the stop-ship event and why the stop-ship event occurred.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising limiting the stop-ship count to a particular number.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising storing who/why information for a limited number of stop-ship events.

11. An information handling system having a unified extensible firmware interface (UEFI) basic input output system (BIOS) with manufacturing mode functionality, comprising:

a processor;

a storage device configured to communicate with the processor;

a data storage device configured to communicate with the storage device;

a unified extensible firmware interface (UEFI) basic input output system (BIOS) stored within the storage device, the UEFI BIOS including a DXE (driver execution environment) manufacturing mode driver, a DXE interface and DXE drivers, and the UEFI BIOS being configured in operation to;

use the DXE interface to communicate manufacturing mode data between DXE drivers and the DXE manufacturing mode driver;

store manufacturing mode data in the data storage device through the DXE manufacturing mode driver; and

access manufacturing mode data in the data storage device through the DXE manufacturing mode driver.

12. The information handling system of claim 11, wherein the UEFI BIOS further includes a SMM (system management mode) manufacturing mode driver, a SMM interface and SMM drivers, and the UEFI BIOS being configured in operation to:

use the SMM interface to communicate manufacturing mode data between SMM drivers and the SMM manufacturing mode driver;

store manufacturing mode data in the data storage device through the SMM manufacturing mode driver; and

access manufacturing mode data in the data storage device through the SMM manufacturing mode driver.

13. The information handling system of claim 12, wherein the UEFI BIOS further includes a PEI (pre-EFI) manufacturing mode driver, a PEI interface and PEI drivers, and the UEFI BIOS being configured in operation to:

use the PEI interface to communicate manufacturing mode data between PEI drivers and the PEI manufacturing mode driver;

store manufacturing mode data in the data storage device through the PEI manufacturing mode driver; and

access manufacturing mode data in the data storage device through the PEI manufacturing mode driver.

14. The information handling system of claim 11, wherein the storage device and the data storage device are implemented in a single device.

15. The information handling system of claim 11, wherein the storage device and the data storage device are implemented in different devices.

16. The information handling system of claim 11, wherein the information handling system is a desktop information handling system, a portable information handling system or a server information handling system.

17. The information handling system of claim 11, wherein the manufacturing mode data includes manufacturing date information, the manufacturing date information including a date of manufacture for the information handling system.

18. The information handling system of claim 11, wherein the manufacturing mode data includes manufacturing date information, the manufacturing date information including a date of first power up for the information handling system.

19. The information handling system of claim 11, wherein the manufacturing mode data includes stop-ship information.

20. The information handling system of claim 19, further comprising a counter configured to be incremented for each stop-ship event to provide a stop-ship count and wherein the manufacturing mode data includes who/why information for each stop-ship event concerning what driver encountered the stop-ship event and why the stop-ship event occurred.

21. The information handling system of claim 20, wherein the counter is configured to have a limit to the stop-ship count.

22. The information handling system of claim 20, wherein the manufacturing mode data is configured to store who/why information for a limited number of stop-ship events.