COMPUTER SYSTEM WITH REDUCED STORAGE DEVICE AND ASSOCIATED BOOTING METHOD

• US 20100131748A1
• Filed: 11/24/2009
• Published: 05/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: VIA Technologies Incorporated (VIA Technologies)
• Original Assignee: VIA Technologies Incorporated (VIA Technologies)
• Inventors: Lin, Hao-Lin
• Granted Patent: US 8,195,930 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0625 Power saving in storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0626 Reducing size or complexity of storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0658 Controller construction arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0679 Non-volatile semiconductor memory device, e.g. flash memory, one time programmable memory [OTP]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

A computer system with integrated storage device for storing both a basic input/output system (BIOS) code and an operating system (OS) code and an associated booting method are provided. The computer system includes a central processing unit, a storage device controller and the storage device. The BIOS code and the OS code are stored in an invisible are and a visible area of the storage device, respectively. At first, the storage device controller is activated to read data from an architecture information area of the storage device to perform initialization. Then, the initialized storage device controller converts a read-only memory access command issued from the central processing unit into a suitable format to control loading of the BIOS code from the invisible area. At last, the storage device controller controls loading of the OS code from the visible area to finish the booting of the computer system.

Claims

1. A computer system, comprising:

a central processing unit for issuing a first access command and a second access command during a booting procedure of the computer system;

a storage device storing therein a basic input/output system (BIOS) code and an operating system (OS) code; and

a storage device controller in communication with the central processing unit and the storage device, for controlling loading of the BIOS code in response to the first access command and controlling loading of the OS code in response to the second access command after the loading of the BIOS code to complete the booting procedure,

wherein the first access command is transmitted to the storage device controller according to a predetermined voltage of a controlling pin to allow the storage device controller to control the loading of the BIOS code.

2. The computer system according to claim 1 wherein the first access command is a read-only memory access command and the second access command is an operating system access command.

3. The computer system according to claim 1 wherein the storage device is implemented with a NAND flash memory.

4. The computer system according to claim 1 wherein the storage device comprises:

a visible area for storing the OS code; and

an invisible area comprising;

an architecture information area storing therein basic information of the storage device;

a driver area storing management information of the visible area; and

a BIOS area storing the BIOS code.

5. The computer system according to claim 4 wherein the storage device controller reads the basic information to realize initialization.

6. The computer system according to claim 4 wherein the architecture information area further comprises a start address of the BIOS code in the invisible area.

7. The computer system according to claim 6 wherein the BIOS code is divided to be stored in a plurality of blocks of the storage device and the start address points to a first one of the plurality of blocks.

8. The computer system according to claim 1 wherein the storage device controller comprises:

a BIOS code-loading module for receiving and converting the first access command from the central processing unit; and

a controlling unit in communication with the BIOS code-loading module for receiving the converted first access command to access the BIOS code from the storage device and receiving the second access command to access the OS code from the storage device.

9. The computer system according to claim 8 wherein the controlling pin is a strapping pin and the BIOS code-loading module is enabled to convert the first access command according to the predetermined voltage of the strapping pin.

10. The computer system according to claim 1 wherein the storage device controller is disposed in a south bridge chip of the computer system.

11. The computer system according to claim 1 wherein the storage device controller is disposed in a north bridge chip of the computer system.

12. The computer system according to claim 1 wherein the storage device controller is disposed in the central processing unit of the computer system.

13. A booting method of a computer system comprising a central processing unit, a storage device controller and a storage device storing therein a basic input/output system (BIOS) code and an operating system (OS) code, the booting method comprising steps of:

activating the storage device controller to read data from an architecture information area of the storage device to initialize the storage device controller in response to a predetermined voltage of a controlling pin;

directing a read-only memory access command issued from the central processing unit to the initialized storage device controller;

the initialized storage device controller converting the read-only memory access command to control loading of the BIOS code from an invisible area of the storage device; and

the initialized storage device controller controlling loading of the OS code from a visible area of the storage device after the loading of the BIOS code.

14. The booting method according to claim 13 wherein the storage device is implemented with a NAND flash memory.

15. The booting method according to claim 13 wherein the controlling pin is a strapping pin.

16. The booting method according to claim 13 wherein the data read from the architecture information area comprises a start address of the BIOS code in the storage device and basic information of the storage device.

17. The booting method according to claim 16 wherein the basic information is read by the storage device controller to realize initialization.

18. The booting method according to claim 16 wherein the BIOS code is divided to be stored in a plurality of blocks of the storage device and the start address points to a first one of the plurality of blocks.