SYSTEM MANAGEMENT INTERRUPT INTERFACE WRAPPER

• US 20110055533A1
• Filed: 10/06/2010
• Published: 03/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: American Megatrends Incorporated, American Megatrends International, LLC
• Original Assignee: American Megatrends Incorporated
• Inventors: Javeed, Ashraf, Mudusuru, Giri P., Vemuru, Radhika
• Granted Patent: US 8,010,727 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/541 via adapters, e.g. between incompatible applications

Abstract

In a personal computing system function calls, formatted in 16-bit format for a 16-bit interface to the firmware, are communicated through an operating system providing a System Management Interrupt (SMI) interface to the firmware. An SMI function call in SMI format is generated and sent to an SMI Interface Wrapper module between the operating system and the firmware. The SMI function call is received over the SMI interface at the SMI Interface Wrapper. In the SMI Interface Wrapper, function data from the SMI function call is extracted to provide function call data. A 16-bit function call with the function call data is generated by the SMI Interface Wrapper and passed to the firmware.

Claims

1. (canceled)

6. (canceled)

8. (canceled)

9. (canceled)

11. (canceled)

12. (canceled)

13. (canceled)

14. A method for modifying the initial system configuration of a personal computing system, the personal computing system including firmware containing set-up data and a BIOS comprising set-up functions and a System Management Interrupt (SMI) Interface Wrapper module, the method comprising:

receiving a file containing a plurality of set-up data values;

for each of the plurality of set-up data values in the file, formatting a 32-bit function call to generate an SMI, the function call identifying the set-up data of the firmware to be updated with the respective set-up data value;

generating the SMI by calling the 32-bit function;

receiving the function call in the SMI Interface Wrapper module in the firmware;

extracting the set-up data of the firmware to be updated from the function call;

formatting a 16-bit function call for the BIOS set-up function associated with the set-up data of the firmware to be updated; and

calling the 16-bit BIOS set-up function to update the set-up data of the firmware with the respective set-up data value.

15. A method for communicating function calls formatted with a first format for a first interface to the firmware in a computing system through an operating system providing the first interface to the firmware and providing a second interface with a second format to the firmware, the method comprising:

generating an intermediate function call of a format consistent with the second format;

receiving the intermediate function call over the second interface at an entry module to the firmware;

in the entry module, extracting function data from the intermediate function call to provide function call data;

generating a first format function call with the function call data, and passing the first format function call into the firmware; and

generating function calls formatted in the first format and passing this first format function calls via the first interface to the firmware.

2. The method of claim 15 wherein the first format is a 16-bit format.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the second format is a non 16-bit format.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the second format is an SMI interface format, and the intermediate function call is an SMI function call.

5. The method of claim 15 wherein the entry module is an SMI

Interface Wrapper module.

7. The method of claim 15 wherein the first format is a 16-bit format and the second format is an SMI interface format.

16. A computing system apparatus for running system set-up applications for setting up 16-bit functions in firmware on the computing system where the operating system provides an operating-system/firmware interface with a second format other than 16-bit format between the operating system and the firmware, the computing system comprising:

a system management interrupt interface module connected between the operating system/firmware interface and the firmware; and

an application set-up module generating a first function call to the system management interface in the second format,

wherein the system management interface module generates a 16-bit function call from the first function call and passes the 16-bit function call to the firmware, and

wherein the computing system is a personal computing system and the firmware contains a BIOS program.

10. The computing system of claim 16, wherein the second format is an SMI interface format.