MEDIA DATA PLAYBACK DEVICE AND REBOOT METHOD THEREOF

• US 20130227265A1
• Filed: 03/29/2013
• Published: 08/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Chi-Chang Lu, Deng-Rung Liu
• Inventors: LU, CHI-CHANG, LIU, DENG-RUNG
• Granted Patent: US 8,935,522 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/442 Shutdown
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/445 Program loading or initiating bootstrapping G06F9/4401; security arrangements for program loading or initiating G06F21/57

Abstract

A media data playback device comprises first and second nonvolatile memories. The first nonvolatile memory stores a boot loader and a kernel of an operating system in a compressed format. The second nonvolatile memory serves as a main memory of the device. A processor executes the boot loader to load and decompress the kernel from the first nonvolatile memory to the second nonvolatile memory in response to a boot command. When receiving a shutdown command, the processor determines whether to perform a portion of bootstrapping processes of the device in response to the shutdown command before actually shutdown the device.

Claims

1. A reboot method executable by an electronic computing device comprising a first nonvolatile memory storing a kernel of an operating system, and a main memory of a processor of the electronic computing device comprises a second nonvolatile memory of the electronic computing device, and an instance of a migration of the kernel comprises loading of the kernel from the first nonvolatile memory to the second nonvolatile memory, the reboot method comprising:

triggering a first instance of the migration of the kernel in response to a first boot command of the electronic computing device; and

receiving a shutdown command of the electronic computing device;

responding to the shutdown command by determining whether to further trigger a second instance of the migration of the kernel before shutdown of the electronic computing device.

2. The reboot method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first nonvolatile memory stores the kernel in a compressed format, and the migration of the kernel comprises loading and decompressing of the compressed kernel from the first nonvolatile memory to the second nonvolatile memory.

3. The reboot method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electronic computing device stores a garbage collection setting indicative of one of a plurality of garbage collection levels, and the reboot method further comprises:

triggering the second instance of the migration of the kernel in response to the shutdown command upon a condition that the garbage collection setting is indicative of a high level garbage collection.

4. The reboot method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the reboot method further comprises:

recording in the first nonvolatile memory a resume address of the second nonvolatile memory from which execution of the kernel is designated to resume in response to reboot of the electronic computing device, and

shutting down the electronic computing device in response to the shutdown command.

5. The reboot method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the reboot method further comprises:

receiving a second boot command; and

executing a boot loader which switches execution to an instruction targeted by the resume address in the second nonvolatile memory in response to the second boot command.

6. The reboot method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the processor clears data in the second nonvolatile memory before the second instance of the migration of the kernel.

7. The reboot method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the processor disables interrupt handing for any subsequent interrupt during the second instance of the migration of the kernel.

8. The reboot method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second nonvolatile memory comprises phase change random access memory.

9. The reboot method as claimed in claim 3, wherein a subroutine in a boot loader directing the second instance of the migration of the kernel is registered as an interrupt service routine for an interrupt indicative of the shutdown command.

10. A reboot method executable by an electronic computing device comprising a first nonvolatile memory storing a kernel of an operating system, and a main memory of a processor of the electronic computing device comprises a second nonvolatile memory of the electronic computing device, and an instance of a migration of the kernel comprises loading of the kernel from the first nonvolatile memory to the second nonvolatile memory, the reboot method comprising:

triggering a first instance of the migration of the kernel in response to a first boot command;

performing garbage collection for the second nonvolatile memory in response to a shutdown command before shutdown of the electronic computing device in response to the shutdown command.

11. The reboot method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the first nonvolatile memory stores the kernel in a compressed format, and the migration of the kernel comprises loading and decompressing of the compressed kernel from the first nonvolatile memory to the second nonvolatile memory.

12. The reboot method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the electronic computing device stores a garbage collection setting indicative of one of a plurality of garbage collection levels, and the reboot method further comprises:

triggering a second instance of the migration of the kernel in response to the shutdown command upon a condition that the garbage collection setting is indicative of a high level garbage collection.

13. The reboot method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the reboot method further comprises:

recording in the first nonvolatile memory a resume address of the second nonvolatile memory from which execution of the kernel is designated to resume in response to reboot of the electronic computing device, and

shutting down the electronic computing device in response to the shutdown command.

14. The reboot method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the reboot method further comprises:

receiving a second boot command; and

executing a boot loader which switches execution to an instruction targeted by the resume address in the second nonvolatile memory in response to the second boot command.

15. An electronic computing device, comprising:

a first nonvolatile memory operable to store a kernel of an operating system;

a main memory comprising a second nonvolatile memory of the electronic computing device, wherein an instance of a migration of the kernel comprises loading of the kernel from the first nonvolatile memory to the second nonvolatile memory;

an input unit operable to receive boot commands; and

a processor operable to execute a reboot method comprising;

receiving a first boot command of the electronic computing device, wherein the first boot command is operable to trigger a bootstrapping process of the electronic computing device which at least comprises a manipulation process of clearing the main memory;

executing a boot loader to trigger a first instance of the migration of the kernel in response to the first boot command in the bootstrapping process, wherein the bootstrapping process further comprises a manipulation process of the main memory associated with the first instance of the migration of the kernel;

receiving a shutdown command of the electronic computing device; and

performing a portion of the bootstrapping process of the electronic computing device before shutdown of the electronic computing device in response to the shutdown command, wherein the portion of the bootstrapping process comprises a manipulation process related to the main memory of the electronic computing device.

16. The electronic computing device as claimed in claim 15, wherein the first nonvolatile memory stores the kernel in a compressed format, and the migration of the kernel comprises loading and decompressing of the compressed kernel from the first nonvolatile memory to the second nonvolatile memory.

17. The electronic computing device as claimed in claim 15, wherein the electronic computing device stores a garbage collection setting indicative of one of a plurality of garbage collection levels, and the reboot method further comprises:

triggering a second instance of the migration of the kernel in response to the shutdown command upon a condition that the garbage collection setting is indicative of a high level garbage collection.

18. The electronic computing device as claimed in claim 17, wherein the reboot method further comprises:

recording in the first nonvolatile memory a resume address of the second nonvolatile memory from which execution of the kernel is designated to resume in response to reboot of the electronic computing device, and

shutting down the electronic computing device in response to the shutdown command.

19. The electronic computing device as claimed in claim 18, wherein the reboot method further comprises:

receiving a second boot command; and

executing a boot loader which switches execution to an instruction targeted by the resume address in the second nonvolatile memory in response to the second boot command.

20. The electronic computing device as claimed in claim 15, wherein the portion of the bootstrapping process comprises:

clearing data in the second nonvolatile memory before the second instance of the migration of the kernel.

21. A reboot method executable by an electronic computing device comprising a main memory of a processor of the electronic computing device, the main memory comprising a nonvolatile memory and retaining data and programs stored in the main memory even if the electronic computing device is shutdown, the reboot method comprising:

clearing one or more memory areas occupied by data objects in the main memory according to a setting parameter of the electronic computing device during a time window ranging from reception of a first instance of a shutdown command to completion of a bootstrap process of electronic computing device in response to a first instance of a boot command subsequent to the first instance of the shutdown command.

22. The reboot method as claimed in claim 21, wherein the setting parameter is indicative of one of a plurality of memory related values, the reboot method further comprises:

clearing a portion of the main memory if the setting parameter is indicative of a specific value.

23. The reboot method as claimed in claim 21, wherein the setting parameter comprises a garbage collection setting indicative of one of a plurality of garbage collection levels, the reboot method further comprises:

performing a garbage collection process for the main memory if the garbage collection setting is indicative of a low level garbage collection; and

clearing entirety of the main memory if the garbage collection setting is indicative of a high level garbage collection.

24. The reboot method as claimed in claim 23, wherein the setting parameter is indicative of one of a plurality of garbage collection levels,

performing a portion of a bootstrapping process of the electronic computing device before shutdown of the electronic computing device in response to the first instance of the shutdown commands, and the portion of a bootstrapping process comprises:

triggering an instance of a migration of a kernel upon a condition that the setting parameter is indicative of a high level garbage collection;

wherein reboot method further comprises;

recording a resume address of the second nonvolatile memory from which execution of the kernel is designated to resume in response to reboot of the electronic computing device; and

shutting down the electronic computing device.

25. The reboot method as claimed in claim 24, further comprising:

disabling interrupt handing during the instance of the migration of the kernel.

26. The reboot method as claimed in claim 21, wherein the second nonvolatile memory comprises phase change random access memory.

27. The reboot method as claimed in claim 21, wherein the reboot method further comprises:

configuring the setting parameter in response to statistics of system usage of the electronic computing device.

28. The reboot method as claimed in claim 21, wherein the setting parameter reflects to a user operation.

29. The reboot method as claimed in claim 21, further comprising:

establishing a wireless cellular communication channel;

establishing a wireless local area network communication channel; and

providing a service of wide area network access to a portable device by providing an access point function based on the wireless cellular communication channel and the wireless local area network communication channel.

30. An electronic computing device, comprising:

a first nonvolatile memory operable to store a kernel of an operating system of the media data playback device;

a main memory comprising a second nonvolatile memory of the electronic computing device;

an input unit operable to receive boot commands and shutdown commands; and

a processor connected to the first nonvolatile memory, the second nonvolatile memory, and the input unit, and operable to utilize the second nonvolatile operable as the main memory of the electronic computing device such that the processor loads programs and data to the main memory, wherein the main memory receives and stores the loaded programs and data, and the processor executes a reboot method comprising;

clearing one or more memory areas in the main memory according to a setting parameter of the electronic computing device during reboot of the electronic computing device in response to a reboot command of the electronic computing device.

31. The electronic computing device as claimed in claim 30, wherein the reboot method further comprises:

clearing entirety of the main memory according to the setting parameter of the electronic computing device during reboot of the electronic computing device in response to the reboot command.

32. The electronic computing device as claimed in claim 30, wherein the setting parameter is indicative of one of a plurality of memory related values, the reboot method further comprises:

clearing a portion of the main memory if the setting parameter is indicative of a specific value.

33. The electronic computing device as claimed in claim 30, wherein the setting parameter comprises a garbage collection setting indicative of one of a plurality of garbage collection levels, the reboot method further comprises:

performing a garbage collection process for the main memory if the garbage collection setting is indicative of a low level garbage collection; and

clearing entirety of the main memory if the garbage collection setting is indicative of a high level garbage collection.

34. The electronic computing device as claimed in claim 33, wherein the setting parameter is indicative of one of a plurality of garbage collection levels, the reboot method further comprises:

performing a portion of a bootstrapping process of the electronic computing device before shutdown of the electronic computing device in response to a first instance of a shutdown command, and the portion of a bootstrapping process comprises;

triggering an instance of a migration of the kernel to the main memory upon a condition that the setting parameter is indicative of a high level garbage collection;

wherein reboot method further comprises;

recording a resume address of the second nonvolatile memory from which execution of the kernel is designated to resume in response to reboot of the electronic computing device; and

shutting down the electronic computing device.

35. The electronic computing device as claimed in claim 34, further comprising:

disabling interrupt handing during the instance of the migration of the kernel.

36. The electronic computing device as claimed in claim 30, wherein the second nonvolatile memory comprises solid state nonvolatile random access memory.

37. The electronic computing device as claimed in claim 30, wherein the reboot method further comprises:

configuring the setting parameter in response to statistics of system usage of the electronic computing device.

38. The electronic computing device as claimed in claim 30, wherein the setting parameter reflects to a user operation.

39. A reboot method executable by an electronic computing device of which a main memory of a processor of the electronic computing device comprises a nonvolatile memory and retains data and programs stored in the main memory even if the electronic computing device is shutdown, the reboot method comprising:

clearing at least one memory area in the nonvolatile memory of the main memory in response to a reboot request of the electronic computing device.

40. The reboot method as claimed in claim 39, wherein the clearing of the at least one memory area in the nonvolatile memory further comprises:

clearing entirety of the nonvolatile memory of the main memory in response to the reboot request.

41. The reboot method as claimed in claim 39, wherein the clearing of the at least one memory area in the nonvolatile memory further comprises:

clearing one or more memory areas in the main memory according to a setting parameter of the electronic computing device in response to the reboot request.

42. The reboot method as claimed in claim 41, wherein the setting parameter comprises a garbage collection setting indicative of one of a plurality of garbage collection levels, the reboot method further comprises:

performing a garbage collection process for the main memory if the garbage collection setting is indicative of a low level garbage collection; and

clearing entirety of the main memory if the garbage collection setting is indicative of a high level garbage collection.

43. The reboot method as claimed in claim 42, wherein the setting parameter is indicative of one of a plurality of garbage collection levels, the electronic computing device further comprises a storage device storing a kernel of a operating system of the electronic computing device, and the reboot method further comprises:

performing a portion of a bootstrapping process of the electronic computing device before shutdown of the electronic computing device in response to a first instance of a shutdown command, and the portion of a bootstrapping process comprises;

triggering an instance of a migration of the kernel from the storage device to the main memory upon a condition that the setting parameter is indicative of a high level garbage collection;

wherein reboot method further comprises;

recording a resume address of the main memory from which execution of the kernel is designated to resume in response to the reboot request.

44. The reboot method as claimed in claim 43, further comprising:

disabling interrupt handing during the instance of the migration of the kernel.

45. The reboot method as claimed in claim 41, wherein the reboot method further comprises:

configuring the setting parameter in response to statistics of system usage of the electronic computing device.

46. The reboot method as claimed in claim 41, wherein the setting parameter reflects to a user operation.

47. The reboot method as claimed in claim 39, further comprising:

establishing a wireless cellular communication channel;

establishing a wireless local area network communication channel; and

providing a service of wide area network access to a portable device by providing an access point function based on the wireless cellular communication channel and the wireless local area network communication channel.

48. The reboot method as claimed in claim 39, wherein the nonvolatile memory functions as the main memory of the processor of the electronic computing device according to hardware architecture of the electronic computing device.