CONTEXTUAL AWARENESS ASSOCIATED WITH RESOURCES

• US 20200133717A1
• Filed: 12/31/2019
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Aviation Systems LLC (GE Aerospace)
• Original Assignee: GE Aviation Systems LLC (GE Aerospace)
• Inventors: Graffy, Melanie Sue-Hanson, Holmwood, Colin, Diekema, Jon Marc
• Granted Patent: US 11,119,818 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/62 Protecting access to data via a platform, e.g. using keys or access control rules
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/445 Program loading or initiating bootstrapping G06F9/4401; security arrangements for program loading or initiating G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4843 by program, e.g. task dispatcher, supervisor, operating system
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416

Abstract

Contextual awareness associated with resources can be employed to facilitate controlling access to resources of a system, including function blocks. A resource manager component (RMC) can pre-load a defined number of respective versions of configuration parameter data associated with respective applications in each resource. With regard to each application, the RMC can associate a context value, unique for each application, with the respective versions of configuration parameter data associated with that application. When a current application is being changed to a next application, the RMC can write the context value associated with the next application to a context select component (CSC). Each resource can read the context value in the CSC, identify and retrieve the version of configuration parameter data associated with the next application based on the context value, and configure the function block based on the version of configuration parameter data.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

storing, by a system comprising a processor, respective sets of configuration data in respective resources of a system-on-chip device, wherein the respective sets of configuration data are associated with respective applications and the respective resources; and

controlling, by the system, configuration of and access to the respective resources based at least in part on the respective sets of configuration data associated with respective contexts relating to the respective applications and based at least in part on a context value in a context field of a configuration block, wherein the context value indicates a context of the respective contexts and an application of the respective applications that is associated with the context.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the respective resources comprise a resource, wherein the context is a first context, wherein the respective contexts comprise the first context and a second context, wherein the context value is a first context value, wherein the application is a first application, wherein the first context is associated with the first application, the first context value, and a first set of configuration data of the respective sets of configuration data, wherein the second context is associated with a second application of the respective applications, a second context value, and a second set of configuration data of the respective sets of configuration data, and wherein the controlling further comprises:

in response to detecting, in the context field of the configuration block, that the first context value is changed to the second context value, reconfiguring the resource from having first configuration parameters associated with the first context value to have second configuration parameters based at least in part on a portion of the second set of configuration data associated with the second context value and stored in the resource.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the context value is a hybrid context value that comprises a first context value in a first portion of the context field and a second context value in a second portion of the context field, wherein the context is a first context, wherein the application is a first application, wherein the first context value indicates the first context and the first application, and wherein the second context value indicates a second context of the respective contexts and a second application of the respective applications that is associated with the second context.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the respective sets of configuration data comprise a first set of configuration data and a second set of configuration data, wherein the respective resources comprise a first resource and a second resource, and wherein the controlling of the configuration of and the access to the respective resources comprises:

controlling configuration of and access to the first resource based at least in part on the first set of configuration data associated with the first context relating to the first application and based at least in part on the first context value; and

controlling configuration of and access to the second resource based at least in part on the second set of configuration data associated with the second context relating to the second application and based at least in part on the second context value.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the controlling of the configuration of and the access to the first resource and the controlling of the configuration of and the access to the second resource are performed in parallel.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the context value is a first context value, wherein the context is a first context, wherein the application is a first application, and wherein the method further comprises:

to facilitate transitioning from the first context to a second context, transmitting, by the system, a notification message to a direct memory access engine to notify the direct memory access engine that the first context is to be changed to the second context associated with a second application of the respective applications and operations associated with the first application are to be suspended.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

pre-loading, by the system, the respective sets of configuration data into the respective resources to facilitate the storing of the respective sets of configuration data in respective data stores associated with the respective resources.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the application is a first application, wherein the context is a first context, wherein the context value is a first context value, wherein respective first sets of configuration data of the respective sets of configuration data are associated with the respective resources and the first application, wherein the controlling of the configuration of and the access to the respective resources comprises, during a first time period, controlling configuration of and access to the respective resources based at least in part on the respective first sets of configuration data, in accordance with the first context value.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the respective applications comprise a second application, wherein the respective contexts comprise a second context associated with the second application, a second context value, and respective second sets of configuration data of the respective sets of configuration data, wherein the respective second sets of configuration data relate to the second application, and wherein the method further comprises:

performing, by the system, a single write operation to write the second context value to the context field to facilitate transitioning the respective resources from the first context to the second context in connection with a second time period, wherein the controlling of the configuration of and the access to the respective resources comprises;

in response to the second context value being in the context field, during the second time period, controlling configuration of and access to the respective resources based at least in part on the respective second sets of configuration data, in accordance with the second context value.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the respective resources comprise a function block, wherein, during the first time period, the function block is configured to have first configuration parameters based at least in part on first function-block configuration data of a first set of configuration data of the respective first sets of configuration data in connection with the first context associated with the first application, wherein the first function-block configuration data is stored in the function block, and wherein the method further comprises:

selecting, by the system, the second context associated with the second application;

suspending, by the system, an operation associated with a direct memory access engine and the function block, in accordance with a defined procedure associated with the function block;

storing, by the system, operation data associated with the operation in a data store to facilitate resuming, at a future time, the operation at or in proximity to a point in the operation where the operation was suspended;

in response to the suspending of the operation, updating, by the system, the context field of the configuration block of the system-on-chip device from the first context value associated with the first context and the first application to the second context value, wherein the second context value is associated with the second context, the second application, and a second set of configuration data comprising second function-block configuration data, and wherein the respective sets of configuration data comprise the second set of configuration data; and

in response to detecting the second context value in the context field, reconfiguring, by the system, the function block to have second configuration parameters based at least in part on the second function-block configuration data associated with the second context value, wherein the second function-block configuration data is stored in the function block.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the respective resources comprise a direct memory access engine, wherein, during the first time period, the direct memory access engine is configured to have first configuration parameters based at least in part on first direct-memory-access-engine configuration data of the first set of configuration data in connection with the first context associated with the first application, wherein the first direct-memory-access-engine configuration data is stored in the direct memory access engine, wherein the respective applications comprise a second application, wherein the respective contexts comprise a second context associated with the second application, a second context value, and a second set of configuration data of the respective sets of configuration data, wherein the second set of configuration data relates to the second application and comprises second direct-memory-access-engine configuration data, and wherein the method further comprises:

in response to detecting the second context value in the context field, during the second time period, reconfiguring, by the system, the direct memory access engine to have second configuration parameters based at least in part on the second direct-memory-access-engine configuration data associated with the second context value and stored in the direct memory access engine.

12. A system, comprising:

a set of resources that perform respective functions, wherein respective sets of configuration parameter data are stored in respective resources of the set of resources, wherein the respective sets of configuration parameter data are associated with respective applications related to respective contexts;

a memory that stores computer-executable components; and

a processor that executes computer-executable components stored in the memory, wherein the computer executable-components comprise;

a resource management component that facilitates controlling configuration of and access to the respective resources based at least in part on the respective sets of configuration parameter data and a context value in a context field of a context select component, wherein the context value indicates a context of the respective contexts and an application of the respective applications that is related to the context.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the context value is a complex context value that comprises a first context value in a first portion of the context field and a second context value in a second portion of the context field, wherein the context is a first context, wherein the application is a first application, wherein the first context value indicates the first context and the first application, and wherein the second context value indicates a second context of the respective contexts and a second application of the respective applications that is related to the second context.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the respective sets of configuration parameter data comprise a first set of configuration parameter data and a second set of configuration parameter data, wherein the respective resources comprise a first resource and a second resource,

wherein the first resource controls configuration of and access to the first resource based at least in part on the first set of configuration data associated with the first context relating to the first application and based at least in part on the first context value, and

wherein the second resource controls configuration of and access to the second resource based at least in part on the second set of configuration data associated with the second context relating to the second application and based at least in part on the second context value.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the context value is a first context value, wherein the context is a first context associated with the first context value, wherein the application is a first application associated with the first context and the first context value, and wherein the resource management component communicates the first context value to the context select component to facilitate transitioning the respective resources to the first context during a first time period.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the respective sets of configuration parameter data comprise respective first sets of configuration parameter data associated with the first application, the first context, and the first context value, wherein the respective resources detect the first context value in the context field of the context select component and determine respective configuration parameter data of the respective first sets of configuration parameter data based at least in part on the first context value, and wherein the respective configuration parameter data are associated with and stored in the respective resources.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the respective resources comprise at least one of a first function block, a second function block, or a direct memory access engine, wherein the resource is one of the first function block, the second function block, or the direct memory access engine, and wherein, during the first time period, at least one of:

the first function block or a first block protection unit are configured based at least in part on first configuration parameter data of the respective configuration parameter data, wherein the first block protection unit is associated with the first function block, and wherein the first configuration parameter data relates to the first function block and the first application with respect to the first context value;

the second function block or a second block protection unit are configured based at least in part on second configuration parameter data of the respective configuration parameter data, wherein the second block protection unit is associated with the second function block, and wherein the second configuration parameter data relates to the second function block and the first application with respect to the first context value;

or

the direct memory access engine is configured based at least in part on third configuration parameter data of the respective configuration parameter data, wherein the third configuration parameter data relates to the direct memory access engine and the first application with respect to the first context value.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the respective resources control access to and use of the respective resources by the first application based at least in part on respective configurations of the respective resources, and wherein the respective configurations of the respective resources are performed based at least in part on the respective configuration parameter data associated with the respective resources.

19. A machine-readable medium, comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, facilitate performance of operations, comprising:

storing respective items of configuration parameter information in respective resources of a system-on-chip device, wherein the respective items of configuration parameter information are associated with respective applications and the respective resources, and wherein the respective applications are associated with respective contexts; and

managing configuration of and access to the respective resources based at least in part on the respective items of configuration parameter information associated with the respective contexts and based at least in part on a context value in a context field of a configuration block, wherein the context value indicates a context of the respective contexts and an application of the respective applications that is associated with the context.

20. The machine-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the respective resources comprise at least one of a function block, a block protection unit associated with the function block, or a direct memory access engine.