Method and apparatus for configuration of computer system and circuit boards

• US 5,263,148 A
• Filed: 01/04/1989
• Issued: 11/16/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Compaq Computer Corporation (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Griffin, Michael R., Farrand, Scott C., Walton, Roberta A., George, Daryl D., Williams, Pamela H., Pipes, Beatrice D., McGraw, Montgomery C., Gready, Robert S., Jones, Curtis R. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Anderson, Lawrence E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Coleman, Eric
• Application Number:
  US07/293,315
• Time in Patent Office: 1,777 Days
• Field of Search: 364/200 MS File, 364/900 MS File, 395/500, 395/700
• US Class Current: 713/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/177 Initialisation or configuration control processor initialisation G06F9/4405
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4411 Configuring for operating with peripheral devices; Loading of device drivers

Abstract

A method and apparatus for determining and selecting configuration options and settings of circuit boards used in a computer system is disclosed. The options and settings are placed in a file according to a given format, at which time the system determines if non-conflicting use of the common system resources is possible. If so, these option and setting parameters are used to configure the circuit boards.

Claims

1. For use with a computer system that provides for circuit boards to be interchangeably inserted in a plurality of system slot locations, with the circuit boards having the capability to be configured to utilize one or more of various common computer system resources, a method for configuring the system and boards comprising:

the computer determining the various common computer system resources which can be utilized by the circuit boards to be inserted into the computer system;

wherein the computer in determining the various common computer system resources utilizes a circuit board configuration file having a defined configuration file format for indicating the various common computer system resources which can be utilized by a circuit board and for indicating the identification of the circuit board;

wherein the format of said configuration file provides for board identification information, initialization information and function information;

wherein said function information includes information on the various functions available on the circuit board and the resources necessary for each function;

wherein said resource information includes information on the direct memory access channel, interrupt line, input/output port address and memory address options available on the circuit board;

the computer resolving conflicts as to the common computer system resources to be utilized by the circuit boards to be installed in the computer system;

the computer allocating common computer system resources, based on the resolution of conflicts, to be utilized by the circuit boards installed in the computer system; and

the computer storing configuration information for each circuit board based on the allocated common computer system resources to be utilized.

2. For use with a computer system that provides for circuit boards to be interchangeably inserted in a plurality of system slot locations, with the circuit boards having the capability to be configured to utilize one or more of various common computer system resources, a method for configuring the system and boards comprising:

the computer determining the various common computer system resources which can be utilized by the circuit boards to be inserted into the computer system;

wherein the computer determining the various common computer resources utilizes a circuit board configuration file having a defined configuration file format for indicating the various common computer system resources which can be utilized by a circuit board and for indicating the identification of the circuit board;

wherein the format of said configuration file provides for board identification information, initialization information and function information;

wherein said function information includes information on the various functions available on the circuit board and the resources necessary for each function;

wherein said resource information includes information on the initialization value options available on the circuit board for direct memory access channel, interrupt line, input/output port addresses and memory addresses;

the computer resolving conflicts as to the common computer system resources to be utilized by the circuit boards to be installed in the computer system;

the computer allocating common computer system resources, based on the resolution of conflicts, to be utilized by the circuit boards installed in the computer system; and

the computer storing configuration information for each circuit board based on the allocated common computer system resources to be utilized.

3. For use with a computer system that provides for circuit boards to be interchangeably inserted in a plurality of system slot locations, with the circuit boards having the capability to be configured to utilize one or more of various common computer system resources, a method for configuring the system and boards comprising:

the computer determining the various common computer system resources which can be utilized by the circuit boards to be inserted into the computer system;

wherein the computer determining the various common computer resources utilizes a circuit board configuration file having a defined configuration file format for indicating the various common computer system resources which can be utilized by a circuit board and for indicating the identification of the circuit board;

wherein the format of said configuration file provides for board identification information, initialization information and function information;

wherein said function information includes information on the various functions available on the circuit board and the resources necessary for each function;

wherein said resource information includes;

information on direct memory access channel, interrupt line, input/output port address and memory address options available on the circuit board;

information on the initialization value options available on the circuit board for direct memory access channels, interrupt lines, input/output port addresses and memory addresses; and

relationship grouping information for said available options and said initialization value options;

the computer resolving conflicts as to the common computer system resources to be utilized by the circuit boards to be installed in the computer system;

the computer allocating common computer system resources, based on the resolution of conflicts, to be utilized by the circuit boards installed in the computer system; and

the computer storing configuration information for each circuit board based on the allocated common computer system resources to be utilized.

4. An apparatus for configuring a computer system that provides for circuit boards to be interchangeably inserted in a plurality of system slot locations, with the circuit boards having the capability to be configured to utilize one or more of various common computer system resources, comprising:

means for determining the various common computer system resources which can be utilized by the circuit boards to be inserted into the computer system;

wherein said means for determining includes means for utilizing a circuit board configuration file having a defined configuration file format for indicating the various common computer system resources which can be utilized by a circuit board and for indicating the identification of the circuit board;

wherein the format of said configuration file provides for board identification information, initialization information and function information;

wherein said function information includes information on the various functions available on the circuit board and the resources necessary for each function;

wherein said resource information includes information on the direct memory access channel, interrupt line, input/output port address and memory address options available on the circuit board;

means for resolving conflicts as to the common computer system resources to be utilized by the circuit boards to be installed in the computer system;

means for assigning common computer system resources based on said resolution of conflicts to be installed in the computer systems; and

means for storing configuration information for each circuit board based on the assigned common computer system resources to be utilized.

5. An apparatus for configuring a computer system that provides for circuit boards to be interchangeably inserted in a plurality of system slot locations, with the circuit boards having the capability to be configured to utilize one or more of various common computer system resources, comprising:

means for determining the various common computer system resources which can be utilized by the circuit boards to be inserted into the computer system;

wherein said means for determining includes means for utilizing a circuit board configuration file having a defined configuration file format for indicating the various common computer system resources which can be utilized by a circuit board and for indicating the identification of the circuit board;

wherein the format of said configuration file provides for board identification information, initialization information and function information;

wherein said function information includes information on the various functions available on the circuit board and the resources necessary for each function;

wherein said resource information includes information on the initialization value options available on the circuit board for direct memory access channel, interrupt line, input/output port addresses and memory addresses;

means for resolving conflicts as to the common computer system resources to be utilized by the circuit boards to be installed in the computer system;

means for assigning common computer system resources based on said resolution of conflicts to be installed in the computer systems; and

means for storing configuration information for each circuit board based on the assigned common computer system resources to be utilized.

6. An apparatus for configuring a computer system that provides for circuit boards to be interchangeably inserted in a plurality of system slot locations, with the circuit boards having the capability to be configured to utilize one or more of various common computer system resources, comprising:

means for determining the various common computer system resources which can be utilized by the circuit boards to be inserted into the computer system;

wherein said means for determining includes means for utilizing a circuit board configuration file having a defined configuration file format for indicating the various common computer system resources which can be utilized by a circuit board and for indicating the identification of the circuit board;

wherein the format of said configuration file provides for board identification information, initialization information and function information;

wherein said function information includes information on the various functions available on the circuit board and the resources necessary for each function;

wherein said resource information includes;

information on the initialization value options available on the circuit board for direct memory access channels, interrupt lines, input/output port addresses and memory addresses available on the circuit board;

information on the initialization value options available on the circuit board for direct memory access channels, interrupt lines, input/output port addresses and memory addresses; and

relationship grouping information for said available options and said initialization values;

means for resolving conflicts as to the common computer system resources to be utilized by the circuit boards to be installed in the computer system;

means for assigning common computer system resources based on said resolution of conflicts to be installed in the computer systems; and

means for storing configuration information for each circuit board based on the assigned common computer system resources to be utilized.

7. A method for providing information indicative of the various common computer resources which may be utilized by a circuit board installable in a computer system, comprising:

establishing a configuration file, having a defined format, to be accessed by the computer system; and

providing resource information in said configuration file pertinent to board identification, initialization and the various functions available on the circuit board and the resources necessary for each function including information on the direct memory access channel, interrupt line, input/output port address and memory address options available on the circuit board.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said resource information includes information on the initialization value options available on the circuit board for direct memory access channels, interrupt lines, input/output port addresses and memory addresses.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said resource information includes

relationship grouping information for said circuit board available functions and said initialization value options.