In an interactive network board, method and apparatus for loading independently executable modules in prom
First Claim
1. Apparatus for forming an image file to be loaded into a programmable read-only memory (PROM) installable in an interactive network board, comprising:
- a memory for storing a configuration file, a utility program for forming said image file, and a plurality of independently executable application programs for said interactive network board;
a processor for (1) reading the configuration file from said memory, (2) selecting independently executable application programs from said memory in accordance with the configuration file, (3) adding to each selected application program data which identifies that program and which points to another one of the selected application programs, and (4) executing the utility program to form an image file loadable into a PROM which included the selected application programs and the identification and pointer data.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Method and apparatus for forming a binary image file to be loaded into a PROM installable on an interactive network board includes the use of a memory for storing (i) a configuration file, (ii) a utility program for forming the binary image file, and (iii) a plurality of independently executable application programs for the board. A PROM is used for storing the application programs. A processor reads the configuration file from the memory, and selects a subset of the independently executable application programs from the memory in accordance with the read configuration file. The processor then orders the selected programs in accordance with the read configuration file and writes, into each selected program, data which identifies that program and points to an immediately succeeding program. Finally, the processor loads the ordered programs, with their identification data, into the PROM.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. Apparatus for forming an image file to be loaded into a programmable read-only memory (PROM) installable in an interactive network board, comprising:
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a memory for storing a configuration file, a utility program for forming said image file, and a plurality of independently executable application programs for said interactive network board; a processor for (1) reading the configuration file from said memory, (2) selecting independently executable application programs from said memory in accordance with the configuration file, (3) adding to each selected application program data which identifies that program and which points to another one of the selected application programs, and (4) executing the utility program to form an image file loadable into a PROM which included the selected application programs and the identification and pointer data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A process for formatting an image file which contains a plurality of independently executable code modules for storage in a programmable read-only memory (PROM) disposed on an interactive network board, comprising the steps of:
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reading a configuration file which specifies the code modules which form the image; forming a header for each code module specified by the configuration file, the header including an identification of the code module, a definition of the code module'"'"'s attributes, and a pointer to a header for another of the code modules; constructing an image file containing the specified code modules and their associated headers; and appending to the constructed image file a module of PROM-resident code which receives control at power up, executes a power-on-self-test, loads at least some of the code modules from the image file into a RAM, and provides basic network board I/O services. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification