Method for configuring computer peripherals
First Claim
1. A method for configuring a peripheral coupled to a computer, the peripheral comprising a memory including an indicating register signifying whether the peripheral has user-selectable operating parameters and a configuration space, the configuration space comprising at least one configuration file and one or more configuration registers for setting the user-selectable operating parameters of the peripheral, each configuration file having a version indicator and a plurality of user selectable settings, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) accessing the indicating register in the peripheral;
(b) accessing the configuration space in the peripheral when the value stored in the indicating register indicates that the peripheral has one or more user-selectable operating parameters;
(c) interpreting the configuration file'"'"'s contents to identify the user selectable settings for the user-selectable operating parameters of the peripheral and to determine how the user-selectable setting options should be presented to the user, comprising the steps of reading the version indicator and identifying the user-selectable settings according to the version indicator;
(d) presenting the user-selectable settings for the user-selectable operating parameters of the peripheral to a user;
(e) accepting a selection of one of the user-selectable settings for each of the user-selectable operating parameters of the peripheral from the user in the computer; and
(f) setting the operating parameters of the peripheral according to the selected settings by storing a value from the configuration file into one or more of the configuration registers in the configuration space.
3 Assignments
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method for the configuration of peripheral adapters in computer systems. The method examines a flag in a Configuration Space of the peripheral adapter to determine if user-selectable configuration options are required for the peripheral adapter. If the flag is set, then a configuration file is retrieved and interpreted to determine how the peripheral adapter should be configured and to determine how the configuration options should be presented to the user. Such configurations options may be conditional and based on previous user selections. Once the user'"'"'s selections have been made, the method updates registers in the peripheral adapter with the selected option values.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method for configuring a peripheral coupled to a computer, the peripheral comprising a memory including an indicating register signifying whether the peripheral has user-selectable operating parameters and a configuration space, the configuration space comprising at least one configuration file and one or more configuration registers for setting the user-selectable operating parameters of the peripheral, each configuration file having a version indicator and a plurality of user selectable settings, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) accessing the indicating register in the peripheral; (b) accessing the configuration space in the peripheral when the value stored in the indicating register indicates that the peripheral has one or more user-selectable operating parameters; (c) interpreting the configuration file'"'"'s contents to identify the user selectable settings for the user-selectable operating parameters of the peripheral and to determine how the user-selectable setting options should be presented to the user, comprising the steps of reading the version indicator and identifying the user-selectable settings according to the version indicator; (d) presenting the user-selectable settings for the user-selectable operating parameters of the peripheral to a user; (e) accepting a selection of one of the user-selectable settings for each of the user-selectable operating parameters of the peripheral from the user in the computer; and (f) setting the operating parameters of the peripheral according to the selected settings by storing a value from the configuration file into one or more of the configuration registers in the configuration space. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method for configuring a peripheral adapter coupled to a computer, comprising the steps of:
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(a) accessing a configuration space in the peripheral adapter when the peripheral adapter has one or more user-selectable operating parameters, the configuration space having a configuration file and one or more configuration registers, the configuration file having a plurality of user-selectable operating parameters of the peripheral adapter; (b) interpreting the configuration file'"'"'s contents according to the version indicator to identify the user-selectable settings for the user-selectable operating parameters of the peripheral adapter, wherein the configuration file includes a version indicator and the configuration file'"'"'s contents are interpreted according to the version indicator; (c) presenting the user-selectable settings for the user-selectable operating parameters of the peripheral adapter to a user; (d) accepting a selection of one of the user-selectable settings for each of the user selectable operating parameters of the peripheral adapter from the user; and (e) setting the operating parameters of the peripheral adapter according to the selected settings by storing a value from the configuration file into one or more configuration registers in the configuration space. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An apparatus for configuring a peripheral comprising a memory including an indicating register signifying whether the peripheral has user-selectable operating parameters and a configuration space, the configuration space comprising at least one configuration file and one or more configuration registers for setting the user-selectable operating parameters of the peripheral, each configuration file having a version indicator and a plurality of user-selectable settings, the apparatus comprising:
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(a) a computer coupled to the peripheral having a processor, a memory, a data input device, and a display; (b) means, performed by the computer, for performing the steps of; (i) accessing the indicating register in the peripheral; (ii) accessing the configuration space in the peripheral when the value stored in the indicating register indicates that the peripheral has one or more user-selectable operating parameters; (iii) interpreting the configuration file'"'"'s contents to identify the user selectable settings for the user-selectable operating parameters of the peripheral and to determine how the user-selectable setting options should be presented to the user, comprising the steps of reading the version indicator and identifying the user-selectable settings according to the version indicator; (iv) presenting the user-selectable settings for the user-selectable operating parameters of the peripheral to a user; (v) accepting a selection of one of the user-selectable settings for each of the user-selectable operating parameters of the peripheral from the user in the computer; and (vi) setting the operating parameters of the peripheral according to the selected settings by storing a value from the configuration file into one or more of the configuration registers in the configuration space. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification