Extended BIOS adapted to establish remote communication for diagnostics and repair
DCFirst Claim
1. A basic input output system (BIOS) comprising;
- a first code portion adapted for execution by a CPU to perform power on self test (POST) routine and to initiate boot operations; and
a second code portion adapted for execution by the CPU to establish communication with a remote computer;
wherein code execution by the CPU is directed from the first portion to the second portion upon failure to complete said boot operations.
9 Assignments
Litigations
1 Petition
Accused Products
Abstract
An extended basic input output system (E-BIOS) has a first portion of code for providing power-on self-test (POST) and boot functions for a first computer, including code for sensing if the first computer does not boot. In the event of failure to boot, a second portion of code in the E-BIOS directs establishing communication link with a remote diagnostics and repair computer. When communication is established, a master code kernel at the diagnostics and repair computer may be executed to download a slave kernel to random access memory of the first computer, blowing an automatic software kernel or an operator at the diagnostics and repair computer to access and modify code and data in memory devices of the first computer, and to reboot the first computer after repair. Communication links may be by telephone modem, either analog or integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN), or by network links. In one embodiment cooperation between the slave kernel and the master kernel is such that an operator may operate the diagnostics and repair computer as though it were the first computer.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A basic input output system (BIOS) comprising;
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a first code portion adapted for execution by a CPU to perform power on self test (POST) routine and to initiate boot operations; and a second code portion adapted for execution by the CPU to establish communication with a remote computer; wherein code execution by the CPU is directed from the first portion to the second portion upon failure to complete said boot operations. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A computer comprising:
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a CPU; a mass storage device coupled to the CPU and having a boot code sector and operating system code recorded thereon; and a basic input output system (BIOS) coupled to the CPU, the BIOS having a first code portion adapted for execution by the CPU to perform power on self test (POST) routine and to initiate boot operations, and a second code portion adapted for execution by the CPU to establish communication with a remote computer; wherein code execution by the CPU is directed from the first code portion to the second code portion upon failure to complete said boot operations. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9)
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10. A system for modifying code and data in a first computer having a first CPU upon failure of the first computer to boot, comprising:
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a second computer having a second CPU, the second computer connected to the first computer by a communication link; a master code kernel and a slave code kernel stored on a memory device at the second computer; and an extended basic input output system (E-BIOS) in the first computer; wherein, upon sensing failure of the first computer to boot, the E-BIOS establishes communication with the second computer over the communication link, and the second CPU in response causes a copy of the slave kernel to be copied to the RAM of the first computer and to be made available to the first CPU for execution, and wherein, with a copy of the slave kernel in the first computer and the master kernel active in the second computer, a user at the second computer may diagnose and modify code and data in the first computer from the second computer. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for diagnosing and modifying code and data in read/write memory devices and mass storage devices of a first computer, comprising steps of:
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(a) establishing communication with the first computer over a communication link from a diagnostic and repair computer; (b) loading and executing a master kernel at the diagnostic and repair computer; (c) downloading a slave operating system kernel to the first computer from the second computer; and (d) accessing and modifying code and data on read/write memory devices and mass storage devices in the first computer through activity at the second computer. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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18. A method for establishing contact with a remote repair center computer upon failure of a local computer to boot, comprising steps of:
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(a) sensing failure of the local computer to boot through action of a first portion of code in an extended basic input output system (E-BIOS) installed and operable in the first computer; and (b) activating a communication link to the remote repair center computer through action of a second portion of code in the E-BIOS, the second potion of code executed in response to the failure of the first computer to boot. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification