Method and apparatus for dynamically displaying and causing the execution of software diagnostic/test programs for the silicon validation of microprocessors
First Claim
1. A method for controlling the operation of a general purpose computer to display information indicative of a plurality of separately executable diagnostic/test programs for validating the operation of a central processing unit and to cause the execution of at least one of said plurality of separately executable diagnostic/test programs, wherein said general purpose computer includes storage media and wherein said storage media includes said plurality of separately executable diagnostic/test programs, a primary launch engine, and at least one definition file, comprising:
- executing said primary launch engine;
said primary launch engine extracting information from said at least one definition file indicative of said plurality of separately executable diagnostic/test programs and data necessary to execute said plurality of separately executable diagnostic/test programs;
said primary launch engine displaying information to said user indicative of said plurality of separately executable diagnostic/test programs, wherein said displaying information includes indicating to said user which of said plurality of separately executable diagnostic/test programs are compatible with said central processing unit;
said primary launch engine accepting an input from said user indicative of which of said plurality of separately executable diagnostic/test programs said user has selected for execution; and
said primary launch engine instructing said general purpose computer to execute at least one of said plurality of separately executable diagnostic/test programs in response to said input.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention permits a primary launch engine to display the names of, and information relating to, and cause the execution of diagnostic/test programs and/or batch-type routines for the silicon validation of microprocessors not only in existence at the time the primary launch engine is developed and compiled, but also, diagnostic/test programs and/or batch-type routines for the silicon validation of microprocessors that are developed and/or modified after the primary launch engine is developed and compiled without requiring modifications to, or the recompilation of, the primary launch engine. To do so, the present invention utilizes specialized data files consisting of one or more screen definition files and/or one or more script files wherein each screen definition file contains necessary menu structure and response information for each of the available diagnostic/test programs and wherein each of the script files contains sequencing and parameter information for each of the batch-type routines. These specialized data files are used by the primary launch engine to (i) display information pertaining to each of the available diagnostic/test programs and/or batch type routines and (ii) cause a general purpose computer to execute diagnostic/test programs and/or batch type routines selected by the user of the primary launch engine.
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Citations
6 Claims
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1. A method for controlling the operation of a general purpose computer to display information indicative of a plurality of separately executable diagnostic/test programs for validating the operation of a central processing unit and to cause the execution of at least one of said plurality of separately executable diagnostic/test programs, wherein said general purpose computer includes storage media and wherein said storage media includes said plurality of separately executable diagnostic/test programs, a primary launch engine, and at least one definition file, comprising:
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executing said primary launch engine; said primary launch engine extracting information from said at least one definition file indicative of said plurality of separately executable diagnostic/test programs and data necessary to execute said plurality of separately executable diagnostic/test programs; said primary launch engine displaying information to said user indicative of said plurality of separately executable diagnostic/test programs, wherein said displaying information includes indicating to said user which of said plurality of separately executable diagnostic/test programs are compatible with said central processing unit; said primary launch engine accepting an input from said user indicative of which of said plurality of separately executable diagnostic/test programs said user has selected for execution; and said primary launch engine instructing said general purpose computer to execute at least one of said plurality of separately executable diagnostic/test programs in response to said input. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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Specification