System for configuring devices for a computer system

• US 5,787,246 A
• Filed: 05/27/1994
• Issued: 07/28/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Short, Robert T., Santerre, Pierre-Yves, Lipe, Ralph A., Voth, David W., Enstrom, Mark R., Lichtman, Moshe, Lennon, Thomas E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Thomas C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Perveen, Rehana
• Application Number:
  US08/250,698
• Time in Patent Office: 1,523 Days
• Field of Search: 395/600, 395/828, 395/830, 395/882, 395/500, 395/700, 395/200.56, 395/200.5
• US Class Current: 709/220
• 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 system for configuring devices of a computer system without user intervention. Device information for each of the devices is collected to uniquely identify the devices and to describe the device characteristics associated with the operation of devices with the computer. Computer resources, which support the functions of the devices within the computer, are allocated based upon the device information. This allocation process prevents a potential conflicting use of the resources by the devices. A device driver, which enables communications between the corresponding device and the computer system, is also identified for each of the devices in response to the device information. In response to the allocation of resources, the identified device drivers are loaded and the devices are activated for operation with the computer.

Claims

1. In a computer system characterized by computer system resources, a method for identifying devices connected to a system bus of said computer system, comprising the steps of:

a. instructing each of said devices to enter an inactive state, said devices having a function that is disabled during said inactive state;

b. isolating said particular device from said remaining devices by denying said particular device access to said remaining devices via said system bus;

c. assigning a device identification code to said particular device, wherein said device identification code uniquely identifies said particular device connected to said system bus;

d. obtaining logical configuration data for said particular device, wherein said logical configuration data supplies configuration requirements for operating said particular device with said computer system;

e. repeating steps (a) through (d) for each of the remaining ones of said devices connected to said system bus.

55. The method of claim 1, wherein said assigning step comprises the steps of:

reading an identification code from a memory storage device associated with said particular device, said identification code including a string of characters which uniquely define said particular device; and

appending a system bus code to said identification code to form said device identification code, wherein said system bus code uniquely identifies said system bus.

56. The method of claim 55, wherein said assigning step further comprises storing said device identification code within system memory of said computer system.

57. The method of claim 56, wherein said system memory comprises a plurality of hierarchically-arranged device nodes, said device identification code being stored within a selected one of said device nodes.

58. The method of claim 56, wherein said step of obtaining said logical configuration data comprises reading said logical configuration data from said memory storage device.

59. The method of claim 58, wherein said step of obtaining said logical configuration data further comprises storing said logical configuration data within said system memory of said computer system, said logical configuration data associated with said device identification code for said particular device.

60. The method of claim 59, wherein said system memory comprises a plurality of hierarchically-arranged device nodes, said logical configuration data being stored within a selected one of said device nodes.

61. The method of claim 1, wherein said assigning step comprises the steps of:

retrieving an identification code from said particular device, said identification code including a string of characters which uniquely define said particular device; and

appending a system bus code to said identification code to form said device identification code, wherein said system bus code uniquely identifies said system bus.

62. The method of claim 61, wherein said step of retrieving said identification code comprises reading said identification code from a memory storage device associated with said particular device.

63. The method of claim 61, wherein said assigning step further comprises storing said device identification code within system memory of said computer system.

64. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of obtaining said logical configuration data comprises retrieving said logical configuration data from said particular device.

65. The method of claim 64, wherein said step of retrieving said logical configuration data comprises reading said logical configuration data from a memory storage device associated with said particular device.

66. The method of claim 64, wherein said step of obtaining said logical configuration data further comprises storing said logical configuration data within system memory of said computer system.

67. The method of claim 1, wherein said device identification code comprises an identification code and a system bus code, wherein said identification code includes a string of characters which uniquely define said particular device and said system bus code uniquely identifies said system bus.

68. The method of claim 1, wherein said logical configuration data comprises:

resource requirement information and resource dependency information,

said resource requirement information defines certain resources of said computer system which are necessary for operation of said particular device with said computer system, at least one of said resources comprising a plurality of resource elements, and

said resource dependency information defines a particular combination of said resource elements which are necessary for operation of said particular device with said computer system.

69. The method of claim 1, wherein said instructing step is initiated in response to certain events affecting an asynchronous change in the operating state of said computer system.

70. The method of claim 1, wherein said instructing step is initiated in response to powering said computer system.

71. The method of claim 70, wherein said instructing step is further initiated in response to the connection of another one of devices to said system bus.

72. The method of claim 71, wherein said instructing step is further initiated in response to the removal of one of said devices from said system bus.

2. In a computer system characterized by system resources, a method for identifying devices connected to one of a plurality of system busses of said computer system, comprising the steps of:

a. selecting one of said system busses;

b. instructing each of said devices to enter an inactive state, each of said devices having a function that is disabled during said inactive state;

c. isolating said particular device from said remaining devices by denying said particular device access to said remaining devices via said selected system bus;

d. retrieving an identification code from a memory storage device associated with said particular device, wherein said identification code uniquely identifies said particular device;

e. appending to said identification code a system bus code to form a device identification code associated with said particular device, wherein said system bus code uniquely identifies said selected system bus;

f. obtaining logical configuration data from said memory storage device wherein said logical configuration data supplies configuration requirements for operating said particular device with said computer system; and

g. repeating steps (b) through (f) for each of the remaining ones of said devices connected to said selected system bus.

73. The method of claim 2, wherein said instructing step is initiated in response to certain events causing an asynchronous change in the operating state of said computer system.

74. The method of claim 73, wherein said instructing step is initiated in response to powering said computer system.

75. The method of claim 74, wherein said instructing step is further initiated in response to connecting another one of said devices to said selected system bus.

76. The method of claim 75, wherein said instructing step is further initiated in response to removing one of said devices from said selected system bus.

77. The method of claim 2, wherein said appending step further comprises storing said device identification code with system memory of said computer system, said system memory comprising a plurality of hierarchically-arranged nodes, said device identification code being stored within a selected one of said nodes.

78. The method of claim 77, wherein said step of obtaining said logical configuration data further comprises storing said logical configuration data within a selected one of said nodes of said system memory.

79. The method of claim 2, wherein said identification code comprises a character string including ASCII characters to uniquely define said particular device.

80. The method of claim 2, wherein said logical configuration data comprises:

resource requirement information and resource dependency information,

said resource requirement information defines certain resources of said computer system which are necessary for operation of said particular device with said computer system, at least one of said resources comprising a plurality of resource elements, and

said resource dependency information defines a particular combination of said resource elements which are necessary for operation of said particular device with said computer system.

3. A computer-readable medium on which is stored a program module for identifying devices connected to a system bus of a computer system characterized by computer system resources, the program module comprising instructions that, when executed by the programmed computer system, performs the steps of:

a. instructing each of the devices to enter an inactive state, the devices having a function that is disabled during the inactive state;

b. isolating the particular device from the remaining devices by denying the particular device access to the remaining devices via the system bus;

c. assigning a device identification code to the particular device, wherein the device identification code uniquely identifies the particular device connected to the system bus;

d. obtaining logical configuration data for the particular device, wherein the logical configuration data supplies configuration requirements for operating the particular device of the computer system;

e. repeating steps (a) through (d) for each of the remaining ones of the devices connected to the system bus.

81. The computer-readable medium of claim 3, wherein the assigning step comprises the steps of:

reading an identification code from a memory storage device associated with the particular device, the identification code including a string of characters which uniquely define the particular device; and

appending a system bus code to the identification code to form the device identification code, wherein the system bus code uniquely identifies the system bus.

82. The computer-readable medium of claim 81, wherein the assigning step further comprises storing the device identification code within system memory of the computer system.

83. The computer-readable medium of claim 82, wherein the system memory comprises a plurality of hierarchically-arranged device nodes, the device identification code being stored within a selected one of the device nodes.

84. The computer-readable medium of claim 82, wherein the step of obtaining the logical configuration data comprises reading the logical configuration data from the memory storage device.

85. The computer-readable medium of claim 84, wherein the step of obtaining the logical configuration data further comprises storing the logical configuration data within the system memory of the computer system, the logical configuration data associated with the device identification code for the particular device.

86. The computer-readable, medium of claim 85, wherein the system memory comprises a plurality of hierarchically-arranged device nodes, the logical configuration data being stored within a selected one of the device nodes.

87. The computer-readable medium of claim 3, wherein the assigning step comprises the steps of:

retrieving an identification code from the particular device, the identification code including a string of characters which uniquely define the particular device; and

appending a system bus code to the identification code to form the device identification code, wherein the system bus code uniquely identifies the system bus.

88. The computer-readable medium of claim 87, wherein the step of retrieving the identification code comprises reading the identification code from a memory storage device associated with the particular device.

89. The computer-readable medium of claim 3, wherein the step of obtaining the logical configuration data comprises retrieving the logical configuration data from the particular device.

90. The computer-readable medium of claim 3, wherein the device identification code comprises an identification code and a system bus code, wherein the identification code includes a string of characters which uniquely define the particular device and the system bus code uniquely identifies the system bus.

91. The computer-readable medium of claim 3, wherein the logical configuration data comprises:

resource requirement information and resource dependency information,

the resource requirement information defines certain resources of the computer system which are necessary for operation of the particular device with the computer system, at least one of the resources comprising a plurality of resource elements, and

the resource dependency information defines a particular combination of the resource elements which are necessary for operation of the particular device with the computer system.

92. The computer-readable medium of claim 3, wherein the instructing step is initiated in response to certain events affecting an asynchronous change in the operating state of the computer system.

4. In a computer system characterized by computer system resources, a method for identifying devices connected to a plurality of system busses of said computer system, comprising the steps of:

(a) selecting one of said plurality of system busses as a selected system bus;

(b) detecting a particular one of said devices connected to said selected system bus;

(c) assigning a device identification code to said particular device, wherein said device identification code uniquely identifies said particular device connected to said selected system bus;

(d) obtaining logical configuration data for said particular device, wherein said logical configuration data supplies configuration requirements for operating said particular device with said computer system;

(e) repeating steps (b)-(d) for each of the remaining ones of said devices connected to said selected system bus; and

(f) repeating steps (a)-(e) for each of the remaining ones of said plurality of system busses.

9. The method of claim 4, wherein said detecting step comprises the steps of:

instructing each of said devices to enter an inactive state, said devices having a function that is disabled during said inactive state; and

isolating said particular device from said remaining devices by denying said particular device access to said remaining devices via said selected system bus.

10. The method of claim 4, wherein said assigning step comprises the steps of:

reading an identification code from a memory storage device associated with said particular device, said identification code including a string of characters which uniquely define said particular device; and

appending a system bus code to said identification code to form said device identification code, wherein said system bus code uniquely identifies said selected system bus.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said assigning step further comprises storing said device identification code within system memory of said computer system.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said system memory comprises a plurality of hierarchically-arranged device nodes, said device identification code being stored within a selected one of said device nodes.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein said step of obtaining said logical configuration data comprises reading said logical configuration data from said memory storage device.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said step of obtaining said logical configuration data further comprises storing said logical configuration data within said system memory of said computer system, said logical configuration data associated with said device identification code for said particular device.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said system memory comprises a plurality of hierarchically-arranged device nodes, said logical configuration data being stored within a selected one of said device nodes.

16. The method of claim 4, wherein said assigning step comprises the steps of:

retrieving an identification code from said particular device, said identification code including a string of characters which uniquely define said particular device; and

appending a system bus code to said identification code to form said device identification code, wherein said system bus code uniquely identifies said selected system bus.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said step of retrieving said identification code comprises reading said identification code from a memory storage device associated with said particular device.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein said assigning step further comprises storing said device identification code within system memory of said computer system.

19. The method of claim 4, wherein said step of obtaining said logical configuration data comprises retrieving said logical configuration data from said particular device.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said step of retrieving said logical configuration data comprises reading said logical configuration data from a memory storage device associated with said particular device.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein said step of obtaining said logical configuration data further comprises storing said logical configuration data within system memory of said computer system.

22. The method of claim 4, wherein said device identification code comprises an identification code and a system bus code, wherein said identification code includes a string of characters which uniquely define said particular device and said system bus code uniquely identifies said selected system bus.

23. The method of claim 4, wherein said logical configuration data comprises:

resource requirement information and resource dependency information,

said resource requirement information defines certain resources of said computer system which are necessary for operation of said particular device with said computer system, at least one of said resources comprising a plurality of resource elements, and

said resource dependency information defines a particular combination of said resource elements which are necessary for operation of said particular device with said computer system.

24. The method of claim 4, wherein said detecting step is initiated in response to certain events affecting an asynchronous change in the operating state of said computer system.

25. The method of claim 4, wherein said detecting step is initiated in response to powering said computer system.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein said detecting step is further initiated in response to the connection of another one of devices to said selected system bus.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein said detecting step is further initiated in response to the removal of one of said devices from said selected system bus.

5. A system for supporting the operations of devices connected to a plurality of system buses of a computer system, said system comprising:

means for detecting dynamic events effecting an asynchronous change in the operating state of said computer system;

means for iteratively selecting each of the system buses;

means for enumerating each of said devices connected to each of the system buses in response to detecting one of said dynamic events; and

means for configuring each of said devices connected to each of the system buses in response to an allocation of resources of said computer system for use by said devices.

37. The system of claim 5, wherein said dynamic events include at least one of the following;

powering said computer system, connecting another one of said devices to one of said system busses, and removing one of said devices from one of said system busses.

38. The system of claim 5, wherein said enumerate means comprises:

means for detecting a particular one of said devices; and

means for collecting device information from said particular device, said device information uniquely identifying said particular device and defining usage requirements of said resources for said particular device.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein said collection means comprises:

means for reading an identification code from a memory storage device associated with said particular device, said identification code including a string of characters which uniquely define said particular device;

means for appending a system bus code to said identification code to form said device identification code, wherein said system bus code uniquely identifies one of said system busses; and

means for reading logical configuration data from said memory storage device, wherein said logical configuration data supplies said usage requirements of said computer resources for said particular device.

40. The system of claim 39, wherein said collection means further comprises means for storing said device identification code and said logical configuration data within a system memory of said computer system.

41. The system of claim 40, wherein said system memory comprises a plurality of hierarchically-arranged nodes, said device identification code and said logical configuration data being stored within a selected one of said nodes.

42. The system of claim 5, wherein said configuring means comprises:

means for receiving said allocation of said resources;

means for storing said allocation of said resources within a system memory of said computer system; and

means for instructing said devices of said allocation of said computer resources.

6. A system for supporting the operations of devices connected to a plurality of system busses of a computer system, the system comprising:

a detector for detecting dynamic events effecting an asynchronous change in the operating state of the computer system;

an enumerator for each of the system busses for enumerating each of the devices connected to each of the system busses in response to detection of one of the dynamic events; and

a configuration manager for managing configuration of each of the devices in response to an arbitrated assignment of resources of the computer system for use by the devices.

93. The system of claim 6, wherein said dynamic events include at least one of the following:

powering said computer system, connecting another one of said device to said system bus, and removing one of said device from said system bus.

94. The system of claim 6, wherein said enumerator comprises:

a second detector for detecting a particular one of said devices; and

a collector for collecting device information from said particular device, said device information uniquely identifying said particular device and defining usage requirements of said resources for said particular device.

95. The system of claim 94, wherein said collector is operative to:

read an identification code from a memory storage device associated with said particular device, said identification code including a string of characters which uniquely define said particular device;

append a system bus code to said identification code to form said device identification code, wherein said system bus code uniquely identifies one of said system busses; and

read logical configuration data from said memory storage device, wherein said logical configuration data supplies said usage requirements of said computer resources for said particular device.

96. The system of claim 95, wherein said collector is further operative to store said device identification code and said logical configuration data within a system memory of said computer system.

97. The, system of claim 96, wherein said system memory comprises a plurality of hierarchically-arranged nodes, said device identification code and said logical configuration data being stored within a selected one of said nodes.

98. The system of claim 6, wherein said configuration manager is operative to:

receive said allocation of said resources;

store said allocation of said resources within a system memory of said computer system; and

instruct said devices of said allocation of said computer resources.

7. A computer-readable medium on which is stored a program module for identifying devices connected to a plurality of system buses of a computer system characterized by computer system resources, the program module comprising instructions that, when executed by the programmed computer system, performs the steps of:

(a) selecting one of the plurality of system buses as a selected system bus;

(b) detecting a particular one of the devices connected to the selected system bus;

(c) assigning a device identification code to the particular device, by

retrieving an identification code from the particular device, the identification code including a string of characters which uniquely define the particular device; and

appending a system bus code to the identification code to form the device identification code, wherein the system bus code uniquely identifies the selected system bus;

(d) obtaining logical configuration data for the particular device, wherein the logical configuration data supplies configuration requirements for operating the particular device with the computer system;

(e) repeating steps (b)-(d) for each of the remaining ones of the devices connected to the selected system bus.

43. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the detecting step comprises the steps of:

instructing each of the devices to enter an inactive state, the devices having a function that is disabled during the inactive state; and

isolating the particular device from the remaining devices by denying the particular device access to the remaining devices via the selected system bus.

44. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the assigning step comprises the steps of:

reading an identification code from a memory storage device associated with the particular device, the identification code including a string of characters which uniquely define the particular device; and

appending a system bus code to the identification code to form the device identification code, wherein the system bus code uniquely identifies the selected system bus.

45. The computer-readable medium of claim 44, wherein the assigning step further comprises storing the device identification code within system memory of the computer system.

46. The computer-readable medium of claim 45, wherein the system memory comprises a plurality of hierarchically-arranged device nodes, the device identification code being stored within a selected one of the device nodes.

47. The computer-readable medium of claim 45, wherein the step of obtaining the logical configuration data comprises reading the logical configuration data from the memory storage device.

48. The computer-readable medium of claim 47, wherein the step of obtaining the logical configuration data further comprises storing the logical configuration data within the system memory of the computer system, the logical configuration data associated with the device identification code for the particular device.

49. The computer-readable medium of claim 48, wherein the system memory comprises a plurality of hierarchically-arranged device nodes, the logical configuration data being stored within a selected one of the device nodes.

50. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the step of retrieving the identification code comprises reading the identification code from a memory storage device associated with the particular device.

51. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the step of obtaining the logical configuration data comprises retrieving the logical configuration data from the particular device.

52. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the device identification code comprises an identification code and a system bus code, wherein the identification code includes a string of characters which uniquely define the particular device and the system bus code uniquely identifies the selected system bus.

53. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the logical configuration data comprises:

resource requirement information and resource dependency information,

the resource requirement information defines certain resources of the computer system which are necessary for operation of the particular device with the computer systems at least one of the resources comprising a plurality of resource elements, and

the resource dependency information defines a particular combination of the resource elements which are necessary for operation of the particular device with the computer system.

54. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the detecting step is initiated in response to certain events affecting an asynchronous change in the operating state of the computer system.

8. In a computer system characterized by system resources, a method for identifying devices connected to a plurality of system busses of said computer system, comprising the steps of:

(a) selecting one of said system busses as a selected system bus;

(b) detecting a particular one of said devices connected to said selected system bus;

(c) retrieving an identification code from a memory storage device associated with said particular device, wherein said identification code uniquely identifies said particular device;

(d) appending to said identification code a system bus code to form a device identification code associated with said particular device, wherein said system bus code uniquely identifies said selected system bus;

(e) obtaining logical configuration data from said memory storage device, wherein said logical configuration data supplies configuration requirements for operating said particular device with said computer system;

(f) repeating steps (b)-(e) for each of the remaining ones of said devices connected to said selected system bus; and

(g) repeating steps (a)-(f) for each of the remaining ones of said plurality of system busses.

28. The method of claim 8, wherein said detecting step comprises the steps of:

instructing each of said devices to enter an inactive state, each of said devices having a function that is disabled during said inactive state; and

isolating said particular device from said remaining devices by denying said particular device access to said remaining devices via said selected system bus.

29. The method of claim 8, wherein said detecting step is initiated in response to certain events causing an asynchronous change in the operating state of said computer system.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein said detecting step is initiated in response to powering said computer system.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein said detecting step is further initiated in response to connecting another one of said devices to said selected system bus.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein said detecting step is further initiated in response to removing one of said devices from said selected system bus.

33. The method of claim 8, wherein said appending step further comprises storing said device identification code with system memory of said computer system, said system memory comprising a plurality of hierarchically-arranged nodes, said device identification code being stored within a selected one of said nodes.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein said step of obtaining said logical configuration data further comprises storing said logical configuration data within a selected one of said nodes of said system memory.

35. The method of claim 8, wherein said identification code comprises a character string including ASCII characters to uniquely define said particular device.

36. The method of claim 8, wherein said logical configuration data comprises:

resource requirement information and resource dependency information,

said resource requirement information defines certain resources of said computer system which are necessary for operation of said particular device with said computer system, at least one of said resources comprising a plurality of resource elements, and

said resource dependency information defines a particular combination of said resource elements which are necessary for operation of said particular device with said computer system.