System for managing the configuration of a computer system
First Claim
1. In a computer system characterized by resources, a method for configuring said resources for use by devices of said computer system, each of said devices connected to at least one of a plurality of system busses, comprising the steps of:
- (a) detecting a particular one of said devices connected to a selected one of said system busses;
(b) assigning a device identification code to said particular device, wherein said device identification code uniquely identifies said particular device connected to said certain system bus;
(c) 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;
(d) repeating said steps (a)-(c) for each of the remaining ones of said devices connected to said selected bus system;
(e) identifying a device driver for each of said devices in response to a corresponding device identification code, said device driver operative to enable communications between said corresponding device and said computer system;
(f) allocating said resources for each of said devices in response to said device identification code and said logical configuration data associated with said devices to prevent a conflicting use of said resources by said devices;
(g) loading said device driver for each of said devices in response to allocating said resources; and
(h) repeating said steps (a)-(g) for each of the remaining ones of said system busses of said computer system.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for managing the configuration of devices of a computer system. Device information is obtained to uniquely identify each device and to describe the device characteristics associated with device operation. To obtain device information, a particular device is detected on a selected system bus and thereafter assigned an identification code that uniquely identifies the detected device. A system bus code, which uniquely identifies the selected system bus, is appended to the identification code, thereby forming a device identification code associated with the particular device. Logical configuration data, which supplies configuration requirements for device operation, is also obtained for the detected device. This data collection process is repeated until device information is obtained for each of the devices connected to the selected system bus. Resources are allocated to each device based on the device identification code and the logical configuration data. This resource 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 identified and loaded for each of the devices in response to the device information. If the computer system contains more than one system bus, then the tasks of collecting device information, allocating resources, and identifying and loading device drivers are completed for each of the remaining system buses.
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Citations
75 Claims
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1. In a computer system characterized by resources, a method for configuring said resources for use by devices of said computer system, each of said devices connected to at least one of a plurality of system busses, comprising the steps of:
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(a) detecting a particular one of said devices connected to a selected one of said system busses; (b) assigning a device identification code to said particular device, wherein said device identification code uniquely identifies said particular device connected to said certain system bus; (c) 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; (d) repeating said steps (a)-(c) for each of the remaining ones of said devices connected to said selected bus system; (e) identifying a device driver for each of said devices in response to a corresponding device identification code, said device driver operative to enable communications between said corresponding device and said computer system; (f) allocating said resources for each of said devices in response to said device identification code and said logical configuration data associated with said devices to prevent a conflicting use of said resources by said devices; (g) loading said device driver for each of said devices in response to allocating said resources; and (h) repeating said steps (a)-(g) for each of the remaining ones of said system busses of said computer system. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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2. A system for automatically configuring a computer system, said computer system characterized by a system bus and a plurality of resources, said system comprising:
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at least one device connected to said system bus, each device further connected to a memory storage device that stores device information for a corresponding device, said device information uniquely identifying said corresponding device and defining usage requirements of said resources for said corresponding device; an enumerator, assigned to the system bus, operative to collect said device information from each memory storage device in response to certain events effecting an asynchronous change in the operating state of the computer system; a plurality of arbitrators, each assigned to one of the resources, for assigning elements of said resources for each device in response to said collected device information to prevent a conflicting use of said resources by each device, for analyzing said collected device information for said selected device to determine whether said selected device requires a potential conflicting use of elements of said resources for operation with said computer system, and for resolving any potential conflicting use of said resource elements as required to allocate said resource elements to said selected device; and a configuration manager, responsive to the collected device information and to the assigned resource elements, for controlling the configuration of the computer system. - View Dependent Claims (52, 54, 55, 56)
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3. In a computer system characterized by resources, a method for configuring said resources for use by devices of said computer system, each of said devices connected to at least one of a plurality of system busses, comprising the steps of:
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(a) collecting device information for each of said devices connected to a selected one of said system busses, said device information uniquely identifying a corresponding one of said devices, said device information further describing characteristics of said corresponding device; (b) identifying a device driver for each of said devices in response to said device information, said device driver operative to enable communications between said corresponding device and said computer system; (c) allocating said resources for each of said devices in response to said device information to prevent a conflicting use of said resources by said devices; (d) loading said device driver for each of said devices in response to allocating said resources; and (e) repeating said steps (a)-(d) for each of the remaining ones of said system busses of said computer system. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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4. In a computer system characterized by resources, a method for configuring said resources for use by devices of said computer system, each of said devices connected to at least one of a plurality of system busses, comprising the steps of:
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(a) detecting a particular one of said devices connected to a selected one of said system busses; (b) assigning a device identification code to said particular device, wherein said device identification code uniquely identifies said particular device connected to said certain system bus; (c) 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; (d) repeated said steps (a)-(c) for each of the remaining ones of said devices connected to said selected bus system; (e) identifying a device driver for each of said devices in response to corresponding device identification code, said device driver operative to enable communications between said corresponding device and said computer system; (f) allocating said resources for each of said devices in response to said device identification code and said logical configuration data associated with said devices to prevent a conflicting use of said resources by said devices; (g) loading said device driver for each of said devices in response to allocating said resources; (h) determining whether said particular device is another selected one of said system busses; and (i) if said particular device is the other selected one of said system busses, then repeating said steps (a)-(g) for said devices connected to the other selected system bus. - View Dependent Claims (57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70)
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5. A system for automatically configuring a computer system, said computer system characterized by a plurality of system busses and a plurality of resources, said system comprising:
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at least one device connected to a selected one of said system busses, each device further connected to a memory storage device that stores device information for a corresponding device, said device information uniquely identifying said corresponding device and defining usage requirements of said resources for said corresponding device; another selected system bus connected to said selected system bus; and means for configuring each device connected to each system bus in response to certain events effecting an asynchronous change in the operating state of said computer system, said configuration means operative to collect said device information from each memory storage device and to allocate said resources for each device connected to each system bus in response to said device information to prevent a conflicting use of said resources by each device. - View Dependent Claims (34, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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6. A system for automatically configuring a computer system, said computer system having a plurality of system busses and a plurality of resources, said system comprising:
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at least one device connected to a select one of said system busses, each device further connected to a memory storage device that stores device information for a corresponding device, said device information uniquely identifying said corresponding device and defining usage requirements of said resources for said corresponding device; and a plurality of enumerators, each assigned to one of the system busses, for collecting said device information from each memory storage device in response to certain events effecting an asynchronous change in the operating state of said computer system; a plurality of arbitrators, each assigned to one of the resources, for assigning elements of said resources for each device in response to said collected device information to prevent a conflicting use of said resources by each device; and a configuration manager, responsive to the collected device information and to the assigned resource elements, for controlling the configuration of the computer system. - View Dependent Claims (71, 73, 74, 75)
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7. A computer-readable medium on which is stored a program module for configuring resources for use by devices of a computer system, each of the devices connected to at least one of a plurality of system busses, the program module comprising instructions which, when executed by the programmed computer system, performs the steps of:
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(a) collecting device information for each of the devices connected to a selected one of the system busses, the device information uniquely identifying a corresponding one of the devices, the device information further describing characteristics of the corresponding device; (b) identifying a device driver for each of the devices in response to the device information, the device driver operative to enable communications between the corresponding device and the computer system; (c) allocating the resources for each of the devices in response to the device information to prevent a conflicting use of the resources by the devices; and (d) loading the device driver for each of the devices in response to allocating the resources; (e) repeating steps (a)-(d) for each of the remaining ones of the system busses. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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8. A system for automatically configuring a computer system, said computer system characterized by a system bus and a plurality of resources, said system comprising:
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at least one device connected to said system bus, each device further connected to a memory storage device that stores device information for a corresponding device, said device information uniquely identifying said corresponding device and defining usage requirements of said resources for said corresponding device; and an enumerator, assigned to the system bus, operative to collect said device information from each memory storage device in response to certain events effecting an asynchronous change in the operating state of said computer system; a plurality of arbitrators, each assigned to one of the resources, for assigning elements of said resources for each device in response to said collected device information to prevent a conflicting use of said resources by each device; and a configuration manager, responsive to the collected device information and to the assigned resource elements, for controlling the configuration of the computer system. - View Dependent Claims (47, 49, 50, 51)
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35. The system of 34 further comprising means for loading said device driver for each device in response to allocating said resources.
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48. The system of 47 further comprising a device driver loader for loading said device driver for each device in response to allocating said resources.
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53. The system of 52 further comprising a device driver loader for loading said device driver for each device in response to allocating said resources.
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72. The system of 71 further comprising a device driver loader for loading said device driver for each device in response to allocating said resources.
Specification