Loadable hardware support

• US 5,826,090 A
• Filed: 03/17/1997
• Issued: 10/20/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Swanberg, Randal Craig, Williams, Michael Stephen, Mealey, Bruce Gerard
• Primary Examiner(s): Kriess, Kevin A.
• Application Number:
  US08/820,471
• Time in Patent Office: 582 Days
• Field of Search: 395/651, 395/652, 395/653, 395/712, 395/200.5, 395/200.51, 395/200.52
• US Class Current: 717/162
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4411 Configuring for operating with peripheral devices; Loading of device drivers

Abstract

An improved operating system for a computer provides support for specific hardware components. The operating system is loaded by first loading a base portion which initializes the operating system and determines the particular type of hardware components present. Then, appropriate software components are loaded that are specifically associated with the hardware components. The hardware components can be detected by leaving a trace in the memory device that is associated with the software component and later retrieving the trace, or by testing the computer for the hardware component. The hardware component may be a bus architecture selected from a group of bus architectures, and bus-independent interfaces are defined which are mapped to addresses in the kernel. Alternatively, the software component can include a PAL which contains specific instructions for communicating with the hardware component. The PAL is constructed from a plurality of files each associated with the hardware component.

Claims

1. A method of providing an operating system for a computer having a processor for carrying out program instructions, a memory device connected to the processor, and a hardware component connected to the processor, the method comprising the steps of:

loading into the memory device a base portion of an operating system, the base portion having instructions for dynamically detecting the hardware component;

dynamically detecting the hardware component using the instructions; and

loading a software component into the operating system that is specifically associated with the hardware component.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said detecting step includes the steps of:

leaving a trace in the memory device, the trace being associated with the software component; and

the base portion retrieving the trace.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said detecting step includes the step of the base portion testing the computer for the hardware component.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the hardware component is a bus architecture selected from a group of bus architectures; and

said detecting step includes the step of defining a set of bus-independent interfaces.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the computer is a UNIX-type workstation; and

the software component includes a PAL which contains specific instructions for communicating with the hardware component.

6. The method of claim 2 wherein:

the computer has firmware for seeking and loading an operating system; and

the trace is left by the firmware.

7. The method of claim 2 wherein:

the computer is a UNIX-type workstation; and

the software component includes a PAL which contains specific instructions for communicating with the hardware component.

8. The method of claim 3 wherein:

the hardware component is a bus architecture selected from a group of bus architectures; and

said detecting step includes the step of defining a set of bus-independent interfaces.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the PAL is constructed from a plurality of files each associated with the hardware component.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein:

the computer is a UNIX-type workstation having a kernel; and

the interfaces are mapped to addresses in the kernel.

11. A method of providing support for a hardware component connected to a computer system, the computer system having a memory device and firmware for seeking and loading an operating system, the method comprising the steps of:

leaving a trace in the memory device by the firmware, the trace being associated with the hardware component;

loading into the memory device of the computer system a base portion of an operating system, the base portion having instructions for retrieving the trace;

retrieving the trace; and

loading a software component into the operating system that is specifically associated with the trace.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein:

the computer system is a UNIX-type workstation; and

the software component includes a PAL which contains specific instructions for communicating with the hardware component.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the PAL is constructed from a plurality of files each associated with the hardware component.

14. A method of providing support for a computer system having one or more bus architectures, the computer system having a memory device and firmware for seeking and loading an operating system, the method comprising the steps of:

loading into the memory device a base portion of an operating system, the base portion having instructions for testing for the presence of the hardware component;

testing for the hardware component using a set of bus-independent interfaces; and

loading a software component into the operating system that is specifically associated with the hardware component.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein:

the computer is a UNIX-type workstation; and

the software component includes a PAL which contains specific instructions for communicating with the hardware component.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein:

the computer is a UNIX-type workstation having a kernel; and

the interfaces are mapped to addresses in the kernel.