Method for attachment or integration of a bios device into a computer system using a local bus
First Claim
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1. A method of accessing a BIOS device in a computer system having a central processing unit, core logic for controlling operations on a mezzanine bus, wherein the mezzanine bus normally operates in a first mode, and a BIOS device on the mezzanine bus, the method comprising the acts of:
- bypassing logic that initiates mezzanine bus cycles in the first operating mode;
then presenting an address to the BIOS device by placing the address on the mezzanine bus;
receiving data stored in the BIOS device by sampling a portion of the mezzanine bus;
transferring the data to the central processing unit; and
then returning the mezzanine bus to the first operating mode.
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Abstract
Chipset or a device for attachment of the ROM BIOS within the system architecture. Although normally attached to the ISA bus, the ROM BIOS may be attached to an alternate bus (typically a higher-performance bus) located within the system, thereby potentially eliminating the ISA bus from the computer system.
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Citations
10 Claims
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1. A method of accessing a BIOS device in a computer system having a central processing unit, core logic for controlling operations on a mezzanine bus, wherein the mezzanine bus normally operates in a first mode, and a BIOS device on the mezzanine bus, the method comprising the acts of:
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bypassing logic that initiates mezzanine bus cycles in the first operating mode; then presenting an address to the BIOS device by placing the address on the mezzanine bus; receiving data stored in the BIOS device by sampling a portion of the mezzanine bus; transferring the data to the central processing unit; and then returning the mezzanine bus to the first operating mode. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method of executing BIOS instructions in a computer system having a PCI bus with AD lines, a BIOS device that is on the PCI bus and that has BIOS instructions stored therein, core logic having a PCI state machine that initiates normal PCI bus cycles, and a central processing unit, the method comprising the acts of:
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bypassing the PCI state machine such that a normal PCI bus cycle is not initiated; placing an address on the PCI bus, wherein the address occupies some of the AD lines on the PCI bus so that the address is presented to the BIOS device; waiting for the BIOS device to place the addressed data on the PCI bus; reading the addressed data from the BIOS device by sampling a different set of AD lines on the PCI bus; and transferring the data from the BIOS device to the central processing unit. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7)
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8. In a logic device for controlling BIOS operations in a computer system having a central processing unit, a mezzanine bus, and a BIOS device on the mezzanine bus, and a state machine for initiating mezzanine bus cycles, the method comprising the acts of:
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bypassing the state machine such that a mezzanine bus cycle is not initiated; ensuring that no other device is the master of the mezzanine bus before the act of presenting an address to the BIOS device; presenting an address to the BIOS device by placing the address on the mezzanine bus; receiving data stored in the BIOS device by sampling a portion of the mezzanine bus; transferring the data to the central processing unit and then allowing the state machine to initiate a mezzanine bus cycle. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10)
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Specification