Server computer I/O redirection tool
First Claim
1. A computer system communicating with a remote console via an asynchronous connection, the computer system comprising:
- a microcontroller coupled to the asynchronous connection, which receives a redirection request from the remote console, asserts a system management interrupt to process the redirection request, and returns a redirection result to the remote console via the asynchronous connection upon completion of the system management interrupt request; and
a central processing unit (CPU) having a system management mode for controlling a set of routines which are responsive to the system management interrupt asserted by the microcontroller, to process the system management interrupt request, generate the redirection result, and return the redirection result to the microcontroller.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An operating system independent method and apparatus for redirecting a server computer'"'"'s serial device input and display output to a remote console, through the coordinated use of a low-cost dedicated microcontroller integrated within the motherboard of the server computer, and a system management mode facility residing within the CPU microprocessor of the server computer. Upon receipt of a redirection request from a remote console, the microcontroller asserts a system management interrupt request, which is acknowledged and serviced by a handler routine residing within the system management mode. The system management interrupt handler routine then directly accesses serial device input and video output data residing within the server computer, and returns any redirection result to the microcontroller, which in turn, returns the redirection result to the requesting remote console.
81 Citations
34 Claims
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1. A computer system communicating with a remote console via an asynchronous connection, the computer system comprising:
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a microcontroller coupled to the asynchronous connection, which receives a redirection request from the remote console, asserts a system management interrupt to process the redirection request, and returns a redirection result to the remote console via the asynchronous connection upon completion of the system management interrupt request; and
a central processing unit (CPU) having a system management mode for controlling a set of routines which are responsive to the system management interrupt asserted by the microcontroller, to process the system management interrupt request, generate the redirection result, and return the redirection result to the microcontroller. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method for enabling a computer system to receive serial device data from a remote console via an asynchronous connection, the method comprising the steps of:
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transmitting serial device data from the remote console to a microcontroller via the asynchronous connection;
translating the serial device data into a plurality of serial device codes at the microcontroller;
asserting a system management interrupt request at the microcontroller in order to send the serial device codes from the microcontroller to a central processing unit (CPU);
acknowledging the system management interrupt request at the CPU through a system management mode handler residing within the CPU;
sending the plurality of serial device codes from the microcontroller to the CPU upon a successful acknowledgment from the CPU; and
receiving the plurality of serial device codes through the system management mode handler residing within the CPU, the system management mode having a set of routines for directly writing the plurality of serial device codes into a serial device controller. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method for enabling a remote console to retrieve video display data from a computer system via an asynchronous connection, the method comprising the steps of:
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transmitting a video display redirection request from the remote console to a microcontroller via the asynchronous connection;
issuing a first system management interrupt request from the microcontroller to retrieve video graphics array (VGA) display register data via a central processing unit (CPU);
acknowledging said first system management interrupt request through a first system management mode handler routine residing within the CPU;
servicing the first system management interrupt request through the first system management mode handler routine residing within the CPU, wherein the first system management mode handler routine retrieves the VGA display register data, and returns the VGA display register data to the microcontroller;
examining the VGA display register data at the microcontroller, then issuing, if appropriate, a second system management interrupt request from the microcontroller to retrieve text screen data from VGA buffer via the CPU;
reading and acknowledging the second system management interrupt request through a second system management mode handler routine residing within the CPU;
processing the second system management interrupt request through the second system management mode handler routine residing within the CPU, wherein the second handler routine retrieves the text screen data from the VGA buffer, and returns the text screen data to the microcontroller; and
receiving the text screen data at the microcontroller from the CPU, optimizing the set of text screen data, then returning the text screen data in an appropriate format to the remote console via the asynchronous connection. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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Specification