Method and apparatus for testing ASL plug and play code in an ACPI operating system

• US 6,453,461 B1
• Filed: 06/09/1999
• Issued: 09/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: HTC Corporation
• Original Assignee: Compaq Computer Corporation (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Chaiken, Craig L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Morse, Gregory
• Assistant Examiner(s): DAS, CHAMELI
• Application Number:
  US09/329,039
• Time in Patent Office: 1,196 Days
• Field of Search: 717/1, 717/2, 717/11, 717/124, 717/109, 717/121, 713/1, 713/2, 713/300, 713/200, 713/100, 713/25, 714/703, 714/742, 710/104, 710/260, 709/215
• US Class Current: 717/124
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4411 Configuring for operating with peripheral devices; Loading of device drivers

Abstract

In a first aspect, the invention is a method for interfacing a generic program with the ASL code in an ACPI system. The method comprises storing information from a generic program in a shared memory; accessing the ASL code; and retrieving the stored information with the ASL code. In a second aspect, the invention is a method for testing ASL PnP code in an ACPI system. The method comprises identifying a configurable PnP device; disabling the identified configurable PnP device; testing the disabled, configurable PnP device for a configuration; and verifying that, for the tested configuration, the resulting current resources match the set resources. In variations of these aspects, the methods may be performed by instructions encoded on a computer-readable, program storage medium and used to program a computer.

Claims

1. A method for testing ASL PnP code in an ACPI system, comprising:

identifying a configurable PnP device;

disabling the identified configurable PnP device;

testing the disabled, configurable PnP device for a configuration,

wherein said testing includes setting the PnP device to each of multiple possible resource settings without user intervention; and

verifying that for each possible resource setting, a resulting current resource setting matches the possible resource setting.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the configurable PnP device includes reading a list.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein reading the list includes reading a possible resource list.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein testing each disabled, configurable PnP device includes:

loading at least one parameter defining a function associated with a respective disabled, configurable PnP device into a shared memory;

generating an interrupt;

performing the function defined by the parameter; and

returning the result of the performed function,

wherein the result reflects whether the current resource setting matches the possible resource setting.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein loading the parameter includes storing the parameter in a shared memory below one megabyte.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein generating the interrupt includes generating an SCI interrupt by accessing an I/O port.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein generating the SCI interrupt includes directly accessing the I/O port.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein generating the SCI interrupt includes:

calling a driver; and

accessing the I/O port using the driver.

9. The method of claim 4, wherein said verifying includes examining the returned result.

10. The method of claim 4, wherein returning the result of the performed function includes returning the result through the shared memory.

11. A computer-readable, program storage device encoded with instructions that, when executed by a computer, perform a method for testing ASL PnP code in an ACPI system, the method comprising:

identifying a configurable PnP devices;

disabling the identified configurable PnP device;

testing the disabled, configurable PnP device for a configuration,

wherein said testing includes setting the PnP device to each of multiple possible resource settings and said setting the PnP device to each of multiple possible resource settings is performed without user intervention; and

verifying that for each possible resource setting, a resulting current resource setting matches the possible resource setting.

12. The program storage device of claim 11, wherein identifying the configurable PnP device in the encoded method includes reading a list.

13. The program storage device of claim 12, wherein reading the list in the encoded method includes reading a possible resource list.

14. The program storage device of claim 11, wherein testing each disabled, configurable PnP device in the encoded method includes:

loading at least one parameter defining a function associated with a respective disabled, configurable PnP device into a shared memory;

generating an interrupt;

performing the function defined by the parameter; and

returning the result of the performed function,

wherein the result reflects whether the current resource setting matches the possible resource setting.

15. The program storage device of claim 14, wherein loading the parameter in the encoded method includes storing the parameter in a shared memory below one megabyte.

16. The program storage device of claim 14, wherein generating the interrupt in the encoded method includes generating an SCI interrupt by accessing an I/O port.

17. The program storage device of claim 16, wherein generating the SCI interrupt in the encoded method includes directly accessing the I/O port.

18. The program storage device of claim 16, wherein generating the SCI interrupt in the encoded method includes:

calling a driver; and

accessing the I/O port using the driver.

19. The program storage device of claim 14, wherein said verifying includes examining the returned result.

20. The program storage device of claim 14, wherein returning the result of the performed function in the encoded method includes returning the result through the shared memory.

21. A computer programmed to perform a method for testing ASL PnP code in an ACPI system, the method comprising:

identifying a configurable PnP devices;

disabling the identified configurable PnP device;

testing the disabled, configurable PnP device for a configuration,

wherein said testing includes setting the PnP device to each of multiple possible resource settings without user intervention; and

verifying that for each possible resource setting, a resulting current resource setting matches the possible resource setting.

22. The computer of claim 21, wherein identifying the configurable PnP device in the programmed method includes reading a list.

23. The computer of claim 22, wherein reading the list in the programmed method includes reading a possible resource list.

24. The computer of claim 21, wherein testing each disabled, configurable PnP device in the programmed method includes:

loading at least one parameter defining a function associated with a respective disabled, configurable PnP device into a shared memory;

generating an interrupt;

performing the function defined by the parameter; and

returning the result of the performed function,

wherein the result reflects whether the current resource setting matches the possible resource setting.

25. The computer of claim 24, wherein loading the parameter in the programmed method includes storing the parameter in a shared memory below one megabyte.

26. The computer of claim 24, wherein generating the interrupt in the programmed method includes generating an SCI interrupt by accessing an I/O port.

27. The computer of claim 26, wherein generating the SCI interrupt in the programmed method includes directly accessing the I/O port.

28. The computer of claim 26, wherein generating the SCI interrupt in the programmed method includes:

calling a driver; and

accessing the I/O port using the driver.

29. The computer of claim 24, wherein verifying that the resulting current resources match the set resources in the programmed method includes examining the returned result.

30. The computer of claim 24, wherein returning the result of the performed function in the programmed method includes returning the result through the shared memory.

31. A method for testing ASL PnP code in an ACPI system, comprising:

identifying a plurality of configurable PnP devices, including reading a possible resource list of configurable PnP devices;

disabling each identified, configurable PnP device;

testing each disabled, configurable PnP device for a plurality of resource settings, wherein the testing for each disabled PnP device, includes;

setting the PnP device to each of the plurality of resource settings without user intervention;

loading at least one parameter defining a function associated with a respective disabled, configurable PnP device into a shared memory below one megabyte;

generating an SCI interrupt, including one of;

directly accessing the I/O port; and

accessing the I/O port through a called driver;

performing the function defined by the parameter; and

returning the result of the performed function through the shared memory; and

verifying from the returned result that, for each tested configuration for each disabled, configurable PnP device, the resulting current resources match the set resources.

32. A method for testing ACPI source language code, comprising:

storing information from a test program in a shared memory;

accessing the ASL code;

retrieving the stored information with the ASL code;

storing a result generated by the ASL code in the shared memory; and

retrieving the result with the test program, wherein the result reflects whether the current resources match desired resources.