Installation and removal of components of a computer

• US 6,587,909 B1
• Filed: 03/06/2000
• Issued: 07/01/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Sides, Chi Kim, Bonola, Thomas J., Olarig, Sompong P.
• Primary Examiner(s): AUVE, GLENN ALLEN
• Application Number:
  US09/519,138
• Time in Patent Office: 1,212 Days
• Field of Search: 710/302, 710/301
• US Class Current: 710/302
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4081 Live connection to bus, e.g. hot-plugging current or voltage limitation during live insertion H02H9/004

Abstract

A computer-system includes a memory bus, a connector and a controller. The connector is configured to receive a memory module and prevent removal of the memory module from the connector in a first state. The connector allows removal of the memory module from the connector in a second state. The controller is configured to change a connection status between the connector and the memory bus in response to the connector changing from one of the states to the other state. A central processing unit of the computer system is configured to use the memory bus to store data in the memory module.

Claims

1. A method of adding memory to a computer system, the method comprising the steps of:

determining if a memory module has been added to a connector;

responsive to the determination that the memory module has been added to the connector, determining whether the addition was a hot add;

responsive to the determination that the memory module has been added to the connector, generating an interrupt indicating that a memory module has been hot added, wherein the generated interrupt can be mapped to any shareable or non-shareable interrupt;

determining if the added memory module is compatible with a memory configuration of the computer system; and

responsive to the addition being a hot add, initializing the memory module.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the memory module meets a minimum memory increment.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

setting a status bit prior to initializing the memory module, the status bit indicating that the memory module has been added.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein an interrupt is generated responsive to the status bit being set.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of initializing the memory module does not require rebooting.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of initializing includes dynamic initialization.

7. A computer system comprising:

a memory controller;

a memory connector connected to the memory controller, the memory connector configured to connect with a memory module;

a storage device connected to the memory controller, the storage device including instructions readable by the memory controller, the instructions thereby configured to cause the memory controller to;

determine if the memory module has been added to the memory connector;

responsive to the determination that the memory module has been added to the memory connector, determine whether the addition was a hot add;

responsive to the determination that the memory module has been added to the connector, generate an interrupt indicating that a memory module has been hot added, wherein the generated interrupt can be mapped to any shareable or non-shareable interrupt;

determine if the added memory module is compatible with a memory configuration of the computer system; and

responsive to the addition being a hot add, initializing the memory module.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the memory module meets a minimum memory increment.

9. The computer system of claim 7 wherein the instructions are further configured to cause the memory controller to set a status bit, the status bit indicating that the memory module has been hot added.

10. The computer system of claim 9 wherein an interrupt is generated responsive to the status bit being set.

11. The computer system of claim 10 wherein the memory module is initialized prior to rebooting.

12. The computer system of claim 7 wherein the memory module is dynamically initialized.

13. A computer system comprising:

a mass storage device;

a memory bus connected to the mass storage device;

a memory controller connected to the memory bus;

a memory connector connected to the memory bus, the memory connec tor configured to receive a memory component; and

a first circuit configured to detect the addition of the memory module to the memory connect; and

a second circuit connected to the memory controller, the second circuit configured to determine whether the addition of the memory module to the memory connector is a hot add;

wherein the memory module is dynamically configurable responsive to the addition of the memory module being a hot add, and wherein the memory contro ller determines whether the memory component is compatible with a configuration of the computer system and generates an interrupt indicative of the memory component being hot added, the interrupt being mapped to any shareable or non-shareable interrupt.

14. The computer system of claim 13 wherein the first circuit and the second circuit are different circuits.

15. The computer system of claim 13 wherein the memory controller is ACPI compliant.

16. A method of adding memory to a computer system, the method comprising the steps of:

adding a memory module to an unpopulated memory socket;

responsive to the memory module being added to the unpopulated memory socket, generating an asynchronous event;

intercepting the asynchronous event with a kernel mode device driver;

determining a set of physical addresses associated with the added memory modtle; and

adding the set of physical address associated with the added memory module to a free pool.