Kernel creator for creating kernel capable of executing entertainment processing using a peripheral device

• US 6,754,724 B2
• Filed: 03/01/2001
• Issued: 06/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Horikawa, Tsutomu, Hakamatani, Tadayasu
• Primary Examiner(s): Perveen, Rehana
• Assistant Examiner(s): Casiano, Angel L.
• Application Number:
  US09/797,515
• Publication Number:
  US 20010054120A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,209 Days
• Field of Search: 710/5, 710/8, 710/10, 710/15, 710/22, 710/62, 710/100, 710/2, 711/170, 713/1, 713/2, 713/100, 379/32, 379/33, 714/1, 714/5, 714/43, 714/47, 709/212
• US Class Current: 710/8
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/126 and has means for transferring I/O instructions and statuses between control unit and main processor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/28 using burst mode transfer, e.g. direct memory access DMA, cycle steal G06F13/32 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/547 Remote procedure calls [RPC]; Web services

Abstract

An entertainment apparatus includes a storage unit that stores outside a kernel a device driver for a peripheral device. To make the peripheral device operable, a CPU causes an I/O processor to execute the device driver using a remote procedure call. Data is transferred between the peripheral device and the CPU through a direct memory access using a communication protocol that is commonly used in the apparatus.

Claims

1. An entertainment apparatus, comprising:

device connecting means for connecting a peripheral device to the entertainment apparatus;

storing means for storing program codes outside a kernel, said program codes for operating the peripheral device;

control means for executing said program codes; and

a kernel creator for creating a kernel capable of executing entertainment processing using the peripheral device, said kernel creator performing a remote procedure call to cause said control means to read said program codes from said storing means, execute said program codes and return an execution result to the kernel when control of the peripheral device is needed, thereby making the peripheral device operable.

2. The entertainment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said kernel creator causes said control means to read said program codes from said storing means and to transfer said execution result through direct memory access.

3. The entertainment apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a queue coupled to said kernel creator and the peripheral device, wherein said control means exchanges data between the peripheral device and said queue using a first direct memory access controller, and said control means exchanges data between said kernel creator and said queue using a second direct memory access controller, said second direct memory access controller operating asynchronously with said first direct memory access controller.

4. The entertainment apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the data exchange by said first direct memory access controller and the data exchange by said second direct memory access controller are executed using a communication protocol that is commonly used in the entertainment apparatus.

5. The entertainment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the peripheral device is detachably connected to said device connecting means, and the peripheral device includes a secondary storage medium that stores data, the data being transferred to said kernel creator through direct memory access following execution of said program codes.

6. In an entertainment apparatus, a kernel function mechanism for controlling a peripheral device connected to the entertainment apparatus, said kernel function mechanism comprising:

a plurality of program codes stored outside a kernel, said program codes for operating the peripheral device;

control means for executing said program codes; and

a kernel creator for creating a kernel capable of executing entertainment processing using the peripheral device, said kernel creator performing a remote procedure call to cause said control means to read said stored program codes, execute said plurality of program codes and return an execution result to the kernel when control of the peripheral device is needed, thereby making the peripheral device operable.

7. The kernel function mechanism according to claim 6, wherein the peripheral device transfers data addressed to said kernel creator from the peripheral device using direct memory access.

8. The kernel function mechanism according to claim 7, wherein said data transfer is performed according to a communication protocol commonly used in the entertainment apparatus.

9. The kernel function mechanism according to claim 6, further comprising a queue coupled to said kernel creator and the peripheral device, wherein said control means exchanges data between the peripheral device and said queue using a first direct memory access controller, and said control means exchanges data between said kernel creator and said queue using a second direct memory access controller, said second direct memory access controller operating asynchronously with said first direct memory access controller.

10. A method for controlling a peripheral device that is in communication with an entertainment apparatus, comprising:

storing program codes outside a kernel in the entertainment apparatus, the program codes for operating the peripheral device;

employing a kernel creator to create a kernel capable of executing entertainment processing using the peripheral device, the kernel creator performing a remote procedure call to cause a control means to read the stored program codes, execute the program codes and return an execution result to the kernel when control of the peripheral device is needed, thereby making the peripheral device operable; and

executing entertainment processing using the peripheral device.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the step of executing the program codes includes at least transferring data addressed to the kernel creator from the peripheral device using direct memory access.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the transferring of data uses a communication protocol commonly used in the entertainment apparatus.

13. A semiconductor device in an entertainment apparatus, the entertainment apparatus having control means for executing program codes stored outside a kernel and having device connecting means for connecting a peripheral device to the entertainment apparatus, the program codes for operating the peripheral device, said semiconductor device comprising:

a kernel creator that creates a kernel capable of executing entertainment processing using the peripheral device, said kernel creator performing a remote procedure call to causes the control means to read the stored program codes, execute the program codes and return an execution result to the kernel when control of the peripheral device is needed, thereby making the peripheral device operable.

14. The semiconductor device according to claim 13, wherein said kernel creator causes the control means to read the program codes from a storing means and to transfer the execution result through direct memory access.

15. The semiconductor device according to claim 13, wherein data is transferred to and from said kernel creator using a communication protocol that is commonly used in the entertainment apparatus.

16. A method of using a computer program for operating a computer as an entertainment apparatus, the computer having control means for executing program codes stored outside a kernel in the computer and having device connecting means for connecting the computer to a peripheral device, the program codes for operating the peripheral device, said method comprising:

establishing communication between the control means and the peripheral device;

creating a kernel capable of executing entertainment processing using the peripheral device;

performing a remote procedure call to cause the control means to read the stored program codes, execute the program codes and return an execution result to the kernel when control of the peripheral device is needed, thereby making the peripheral device operable; and

executing entertainment processing using the peripheral device.

17. An entertainment apparatus, comprising:

a connector operable to connect a peripheral device to the entertainment apparatus;

a memory for storing program codes outside a kernel, said program codes for operating the peripheral device;

a first processor; and

a second processor for creating a kernel capable of executing entertainment processing using the peripheral device, said second processor performing a remote procedure call to cause said first processor to read said program codes from said memory, execute said program codes and return an execution result to the kernel when control of the peripheral device is needed, thereby making the peripheral device operable.

18. The entertainment apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said second processor causes said first processor to read said program codes from said memory and to transfer said execution result through direct memory access.

19. The entertainment apparatus according to claim 17, wherein data is transferred to and from said second processor using a communication protocol that is commonly used in the entertainment apparatus.

20. In an entertainment apparatus, a kernel function mechanism for controlling a peripheral device that is in communication with the entertainment apparatus, said kernel function mechanism comprising:

a first processor;

a plurality of program codes stored outside a kernel in the entertainment apparatus, said program codes for operating the peripheral device; and

a second processor for creating a kernel capable of executing entertainment processing using the peripheral device, said second processor performing a remote procedure call to cause said first processor to read said stored program codes, execute said plurality of program codes and return an execution result to the kernel when control of the peripheral device is needed, thereby making the peripheral device operable.

21. The kernel function mechanism according to claim 20, wherein said second processor causes said first processor to read said program codes from a memory and to transfer said execution result through direct memory access.

22. The kernel function mechanism according to claim 20, wherein data is transferred to and from said second processor using a communication protocol that is commonly used in the entertainment apparatus.

23. A method for controlling a peripheral device that is in communication with an entertainment apparatus having a kernel, said method comprising:

storing program codes outside the kernel, the program codes for operating the peripheral device;

employing a second processor to create a kernel capable of executing entertainment processing using the peripheral device, the second processor performing a remote procedure call to cause a first processor to read the stored program codes, execute the program codes and return an execution result to the kernel when control of the peripheral device is needed, thereby making the peripheral device operable; and

executing entertainment processing using the peripheral device.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein the second processor causes the first processor to read the program codes from a memory and to transfer said execution result through direct memory access.

25. The method according to claim 23, wherein data is transferred to and from the second processor using a communication protocol that is commonly used in the entertainment apparatus.

26. A semiconductor device in an entertainment apparatus, the entertainment apparatus having a first processor to execute program codes stored outside a kernel and being in communication with a peripheral device, the program codes for operating the peripheral device, said semiconductor device comprising:

a second processor that creates a kernel capable of executing entertainment processing using the peripheral device, said second processor performing a remote procedure call to causes the first processor to read the stored program codes, execute the program codes and return an execution result to the kernel when control of the peripheral device is needed, thereby making the peripheral device operable.

27. The semiconductor device according to claim 26, wherein said second processor causes the first processor to read the program codes from a memory and to transfer said execution result through direct memory access.

28. The semiconductor device according to claim 26, wherein data is transferred to and from said second processor using a communication protocol that is commonly used in the entertainment apparatus.

29. A method of using a computer program for operating a computer as an entertainment apparatus, the computer having a processor for executing program codes stored outside a kernel in the computer and being in communication with a peripheral device, the program codes for operating the peripheral device, said method comprising:

establishing communication between the processor and the peripheral device;

creating a kernel capable of executing entertainment processing using the peripheral device;

performing a remote procedure call to cause the processor to read the stored program codes, execute the program codes and return an execution result to the kernel when control of the peripheral device is needed, thereby making the peripheral device operable; and

executing entertainment processing using the peripheral device.