Plural microcontrollers for managing CPU allocation and device resources including establishing connections without a centralized operating system

• US 7,197,626 B2
• Filed: 05/23/2003
• Issued: 03/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Syed Kamal H. Jaffrey
• Original Assignee: Syed Kamal H. Jaffrey
• Inventors: Jaffrey, Syed Kamal H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim; Kenneth S.
• Application Number:
  US10/444,768
• Publication Number:
  US 20030200354A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,404 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 712/32
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4411 Configuring for operating with peripheral devices; Loading of device drivers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files

Abstract

A hardware/firmware layer comprising a Device Manager, an Information Manager, a Memory Manager, and a Process Manager contained in one or more semiconductor chips is disclosed. The hardware/firmware layer eliminates the need for an operating system. Each of the Managers comprises a microcontroller associated with a firmware embedded in ROM or Flash memory that contains instruction sets that cause the microcontroller to provide a designated task of device management, information management, memory management and process management. In another aspect of the invention, devices connected to the computer system are “smart devices,” each device having a device microcontroller and embedded device drivers in a ROM or Flash memory. The hardware/firmware of the present invention does not need to search for available devices, provide diagnostic tests or obtain device drivers to communicate with the devices. Instead, the device microcontroller uses the embedded device driver to perform configuration and self diagnostic test as well as device operations. If the device is operational, the device microcontroller sends an identification signal to the hardware/firmware layer of the present to indicate availability of the device.

Claims

1. A computer system for use with a device, the system comprising:

a central processing unit (CPU);

a main memory;

at least one device interface configured to be coupled to the device and to receive process requests from the device;

a further unit comprising;

a first microcontroller module;

a first memory containing a first set of instructions configured to cause the first microcontroller module to manage CPU operations and to cause the first microcontroller to allocate CPU resources to each of the process requests received by the at least one device interface;

a second microcontroller module in communication with the first microcontroller and configured to receive the process requests from the at least one device interface;

a second memory containing a second set of instructions configured to cause the second microcontroller module to manage the device, and to identify the device and a means of connection used by the device;

a third microcontroller module in communication with the first microcontroller;

a third memory containing a third set of instructions configured to cause the third microcontroller module to manage memory operations;

a fourth microcontroller module in communication with the first microcontroller;

a fourth memory containing a fourth set of instructions configured to cause the fourth microcontroller module to manage data operations,

wherein the CPU and the further unit both reside on a motherboard; and

a plurality of trace links connecting the further unit to the CPU, the main memory, and the device interface to facilitate communication between the further unit, the CPU, the main memory, and the device.

2. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the system further comprises firmware that contains the first and second instruction sets.

3. The computer system of claim 1 wherein the computer system is substantially free of an operating system.

4. The computer system of claim 1 wherein the instructions contained by the second memory are further configured to cause the second microcontroller module to recognize, during startup of the computer system, the existence of the device.

5. The computer system as in claim 1, wherein the plurality of microcontroller modules in the further unit are connected together to communicate with each other.

6. The computer system as in claim 5, wherein the further unit includes a cross-bar switch to connect the plurality of microcontroller modules.

7. The computer system as in claim 1, wherein the device comprises:

a fifth microcontroller module in communication with at least the second microcontroller; and

a fifth memory module containing a fifth set of instructions configured to cause the fifth microcontroller module to test the device and if the device is operational the fifth set of instructions is configured to cause the fifth microcontroller module to signal at least the second microcontroller to indicate availability of the device.

8. The computer system as in claim 7, wherein

the fifth set of instructions in the fifth memory is further configured to cause the fifth microcontroller module to signal at least the second microcontroller module to indicate availability of the device includes sending device identification and required resource data.

9. The computer system as in claim 8, wherein

the second set of instructions in the second memory is further configured to cause the second microcontroller module to receive the signal indicating availability of the device and allocating available resources to the device.

10. The computer system as in claim 1, wherein the microcontroller modules are on a single motherboard.

11. The computer system as in claim 1, wherein the microcontroller modules are on a single chip.

12. A computer system for use with a device, the system comprising:

a central processing unit (CPU);

a main memory;

an interface configured to be coupled to the device and to receive process requests from the device;

a further unit comprising;

a first microcontroller module having firmware that contains a first set of instructions configured to cause the microcontroller to manage CPU operations and to cause the first microcontroller module to allocate CPU resources to each of the process requests received by the interface,

a second microcontroller module in communication with the first microcontroller and configured to receive the process requests from the interface, the second microcontroller module having firmware that contains a second set of instructions configured to cause the second microcontroller to manage the device and to identify the device and a means of connection used by the device;

a third microcontroller module in communication with the first microcontroller and having firmware that contains a third set of instructions configured to cause the third microcontroller to manage memory operations;

a fourth microcontroller module in communication with the first microcontroller and having firmware that contains a fourth set of instructions configured to cause the fourth microcontroller to manage data operations, and

a plurality of trace links connecting the further unit to the CPU, the main memory, and to the interface for the device to facilitate communication between the further unit, the CPU, the main memory, and the device.

13. The computer system as in claim 12 wherein the further unit includes a cross-bar switch to connect the plurality of microcontroller modules.

14. The computer system as in claim 12, wherein the system further comprises:

a device, wherein the device comprises;

a fifth microcontroller module in communication with at least the second microcontroller module; and

a fifth memory containing a fifth set of instructions configured to cause the fifth microcontroller module to test the device and if the device is operational the fifth set of instructions is configured to cause the fifth microcontroller module to signal at least the second microcontroller module to indicate availability of the device.

15. The computer system of claim 12 wherein the computer system is substantially free of an operating system.

16. The computer system of claim 12 wherein the second set of instructions further causes the second microcontroller module to recognize, during startup of the computer system, the existence of the device.