Method of fast switching control for different operation systems operated in computer

• US 7,549,041 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2005
• Issued: 06/16/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2005
• Status: Expired

• Current Assignee: Getac Technology Company Limited (MiTAC Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Mitac Technology Corporation (MiTAC Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Wang, Szu-Chung
• Primary Examiner(s): Connolly; Mark
• Assistant Examiner(s): Yanchus, III; Paul B
• Application Number:
  US11/302,241
• Publication Number:
  US 20070055857A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,280 Days
• Field of Search: 713/1, 713/2, 713/100
• US Class Current: 713/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4406 Loading of operating system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4843 by program, e.g. task dispatcher, supervisor, operating system

Abstract

A method of fast switching control for different operation systems operated in computer is provided, including installing a first operating system, a second operating system and a second operating system kernel program in a hard disk of the computer. An event signal generation unit is connected to the computer. When the computer completes the booting process, the first operating system is loaded and executed, the second operating system kernel program memory region is established in a system memory, and the second operating system kernel program is loaded into the second operating system kernel program memory region. When the computer detects that a preset event signal is generated from the event signal generation unit, the second operation system kernel program preloaded in the second operating system kernel program memory region is executed, so that the computer is switched from executing the first operation system to executing the second operation system.

Claims

1. A method of fast switching control for different operation systems pre-installed in a computer with a hard disk, a system memory, a basic input output system and an event signal generation unit, the hard disk at least stored with a first operation system, a second operation system and a second operation system kernel program, and wherein the event signal generation unit is a user operated element for generating event signals for switching between the first and second operation systems, the method comprising the following steps:

(a) completing a basic system booting process of the computer;

(b) loading and executing the first operation system in the hard disk;

(c) establishing a second operating system kernel diagram memory region in the system memory;

(d) loading the second operation system kernel program from the hard disk into the second operating system kernel diagram memory region without starting execution of the second operation system and without stopping execution of the first operating system;

(e) detecting whether the event signal generation unit generates a preset first event signal by operation of the user;

(f) executing the second operation system kernel program preloaded in the second operation system kernel program memory region when the first event signal is detected; and

(g) switching the computer from executing the first operation system to executing the second operation system.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the hard disk is divided into a first partition and a second partition, with the first partition installed with the first operating system, and the second partition installed with the second operating system and the second operation system kernel program.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first operation system is a windows operation system and the second is an embedded operation system.

4. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the second partition stores at least one device driving program and application program adapted to supporting the second operation system.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the following steps after step (g):

(h) detecting whether the event signal generation unit generates a preset second event signal by operation of the user;

(i) stopping executing the second operation system when the second event signal is detected; and

(j) awaking the first operation system and switching the computer to execute the first operation system.