Method, system, and apparatus for system level initialization

• US 7,738,484 B2
• Filed: 12/13/2004
• Issued: 06/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Nachimuthu, Murugasamy, Ayyar, Mani, Kumar, Akhilesh, Jayasimha, Doddaballapur N., Chennupaty, Srinivas, Mannava, Phanindra K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu; Thong H
• Application Number:
  US11/011,801
• Publication Number:
  US 20060126656A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,010 Days
• Field of Search: 370/535, 706/45, 710/3, 710/100, 716/2
• US Class Current: 370/453
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/324 in the data link layer [OSI layer 2], e.g. HDLC

Abstract

Multiple initialization techniques for system and component in a point-to-point architecture are discussed. Consequently, the techniques allow for flexible system/socket layer parameters to be tailored to the needs of the platform, such as, desktop, mobile, small server, large server, etc., as well as the component types such as IA32/IPF processors, memory controllers, IO Hubs, etc. Furthermore, the techniques facilitate powering up with the correct set of POC values, hence, it avoids multiple warm resets and improves boot time. In one embodiment, registers to hold new values, such as, Configuration Values Driven during Reset (CVDR), and Configuration Values Captured during Reset (CVCR) may be eliminated.

For example, the POC values could be from the following: Platform Input Clock to Core Clock Ratio, Enable/disable LT, Configurable Restart, Burn In Initialization Mode, Disable Hyper Threading, System BSP Socket Indication, and Platform Topology Index.

Claims

1. An apparatus to Power on Clear (POC) value in a point-to-point (pTp) architecture comprising:

an I/O agent to derive the POC value from a plurality of straps;

the I/O agent to forward the POC value to a plurality of processors that adhere to the pTp architecture over a plurality of point to point links; and

a plurality of processing cores coupled with the I/O agent via the plurality of point to point links, wherein the plurality of point to point links each comprise a pair of uni-directional links between pairs of processing cores, the plurality of processing cores to receive the POC value and to set operational parameters based on the POC value.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the POC value is any one or more of the following:

Platform Input Clock to Core Clock Ratio, Enable/disable LT, Configurable Restart, Burn In Initialization Mode, Disable Hyper Threading, System BSP Socket Indication, and Platform Topology Index.

3. A method for establishing Power on Clear (POC) value in a point-to-point (pTp) architecture comprising:

deriving, with an input/output (I/O) agent the POC value from a plurality of straps; and

forwarding the POC value to a plurality of processors over a plurality of pTp links, wherein the plurality of point to point links each comprise a pair of uni-directional links between pairs of processing cores; and

setting operational parameters of the plurality of processors based on the POC value.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the POC value is either one of the following:

Platform Input Clock to Core Clock Ratio, Enable/disable LT, Configurable Restart, Burn In Initialization Mode, Disable Hyper Threading, System BSP Socket Indication, and Platform Topology Index.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the pTp architecture adheres to a layered protocol scheme.

6. A method for establishing Power on Clear (POC) value in a point-to-point (pTp) architecture comprising:

an Input Output (IO) agent to obtain the POC value from either a local non volatile memory (NVM) or from a firmware space and to forward the POC value to a plurality of processors; and

the plurality of processing cores coupled with the I/O agent via the plurality of point to point links, the plurality of processing cores to receive the POC value and to set operational parameters based on the POC value.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the POC value is either one of the following:

Platform Input Clock to Core Clock Ratio, Enable/disable LT, Configurable Restart, Burn In Initialization Mode, Disable Hyper Threading, System BSP Socket Indication, and Platform Topology Index.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the pTp architecture adheres to a layered protocol scheme.