Method and apparatus for enabling a computer system

• US 7,809,937 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2006
• Issued: 10/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Derossi, Christopher S., Yu, Dean T.
• Primary Examiner(s): WANG, ALBERT C
• Application Number:
  US11/644,744
• Publication Number:
  US 20070186090A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,384 Days
• Field of Search: 713/2, 713/100
• US Class Current: 713/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/60 Software deployment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/76 Adapting program code to run in a different environment; Porting
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/24 Loading of the microprogram
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/262 Arrangements for next microinstruction selection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4401 Bootstrapping security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4406 Loading of operating system

Abstract

A system and method for utilizing generic computer operating system software for computer hardware systems designed subsequent to the operating system software. The system and method of the present invention employs a separate modular software file called a System Enabler that has all patches, code, data and resources needed to make a particular computer system operational. The System Enabler file is matched to a particular hardware system and may be bundled with that hardware system. During computer system start up the System Enabler file modifies the generic operating system software for optimum operation with the particular computer hardware system.

Claims

1. A computer system including operating system software configurable for controlling different computer hardware, comprising:

(a) a processor;

(b) at least one storage device;

(c) a software operating system operable in a plurality of different computer hardware configurations, the software operating system having modifiable system initialization information stored in the at least one storage device;

(d) a patch load table specifying a range of patches to load from a particular set of patches; and

(e) a system enabler containing information for configuring the software operating system for a computer hardware configuration with the patch load table.

2. The computing system according to claim 1, wherein the system enabler is stored in a nonvolatile read-write memory storage device.

3. The computing system according to claim 1, wherein the system enabler is stored in a read only memory.

4. The computing system according to claim 1, wherein the system enabler includes selectable software patches and resources.

5. The computing system according to claim 1, including processor means for transferring the software operating system and system enabler from a storage device to a random access memory.

6. The computing system according to claim 1, including a plurality of system enablers containing date and hardware compatibility information.

7. The computing system according to claim 6, wherein the software operating system utilizes a particular system enabler.

8. A method for modifying a generic software operating system to control a plurality of computer hardware systems, the method comprising:

(a) storing a software operating system and a computer hardware system enabler on a storage device;

(b) transferring the software operating system and system enabler from the storage device;

(c) configuring a patch load table specifying a range of patches to load from a particular set of patches; and

(d) modifying the software operating system, with information from the system enabler file and the patch load table, to adapt the software operating system for operation on a computer hardware system.

9. The method of claim 8, including:

(a) storing a plurality of system enablers containing computer hardware compatibility information and selection criteria in computer system nonvolatile read-write memory; and

(b) selecting from said plurality of system enablers a system enabler file having compatible information corresponding to a computer hardware configuration.

10. A method for providing a computer system, including operating system software, configurable with a system enabler to control different computers, the method comprising:

(a) selecting a system enabler

(b) configuring a patch load table specifying a range of patches to load from a particular set of patches; and

(c) configuring the operating system software to control a computer hardware configuration using the selected system enabler and the patch load table.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the system enabler is stored in a nonvolatile read-write memory device.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the system enabler is stored in a read only memory.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the system enabler includes selectable software patches and resources.

14. The method of claim 10, including transferring the operating system software and system enabler from a storage device to a random access memory.

15. The method of claim 10, including providing a plurality of system enablers having selection criteria and hardware compatibility information.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the software operating system utilizes the system enabler with a most recent date-time stamp.

17. The method of claim 10 wherein the system enabler contains information corresponding to a machine state.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the software operating system utilizes the system enabler with a most recent date-time stamp.

19. The method of claim 10 wherein the system enabler contains information corresponding to selection criteria.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the software operating system utilizes the system enabler with a most appropriate selection criteria.

21. A machine readable storage medium containing executable program instructions which when executed by a data processing system cause the data processing system to perform the method comprising:

(a) storing a software operating system and a computer hardware system enabler on a storage device;

(b) transferring the software operating system and system enabler from the storage device;

(c) configuring a patch load table specifying a range of patches to load from a particular set of patches; and

(d) modifying the software operating system, with information from the system enabler file and the patch load table, to adapt the software operating system for operation on a computer hardware system.

22. A machine readable storage medium containing executable program instructions which when executed by a data processing system cause the data processing system to perform the method comprising:

(a) selecting a system enabler

(b) configuring a patch load table specifying a range of patches to load from a particular set of patches; and

(c) configuring the operating system software to control a computer hardware configuration using the selected system enabler and the patch load table.