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Method for patching a read-only memory and a data processing system comprising a means of patching the read-only memory based on patch contexts

  • US 7,984,432 B2
  • Filed: 05/30/2006
  • Issued: 07/19/2011
  • Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2006
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method for patching a read-only memory, wherein the read-only memory provides information for a data processing system, the method comprising:

  • providing multiple patch contexts in a patch contexts memory, wherein each patch context defines a different set of patches, and wherein each patch comprises a patch address and corresponding patch data;

    activating the patch contexts one at a time, wherein at each time the information in a read-only memory that provides information for a data processing system is patched according to the currently activated patch context;

    wherein activating a patch context comprises loading a patch context from the patch contexts memory into patch hardware configured to patch the read-only memory according to the loaded patch context, wherein the patch hardware is limited with respect to a number of patches to load therein; and

    wherein before switching between two threads, wherein a first thread is deactivated and a second thread is activated, information about a currently activated patch context is saved in the patch contexts memory, and the saved patch context is restored a next time the first thread is reactivated.

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