Computer system and method for activating basic program therein

• US 8,095,784 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2006
• Issued: 01/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Yasuda, Yasunori
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Abbaszadeh, Jaweed A
• Application Number:
  US11/909,213
• Publication Number:
  US 20090064145A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,932 Days
• Field of Search: 713/1, 713/2, 713/100
• US Class Current: 713/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0888 using selective caching, e.g. bypass
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4401 Bootstrapping security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5016 the resource being the memory

Abstract

A computer system capable of executing a basic program for providing a program execution environment. The system has a storage device for storing data that is necessary to the basic program during startup, and, for each basic program, configuration data that indicates information relating to data necessary during startup. In the computer system, data relating to the basic program that is to be started is read from the storage device setting, data necessary during startup is acquired from the storage device on the basis of information written in the configuration data, the data necessary during startup is stored in memory space that is in the memory device and that can be accessed from the basic program that is to be started, and a process for starting the designated basic program is executed.

Claims

1. A computer system capable of executing one or more basic programs for providing a program execution environment, comprising:

a storage device for storing, for each basic program, data that is necessary to the one or more basic programs during startup, and, configuration data that indicates information relating to data necessary during startup;

a resource manager for controlling requests for access to hardware resources that include the storage device;

a memory device capable of setting memory space for each of the basic programs, and each memory space can be accessed from at least one of the basic programs; and

a startup assistant for reading from the storage device configuration data that relates to the basic programs, acquiring from the storage device data that is necessary during startup of a designated one of the basic programs that is to be started on the basis of information written in the configuration data, storing the data that is necessary during startup in a memory space in the memory device that can be accessed from the designated basic program that is to be started, and executing a process for starting the designated basic program,

wherein the startup assistant;

(i) outputs a request to specify a location of the data necessary during startup to the designated basic program via communication between the designated basic program and the startup assistant, (ii) receives from the designated basic program an indication of the location of data necessary during startup via the communication between the designated basic program and the startup assistant, and (iii) in accordance with the indication, stores data acquired from the storage device in the memory device when the process for starting the designated basic program is executed.

2. A computer system capable of executing one or more basic programs for providing a program execution environment, comprising:

a storage device for storing, for each basic program, data that is necessary to the one or more basic programs during startup, and, configuration data that indicates information relating to data necessary during startup;

a resource manager for controlling requests for access to hardware resources that include the storage device;

a memory device capable of setting memory space for each of the basic programs, and each memory space can be accessed from at least one of the basic programs;

a startup assistant for reading from the storage device configuration data that relates to the basic programs, acquiring from the storage device data that is necessary during startup of a designated one of the basic programs on the basis of information written in the configuration data, storing the data that is necessary during startup in a memory space in the memory device that can be accessed from the designated basic program that is to be started, and executing a process for starting the designated basic program; and

a reader for reading from a boot device the designated basic program that is to be started;

wherein the reader for reading the designated basic program from the boot device selectively reads the designated basic program using either a speed priority mode in which the designated basic program is read to a cache memory and then stored on the memory device from the cache memory, or a memory-saving mode in which the designated basic program is stored in the memory device without being read to the cache memory.

3. A method for starting one or more basic programs that cannot directly access hardware resources, using a computer system comprising:

a storage device for storing, for each basic program, data that is necessary to the one or more basic programs during startup, and configuration data that indicates information relating to data necessary during startup;

a resource manager for controlling requests for access to hardware resources that include the storage device; and

a memory device capable of setting memory space for each of the basic programs, and each memory space can be accessed from at least one of the basic programs;

wherein the method comprises the steps of;

reading from the storage device configuration data relating to a designated one of the basic programs that is to be started;

acquiring from the storage device data necessary during startup on the basis of information written in the configuration data;

storing the data necessary during startup in memory space that is in the memory device and can be accessed from the designated basic program that is to be started;

executing a process for starting the designated basic program; and

selectively reading from a boot device the designated basic program that is to be started using either;

(i) a speed priority mode in which the designated basic program is read to a cache memory and then stored on the memory device from the cache memory, or (ii) a memory-saving mode in which the designated basic program is stored in the memory device without being read to the cache memory.

4. A non-transitory, computer readable recording medium containing a loader program for starting one or more basic programs that cannot directly access hardware resources, the loader program for execution by a computer system, comprising:

a storage device for storing, for each basic program, data that is necessary to the one or more basic programs during startup and configuration data that indicates information relating to data necessary during startup;

a resource manager for controlling requests for access to hardware resources that include the storage device; and

a memory device capable of setting memory spaces for each basic programs, and each memory space can be accessed from at least one of the basic programs;

wherein the loader program causes the computer to;

(i) read from the storage device configuration data relating to a designated one of the basic program that is to be started, (ii) acquire from the storage device data necessary during startup on the basis of information written in the configuration data, (iii) store the data necessary during startup in memory space that is in the memory device and can be accessed from the designated basic program that is to be started, (iv) execute a process for starting the designated basic program, and (v) selectively read from a boot device the designated basic program that is to be started using either;

a speed priority mode in which the designated basic program is read to a cache memory and then stored on the memory device from the cache memory;

or a memory-saving mode in which the designated basic program is stored in the memory device without being read to the cache memory.

5. A method for starting one or more basic programs that cannot directly access hardware resources, using a computer system comprising:

a storage device for storing, for each basic program, data that is necessary to the one or more basic programs during startup, and configuration data that indicates information relating to data necessary during startup;

a resource manager for controlling requests for access to hardware resources that include the storage device; and

a memory device capable of setting memory space for each of the basic programs, and each memory space can be accessed from at least one of the basic programs,

wherein the method comprises the steps of;

storing, for each basic program, data that is necessary to the one or more basic programs during startup, and, configuration data that indicates information relating to data necessary during startup, and via a loader program;

controlling requests for access to hardware resources that include the storage device;

setting memory space for each of the basic programs such that each memory space can be accessed from at least one of the basic programs;

reading from the storage device configuration data that relates to the basic programs;

acquiring from the storage device data that is necessary during startup of a designated one of the basic programs that is to be started on the basis of information written in the configuration data;

storing the data that is necessary during startup in a memory space in the memory device that can be accessed from the designated basic program that is to be started;

executing a process for starting the designated basic program;

outputting a request to specify a location of the data necessary during startup to the designated basic program via communication between the designated basic program and the loader program;

receiving from the designated basic program an indication of the location of data necessary during startup via the communication between the designated basic program and the loader program; and

storing, in accordance with the indication, data acquired from the storage device in the memory device when the process for starting the designated basic program is executed.

6. A non-transitory, computer readable recording medium containing a loader program for starting one or more basic programs that cannot directly access hardware resources, the loader program for execution by a computer system, comprising:

a storage device for storing, for each basic program, data that is necessary to the one or more basic programs during startup and configuration data that indicates information relating to data necessary during startup;

a resource manager for controlling requests for access to hardware resources that include the storage device; and

a memory device capable of setting memory spaces for each basic programs, and each memory space can be accessed from at least one of the basic programs;

wherein the loader program causes the computer to;

store, for each basic program, data that is necessary to the one or more basic programs during startup, and, configuration data that indicates information relating to data necessary during startup;

control requests for access to hardware resources that include the storage device;

set memory space for each of the basic programs such that each memory space can be accessed from at least one of the basic programs;

read from the storage device configuration data that relates to the basic programs;

acquire from the storage device data that is necessary during startup of a designated one of the basic programs that is to be started on the basis of information written in the configuration data;

store the data that is necessary during startup in a memory space in the memory device that can be accessed from the designated basic program that is to be started;

execute a process for starting the designated basic program;

output a request to specify a location of the data necessary during startup to the designated basic program via communication between the designated basic program and the loader program;

receive from the designated basic program an indication of the location of data necessary during startup via the communication between the designated basic program and the loader program; and

store, in accordance with the indication, data acquired from the storage device in the memory device when the process for starting the designated basic program is executed.