Operating system for a computing device with handheld and extended computing units

• US 8,151,100 B2
• Filed: 02/06/2008
• Issued: 04/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rofougaran, Ahmadreza (Reza), Markison, Timothy W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Huynh, Kim
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chang, Eric
• Application Number:
  US12/026,731
• Publication Number:
  US 20090199219A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,518 Days
• Field of Search: 713/2, 713/1
• US Class Current: 713/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/441 Multiboot arrangements, i.e. selecting an operating system to be loaded

Abstract

A handheld computing unit includes a processing module, a main memory interface coupled to main memory, a baseband processing module, an RF section, I/O interfaces, a bus structure, and a connection structure. The main memory includes an operating system section and a user section. The operating system section stores at least a portion of a remote mode operating system when in a remote mode and stores at least a portion of a docked mode operating system when in a docked mode. The docked mode operating system includes at least some of the remote mode operating system.

Claims

1. A handheld computing unit of a computing device that includes the handheld computing unit and an extended computing unit that functions as a docking unit for the handheld computing unit, wherein the handheld computing unit comprises:

a handheld processing module;

a handheld main memory that includes an operating system section and a user section, wherein, when the handheld computing unit is in a remote mode not communicating with the extended computing unit, the operating system section is operable to store a remote mode operating system loaded from the handheld computing unit to operate the handheld computing unit in the remote mode, when the handheld computing unit is physically connected to the extended computing unit in a docked mode, the operating system section is operable to store a docked mode operating system loaded from the handheld computing unit and the extended computing unit to operate the handheld computing unit and the extended computing unit in the docked mode, and when the handheld computing unit is wirelessly coupled to the extended computing unit in a quasi docked mode, the operating system section is operable to store a quasi docked mode operating system loaded from the handheld computing unit and the extended computing unit to operate the handheld computing unit and the extended computing unit in the quasi docked mode;

a baseband processing module coupled to convert outbound data into an outbound symbol stream and to convert an inbound symbol stream into inbound data;

a radio frequency (RF) section coupled to convert the outbound symbol stream into an outbound RF signal and to convert an inbound RF signal into the inbound symbol stream;

handheld input/output (I/O) interfaces;

a handheld bus structure coupled to the handheld processing module, the handheld main memory, the baseband processing module, and the handheld I/O interfaces; and

a handheld connection structure coupled to one or more of;

the handheld processing module, the handheld main memory, the handheld bus structure, and at least one of the handheld I/O interfaces.

2. The handheld computing unit of claim 1, wherein when loading the docked mode operating system, the handheld computing unit is operable to:

read at least some of the docked mode operating system from a handheld hard disk or handheld flash memory module;

read at least some of the docked mode operating system from an extended hard disk or an extended flash memory module;

query a basic input output system (BIOS) for handheld and extended configuration information, which includes identity of handheld block I/O devices coupled to the handheld I/O interfaces and identify of extended block and character I/O devices coupled to an I/O controller of the extended computing unit;

verify drivers for the handheld block I/O devices and for the extended block and character I/O devices;

load identification information of the handheld block I/O devices and the extended block and character I/O devices in a docked mode operating system device table;

determine handheld memory resources, handheld processing resources, extended memory resources, and extended processing resources;

initialize a docked mode process table; and

start-up an extended graphical user interface.

3. The handheld computing unit of claim 1, wherein when loading the remote mode operating system, the handheld computing unit is operable to:

read at least a portion of the remote mode operating system from a handheld hard disk or handheld flash memory module;

query a basic input output system (BIOS) for handheld configuration information, which includes identity of I/O devices coupled to the handheld I/O interfaces;

verify drivers for the I/O devices coupled to the handheld I/O interfaces;

load identification information of the I/O devices in a remote mode operating system device table;

determine handheld memory resources and handheld processing resources;

initialize a remote mode process table; and

start-up a handheld graphical user interface.

4. The handheld computing unit of claim 1, wherein when loading the quasi docked mode operating system, the handheld computing unit is operable to:

read at least some of the quasi docked mode operating system from a handheld hard disk or handheld flash memory module;

read at least some of the quasi docked mode operating system from an extended hard disk or an extended flash memory module;

query a basic input output system (BIOS) for handheld and extended configuration information, which includes identity of handheld block and character I/O devices coupled to the handheld I/O interfaces and identify of extended block I/O devices;

verify drivers for the handheld block and character I/O devices and for the extended block I/O devices;

load identification information of the handheld block and character I/O devices and the extended block I/O devices in a quasi docked mode operating system device table;

determine handheld memory resources, handheld processing resources, extended memory resources, and extended processing resources;

initialize a quasi docked mode process table; and

start-up a handheld graphical user interface.

5. The handheld computing unit of claim 1, wherein the quasi docked mode operating system comprises operational instructions that cause the handheld processing module to:

receive a system call from a handheld application, a quasi mode application, a handheld block I/O device, an extended block I/O device, or a handheld character I/O device;

store parameters of the system call in a quasi mode stack,

call a quasi mode subprogram library;

update process table for the system call;

execute a trap to switch to a kernel quasi docked mode;

identify system call handler for the system call;

when processing of the system call is complete, executing another trap to return to a user mode; and

retrieve parameters.

6. The handheld computing unit of claim 1, wherein the remote mode operating system comprises operational instructions that cause the handheld processing module to:

receive a system call from a handheld application, a handheld block I/O device, or a handheld character I/O device;

store parameters of the system call in a remote mode stack,

call a remote mode subprogram library;

update process table for the system call;

execute a trap to switch to a kernel remote mode;

identify system call handler for the system call;

when processing of the system call is complete, executing another trap to return to a user mode; and

retrieve parameters.

7. The handheld computing unit of claim 1 wherein the docked mode operating system comprises operational instructions that cause the handheld processing module to:

receive a system call from a handheld application, a docked mode application, a handheld block I/O device, an extended block I/O device, or an extended character I/O device;

store parameters of the system call in a docked mode stack,

call a docked mode subprogram library;

update process table for the system call;

execute a trap to switch to a kernel docked mode;

identify system call handler for the system call;

when processing of the system call is complete, executing another trap to return to a user mode; and

retrieve parameters.

8. The handheld computing unit of claim 1, wherein the remote mode operating system comprises:

a memory scheduler coupled to schedule access to a handheld memory resource for at least one of a memory read service call and a memory write service call; and

a processing module scheduler coupled to schedule access to the handheld processing module for a plurality of processes in response to a plurality of process service calls.

9. The handheld computing unit of claim 1, wherein the docked mode operating system comprises:

a memory scheduler coupled to schedule at least one of a memory read service call and a memory write service call;

a handheld memory scheduler coupled to schedule the at least one of a memory read service call and a memory write service call when it is for a handheld memory resource;

an extended memory scheduler coupled to schedule the at least one of a memory read service call and a memory write service call when it is for an extended memory resource;

a processing module scheduler coupled to schedule a plurality of processes in response to a plurality of process service calls;

a handheld processing module scheduler coupled to schedule at least one of the plurality of processes for accessing the handheld processing module when a corresponding one of the plurality of process service calls is for the handheld processing module; and

an extended processing module scheduler coupled to schedule at least another one of the plurality of processes for accessing an extended processing module when a corresponding another one of the plurality of process service calls is for the extended processing module.

10. A handheld computing unit that operates with an extended computing unit that functions as a docking unit for the handheld computing unit, wherein the handheld computing unit comprises:

a handheld processing module;

a handheld main memory that includes an operating system section and a user section, wherein, the operating system section is operable to store at least a portion of a multiple mode operating system, wherein the multiple mode operating system includes;

a plurality of common process management functions, common memory management functions, common input/output (I/O) device management functions, and common file system management functions that is active regardless of a mode of operation of the handheld computing unit relative to the extended computing unit;

a first plurality of process management functions, memory management functions, I/O device management functions, and file system management functions that are active when the handheld computing unit is in a remote mode, wherein the handheld computing unit is in the remote mode when the handheld computing unit is not coupled to the extended computing unit; and

a second plurality of process management functions, memory management functions, I/O device management functions, and file system management functions that are active when the handheld computing unit is in a docked mode, wherein the handheld computing unit is in the docked mode when the handheld computing unit is physically connected to the extended computing unit;

a third plurality of process management functions, memory management functions, I/O device management functions, and file system management functions that are active when the handheld computing unit is in a quasi docked mode, wherein the handheld computing unit is in the quasi docked mode when the handheld computing unit is wirelessly coupled to the extended computing unit and communicates wirelessly with the extended computing unit;

wherein when in the docked mode and in the quasi docked mode, a portion of the second plurality and third plurality of process management functions, memory management functions, I/O device management functions, and file system management functions, respectively, are to be loaded from the extended computing unit;

a baseband processing module coupled to convert outbound data into an outbound symbol stream and to convert an inbound symbol stream into inbound data;

a radio frequency (RF) section coupled to convert the outbound symbol stream into an outbound RF signal and to convert an inbound RF signal into the inbound symbol stream;

handheld input/output (I/O) interfaces;

a handheld bus structure coupled to the handheld processing module, the handheld main memory, the baseband processing module, and the handheld I/O interfaces; and

a handheld connection structure coupled to one or more of;

the handheld processing module, the handheld main memory, the handheld bus structure, and at least one of the handheld I/O interfaces.

11. The handheld computing unit of claim 10 further comprises:

the third plurality of process management functions, memory management functions, I/O device management functions, and file system management functions to operate regarding a service call by use of at least one of;

a fixed handheld user application;

a quasi mode user application;

the handheld processing module;

the handheld main memory;

handheld block I/O devices;

handheld character I/O devices; and

extend block I/O devices.

12. The handheld computing unit of claim 10 further comprises:

the plurality of common process management functions, common memory management functions, common input/output (I/O) device management functions, and common file system management functions to operate regarding a service call by use of at least one of;

a fixed handheld user application;

the handheld processing module;

the handheld main memory; and

handheld block I/O devices.

13. The handheld computing unit of claim 10 further comprises:

the first plurality of process management functions, memory management functions, I/O device management functions, and file system management functions to operate regarding a service call by use of at least one of;

a fixed handheld user application;

a selected handheld user application;

the handheld processing module;

the handheld main memory;

handheld block I/O devices; and

handheld character I/O devices.

14. The handheld computing unit of claim 10 further comprises:

the second plurality of process management functions, memory management functions, I/O device management functions, and file system management functions to operate regarding a service call by use of at least one of;

a fixed handheld user application;

a selected handheld user application;

a fixed extended user application;

a selected extended user application;

the handheld processing module;

the handheld main memory;

handheld block I/O devices;

extended processing module;

extended main memory;

extended block I/O devices;

extended character I/O devices.

15. The handheld computing unit of claim 10, wherein the common process management functions comprises:

a memory scheduler coupled to schedule access to a handheld memory resource for at least one of a memory read service call and a memory write service call; and

a processing module scheduler coupled to schedule access to the handheld processing module for a plurality of processes in response to a plurality of process service calls.

16. The handheld computing unit of claim 10, wherein the second plurality of process management functions comprises:

a memory scheduler coupled to schedule at least one of a memory read service call and a memory write service call;

a handheld memory scheduler coupled to schedule the at least one of a memory read service call and a memory write service call when it is for a handheld memory resource;

an extended memory scheduler coupled to schedule the at least one of a memory read service call and a memory write service call when it is for an extended memory resource;

a processing module scheduler coupled to schedule a plurality of processes in response to a plurality of process service calls;

a handheld processing module scheduler coupled to schedule at least one of the plurality of processes for accessing the handheld processing module when a corresponding one of the plurality of process service calls is for the handheld processing module; and

an extended processing module scheduler coupled to schedule at least another one of the plurality of processes for accessing an extended processing module when a corresponding another one of the plurality of process service calls is for the extended processing module.