System and method for delivery of a modular operating system

• US 8,353,046 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2005
• Issued: 01/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Raciborski, Bohdan
• Primary Examiner(s): Darrow, Justin T
• Application Number:
  US11/147,539
• Publication Number:
  US 20060282899A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,771 Days
• Field of Search: 705/59, 705/64, 705/67, 705/52, 713/464, 713/173, 713/176, 713/180, 713/178, 713/167, 713/193, 719/321, 719/329, 717/126, 717/168, 715/781, 726/26, 726/1, 726/6, 726/17, 380231-233, 711/6
• US Class Current: 726/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/57 Certifying or maintaining trusted computer platforms, e.g. secure boots or power-downs, version controls, system software checks, secure updates or assessing vulnerabilities
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/445 Program loading or initiating bootstrapping G06F9/4401; security arrangements for program loading or initiating G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/56 Financial cryptography, e.g. electronic payment or e-cash
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/603 Digital right managament [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/80 Wireless network architectures or network communication protocols for wireless network security H04W12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3247 involving digital signatures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3263 involving certificates, e.g. public key certificate [PKC] or attribute certificate [AC]; Public key infrastructure [PKI] arrangements network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using certificates in a packet data network H04L63/0823
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

An operating system and method for use include a core function module, or basic kernel, providing fundamental operating system support and one or more add-on modules that allow customization of the operating system as desired. Add-on modules may provide support or extended capability to the computer including hardware, applications, peripherals, and support. A digital signature may be used to confirm the integrity of an add-on module prior to installation. Certification may be verified to determine if installation of the add-on module is authorized. By withholding certification, a service provider may manage illegal or undesired modifications to a provided computer. Digital rights management may be used to enforce terms of use of the add-on module in keeping with licensing arrangements.

Claims

1. A method of delivering operating system functionality to a computer, the method comprising:

implementing a core operating system function on the computer, the core operating system function comprising memory management for the computer;

determining that a first add-on module for providing additional hardware functionality to the core operating system function is available, the first add-on module providing at least removable memory support for the computer;

determining whether digital rights criteria associated with the first add-on module are satisfied, the digital rights criteria corresponding to at least one of a number of uses of the first add-on module, an expiration date of the first add-on module, or a cumulative number of uses of the first add-on module, are satisfied; and

providing the computer with the removable memory support by executing the first add-on module on the computer, responsive to determining that the digital rights criteria have been satisfied.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

presenting a plurality of add-on modules;

receiving a selection of the first add-on module from the plurality of add-on modules;

confirming a digital signature corresponding to the first add-on module; and

installing the first add-on module on the computer.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

confirming a certification authorizing installation of the first add-on module.

4. The method according to claim 1, the removable memory support including capabilities for rotating media comprising CD media and DVD media.

5. The method according to claim 1, the removable memory support including capabilities for solid-state memory comprising USB memory peripherals.

6. The method according to claim 1, the first add-on module being selected from a plurality of add-on modules, the plurality of add-on modules providing capability for:

adding support for power management to the computer;

adding support for metered disk drives to the computer;

adding support for multiple processors to the computer;

adding support for multiple cores within a single processor to the computer;

adding support for increased screen resolution to the computer;

adding support for increased screen color depth to the computer; and

adding support for patches, bug fixes, and service packs to the computer.

7. The method according to claim 6, the support for power management offering user options for setting power consumption by the computer.

8. The method according to claim 6, the support for the metered disk drives comprising advanced support for disk access including high speed drives, high capacity drives, and network drives.

9. The method according to claim 6, wherein the core operating system function supports only one processor and the support for multiple processors includes activation of additional processors.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

executing a second add-on module on the computer, the second add-on module allowing variable performance levels for a processor of the computer up to a maximum capability of the processor.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the computer comprises a processor, the method further comprising:

executing a second add-on module on the computer, the second add-on module activating additional processors including an additional processor on the computer and an additional processor on a network.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the core operating system function supports limited screen resolutions and color depth, the method further comprising:

executing a second add-on module on the computer, the second add-on module expanding the support for screen resolutions and color depth relative to the core operating system function.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein support for service packs, bug fixes, and patches is not included in an original purchase price of the core operating system function.

14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising allowing a user to selectively pay for support of bug fixes, service packs, and patches by installing a second add-on module on the computer.

15. The method according to claim 1, further comprising executing a second add-on module on the computer, the second add-on module providing the computer with support for Internet browsing.

16. The method according to claim 1, further comprising executing a second add-on module on the computer, the second add-on module providing the computer with support for peer-to-peer networking.

17. The method according to claim 1, further comprising executing a second add-on module on the computer, the second add-on module providing the computer with support for styles and user interface themes that allow a user to change an experience by personalizing an existing desktop environment on the computer via a new theme, the new theme being based on an existing theme and including:

custom colors,

screensavers,

wallpapers,

sounds,

screen rendering options, and

special effects.

18. The method according to claim 1, further comprising executing a bundle of add-on modules on the computer, the bundle of add-on modules providing the computer with support for:

advanced sound support, game controller support, and increased video memory.

19. The method according to claim 1, the core operating system function further comprising functions for:

system input/output,

boot processes,

file system support, and

fundamental display capabilities.