Fast booting a computing device to a specialized experience
First Claim
1. At least one computer-readable hardware storage device having computer-executable instructions stored thereon, which when executed perform steps, comprising:
- controlling which partition among a plurality of coexisting partitions in executable memory utilizes which component in a hardware device set at a given time, the controlling including;
booting to a special purpose operating system in a first partition of the plurality of partitions, the special purpose operating system comprising a plurality of directly accessible device drivers;
receiving a request for functionality not provided by the special purpose operating system;
loading a general purpose operating system in a second partition of the plurality of partitions while the special purpose operating system is running, wherein the general purpose operating system is partially loaded to the extent necessary to perform the requested functionality; and
transitioning from the special purpose operating system to the general purpose operating system based on a determination that the general purpose operating system has been fully loaded, wherein applications running in the special purpose operating system continue running during the transition.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Described is a technology by which independent computing functions such as corresponding to separate operating systems may be partitioned into coexisting partitions. A virtual machine manager, or hypervisor, manages the input and output of each partition to operate computer system hardware. One partition may correspond to a special purpose operating system that quickly boots, such as to provide appliance-like behavior, while another partition may correspond to a general purpose operating system that may load while the special purpose operating system is already running. The computer system that contains the partitions may transition functionality and devices from one operating system to the other. The virtual machine manager controls which computer hardware devices are capable of being utilized by which partition at any given time, and may also facilitate inter-partition communication.
35 Citations
21 Claims
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1. At least one computer-readable hardware storage device having computer-executable instructions stored thereon, which when executed perform steps, comprising:
controlling which partition among a plurality of coexisting partitions in executable memory utilizes which component in a hardware device set at a given time, the controlling including; booting to a special purpose operating system in a first partition of the plurality of partitions, the special purpose operating system comprising a plurality of directly accessible device drivers; receiving a request for functionality not provided by the special purpose operating system; loading a general purpose operating system in a second partition of the plurality of partitions while the special purpose operating system is running, wherein the general purpose operating system is partially loaded to the extent necessary to perform the requested functionality; and transitioning from the special purpose operating system to the general purpose operating system based on a determination that the general purpose operating system has been fully loaded, wherein applications running in the special purpose operating system continue running during the transition. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method comprising:
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partitioning at least two independent computing functions into a plurality of partitions, each partition containing a set of executable operating system code when loaded into a memory; and managing the input and output of each partition to operate computer system hardware including; booting to a special purpose operating system in a first partition of the plurality of partitions, the special purpose operating system comprising a plurality of directly accessible device drivers; receiving a request for functionality not provided by the special purpose operating system; loading a general purpose operating system in a second partition of the plurality of partitions while the special purpose operating system is running, wherein the general purpose operating system is partially loaded to the extent necessary to perform the requested functionality; and transitioning from the special purpose operating system to the general purpose operating system based on a determination that the general purpose operating system has been fully loaded, wherein applications running in the special purpose operating system continue running during the transition. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. In a computing environment, a system comprising:
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a device set containing at least one computer hardware component; a plurality of coexisting partitions in executable memory, each partition containing an operating system; and means for controlling which partition utilizes which component in the device set at a given time, the controlling including; booting to a special purpose operating system in a first partition of the plurality of partitions, the special purpose operating system comprising a plurality of directly accessible device drivers; receiving a request for functionality not provided by the special purpose operating system; loading a general purpose operating system in a second partition of the plurality of partitions while the special purpose operating system is running, wherein the general purpose operating system is partially loaded to the extent necessary to perform the requested functionality; and transitioning from the special purpose operating system to the general purpose operating system automatically upon determining that the general purpose operating system has been fully loaded, wherein applications running in the special purpose operating system continue running during the transition. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification