Firmware interface with backup non-volatile memory storage

• US 9,703,346 B2
• Filed: 06/23/2014
• Issued: 07/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Swanson, Robert C., Kotary, Karunakara, Zimmer, Vincent J., Story, Ronald N., Oram, Isaac W., Mudusuru, Giri P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cao, Chun
• Application Number:
  US14/312,017
• Publication Number:
  US 20150370302A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,114 Days
• Field of Search: 713300, 714 632, 714 14
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/30 Means for acting in the event of power-supply failure or interruption, e.g. power-supply fluctuations for resetting only G06F1/24
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1441 Resetting or repowering
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2015 Redundant power supplies power supply failure G06F1/30
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0246 in block erasable memory, e.g. flash memory
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0804 with main memory updating G06F12/0806 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0866 for peripheral storage systems, e.g. disk cache
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0875 with dedicated cache, e.g. instruction or stack
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/1416 by checking the object accessibility, e.g. type of access defined by the memory independently of subject rights G06F12/1458 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/1491 in a hierarchical protection system, e.g. privilege levels, memory rings
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/32 using combination of interrupt and burst mode transfer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2212/1024 Latency reduction
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2212/222 Non-volatile memory
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 5/141 Battery and back-up supplies

Abstract

Generally, this disclosure provides systems, devices, methods and computer readable media for a Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) with durable storage to provide memory write persistence, for example, in the event of power loss. The system may include a processor to host the firmware interface which may be configured to control access to system variables in a protected region of a volatile memory. The system may also include a power management circuit to provide power to the processor and further to provide a power loss indicator to the firmware interface. The system may also include a reserve energy storage module to provide power to the processor in response to the power loss indicator. The firmware interface is further configured to copy the system variables from the volatile memory to a non-volatile memory in response to the power loss indicator.

Claims

1. A system to provide durable storage for a firmware interface, said system comprising:

a processor to host said firmware interface, said firmware interface to control access to system variables in a protected region of a volatile memory;

a power management circuit to provide power to said processor and further to provide a power loss indicator to said firmware interface;

a reserve energy storage module to provide power to said processor in response to said power loss indicator; and

said firmware interface is further to copy said system variables from said volatile memory to a non-volatile memory in response to said power loss indicator.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said reserve energy storage module is a capacitor.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said processor is further to host an operating system (OS), said firmware interface to control access by said OS to said system variables.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a second processor to host an operating system (OS), said firmware interface to control access by said OS to said system variables.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said power loss indicator is associated with a System Management Interrupt (SMI) of said firmware interface.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein said firmware interface is further to generate a Non-Maskable Interrupt (NMI) to said OS after copying said system variables to said non-volatile memory.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said power management circuit is further to charge said reserve energy storage module.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the firmware interface is a Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI).

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said reserve energy storage module is a battery.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said volatile memory is Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM).

11. The system of claim 1, wherein said non-volatile memory is Flash memory.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein said system is a smart phone, smart tablet, notebook or laptop computer.

13. A method for providing durable storage by a firmware interface, said method comprising:

controlling, by said firmware interface hosted by a processor, access to system variables in a protected region of a volatile memory;

providing, by a power management circuit, a power loss indicator to said firmware interface;

switching to power supplied by a reserve energy storage module in response to said power loss indicator;

maintaining, by said power management circuit, a power supply from said reserve energy storage module to said processor hosting said firmware interface; and

copying, by said firmware interface, said system variables from said volatile memory to a non-volatile memory in response to said power loss indicator.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said reserve energy storage module is a capacitor.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein said system variables are controllably accessed by an operating system (OS).

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising generating a System Management Interrupt (SMI) of said firmware interface, said SMI associated with said power loss indicator.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising generating a Non-Maskable Interrupt (NMI) to said OS after copying said system variables to said non-volatile memory.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising charging said reserve energy storage module.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the firmware interface is a Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI).

20. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon which when executed by a processor result in the following operations for providing durable storage by a firmware interface, said operations comprising:

controlling, by said firmware interface hosted by the processor, access to system variables in a protected region of a volatile memory;

providing, by a power management circuit, a power loss indicator to said firmware interface;

switching to power supplied by a reserve energy storage module in response to said power loss indicator;

maintaining, by said power management circuit, a power supply from said reserve energy storage module to said processor hosting said firmware interface; and

copying, by said firmware interface, said system variables from said volatile memory to a non-volatile memory in response to said power loss indicator.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 20, wherein said reserve energy storage module is a capacitor.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 20, wherein said system variables are controllably accessed by an operating system (OS).

23. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 20, further comprising the operation of generating a System Management Interrupt (SMI) of said firmware interface, said SMI associated with said power loss indicator.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 22, further comprising the operation of generating a Non-Maskable Interrupt (NMI) to said OS after copying said system variables to said non-volatile memory.

25. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 20, further comprising the operation of charging said reserve energy storage module.

26. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 20, wherein the firmware interface is a Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI).