Booting multiple processors with a single flash ROM
First Claim
1. A system for loading firmware onto multiple processors, the system comprising:
- a firmware controller;
multiple processors coupled to the firmware controller; and
a single dedicated memory coupled to the firmware controller, the single dedicated memory being loaded with a firmware used to boot a processor prior to loading an operating system, wherein the firmware controller selectively sends, during an initial boot process, the firmware to a receiving processor that is selected from the multiple processors, and wherein execution of the firmware occurs in the receiving processor without a copy of the firmware being stored in the receiving processor.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method, apparatus and computer-usable medium are presented for loading firmware onto multiple processors. A firmware controller is coupled to multiple processors and a firmware memory. A service processor, by controlling the operation of the firmware controller, selects one or more of the multiple processors. Under the control of the service processor, the firmware controller sends firmware from the firmware memory to each of the selected processors, either sequentially or simultaneously. If one of the selected processors fails to fully execute the firmware from the firmware memory, the firmware controller notifies the service processor of that failure as well as the particular memory address in the firmware where the failure occurred.
91 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A system for loading firmware onto multiple processors, the system comprising:
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a firmware controller;
multiple processors coupled to the firmware controller; and
a single dedicated memory coupled to the firmware controller, the single dedicated memory being loaded with a firmware used to boot a processor prior to loading an operating system, wherein the firmware controller selectively sends, during an initial boot process, the firmware to a receiving processor that is selected from the multiple processors, and wherein execution of the firmware occurs in the receiving processor without a copy of the firmware being stored in the receiving processor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method for loading firmware onto multiple processors, the method comprising:
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coupling a firmware controller to multiple processors;
coupling a dedicated memory that is loaded with firmware to the firmware controller;
selecting one or more of the multiple processors to be selected processors; and
directly executing the firmware in the selected processors, wherein the firmware is executed by each selected processor without storing a copy of the firmware in each selected processor. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A computer-usable medium containing computer program code, the computer program code comprising computer executable instructions configured to load firmware onto multiple processors, wherein the multiple processors are coupled to a firmware controller, and wherein the firmware controller is coupled to a dedicated memory that is loaded with firmware, and wherein the computer executable instructions are configured to perform a method comprising:
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selecting one or more of the multiple processors to be selected processors; and
directly executing the firmware in the selected processors, wherein the firmware is executed by each selected processor without storing a copy of the firmware in each selected processor. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification