3888results about "Microprogram loading" patented technology

A device control model provides an integrated set of addressing, naming, discovery and description processes that enables automatic, dynamic and ad-hoc self-setup by devices to interoperate with other devices on a network. This permits a computing device when introduced into a network to automatically configure so as to connect and interact with other computing devices available on the network, without a user installation experience and without downloading driver software or persisting a configuration setup for connecting and interacting with such other computing devices. Upon completing interaction with such other devices, the computing device automatically releases the setup for such other devices so as to avoid persistent device configurations that might create a configuration maintenance and management burden.

The present invention provides a system for booting an intelligent device with an embedded-type operating system obtained through an external interface disposed in the intelligent device, wherein the system includes an initialization module stored in a read-only memory provided in the intelligent device, the initialization module being executed in a processor disposed in the intelligent device and connecting to an external location through the external interface, and a server having a memory media which stores a boot agent module and an embedded-type operating system at the external location, the server sending the boot agent module to the intelligent device through the connection in response to a request from the initialization module, wherein the boot agent module is loaded into a runtime memory in the intelligent device and executed by the processor, the boot agent module then retrieving an embedded-type operating system image from the external location in the sever, whereupon the embedded-type operating system image is loaded into the runtime memory and executed by the processor.

A method or system for providing a level of data security dependent on the location of the user of a wireless device is disclosed. One exemplary embodiment relates to a method of adjusting security for a network user node in communication with a network based upon the location of the node. The method is performed by determining the location of a network user node, selecting a single level of security from a group of more than two security levels based on the determined location, and modifying the security protection for the network user node based upon the selected level of security.

An administrative authority for virtual machines can send one or more delegated policy settings to a virtual machine manager. The virtual machine manager can in turn send management instructions that include the one or more policy settings to one or more virtual machine hosts. As such, a user's request for a virtual machine at a virtual machine host can be granted or denied based on the delegated policy settings. The policy settings can be updated periodically, and can include additional information about starting, stopping, expiring, saving, or even deleting virtual machines by particular users, as well as users accessing from particular locations. In addition, an agent operating at the virtual machine host can monitor and report virtual machine activity, to ensure unauthorized virtual machines are quickly stopped and reviewed until authorized.

A technique for remotely configuring a computing device via a network. A device configuration system is provided to determine a network address of the computing device, to identify the computing device, and to facilitate network configuration of the computing device. The device configuration system also may include a remote interface and a remote device information system.

Described is a system and method in which software updates in the form of self-contained, secure entities are applied to an embedded device's non-volatile storage in a failsafe manner. Various types of software updates may be applied, and updates may contain executable code and / or data. Following a reboot, an initial program loader determines an update mode, and if updating, boots to a special update loader. The update loader processes update packages to apply the updates. Kernel partition, system partition and reserve section updates may be updated with entire files or binary difference files, with failure handling mechanisms are provided for each type of update. Updates may be simulated before committing them. Updates may be relocated in memory as appropriate for a device.

Methods, systems and computer program products which provide secure updates of firmware (i.e. data stored in a programmable memory device of a processing system) are disclosed. Updates of a programmable memory of a device may be controlled by providing an update window of finite duration during which the programmable memory may be updated. Access to the programmable memory may be based on the state of an access latch. The access latch may be set to allow access after a hardware reset of the device. An update control program may be executed to control access to the programmable memory and the latch reset to prevent access upon completion of the update control program. Verification of the update may be provided through encryption techniques and rules incorporated in certificates for application of updates to provide for selectively updating devices. Also disclosed are methods of securely providing differing functionality to generic devices.

A method and apparatus is provided for breaking down computing tasks within a larger application and distributing such tasks across a network of heterogeneous computers for simultaneous execution. The heterogeneous computers may be connected across a wide or local area network. The invention supports mobile agents that are self-migrating and can transport state information and stack trace information as they move from one host to another, continuing execution where the mobile agents may have left off. The invention includes a server component for providing an execution environment for the agents, in addition to sub-components which handle real-time collaboration between the mobile agents as well as facilities monitoring during execution. Additional components provide realistic thread migration for the mobile agents. Real-time stack trace information is stored as the computing tasks are executed, and if over-utilization of the computing host occurs, execution of the computing task can be halted and the computing task can be transferred to another computing hosts where execution can be seamlessly resumed using the stored, real-time state information and stack trace information.

A system and method for improved navigation and access of computer media content using media transport controls is provided. These transport controls may be placed in various locations such as on the computer housing, on a keyboard, on a monitor or a remote control. With these controls, a user may easily play multimedia content and navigate to individual tracks or segments of an audio and / or video stream. The transport controls include a play / pause button, a stop button, a previous button, and a next button. A user may intuitively activate and interact with media content in a variety of applications using these transport controls. For example, users may play recordings such as voice mail and review their recorded replies using the transport controls. Users may similarly play and / or review multimedia annotations made to any application files, including traditional computer files such as spreadsheets, documents and presentations.

Provided is a method, system, and program for updating the firmware in a nodal system. The nodal system includes at least two nodes, wherein each node includes a processing unit and a memory including code. The nodes communicate over a communication interface. At least one querying node transmits a request to at least one queried node in the nodal system for a level of the code at the node over the communication interface. At least one node receives a response from the queried node receiving the request indicating the level of code at the queried node over the communication interface. The node receiving the response determines whether at least one queried node has a higher code level.

A method and an apparatus for executing codes embedded inside a device to verify a code image loaded in a memory of the device are described. A code image may be executed after being verified as a trusted code image. The embedded codes may be stored in a secure ROM (read only memory) chip of the device. In one embodiment, the verification of the code image is based on a key stored within the secure ROM chip. The key may be unique to each device. Access to the key may be controlled by the associated secure ROM chip. The device may complete establishing an operating environment subsequent to executing the verified code image.

Methods and systems for running multiple operating systems in a single embedded or mobile device (include PDA, cellular phone and other devices) are disclosed. The invention allows a mobile device that normally can only run a single operating system to run another operating system while preserving the state and data of the original operating system. Guest OS is packaged into special format recognizable by the host OS that still can be executed in place by the system. The Methods include: •Change the memory protection bits for the original OS; •Fake a reduced physical memory space for guest OS; •Use special memory device driver to claim memories of host OS; •Backup whole image of the current OS and data to external memory card.

A method and apparatus are disclosed for performing adaptive run-time power management in a system employing a CPU and an operating system. A CPU cycle tracker (CCT) module monitors critical CPU signals and generates CPU performance data based on the critical CPU signals. An adaptive CPU throttler (THR) module uses the CPU performance data, along with a CPU percent idle value fed back from the operating system, to generate a CPU throttle control signal during predefined run-time segments of the CPU run time. The CPU throttle control signal links back to the CPU and adaptively adjusts CPU throttling and, therefore, power usage of the CPU during each of the run-time segments.

A system for configuring, loading and executing an operating system for performing a user-selected function is disclosed. The system includes a disk drive including: a host-accessible user partition; a host-inaccessible hidden partition independent of the host-accessible user partition; and a disk controller. The user partition includes: a user partition address range; a host-selected operating system; and a host-selected master boot record. The host-inaccessible hidden partition includes: a hidden partition address range outside the user partition address range; an application program for allowing a user to select a function to perform and configuring, loading and executing an operating system to perform the selected function; and a drive-selected boot record for loading and executing the application program that allows the user to select a function and configures, loads and executes an operating system for performing the function.

A partitioned processing system capable of supporting diverse operating system partitions is disclosed wherein throughput information is passed from a partition to a partition resource manager. The throughput information is used to create resource balancing directives for the partitioned resource. The processing system includes at least a first partition and a second partition. A partition resource manager is provided for receiving information about throughput from the second partition and determining resource balancing directives. A communicator communicates the resource balancing directives from the partition manager to a kernel in the second partition which allocates resources to the second partition according to the resource balancing directives received from the partition manager.