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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 6633976 | Method of storing BIOS modules and transferring them to memory for execution Methods for processing basic input output system (BIOS) modules of a computer to initialize the computer. The computer includes a system memory, a central processing unit (CPU), a computer bus, a critical nonvolatile storage device, and a secondary nonvol... | 10/14/2003 |
| 6622179 | Method and apparatus for providing content on a computer system based on usage profile A method and apparatus for determining a computer system usage profile, and transmitting the computer system usage profile to a server which targets content to the computer system in response to the usage profile is described. A basic input output system ... | 09/16/2003 |
| 6598165 | Secure memory A flash memory is secured by disabling write access to the device, thereby preventing unauthorized updating or tampering of the contents. A cryptoengine is included in an integrated circuit (IC) with the flash memory. An attempt to write to the flash memo... | 07/22/2003 |
| 6578142 | Method and apparatus for automatically installing and configuring software on a computer A method including copying a first application from a first non-volatile memory to a second non-volatile memory and setting the first application to be a start-up application. The method further includes booting-up an operating system and executing the fi... | 06/10/2003 |
| 6571206 | Apparatus and method for emulating an I/O instruction for the correct processor and for servicing software SMI's in a multi-processor environment A method for controlling I/O in a multi-processor environment, comprising the steps of: determining if an I/O instruction requiring an interrupt is being executed by one of the processors in the multi-processor environment to transfer data or a command be... | 05/27/2003 |
| 6564318 | Method and apparatus for execution of an application during computer pre-boot operation and post-boot under normal OS control A special BIOS includes a program application manager (PAM) and a file system structure (FSS) that points to addresses on a mass storage device (MSD) for an application and at least one presentation playable by the application. The BIOS calls the PAM on s... | 05/13/2003 |
| 6560702 | Method and apparatus for execution of an application during computer pre-boot operation A special BIOS includes a program application manager (PAM) and a file system structure (FSS) that points to addresses on a mass storage device (MSD) for an application and at least one presentation playable by the application. The BIOS calls the PAM on s... | 05/06/2003 |
| 6557104 | Method and apparatus for secure processing of cryptographic keys A method and apparatus for secure processing of cryptographic keys, wherein a cryptographic key stored on a token is processed in a secure processor mode using a secure memory. A main system processor is initialized into a secure processing mode, which ca... | 04/29/2003 |
| 6542160 | Re-generating a displayed image The present invention is a method and apparatus to re-generate a displayed image. Graphic information is retrieved from a first storage. A graphic controller uses the graphic information to generate the displayed image. The first storage is accessible to ... | 04/01/2003 |
| 6523123 | Method and apparatus for providing intelligent power management The present invention is an apparatus and method for providing power management apparatus for a circuit in a processor-based system. The apparatus comprises a memory to store instruction sequences by which the processor-based system is processed and a pro... | 02/18/2003 |
| 6519659 | Method and system for transferring an application program from system firmware to a storage device One aspect of the invention is a method and system for accessing at least one storage element in a processor-based system. The system comprises a memory for storing instruction sequences by which the processor-based system is processed. The memory has at ... | 02/11/2003 |
| 6502184 | Method and apparatus for providing a general purpose stack A method and apparatus for providing a stack in a processor-based system. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a memory for storing instruction sequences by which the processor-based system is processed; and a processor coupled to the memory that ex... | 12/31/2002 |
| 6496893 | Apparatus and method for swapping devices while a computer is running A system for exchanging devices installed in a computer system allows users to make an exchange of devices while the computer system is running or in a sleeping state. The system is able to recognize, access and use the newly added device without restarti... | 12/17/2002 |
| 6486883 | Apparatus and method for updating images stored in non-volatile memory A method and apparatus is described in which a firmware causes display of a graphical screen with various images that are stored in a non-volatile memory wherein the images may be selectively updated. A memory is configured into a plurality of memory segm... | 11/26/2002 |
| 6487656 | System and method for providing functionalities to system BIOS The present invention is a method and apparatus to provide functionalities to a system BIOS. The method comprises interfacing an interface module to the system BIOS, and receiving a request from the system BIOS to perform a task. System device information... | 11/26/2002 |
| 6487713 | Software development system that presents a logical view of project components, facilitates their selection, and signals missing links prior to compilation A software development system develops a product from core library of source code elements, the core library being categorized into components having one or more features. A configurator develops configuration state data based on a designated platform typ... | 11/26/2002 |
| 6477642 | Method and apparatus for extending BIOS control of screen display beyond operating system boot process A method and apparatus for extending basic input output system (BIOS) control of the display screen beyond the loading of the operating system is described. In one embodiment, the BIOS, during power-on self test (POST), writes content to the display scree... | 11/05/2002 |
| 6473855 | Method and apparatus for providing content on a computer system based on usage profile A method and apparatus for determining a computer system usage profile, and transmitting the computer system usage profile to a server which targets content to the computer system in response to the usage profile is described. A basic input output system ... | 10/29/2002 |
| 6457122 | Fault tolerant process for the delivery of programs to writeable storage device utilizing pre-operating system software/firmware A method and apparatus for installing programs on a writeable storage device in a fault tolerant manner is described. A processor readable medium having instructions causes a processor to write at least one program to a writeable storage device. A state m... | 09/24/2002 |
| 6453469 | Method and apparatus to automatically deinstall an application module when not functioning A method and apparatus for automatically installing a target application module and de-installing the target application module if it fails to execute or function properly is described. In one embodiment, the method includes determining whether a shared r... | 09/17/2002 |
| 6449716 | Dual use master boot record A high capacity computer article of manufacture to be loaded into a drive of a computer that includes a memory, comprising: a computer usable medium including at least one partition area and a boot sector, with the computer usable medium having computer r... | 09/10/2002 |
| 6449682 | System and method for inserting one or more files onto mass storage The present invention relates to a system and method for inserting one or more files onto a mass storage device during a boot sequence. The method includes loading a content module containing at least one file into memory. The method further includes repl... | 09/10/2002 |
| 6438750 | Determining loading time of an operating system The present invention is a method and apparatus to determine loading time of an operating system in a computer system. A basic input and output system (BIOS) retrieves a first time value from a real-time clock. The BIOS loads the OS into memory of the com... | 08/20/2002 |
| 6405309 | Method and apparatus for creating and deploying smaller Microsoft Windows applications for automatic configuration of a computing device A method including creating an executable program in accordance with a Windows Control Panel Language (CPL) format; storing the executable program in a first non-volatile memory; transferring the executable program from the first non-volatile memory to a ... | 06/11/2002 |
| 6401202 | Multitasking during BIOS boot-up The present invention is a method and apparatus to perform multitasking in a basic input and output system (BIOS). Interrupt signals are enabled at predetermined interrupt times. A first task is performed in response to the interrupt signals at the interr... | 06/04/2002 |
| 6373498 | Displaying images during boot-up and shutdown The present invention is a method and apparatus to display an image during a transition of an operating system in a computer system. An image having an image format compatible with the operating system is obtained. Content of a system file corresponding t... | 04/16/2002 |
| 6347377 | Method and apparatus for providing intelligent power management The present invention is an apparatus and method for providing power management apparatus for a circuit in a processor-based system. The apparatus comprises a memory to store instruction sequences by which the processor-based system is processed and a pro... | 02/12/2002 |
| 6336185 | Use of other processors during BIOS boot sequence to minimize boot time A method for use in a multi-processor system, including a boot strap processor and at least a first processor, for booting the system by executing a plurality of boot sequence tasks, comprising the steps of causing the boot strap processor to execute at l... | 01/01/2002 |
| 6324644 | Network enhanced bios enabling remote management of a computer without a functioning operating system A method and system of communicating with a computer through a network prior to booting the computer's operating system or after operating system failure is provided. A multitasking kernel is implemented in a network enhanced BIOS. External references in ... | 11/27/2001 |
| 6308264 | Dual use master boot record A high capacity computer article of manufacture to be loaded into a drive of a computer that includes a memory, comprising: a computer usable medium including at least one partition area and a boot sector, with the computer usable medium having computer r... | 10/23/2001 |
| 6308265 | Protection of boot block code while allowing write accesses to the boot block An apparatus and a method for protecting boot block code while allowing updating to BIOS code during a flash BIOS operation. The boot block code is stored in a boot block or boot region of a flash part, and then a copy of the boot block code is written in... | 10/23/2001 |
| 6304965 | Method and device for booting a CD-ROM from a single disk image having multiple emulations A method and computer system including a bootable storage media, preferably a CD-ROM, having a single bootable disk image that allows multiple emulations. A hard disk boot image including an MBR is provided at the beginning of the bootable disk image. A f... | 10/16/2001 |
| 6282641 | System for reconfiguring a boot device by swapping the logical device number of a user selected boot drive to a currently configured boot drive The present invention is an apparatus and method for specifying operation of a boot device in a processor-based system. The apparatus comprises a memory for storing instruction sequences by which the processor-based system is processed and a processor for... | 08/28/2001 |
| 6263412 | Method and apparatus for RAM emulation using a processor register set An apparatus and method for accessing a writeable storage in a processor-based system. The apparatus comprises at least one writeable storage element and memory for storing instruction sequences by which the processor-based system is processed, that has a... | 07/17/2001 |
| 6222562 | Fast processed screen image A display process for displaying predetermined image data in a computer that includes a processor, a fast memory, and a video system having a video memory, comprising the steps of: during a computer execution period, writing contents from a block of the f... | 04/24/2001 |
| 6167512 | Dynamic creation of ACPI APIC tables using MP specification A method and system for dynamic creation of APIC tables under the ACPI specification using existing APIC tables under the MP specification in a multi-processor computer. The method of the present invention provides for the dynamic creation of APIC entries... | 12/26/2000 |
| 6167511 | Method to reflect BIOS set up changes into ACPI machine language A method and article of manufacture for the run-time modification of Advanced Configuration and Power Management Interface ("ACPI") Machine Language ("AML") code in a Basic Input-Output System ("BIOS") of a computer system having an ACPI compliant BIOS. O... | 12/26/2000 |
| 6148387 | System and method for securely utilizing basic input and output system (BIOS) services In accordance with one aspect of the current invention, the system comprises a memory for storing instruction sequences by which the processor-based system is processed, where the memory includes a physical memory and a virtual memory. The system also com... | 11/14/2000 |
| 6145068 | Data transfer to a non-volatile storage medium To improve the speed of transition to the zero-volt suspend state, system context is saved from volatile random access memory to non-volatile memory, such as a hard disk, using a compression algorithm which speeds the transfer of data to non-volatile memo... | 11/07/2000 |
| 6128745 | Power management inactivity monitoring using software threads A method for managing power in an electronic system having a plurality of input/output devices, each of the input/output devices having a full power-on state and at least one power reduction state and each being controlled by an associated device driver, ... | 10/03/2000 |
