Electrical computers and digital processing systems: support – Digital data processing system initialization or configuration – Loading initialization program
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-03
2002-04-16
Heckler, Thomas M. (Department: 2182)
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: support
Digital data processing system initialization or configuration
Loading initialization program
Reexamination Certificate
active
06374353
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus capable of reducing the time required for booting itself when it is powered on, and a method of booting an information processing apparatus at a high speed.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In accordance with a prior art method of booting an information processing apparatus, a firmware or F/W code stored in a programmable read only memory (ROM) loads a bootstrap code, called boot, into memory, as shown in for example “Booting up System”, Chapter 13, pp.413-433 in “The Design and Implementation of the UNIX 4.3BSD”, translated by Akira Nakamura et al., Maruzen, Jun. 30, 1991. The boot program then loads an operating system or OS stored in a file system into memory. The OS is then started and goes through initialization. After that, the OS starts execution of a first process or program, called init, to be executed first after the OS goes through initialization. Applications can then run on the OS.
Since the prior art method of booting an information processing apparatus comprises the steps of the F/W code loading the bootstrap code stored in a boot block of a boot device into memory, the F/W code starting execution of the bootstrap code, the bootstrap code loading the OS stored in the file system of the boot device into memory, and the bootstrap code starting execution of the OS, much time is required to start execution of the OS. Further, another problem with the prior art method is that since the OS cannot start execution of applications to be started automatically when the information processing apparatus is booted up until the OS finishes going through initialization perfectly, much time is required to start execution of such applications when booting up the information processing apparatus.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is made to overcome the above problems. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an information processing apparatus and a method capable of reducing the time required for booting up itself when it is powered on, and also reducing the time required to start execution of applications to be started automatically when the information processing apparatus is booted up.
In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information processing apparatus comprising: a boot device divided into a boot block in which a mini operating system (OS) module having a function required for bootstrap processing is located and a file system in which an operating system (OS) main body module having functions other than the function of bootstrap; and a read-only memory or ROM in which a firmware or F/W code module is located for loading the mini OS module located in the boot block into a memory and for starting execution of the mini OS module instead of a bootstrap code when booting up the information processing apparatus, the mini OS module loading the OS main body module from the file system of the boot device into the memory, and the mini OS module being linked to the OS main body module.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of booting up an information processing apparatus comprising a boot device and a memory by loading an operating system into the memory, comprising the steps of: dividing the operating system into a mini operating system (OS) module having a function required for bootstrap processing and an operating system (OS) main body module having functions other than the function of bootstrap, the mini OS module including a mini kernel module that is a basic part of the operating system, a boot device driver module for performing input/output (I/O) operations on the boot device, and an OS loading and initialization processing module for loading the OS main body module into the memory and for initializing the OS main body module; locating the mini OS module in a boot block of the boot device; locating the OS main body module in a file system of the boot device; a firmware or F/W code module being stored in a ROM and loading the mini OS module located in the boot block into the memory when booting up the information processing apparatus; the mini OS module initializing the mini kernel module and the boot device driver module; the mini OS module generating and starting execution of a thread for the OS loading and initialization processing module; and the OS loading and initialization processing module loading the OS main body module stored in the file system into the memory and then initializing the OS main body module.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the OS main body module is divided into a plurality of functional modules including a device driver module, which are located as separate files in the file system, and the OS loading and initialization processing module is divided into an OS loading processing module for loading each of the plurality of functional modules into the memory and an OS initialization module for initializing each of the plurality of functional modules loaded into the memory by the OS loading processing module. Further, after the mini OS module is loaded into the memory, the mini OS module initializes the mini kernel module and the boot device driver module and then generates and starts execution of a thread for the OS loading processing module. After the thread for the OS loading processing module is started, the OS loading processing module loads each of the plurality of functional modules into the memory and then generates and starts execution of a thread for the OS initialization module every time it loads each of the plurality of functional modules. After the thread for the OS initialization module is started, the OS initialization module initializes each of the plurality of functional modules loaded into the memory.
In accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the mini OS module includes a thread synchronization module for providing synchronization between a thread for the OS loading processing module and a thread for the OS initialization module using the mini kernel module. Further, the mini OS module generates and starts execution of a thread for the OS loading processing module and a thread for the OS initialization module after the mini OS module initializes the mini kernel module and the boot device driver module. After those threads are started, the OS initialization module brings itself into a state in which it is waiting for a request for initialization of a functional module through the thread synchronization module. Every time the OS loading processing module loads each of the plurality of functional modules into the memory, the OS loading processing module makes a request of the OS initialization module for initialization of each of the plurality of functional modules through the thread synchronization module. The OS initialization module initializes each of the plurality of functional modules loaded into the memory every time the OS initialization module receives a request for initialization of each of the plurality of functional modules loaded into the memory from the OS loading processing module, and then waits for another request for initialization.
In accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the plurality of functional modules, into which the OS main body module is divided, are stored as compressed files in the file system and the loading and initialization processing module of the mini OS module is divided into an OS loading and decompression processing module and an OS initialization module. Further, the mini OS module generates and starts execution of a thread for the OS loading and decompression processing module after the mini OS module initializes the mini kernel module and the boot device driver module. After the thread for the OS loading and decompression processing module is started, the OS loading and decompression processing module loads each of the plurality of functional modules into the
Baba Noriyuki
Settsu Atsushi
Sugai Naoto
Heckler Thomas M.
Mitsubishi Denki & Kabushiki Kaisha
LandOfFree
Information processing apparatus method of booting... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Information processing apparatus method of booting..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Information processing apparatus method of booting... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2859253