Electrical computers and digital processing systems: support – Digital data processing system initialization or configuration – Loading initialization program
Utility Patent
1998-09-09
2001-01-02
De Cady, Albert (Department: 2787)
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: support
Digital data processing system initialization or configuration
Loading initialization program
C712S032000, C710S220000
Utility Patent
active
06170056
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an automated, non-intrusive process for identifying the exact make and model type of a computer.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
With the ever increasing versatility and interchangeability of personal computers, as evidenced by the recent emergence of the plug-and-play standard for peripherals, the actual physical contents of a personal computer (PC) have become increasingly harder to determine. A cursory glance at the outside of a computer will tell you little about the machine's actual contents in this age of microprocessor replacement, upgrades, and accelerator chips. However, as network computing has become the norm in the business world, knowledge of the contents of each computer on the network has become more important than ever to make sure that an upgrade in network software or hardware will not be incompatible or inoperable on any of the machines attached to that network.
A solution to the problem of inventorying computers on a network has become even more imperative as the new millennium approaches. Many software and hardware programs will experience problems because their underlying program code is based on a two digit representation of the year. Hence, as the year goes from 1999 (represented in the computer as ‘99’) to 2000 (represented in the computer as ‘00’), much computer hardware and associated software applications will give errant results because they calculate the year ‘00’ to correspond to 1900: 99 years before 1999. Ultimately, some machines may fail entirely. Because of the vast array of computers attached to most networks, all computers must be properly identified and cataloged to limit the amount and severity of problems that occur as the millennium changes. Any step taken now to avoid a catastrophe in the future is a step well taken.
Obviously, the first step in correcting a potentially wide-spread network problem is to identify the computers that reside on that network. In the past, machines were often inventoried by physical inspection. This process entails forcing the user to log off of their computer for a length of time, physically opening the PC, and identifying the computer by reading the labels on the BIOS, microprocessor, and other added chips and circuitry. Such a process is disruptive and carries with it the possibility that the physical handling of the computer chassis and internal parts will cause an internal part to fail because of, for example, static electricity.
Some software programs have tried to identify personal computer components in a less intrusive way. These programs can perform some rudimentary identification tasks, such as polling the microprocessor for manufacturer information, but these methods fall well short of the complete personal computer inventory that is necessary and prudent before a major network upgrade or in contemplation of fixing any possible year 2000 problems. As software and hardware become more complex, pushing the limits of a computer's capability, some programs or peripherals may distinguish between two computers that have the same make and model number, but were manufactured several months apart and, hence, have different BIOS versions. For example, a second version of a BIOS may be written to facilitate using a large hard drive of multiple gigabyte capacity. Because some components can distinguish between such subtle differences in PC's, the computers on a network must be individually identified at the BIOS level.
One particular prior art system is a graphical system descriptor method and system in U.S. Pat. 5,305,437 to Fritze et al. Fritze et al. disclose a method and system for a graphical hardware description and testing interface for use in conjunction with a data system. More specifically, the Fritze method contains a step where the data processing system is polled to determine the configuration—layout of slots, subslots, components, and subcomponents. The process begins with a call to the BIOS to determine modelisubmodel and the identity of the system. While Fritze et al. may scan the BIOS for basic computer information, Fritze et al. do not contemplate the intensive BIOS scanning of the present invention that is but one element in the larger automatic computer inventorying process disclosed here.
The Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) of a computer is the lowest layer of system software between the processor and the user. The BIOS is a collection of routines that control I/O devices and provide basic computer system services. In personal computers, the BIOS is usually resident in a Read Only Memory (ROM) within the computer to alleviate the need to load it from an external source every time the computer is booted.
The BIOS services are accessed through software interrupts that are generally called using assembly language. Many of the software interrupts are standard in the computer industry, which enables portability of programs that use these BIOS software interrupts. Also, many common programming languages, such as the ‘C’ language, contain preprogrammed functions that can be used to access the BIOS memory area.
One part of the BIOS contains a table of hexadecimal entries that describe the type of computer and BIOS revision date. The manufacturer uses these entries in tandem to uniquely identify a computer. These fields include the computer's model, submodel, BIOS revision number, features, reserved words, and a string representing the BIOS revision date. Taken as a whole, these entries can distinguish between not only different computer manufacturers and model numbers, but between two computers of the exact same manufacturer and model number that contain different versions of BIOS. Although a small change in hardware, a newer BIOS version may correct a problem that causes certain low level software or hardware (large capacity disk drive) to fail, and hence, only a computer containing the newer BIOS version can be used with that particular piece of software or hardware.
Because of the complexity of recent software innovations and the extent to which computers are pushed by the new software, such subtle changes in the BIOS must be identified before deciding on the proper choice of software to be used on a machine, especially in a networked environment. For years, some programs have scanned small areas of the BIOS to get some computer identification information, but there remains a need in the art to scan the complete BIOS identification area and develop an automated process for inventorying a computer to a greater extent.
Towards this end, there is a need in the art for a method to perform BIOS scanning and identification code comparison in an efficient, non-intrusive way that can be used by single users and large companies to inventory their computers and prepare for software upgrades and impending year 2000 issues.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a non-intrusive process for inventorying a personal computer's exact model type. More specifically, it is an object of the present invention to provide a process for completely inventorying a personal computer by a non-intrusive software application that can scan the computer's BIOS and generate an identification string that can be compared to a table of known identification strings to determine, down to the BIOS revision level, the exact type of personal computer that is being queried.
Towards that end, the exact model type of a personal computer can be established by scanning the BIOS of the computer and copying selected segments thereof. These scanned segments can then be concatenated to form a text string that identifies the computer. Finally, this identification string can be compared to a table of previously identified strings to establish the exact make and model type of a personal computer.
This method is fast, as the method is largely software dependent with no physical tearing apart of the inventoried PC, and this method is much less likely to cause any physical fault in the personal computer because no rough man
AT&T Corp.
Cady Albert De
Nguyen Nguyen Xuan
LandOfFree
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