Electrical computers and digital processing systems: support – Digital data processing system initialization or configuration
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-15
2001-07-03
Butler, Dennis M. (Department: 2182)
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: support
Digital data processing system initialization or configuration
C713S002000, C713S501000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06256731
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of computer systems and, in particular, to a method and apparatus for setting the operating parameters of a computer system.
2. Background Information
Computer system manufacturers have long relied on configuration selectors, e.g., jumper block assemblies, dip switches, and the like, to configure a number of operational parameters of a computer system. Examples of such operating parameters configured with a plurality of configuration selectors include the bus/core ratio, the processor clock speed, the speaker select (internal/external), the mode of operation (normal/update), password enable/disable, setup enable/disable and a number of extended system configuration parameters maintained in a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) memory device.
Those skilled in the art will recognize that the use of configuration selectors, while enabling a printed circuit board assembly to be configured to serve different needs, adds to the cost of the printed circuit board assembly in terms of component cost for the configuration selectors, and also by consuming valuable real-estate on the printed circuit board assembly. That is to say, many of the printed circuit board assemblies employed by such prior art computer systems are laden with costly and space consuming configuration selectors to set each of the foregoing operating parameters. Thus, it would be desirable to eliminate as many of the costly and space consuming configuration selectors as possible along with the human induced configuration errors of the configuration selectors, without reducing the functionality and configurability of the printed circuit board.
Thus a need exists for a method and apparatus for setting the operating parameters of a computer system, unencumbered by the limitations associated with the prior art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Briefly, in accordance with the teachings of the present invention, a method and apparatus for setting the operating parameters of a computer system is disclosed. In a first embodiment, an apparatus includes a configuration selector that is selectively configurable to denote one of a plurality of operating modes for the apparatus, including a configuration mode. The apparatus further includes a processor, a bus, a programmable multiplexer, and a storage medium having stored therein a basic input/output system (BIOS) equipped to operate in any one of the plurality of operating modes, including the configuration mode wherein the BIOS facilitates user programming of a plurality of operating parameters for the apparatus. The programmable multiplexer, responsive to the configuration selector, asserts a default bus/core ratio common to a plurality of processors and buses that can be employed to form the apparatus when the configuration selector is configured to denote the configuration mode of operation. The processor, communicatively coupled to the storage medium and the programmable multiplexer, operates to execute the BIOS, in a speed consistent with the asserted bus/core ratio. The bus, coupled to the programmable multiplexer, the processor and the storage medium, operates to provide instructions and data to the processor, including the BIOS, in a speed consistent with the asserted bus/core ratio.
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Babcock Sean R.
Christeson Orville H.
Hall Jerald N.
Kinion Mike
LeClerg Frank E.
Blakely , Sokoloff, Taylor & Zafman LLP
Butler Dennis M.
Intel Corporation
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