Storing dynamically loaded device drivers on a mass storage devi

Details Storing dynamically loaded device drivers on a mass storage devi Storing dynamically loaded device drivers on a mass storage devi

1993-02-19

2000-06-27

Meky, Moustafa M.

Electrical computers and digital data processing systems: input/

Input/output data processing

Peripheral monitoring

G06F 1502

Patent

active

060818506

ABSTRACT:
Device drivers for removable system resources are stored on a mass storage device to provide dynamic device driver configuration for a computer system. By storing device drivers on a mass storage device, the device drivers need not be stored on their associated feature card and they can be easily updated as changes are required. The computer system comprises a processor, a system memory, a mass storage memory and an interface for receiving removable system resources (generally denoted feature cards or cards). Each feature card has a card information structure (CIS) area. The CIS includes one or more card identification fields that each hold a card identifier. The card identifier is the same for every feature card of a particular type, but it is unique for each different type of feature card. The mass storage device of the computer system has a lookup table which uses the card unique identifiers to map each type of feature card that will be used by the system to an associated device driver for controlling the feature card. Each device driver is stored on the mass storage device. The device driver for a particular feature card is copied into computer system memory upon insertion of the feature card into the computer system. The device driver may then be activated by the processor.

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