US5889990A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Information appliance software architecture with replaceable service module providing abstraction function between system library and platform specific OS
Assignee: Diba Inc
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Filing: 1996-11-05
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Granted: 1999-03-30
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Expires: 2016-11-05
Abstract
Abstract An architecture for an information appliance adapted for a specific application supports a variety of appliance personalities, relying on a single core technology. The information appliance comprises an application-optimized hardware platform, including a processor, a display coupled to the processor, an input/output device coupled to an information source and to the processor, a user input device, and working memory coupled to the processor. Non-volatile memory is coupled to the processor and stores appliance operating software and application software. The appliance operating software includes logic executed by the processor, which manages information flow from the information source through the working memory to the display, and the application software includes logic executed by the processor and responsive to the user input to manage selection of information from the information source. The appliance operating software includes an operating system kernel that is adapted for the processor, and a system library that includes logic providing an interface to the application software. An operating system service layer provides an abstraction function between the system library and the appliance operating system kernel and hardware, so that the logic in the system library and above, such as in the application itself, is executable with a development platform operating system which is completely different from the operating system of the appliance.
Inventors
- 👤 Patrick J. Coleman
- 👤 Thomas E. Whittaker
- 👤 David C. W. Yip
- 👤 Mark A. Moore
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 19:31
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F8/00; G06F8/20; G06F9/00; G06F9/06; G06F9/44; G06F9/455; G06F9/45533; G06F9/45537
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 38
Claim 1
Independent Claim
191 words
An information appliance, comprising: a processor; a display, coupled to the processor; an input/output device coupled to an information source and to the processor; a user input device coupled to the processor; working memory coupled to the processor; and memory coupled to the processor, storing an executable version of appliance operating software and application software, the appliance operating software including logic executed by the processor which manages information flow from the information source through the working memory to the display, and application software including logic executed by the processor and responsive to user input which manages selection of information from said information source, wherein the appliance operating software includes an appliance operating system adapted for the appliance processor, a system library including logic providing a development interface to the application software, and an appliance service module providing an abstraction function between the system library and the appliance operating system, the appliance service module being replaceable with a development platform service module providing the abstraction function between the system library and an operating system in a development platform allowing portability of the application software between the development platform and the information appliance.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
191 words
An information appliance, comprising: a processor; a display, coupled to the processor; an input/output device coupled to an information source and to the processor; a user input device coupled to the processor; working memory coupled to the processor; and memory coupled to the processor, storing an executable version of appliance operating software and application software, the appliance operating software including logic executed by the processor which manages information flow from the information source through the working memory to the display, and application software including logic executed by the processor and responsive to user input which manages selection of information from said information source, wherein the appliance operating software includes an appliance operating system adapted for the appliance processor, a system library including logic providing a development interface to the application software, and an appliance service module providing an abstraction function between the system library and the appliance operating system, the appliance service module being replaceable with a development platform service module providing the abstraction function between the system library and an operating system in a development platform allowing portability of the application software between the development platform and the information appliance.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
32 words
The information appliance of claim 1, wherein the information source comprises Internet accessible information, and wherein the appliance operating software includes Internet access logic, and the application software includes an Internet browser.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
15 words
The information appliance of claim 1, wherein the information source comprises a mass storage device.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
The information appliance of claim 1, wherein the information source comprises Internet accessible electronic mail, and wherein the application software includes electronic mail logic.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
The information appliance of claim 1, wherein the display comprises one of an NTSC monitor and a PAL monitor, and the appliance operating software includes graphics logic for the monitor.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
The information appliance of claim 1, wherein the display comprises a bit mapped graphics monitor, and the appliance operating software includes graphics logic for the monitor.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
22 words
The information appliance of claim 1, wherein the appliance operating software includes memory management logic for managing allocation of the working memory.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
The information appliance of claim 7, wherein the memory management logic includes information caching logic for information retrieved from the information source.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
18 words
The information appliance of claim 1, wherein the working memory includes less than 5 megabytes of memory space.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
18 words
The information appliance of claim 1, wherein the working memory includes less than 2 Megabytes of memory space.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
55 words
The information appliance of claim 1, wherein the information source comprises Internet accessible information, and wherein the appliance operating software includes Internet access logic and memory management logic which manages allocation of memory for the information retrieved from the Internet, of memory used for the application software, and memory used for the appliance operating software.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
21 words
The information appliance of claim 11, wherein the memory management logic includes information caching logic for information retrieved from the Internet.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
224 words
An information appliance, the information appliance having an appliance hardware architecture including at least one peripheral by which information from an information source is provided to the information appliance, a display, a processor, and memory, and having an appliance operating system, comprising: an application program including logic responsive to user input which manages retrieval of information from said information source, and display of the retrieved information; a system library module, including an application interface, memory management resources, process control resources, and input/output device call resources, the application interface to the application program for memory management, process control calls, and input/output calls, the memory management resources, accessible by the application program through the application interface, providing management of allocation of memory for the information retrieved from the information source, of memory used for the application program, and memory used for system programs, the process control resources, accessible by the application program through the application interface, to provide for control of processes used by the application program, the input/output device call resources, accessible by the application program through the application interface, to provide for communication with peripheral devices in the hardware appliance architecture, and an appliance operating system service module, coupled with the system library module, which provides an abstraction function between the system library module and the appliance operating system on the appliance hardware architecture.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
224 words
An information appliance, the information appliance having an appliance hardware architecture including at least one peripheral by which information from an information source is provided to the information appliance, a display, a processor, and memory, and having an appliance operating system, comprising: an application program including logic responsive to user input which manages retrieval of information from said information source, and display of the retrieved information; a system library module, including an application interface, memory management resources, process control resources, and input/output device call resources, the application interface to the application program for memory management, process control calls, and input/output calls, the memory management resources, accessible by the application program through the application interface, providing management of allocation of memory for the information retrieved from the information source, of memory used for the application program, and memory used for system programs, the process control resources, accessible by the application program through the application interface, to provide for control of processes used by the application program, the input/output device call resources, accessible by the application program through the application interface, to provide for communication with peripheral devices in the hardware appliance architecture, and an appliance operating system service module, coupled with the system library module, which provides an abstraction function between the system library module and the appliance operating system on the appliance hardware architecture.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
31 words
The information appliance of claim 13, including: a device driver library, coupled with the system library module, providing a device independent interface to logic in the application program making input/output calls.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
24 words
The information appliance of claim 13, wherein the information source comprises Internet accessible information, and wherein the system library module includes Internet access logic.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
15 words
The information appliance of claim 13, wherein the information source comprises a mass storage device.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
25 words
The information appliance of claim 13, wherein the information source comprises Internet accessible electronic mail, and wherein the system library module includes electronic mail logic.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
30 words
The information appliance of claim 13, wherein the display comprises one of an NTSC monitor and a PAL monitor, and the system library module includes graphics logic for the monitor.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
26 words
The information appliance of claim 13, wherein the display comprises a bit mapped graphics monitor, and the system library module includes graphics logic for the monitor.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
22 words
The information appliance of claim 13, wherein the memory management resources include information caching logic for information retrieved from the information source.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
31 words
The information appliance of claim 13, wherein the information source comprises Internet accessible information, and wherein the system library module includes Internet access logic in communication with the memory management resources.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
21 words
The information appliance of claim 21, wherein the memory management resources include information caching logic for information retrieved from the Internet.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
252 words
An information appliance, the information appliance having an appliance hardware architecture including at least one peripheral by which information from an information source is provided to the information appliance, a display, a processor, and memory, and having an appliance operating system, comprising: an application program including logic responsive to user input which manages retrieval of information from said information source, and display of the retrieved information; a system library module, including an application interface, memory management resources, process control resources, and input/output call resources, the application interface to the application program for memory management, process control calls, and input/output calls, the memory management resources, accessible by the application program through the application interface, providing management of the memory in the hardware appliance, independent of the appliance operating system and of the application program, and including information caching logic for information retrieved from the information source, the process control resources, accessible by the application program through the application interface, to provide for control of processes used by the application program, and the input/output call resources, accessible by the application program through the application interface, to provide for communication with peripheral devices in the hardware appliance architecture; a device driver library, coupled with the system library module, providing a device independent interface to logic in the application program making input/output calls; and an appliance operating system service module, coupled with the system library module, which provides an abstraction function between the system library module and the appliance operating system on the appliance hardware architecture.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
252 words
An information appliance, the information appliance having an appliance hardware architecture including at least one peripheral by which information from an information source is provided to the information appliance, a display, a processor, and memory, and having an appliance operating system, comprising: an application program including logic responsive to user input which manages retrieval of information from said information source, and display of the retrieved information; a system library module, including an application interface, memory management resources, process control resources, and input/output call resources, the application interface to the application program for memory management, process control calls, and input/output calls, the memory management resources, accessible by the application program through the application interface, providing management of the memory in the hardware appliance, independent of the appliance operating system and of the application program, and including information caching logic for information retrieved from the information source, the process control resources, accessible by the application program through the application interface, to provide for control of processes used by the application program, and the input/output call resources, accessible by the application program through the application interface, to provide for communication with peripheral devices in the hardware appliance architecture; a device driver library, coupled with the system library module, providing a device independent interface to logic in the application program making input/output calls; and an appliance operating system service module, coupled with the system library module, which provides an abstraction function between the system library module and the appliance operating system on the appliance hardware architecture.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
24 words
The information appliance of claim 23, wherein the information source comprises Internet accessible information, and wherein the system library module includes Internet access logic.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
15 words
The information appliance of claim 23, wherein the information source comprises a mass storage device.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
25 words
The information appliance of claim 23, wherein the information source comprises Internet accessible electronic mail, and wherein the system library module includes electronic mail logic.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
30 words
The information appliance of claim 23, wherein the display comprises one of an NTSC monitor and a PAL monitor, and the system library module includes graphics logic for the monitor.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
26 words
The information appliance of claim 23, wherein the display comprises a bit mapped graphics monitor, and the system library module includes graphics logic for the monitor.
Claim 32
Independent Claim
259 words
A method for development of an application program for an information appliance which manages retrieval of information from an information source, and display of the retrieved information on the information appliance, the information appliance having an appliance hardware architecture including at least one input/output device by which information from an information source is provided to the information appliance, a display, a processor, and memory, and having an appliance operating system adapted for the appliance hardware architecture, comprising: providing on a development workstation, a system library module, including an application interface, process control resources, and input/output call resources, the application interface to the application program for process control calls, and input/output calls, the process control resources, accessible through the application interface, to provide for control of processes used by the application program, and the input/output call resources, accessible through the application interface, to provide for communication with peripheral devices in the hardware appliance architecture; providing an operating system service module on the development workstation, coupled with the system library module, which provides an abstraction function between the system library module and the development workstation; developing the application program on the development workstation using the system library module; replacing the operating system service module on the development workstation with an appliance operating system service module, which provides the abstraction function between the system library module and the appliance operating system on the appliance hardware architecture; and producing an executable version of the application program for the appliance operating system on the appliance hardware architecture using the appliance operating system service module.
Claim 33
Independent Claim
259 words
A method for development of an application program for an information appliance which manages retrieval of information from an information source, and display of the retrieved information on the information appliance, the information appliance having an appliance hardware architecture including at least one input/output device by which information from an information source is provided to the information appliance, a display, a processor, and memory, and having an appliance operating system adapted for the appliance hardware architecture, comprising: providing on a development workstation, a system library module, including an application interface, process control resources, and input/output call resources, the application interface to the application program for process control calls, and input/output calls, the process control resources, accessible through the application interface, to provide for control of processes used by the application program, and the input/output call resources, accessible through the application interface, to provide for communication with peripheral devices in the hardware appliance architecture; providing an operating system service module on the development workstation, coupled with the system library module, which provides an abstraction function between the system library module and the development workstation; developing the application program on the development workstation using the system library module; replacing the operating system service module on the development workstation with an appliance operating system service module, which provides the abstraction function between the system library module and the appliance operating system on the appliance hardware architecture; and producing an executable version of the application program for the appliance operating system on the appliance hardware architecture using the appliance operating system service module.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method of claim 29, wherein the system library module includes memory management resources, accessible by the application program through the application interface, providing management of the memory in the hardware appliance, and including information caching logic for information retrieved from the information source.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 29, including: providing a device driver library on the development workstation, coupled with the system library module, providing a device independent interface to logic in the application program making input/output calls.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 29, wherein the process control calls include thread functions and error handling functions.
Claim 37
Independent Claim
333 words
A method for development of an application program for an information appliance which manages retrieval of information from an information source, and display of the retrieved information on the information appliance, the information appliance having an appliance hardware architecture including at least one input/output device by which information from an information source is provided to the information appliance, a display, a processor, and memory, and having an appliance operating system adapted for the appliance hardware architecture, comprising: providing on a development workstation, a system library module, including an application interface, process control resources, and input/output call resources, the application interface to the application program for process control calls, and input/output calls, the process control resources, accessible through the application interface, to provide for control of processes used by the application program including thread functions and error handling functions, memory management resources, accessible by the application program through the application interface, providing management of the memory in the hardware appliance, and including information caching logic for information retrieved from the information source, and the input/output call resources, accessible through the application interface, to provide for communication with peripheral devices in the hardware appliance architecture; providing an operating system service module on the development workstation, coupled with the system library module, which provides an abstraction function between the system library module and the development workstation; providing a device driver library on the development workstation, coupled with the system library module, providing a device independent interface to logic in the application program making input/output calls; developing the application program on the development workstation using the system library module and the device driver library; replacing the operating system service module on the development workstation with an appliance operating system service module, which provides the abstraction function between the system library module and the appliance operating system on the appliance hardware architecture; and producing an executable version of the application program for the appliance operating system on the appliance hardware architecture using the appliance operating system service module.
Claim 38
Independent Claim
333 words
A method for development of an application program for an information appliance which manages retrieval of information from an information source, and display of the retrieved information on the information appliance, the information appliance having an appliance hardware architecture including at least one input/output device by which information from an information source is provided to the information appliance, a display, a processor, and memory, and having an appliance operating system adapted for the appliance hardware architecture, comprising: providing on a development workstation, a system library module, including an application interface, process control resources, and input/output call resources, the application interface to the application program for process control calls, and input/output calls, the process control resources, accessible through the application interface, to provide for control of processes used by the application program including thread functions and error handling functions, memory management resources, accessible by the application program through the application interface, providing management of the memory in the hardware appliance, and including information caching logic for information retrieved from the information source, and the input/output call resources, accessible through the application interface, to provide for communication with peripheral devices in the hardware appliance architecture; providing an operating system service module on the development workstation, coupled with the system library module, which provides an abstraction function between the system library module and the development workstation; providing a device driver library on the development workstation, coupled with the system library module, providing a device independent interface to logic in the application program making input/output calls; developing the application program on the development workstation using the system library module and the device driver library; replacing the operating system service module on the development workstation with an appliance operating system service module, which provides the abstraction function between the system library module and the appliance operating system on the appliance hardware architecture; and producing an executable version of the application program for the appliance operating system on the appliance hardware architecture using the appliance operating system service module.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2002-03-29 | 2002-09-28 | 2003-03-30 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-03-29 | 2006-09-28 | 2007-03-30 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-03-29 | 2010-09-28 | 2011-03-30 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |