Patent US5901310A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5901310A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Storing firmware in compressed form
Assignee: ATI Technologies ULC
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Filing: 1997-09-11
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Granted: 1999-05-04
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Expires: 2017-09-11
Abstract
Abstract Initializing and configuring computer hardware with firmware stored in compressed form in nonvolatile semiconductor memory. Upon startup of the computer hardware, decompression software decompress the firmware, which is then stored in another memory. The computer hardware may be an adapter board (e.g., a graphics board connected to PCI bus), the nonvolatile semiconductor memory may be physically located on the adapter board, and the firmware may be firmware for initializing and configuring the adapter board. The decompression software may be stored in the same nonvolatile semiconductor memory as the firmware, and may be written in a machine-independent language (e.g., a Forth-based language). The compression technique used may include both run-length encoding and pattern compression, and may operate at the bit level.
Inventors
- 👤 Arshad Rahman
- 👤 Vladimir Velenta
- 👤 Anthony Scarpino
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 15:06
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F9/00; G06F9/06; G06F9/44; G06F9/4401; H; H03; H03M; H03M7/00; H03M7/30; H03M7/46
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 36
Claim 1
Independent Claim
68 words
A method for initializing and configuring computer hardware with firmware read from nonvolatile semiconductor memory, the method comprising storing compressed runtime device driver firmware in compressed form in nonvolatile semiconductor memory different from nonvolatile BIOS memory; upon startup of the computer hardware, executing decompression software to decompress the firmware stored in the nonvolatile semiconductor memory; storing the decompressed firmware in a memory other than the nonvolatile semiconductor memory.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
68 words
A method for initializing and configuring computer hardware with firmware read from nonvolatile semiconductor memory, the method comprising storing compressed runtime device driver firmware in compressed form in nonvolatile semiconductor memory different from nonvolatile BIOS memory; upon startup of the computer hardware, executing decompression software to decompress the firmware stored in the nonvolatile semiconductor memory; storing the decompressed firmware in a memory other than the nonvolatile semiconductor memory.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the nonvolatile semiconductor memory comprises a memory selected from the group consisting of a ROM, PROM, or EPROM.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the computer hardware comprises an adapter board, the nonvolatile semiconductor memory is physically located on the adapter board, and the compressed runtime device driver firmware comprises firmware for initializing and configuring the adapter board.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 3 wherein the adapter board comprises a graphics board, and the compressed runtime device driver firmware comprises a runtime device driver for the graphics board.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 3 wherein the adapter board is connected to a personal computer via a PCI bus.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the decompression software is stored in the same nonvolatile semiconductor memory as the firmware.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 6 wherein the decompression software is written in a machine-independent language.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 7 wherein the machine-independent language is Forth-based.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the firmware has been compressed using a compression method that comprises run-length encoding.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
48 words
The method of claim 9 wherein the compression method further comprises pattern compression; and wherein run-length encoding is employed if a character is repeated more than a predetermined number of times; and pattern compression is used if run-length encoding is not used and a repeated pattern is recognized.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 10 wherein a character is stored without compression if neither run-length encoding nor pattern compression is used.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the compression method is a bit-level method.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
81 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the nonvolatile semiconductor memory comprises a memory selected from the group consisting of a ROM, PROM, or EPROM; the computer hardware comprises an adapter board, the nonvolatile semiconductor memory is physically located on the adapter board, and the compressed runtime device driver firmware comprises firmware for initializing and configuring the adapter board; the adapter board comprises a graphics board, and the compressed runtime device driver firmware comprises a runtime device driver for the graphics board.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 13 wherein the decompression software is stored in the same nonvolatile semiconductor memory as the firmware.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 14 wherein the decompression software is written in a machine-independent language.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 15 wherein the firmware has been compressed using a bit-level compression method that comprises run-length encoding.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
47 words
The method of claim 16 wherein the compression method further comprises pattern compression; and wherein run-length encoding is employed if a character is repeated more than a predetermined number of times; pattern compression is used if run-length encoding is not used and a repeated pattern is recognized.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
80 words
A computer system comprising firmware for initializing and configuring computer hardware, wherein the firmware is read from nonvolatile semiconductor memory, the system comprising means for storing compressed runtime device driver firmware in compressed form in the nonvolatile semiconductor memory different from nonvolatile BIOS memory; means for, upon startup of the computer hardware, executing decompression software to decompress the firmware stored in the nonvolatile semiconductor memory; means for storing the decompressed firmware in a memory other than the nonvolatile semiconductor memory.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
80 words
A computer system comprising firmware for initializing and configuring computer hardware, wherein the firmware is read from nonvolatile semiconductor memory, the system comprising means for storing compressed runtime device driver firmware in compressed form in the nonvolatile semiconductor memory different from nonvolatile BIOS memory; means for, upon startup of the computer hardware, executing decompression software to decompress the firmware stored in the nonvolatile semiconductor memory; means for storing the decompressed firmware in a memory other than the nonvolatile semiconductor memory.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
25 words
The computer system of claim 18 wherein the nonvolatile semiconductor memory comprises a memory selected from the group consisting of a ROM, PROM, or EPROM.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
41 words
The computer system of claim 18 wherein the computer hardware comprises an adapter board, the nonvolatile semiconductor memory is physically located on the adapter board, and the compressed runtime device driver firmware comprises firmware for initializing and configuring the adapter board.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
30 words
The computer system of claim 20 wherein the adapter board comprises a graphics board, and the compressed runtime device driver firmware comprises a runtime device driver for the graphics board.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
20 words
The computer system of claim 20 wherein the adapter board is connected to a personal computer via a PCI bus.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
21 words
The computer system of claim 18 wherein the decompression software is stored in the same nonvolatile semiconductor memory as the firmware.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
16 words
The computer system of claim 23 wherein the decompression software is written in a machine-independent language.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
12 words
The computer system of claim 24 wherein the machine-independent language is Forth-based.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
20 words
The computer system of claim 18 wherein the firmware has been compressed using a compression method that comprises run-length encoding.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
49 words
The computer system of claim 26 wherein the compression method further comprises pattern compression; and wherein run-length encoding is employed if a character is repeated more than a predetermined number of times; and pattern compression is used if run-length encoding is not used and a repeated pattern is recognized.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
22 words
The computer system of claim 27 wherein a character is stored without compression if neither run-length encoding nor pattern compression is used.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
14 words
The computer system of claim 18 wherein the compression method is a bit-level method.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
82 words
The computer system of claim 18 wherein the nonvolatile semiconductor memory comprises a memory selected from the group consisting of a ROM, PROM, or EPROM; the computer hardware comprises an adapter board, the nonvolatile semiconductor memory is physically located on the adapter board, and the compressed runtime device driver firmware comprises firmware for initializing and configuring the adapter board; the adapter board comprises a graphics board, and the compressed runtime device driver firmware comprises a runtime device driver for the graphics board.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
21 words
The computer system of claim 30 wherein the decompression software is stored in the same nonvolatile semiconductor memory as the firmware.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
16 words
The computer system of claim 31 wherein the decompression software is written in a machine-independent language.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
21 words
The computer system of claim 32 wherein the firmware has been compressed using a bit-level compression method that comprises run-length encoding.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
48 words
The computer system of claim 33 wherein the compression method further comprises pattern compression; and wherein run-length encoding is employed if a character is repeated more than a predetermined number of times; pattern compression is used if run-length encoding is not used and a repeated pattern is recognized.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US5671413A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2002-05-03 | 2002-11-02 | 2003-05-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-05-03 | 2006-11-02 | 2007-05-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-05-03 | 2010-11-02 | 2011-05-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |