US5974567A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Ghost partition
Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP
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Filing: 1997-06-20
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Granted: 1999-10-26
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Expires: 2017-06-20
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus and a method for storing diagnostic software on a data storage device provides one or more ghost partitions overlapping a user partition on a data storage device. During a factory download of the application software as well as the diagnostics software, the apparatus creates a user partition and one or more overlapping ghost partitions. Next, it determines a minimum and maximum partition size for the ghost partition(s) and allocates the ghost partition size(s) appropriately. The apparatus then creates one or more master boot records (MBRs), one for each created partition. The ghost partition containing the diagnostics software is set as the active partition to allow the diagnostic software to be executed. Upon completion of the diagnostics process, the MBR for a second ghost partition is enabled so that upon reboot, download verification software located on a second ghost partition can be executed to ensure the correctness of the software downloading process. Next, the ghost partitions are disabled to reclaim storage space back to the user partition and the MBR for the user partition is set as the active partition so that upon reboot, only user partitions are visible. Further, in the event that the diagnostics software needs to be executed for quality control purposes, the MBR containing data on the ghost partition with the diagnostics software replaces the MBR for the user partition so that the ghost partition with diagnostics software can be resurrected after it has been previously disabled. No master boot records for any of the user or system partitions are modified at any time during the process. Additionally, the MBR and file allocation table (FAT) for the ghost partition may be cleared so test data cannot be accessed after the factory test processes. Since the ghost partitions overlap user partitions, after the ghost partitions have been disabled, data storage is automatically reclaimed by the user partitions when needed. The ghost partitions can properly function while overlapping the user partitions because while in the controlled environment of the factory, data will not be arbitrarily written to the user partition (otherwise both user and ghost partition data could become corrupt). Thus, the present invention avoids the need to set up a large system partition and avoids wasting disk space associated with manufacturing diagnostics.
Inventors
- 👤 Charles Hudgens Dickson, Jr.
- 👤 J. Scott Harsany
- 👤 Matthew W. Armold
- 👤 Anthony Ty Marler
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 13:27
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F11/00; G06F11/22; G06F11/2284; G06F11/26; G06F11/263; G06F11/2635; G06F9/00; G06F9/06; G06F9/44; G06F9/4401; G06F9/4406
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 33
Claim 1
Independent Claim
42 words
A method for storing software on a data storage device, comprising: creating a user partition; creating a ghost partition overlapping said user partition; transferring said software to said ghost partition; and disabling said ghost partition after said ghost partition is not needed.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
42 words
A method for storing software on a data storage device, comprising: creating a user partition; creating a ghost partition overlapping said user partition; transferring said software to said ghost partition; and disabling said ghost partition after said ghost partition is not needed.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said software is a diagnostics software.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said ghost partition creating step creates a plurality of ghost partitions.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 3, wherein one of said ghost partitions is adapted to contain diagnostics software and wherein another of said ghost partitions is adapted to contain download verification software.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of creating one or more master boot records (MBRs) on said data storage device.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 5, wherein said data storage device is used in one or more phases, further comprising the step of creating one MBR for each of said phases.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 5, further comprising an extended partition and a system partition, wherein said MBRs point to said user partition, said ghost partition, said system partition and said extended partition.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
49 words
The method of claim 5, wherein said data storage device is used in a first phase and a second phase with corresponding MBRs, further comprising the step of copying the MBR for said second phase over the MBR for said first phase after the completion of said first phase.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of determining a minimum and maximum partition size for said ghost partition.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
87 words
The method of claim 9, wherein said determining step further comprises: (a) determining a last sector containing data; (b) determining a minimum and maximum partition size for said ghost partition; (c) allocating said maximum partition size; (d) if said allocating step failed, subtracting a predetermined amount from said maximum partition size; (e) repeating step (c) until said allocating step succeeds or until said subtracted maximum partition size equals said minimum partition size; and indicating an error if said minimum partition size exceeds said subtracted maximum partition size.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
79 words
A program storage device having a computer readable code embodied therein for storing software on a data storage device, said program storage device comprising: code for creating a user partition; and code for creating a ghost partition overlapping said user partition, said ghost partition adapted to receive said software, said ghost partition further adapted to be disabled after said ghost partition is no longer needed to release data storage space occupied by said ghost partition to said user partition.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
79 words
A program storage device having a computer readable code embodied therein for storing software on a data storage device, said program storage device comprising: code for creating a user partition; and code for creating a ghost partition overlapping said user partition, said ghost partition adapted to receive said software, said ghost partition further adapted to be disabled after said ghost partition is no longer needed to release data storage space occupied by said ghost partition to said user partition.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
14 words
The program storage device of claim 11, wherein said software is a diagnostics software.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
17 words
The program storage device of claim 11, further comprising code for creating a plurality of ghost partitions.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
33 words
The program storage device of claim 13, wherein one of said ghost partitions is adapted to contain diagnostics software and wherein another of said ghost partitions is adapted to contain download verification software.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
24 words
The program storage device of claim 11, further comprising code for creating one or more master boot records (MBRs) on said data storage device.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
32 words
The program storage device of claim 15, wherein said data storage device is used in one or more phases, further comprising a code for creating one MBR for each of said phases.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
34 words
The program storage device of claim 15, further comprising an extended partition and a system partition, wherein said MBRs point to said user partition, said ghost partition, said system partition and said extended partition.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
51 words
The program storage device of claim 15, wherein said data storage device is used in a first phase and a second phase with corresponding MBRs, further comprising a code for copying the MBR for said second phase over the MBR for said first phase after the completion of said first phase.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
22 words
The program storage device of claim 11, wherein said ghost partition occupies a space between a minimum and a maximum partition size.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
44 words
The program storage device of claim 19, wherein said maximum partition size is determined by iteratively subtracting a predetermined amount from said maximum partition size until said maximum partition size is allocable or until said minimum partition size exceeds said subtracted maximum partition size.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
92 words
A computer system for downloading software to a disk drive, comprising: a processor; and a data storage device coupled to said processor, said data storage device having a computer readable code embodied therein for transferring software onto said disk drive, including: a code for creating a user partition on said disk drive; a code for creating a ghost partition overlapping said user partition on said disk drive; a code for transferring said software to said ghost partition; and a code for disabling said ghost partition after said ghost partition is not needed.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
92 words
A computer system for downloading software to a disk drive, comprising: a processor; and a data storage device coupled to said processor, said data storage device having a computer readable code embodied therein for transferring software onto said disk drive, including: a code for creating a user partition on said disk drive; a code for creating a ghost partition overlapping said user partition on said disk drive; a code for transferring said software to said ghost partition; and a code for disabling said ghost partition after said ghost partition is not needed.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
13 words
The computer system of claim 21 wherein said software is a diagnostics code.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
22 words
The computer system of claim 21, wherein said ghost partition creating code creates a plurality of ghost partitions on said disk drive.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
40 words
The computer system of claim 23, wherein one of said ghost partitions on said disk drive is adapted to contain diagnostics software and wherein another of said ghost partitions on said disk drive is adapted to contain download verification software.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
23 words
The computer system of claim 21, further comprising a code for creating one or more master boot records (MBRs) on said disk drive.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
31 words
The computer system of claim 25, wherein said data storage device is used in one or more phases, further comprising a code for creating one MBR for each of said phases.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
37 words
The computer system of claim 25, further comprising an extended partition and a system partition on said disk drive, wherein said MBRs point to said user partition, said ghost partition, said system partition and said extended partition.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
50 words
The computer system of claim 25, wherein said data storage device is used in a first phase and a second phase with corresponding MBRs, further comprising a code for copying the MBR for said second phase over the MBR for said first phase after the completion of said first phase.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
22 words
The computer system of claim 21, further comprising a code for determining a minimum and maximum partition size for said ghost partition.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
106 words
The computer system of claim 29, wherein said determining code further comprises: (a) a code for determining a last sector containing data; (b) a code for determining a minimum and maximum partition size for said ghost partition; (c) a code for allocating said maximum partition size; (d) a code for subtracting a predetermined amount from said maximum partition size if said allocating step failed; (e) a code for repeating code (c) until said allocating code succeeds or until said subtracted maximum partition size equals said minimum partition size; and a code for indicating an error if said minimum partition size exceeds said subtracted maximum partition size.
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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) | 2002-10-25 | 2003-04-26 | 2003-10-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-10-25 | 2007-04-26 | 2007-10-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-10-25 | 2011-04-26 | 2011-10-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |