Method and system of executing a software application in highly constrained memory situation
View Patent ↗A method and system for executing a software application having a binary size that is larger than an available memory space in an embedded system from which the software application will execute. The software application is split into one or more initialization sequences and a main code sequence. The method includes loading ( 302 ) each initialization sequence of the one or more initialization sequences in the memory space prior to its execution, and executing ( 304 ) each initialization sequence of the one or more initialization sequences out of the memory space. Further, the method includes loading ( 306 ) the main code sequence in the memory space after the execution of the one or more initialization codes and then executing ( 308 ) the main code sequence out of the memory space.
1. In an embedded system, a method of executing a software application having a binary size that is larger than a memory space out of which the software application will execute, wherein the software application is split into two or more code sections, and wherein the two or more code sections comprise one or more initialization sequences and a main code sequence, the method comprising:
loading each initialization sequence of the one or more initialization sequences in the memory space;
sequencing the one or more initialization sequences in a pre-defined order prior to loading each initialization sequence of the one or more initialization sequences;
executing each initialization sequence of the one or more initialization sequences out of the memory space;
loading the main code sequence in the memory space after the execution of the one or more initialization sequences;
executing the main code sequence out of the memory space, wherein the steps of loading each initialization sequence of the one or more initialization sequences, loading the main code sequence and sequencing the one or more initialization sequences are performed by a bootloader;
saving the context of the bootloader before the execution of each initialization sequence of the one or more initialization sequences, wherein the bootloader loads the one or more initialization sequences before executing the one or more initialization sequences and loads the main code sequence before executing the main code sequence; and
restoring the context of the bootloader after execution of each initialization sequence of the one or more initialization sequences.
2. The method of executing the software application of claim 1 , wherein the context of the bootloader includes a software state of the bootloader, and the software state includes information about the location of each initialization sequence in the memory space and information about the state of processes and registers used in loading each initialization sequence.
3. A bootloader stored on a tangible computer readable medium, the bootloader for executing a software application having a binary size that is larger than a memory space of the system out of which the software application will execute, wherein the software application is split into two or more code sections, and wherein the two or more code sections comprise one or more initialization sequences and a main code sequence, the bootloader comprising:
a loading module that loads the one or more initialization sequences and the main code sequence in a pre-defined order;
a saving module that saves the context of the bootloader before the execution of each initialization sequence of the one or more initialization sequences;
an executing module that executes the one or more initialization sequences and the main code sequence in the pre-defined order; and
a restoring module that restores the context of the bootloader after the execution of the initialization sequence.
4. The bootloader for executing the software application of claim 3 , wherein the memory space is a random access memory (RAM).
5. A computer program product stored on a tangible computer readable medium, the product for executing a software application having a binary size that is larger than a memory space out of which the software application will execute in an embedded system, wherein the software application is split into two or more code sections, and wherein the two or more code sections comprise one or more initialization sequences and a main code sequence, the computer program product comprising:
a first set of program instructions for loading each initialization sequence of the one or more initialization sequences in the memory space;
a second set of program instructions for executing each initialization sequence of the one or more initialization sequences out of the memory space;
a third set of program instructions for loading the main code sequence in the memory space after the execution of the one or more initialization codes;
a fourth set of program instructions for executing the main code sequence out of the memory space;
a fifth set of program instructions for sequencing the one or more initialization sequences in a pre-defined order prior to loading each initialization sequence of the one or more initialization sequences;
a sixth set of program instructions for saving the context of a bootloader before the execution of each initialization sequence of the one or more initialization sequences, wherein the bootloader is a software program that loads the one or more initialization sequences before executing the one or more initialization sequences and loads the main code sequence before executing the main code sequence; and
a seventh set of program instructions for restoring the context of the bootloader after execution of each initialization sequence of the one or more initialization sequences.