IP Library Granted Patent US 10,055,160
Granted Patent B2
US 10,055,160 · App. 15/095,980 · Granted Aug 21, 2018

Systems and methods for BIOS emulation of PCIe device

Inventors: Austin P. Bolen (Austin, TX); Wei Liu (Austin, TX)
Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
G06F3/0632G06F3/061G06F3/0604G06F3/0629G06F3/0664G06F3/0689G06F13/4282G06F9/4406G06F9/4411G06F9/4413G06F9/4415G06F2213/0026
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,055,160
App. No.
15/095,980
Filed
Apr 11, 2016
Granted
Aug 21, 2018
Kind
B2
Art Unit
2135
USPC
711/114
Abstract

In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, an information handling system may include a processor and a basic input/output system comprising a program of instructions executable by the processor and configured to cause the processor to initialize one or more information handling resources of the information handling system. The basic input/output system may be further configured to, prior to boot of an operating system of the information handling system, initialize a virtual device controller emulating a hardware controller for controlling peripheral devices communicatively coupled to the processor, and cause the virtual device controller to interact with a driver executing on the operating system to control the peripheral devices.

Claims (25)

1. An information handling system comprising:

a processor; and

a basic input/output system comprising a program of instructions executable by the processor and configured to cause the processor to initialize one or more information handling resources of the information handling system, and further configured to:

prior to boot of an operating system of the information handling system, initialize a virtual device controller emulating a physical storage controller for controlling storage resources communicatively coupled to the processor;

cause the virtual device controller to interact with a driver executing on the operating system to control the storage resources; and

prevent the operating system from, in response to physical removal of the physical storage controller from the information handling system, unloading the driver.

2. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the storage resources comprise Non-Volatile Memory Express storage devices.

3. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the storage resources comprise Peripheral Component Interconnect devices and the virtual device controller is configured to emulate a Peripheral Component Interconnect controller.

4. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the driver comprises a software Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks driver.

5. A method comprising, by a basic input/output system comprising a program of instructions executable by a processor and configured to cause the processor to initialize one or more information handling resources of an information handling system:

prior to boot of an operating system of the information handling system, initializing a virtual device controller emulating a physical storage controller for controlling storage resources communicatively coupled to the processor;

causing the virtual device controller to interact with a driver executing on the operating system to control the storage resources; and

preventing the operating system from, in response to physical removal of the physical storage controller from the information handling system, unloading the driver.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the storage resources comprise Non-Volatile Memory Express storage devices.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the storage resources comprise Peripheral Component Interconnect devices and the virtual device controller emulates a Peripheral Component Interconnect controller.

8. The method of claim 5 , wherein the driver comprises a software Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks driver.

9. An article of manufacture comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable medium; and

computer-executable instructions carried on the computer-readable medium, the instructions readable by a processor, the instructions, when read and executed, for causing the processor to:

prior to boot of an operating system of an information handling system, initialize a virtual device controller emulating a physical storage controller for controlling storage resources communicatively coupled to the processor;

cause the virtual device controller to interact with a driver executing on the operating system to control the storage resources; and

prevent the operating system from, in response to physical removal of the physical storage controller from the information handling system, unloading the driver.

10. The article of claim 9 , wherein the storage resources comprise Non-Volatile Memory Express storage devices.

11. The article of claim 9 , wherein the storage resources comprise Peripheral Component Interconnect devices and the virtual device controller is configured to emulate a Peripheral Component Interconnect controller.

12. The article of claim 9 , wherein the driver comprises a software Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks driver.

Assignments (15)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (053546/0001) Recorded Jun 23, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL MARKETING L.P. (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.); DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL USA L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; DELL MARKETING CORPORATION (SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC. AND WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.); EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 071642/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (045455/0001) Recorded May 20, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL MARKETING CORPORATION (SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.); DELL MARKETING L.P. (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.); DELL USA L.P.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL MARKETING CORPORATION (SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC. AND WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.); EMC CORPORATION (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO MAGINATICS LLC); EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO MOZY, INC.); SCALEIO LLC
Reel/Frame 061753/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (040136/0001) Recorded Apr 26, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL MARKETING CORPORATION (SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.); DELL MARKETING L.P. (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.); DELL USA L.P.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL MARKETING CORPORATION (SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC. AND WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.); EMC CORPORATION (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO MAGINATICS LLC); EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO MOZY, INC.); SCALEIO LLC
Reel/Frame 061324/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 3, 2021
From: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
To: ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.; AVENTAIL LLC; CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL USA L.P.; DELL INTERNATIONAL, L.L.C.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; DELL SYSTEMS CORPORATION; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; MAGINATICS LLC; MOZY, INC.; SCALEIO LLC; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
Reel/Frame 058216/0001 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Apr 22, 2020
From: CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES INC.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL USA L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A.
Reel/Frame 053546/0001 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Mar 21, 2019
From: CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL USA L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A.
Reel/Frame 049452/0223 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Sep 21, 2016
From: ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.; AVENTAIL LLC; CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL USA L.P.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; DELL SYSTEMS CORPORATION; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; MAGINATICS LLC; MOZY, INC.; SCALEIO LLC; SPANNING CLOUD APPS LLC; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 040134/0001 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Sep 21, 2016
From: ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.; AVENTAIL LLC; CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL USA L.P.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; DELL SYSTEMS CORPORATION; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; MAGINATICS LLC; MOZY, INC.; SCALEIO LLC; SPANNING CLOUD APPS LLC; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 040136/0001 →
RELEASE OF REEL 038664 FRAME 0908 (NOTE) Recorded Sep 14, 2016
From: BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL SOFTWARE INC.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; SECUREWORKS, CORP.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
Reel/Frame 040027/0390 →
RELEASE OF REEL 038665 FRAME 0041 (TL) Recorded Sep 14, 2016
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL SOFTWARE INC.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; SECUREWORKS, CORP.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
Reel/Frame 040028/0375 →
RELEASE OF REEL 038665 FRAME 0001 (ABL) Recorded Sep 13, 2016
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: DELL SOFTWARE INC.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; SECUREWORKS, CORP.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
Reel/Frame 040021/0348 →
SUPPLEMENT TO PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (NOTES) Recorded May 11, 2016
From: DELL SOFTWARE INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY, L.L.C.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS FIRST LIEN COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 038664/0908 →
SUPPLEMENT TO PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (TERM LOAN) Recorded May 11, 2016
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY, L.L.C.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 038665/0041 →
SUPPLEMENT TO PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (ABL) Recorded May 11, 2016
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY, L.L.C.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 038665/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 11, 2016
From: BOLEN, AUSTIN P.; LIU, WEI
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.
Reel/Frame 038247/0820 →
Continuity (1)
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