Hewlett-packard Development Company, L.p.

Brooks, Robert C

Durham, Michael R

Piwonka, Mark a

Ziarnik, Gregory P

Gregory P Ziarnik

Michael R Durham

Mark A Piwonka

Mark D Tupa

Stephen J Higham

Robert C Brooks

Binh T Truong

Nam H Nguyen

Louis B Hobson

Gregory M Agami

Paul J Broyles

Larry W Kunkel

Luke Mulcahy

Yun H Kim

William R Jacobs

Jeffrey P Kenline

Jose Sancho-Dominguez

B Dalvis Desselle

Andrew Mikuszewski

Stephane Torres

Jeffrey Kenline

Pierre Muratory

Christophe Durand

Examples disclose a method, system, and computer readable media to configure a device within a computing system. The examples process configuration data when standby power is applied to the device. Additionally, the examples configure the device based on the configuration data, wherein the device is configured prior to initialization of the computing system.

Device configuration prior to initialization of a system

A system is disclosed that includes memory resources and one or more processing components coupled to the one or more memory resources. At least one of the memory resources stores a basic input/output system (BIOS). The one or more processing components are coupled to the memory resources to run a program for operating a point-of-sale (POS) terminal. The program enables a user to provide an input to open a cash drawer. A controller circuit receives a signal from the BIOS when the user provides the input and generates a pulse signal having a predetermined duration to cause a voltage signal to be transmitted to a solenoid of the cash drawer. The voltage signal causes the solenoid to change states in order to open the cash drawer.

Providing a BIOS pulse signal for opening a cash drawer

In one example in accordance with the present disclosure, a computing device is provided. The computing device includes an interface module and a power management module. The interface module is to provide a user interface that facilitates enabling and disabling of an always on feature, and further facilitates configuration of a permissible advanced configuration and power interface (ACPI) S3 state period. The power management module to receive a request to enter an ACPI S3 state, determine whether the always on feature is enabled, and in response to determining that the always on feature is enabled, determine whether the computing device is within a user-defined permissible ACPI S3 state period. In response to determining that the computing device is within the user-defined permissible ACPI S3 state period, the power management module is to set a wake event and cause the computing device to enter the ACPI S3 state.

Method for determining whether to enter a S3 state based on user-defined permissible S3 period during an always on mode

Example embodiments disclosed herein relate to locking a system management interrupt (SMI) enable register of a chipset. Example embodiments include at least one contact configuration register to configure a contact of a chipset, and a contact SMI enable register of a chipset to store an enable value or a disable value. In example embodiments, the disable value stored in the contact SMI enable register is to prevent the chipset from providing an SMI request to a processor in response to an SMI signal received at the contact. Example embodiments further include locking the contact SMI enable register.

Locking a system management interrupt (SMI) enable register of a chipset

Embodiments herein relate to disablement of a connection between a battery and a connection module. In an embodiment, a connection between the battery and a connection module may be disabled if the connection module is drawing current from the battery or if a monitored signal transitions from a high logic level to the low logic level. The connection module is to draw the current or pull the signal down to a low logic level in response to one or more components related to the device becoming exposed or an enclosure related to the device being breached or opened.

Disablement of connection between connection module and battery

A method for configuring a memory controller including determining whether a serial number of at least one memory module matches a stored serial number corresponding to at least one of the memory module and utilizing a stored timing data to configure the memory controller when the serial number matches the stored serial number corresponding to at least one of the memory module.

Utilization of stored timing data to configure a memory controller

A device including an interface component configured to couple the device to a computing machine, a storage component configured to store a device driver for the device, and a driver application executed from the storage component and configured to identify the device as a storage device if a device driver has not been loaded onto the computing machine and bad the device driver onto the computing machine in response to the device coupling to the computing machine.

Loading a device driver from a device

An example method comprises activating a computer power-on button and releasing the power-on button when the computer begins to energize; reactivating the computer power-on button a second time within a predetermined time period from the first activating step; and sensing the reactivating step with the predetermined time period and initiating a command to enter a BIOS pre-boot routine instead of booting to the computer operating system (OS). The command to enter the BIOS pre-boot routine is initiated before activation of a computer keyboard.

Apparatus and method of accessing a computer pre-boot routine before activation of a computer keyboard

Example embodiments disclosed herein relate to determining a setting at a component. An output to be powered by a low power state power rail can output a value. The component is to be powered by an auxiliary power rail and determines the setting based on the value at auxiliary power good.

Settings based on output powered by low power state power rail

Embodiments provide methods, systems, and articles of manufacture for determining a configuration for system board based on a connector. The connector may have a structure that enables a system board to determine configuration data associated with a system configuration.

System configuration

A method of operating a computer includes receiving an operating system request to access configuration settings. The request is executed in accordance with authorization determined by at least one operating system access control parameter.

Method and apparatus for controlling operating system access to configuration settings

Systems and methods of securely updating BIOS are disclosed. One such system comprises a reprogrammable memory, a first and a second register, and comparison logic. The reprogrammable memory comprises a first portion and a protect input. The protect input is configured to disallow writes to at least the first portion when the memory protect input is at a first level, and to allow writes to at least the first portion when the protect input is at a second level; The comparison logic is configured to drive a comparison output to a third level responsive to the first and second registers having equal values, and to drive the comparison output to a fourth level responsive to the first and second registers having different values. The comparison output is electrically coupled to the memory protect input.

Apparatus for determining during a power-on sequence, a value to be written to a first register in a secure area and the same value to a second register in non-secure area, which during a protected mode, the value is compared such that if it is equal, enabling writing to a memory

A computer system includes a processor and a fan operative to provide cooling airflow for reducing a temperature of the processor, the fan having a temperature threshold corresponding to operation of the fan at a speed greater than low speed. The computer system also includes a temperature-monitoring unit selectively operative in one of a reduced-acoustic mode and a normal-acoustic mode such that in the normal-acoustic mode, the temperature-monitoring unit attempts to control the temperature of the computer system by adjusting the speed of the fan and in the reduced-acoustic mode, the temperature-monitoring unit attempts to control the temperature of the computer system by throttling the processor.

Computer system with a fan and a temperature monitoring unit

A computer system including a processor and a fan. The computer system can determine a power usage of the computer system and throttle the processor if the power usage corresponds to operating the fan at an increased acoustic level. The processor is throttled to cool the computer system prior to operating the fan at the increased acoustic level.

Computer systems and related methods for cooling such systems

A pin strap setting override system comprises logic configured to determine whether a pin strap setting for at least one feature of an integrated circuit (IC) is set to enable, the logic further configured to automatically override the enable pin strap setting if a flag stored in a memory indicates a disable setting for the at least one feature.

Growing community of inventors

Houston, TX, United States of America

Gregory P Ziarnik