The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 13, 2010
Filed:
Aug. 13, 2002
Andrew P. Cottrell, San Jose, CA (US);
Andrew P. Cottrell, San Jose, CA (US);
Phoenix Technologies Ltd., Milpitas, CA (US);
Abstract
A method that allows the context of an SMI task to be saved between SMIs. Upon entering an SMI handler for a task that needs to be split up into shorter SMIs, a new task context stack is created in memory. From that point forward, the SMI handler uses the task context, leaving the original stack unchanged. When the time limit for a single SMI is about to be reached, the CPU is directed back to the original stack, and the task context stack persists in memory and retains the context of the task in hand. The soft SMI exits with a return code or other indication to signify that a new SMI should be invoked to continue processing. The driver or other software that caused the first soft SMI then invokes another, passing in a code or other indication to signify that this is a continuation of a previously started task. On entering the SMI handler for the second time, the handler notes the request for continuation, switches back to the saved task context stack and continues processing where it left off.