US Patent No: 5,579,522

Number of patents in Portfolio can not be more than 2000

Dynamic non-volatile memory update in a computer system

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Abstract

A computer system wherein a portion of code/data stored in a non-volatile memory device can be dynamically modified or updated without removing any covers or parts from the computer system. The computer system of the preferred embodiment includes a flash memory component coupled to a computer system bus for storing non-volatile code and data. Using the present invention, the contents of a portion of the flash memory may be replaced, modified, updated, or reprogrammed without the need for removing and/or replacing any computer system hardware components. The flash memory device used in the preferred embodiment contains four separately erasable/programmable non-symmetrical blocks of memory. One of these four blocks may be electronically locked to prevent erasure or modification of its contents once it is installed. This configuration allows the processing logic of the computer system to update or modify any selected block of memory without affecting the contents of other blocks. One memory block contains a normal BIOS. An electronically protected flash memory area is used for storage of a recovery BIOS which is used for recovery operations. The present invention also includes hardware for selecting one of the two available update modes: normal or recovery. Thus, using a mode selection apparatus, either a normal system BIOS or a recovery BIOS may be activated.

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First Claim

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Patent Owner(s)

Patent OwnerAddressTotal Patents
INTEL CORPORATIONSANTA CLARA, CA24136

International Classification(s)

  • [Classification Symbol]
  • [Patents Count]

Inventor(s)

Inventor Name Address # of filed Patents Total Citations
Christeson, Orville H Portland, OR 14 400
Gabel, Douglas L Hillsboro, OR 3 268
Murphy, Sean T Ypsilanti, MI 10 324

Cited Art

Patent Info (Count) # Cites Year
 
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SPANSION LLC (1)
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Patent Citation Ranking

Forward Cites

Patent Info (Count) # Cites Year
 
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6,978,453 System with required enhancements to syncML DM environment to support firmware updates 50 2003
7,047,448 Software self-repair toolkit for electronic devices 9 2003
6,996,818 Update system for facilitating software update and data conversion in an electronic device 18 2003
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7,644,404 Network having customizable generators and electronic device having customizable updating software 2 2004
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8,250,565 System and method for downloading update packages into a mobile handset in a carrier network 1 2004
7,343,443 Updated package generation based on analysis of bank dependency 3 2004
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7,668,612 System and method for efficient manufacture and update of electronic devices 0 2004
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INTEL CORPORATION (31)
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HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P. (23)
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7,367,027 System for generating efficient and compact update packages 5 2003
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7,103,687 System and method for providing an image file in a computer system 2 2003
7,099,967 System and method for storing an image file in a computer system 4 2003
7,644,406 Update system capable of updating software across multiple FLASH chips 3 2004
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7,548,986 Electronic device network providing streaming updates 0 2004
7,739,486 Electronic device supporting multiple update agents 1 2005
7,657,886 Mobile device with a MMU for faster firmware updates in a wireless network 6 2005
7,401,320 Operator network that routes customer care calls based on subscriber/device profile and CSR skill set 2 2005
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8,219,595 System and method for efficient remote data access for server management 0 2008
 
DELL PRODUCTS L.P. (5)
6,732,267 System and method for performing remote BIOS updates 44 2000
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INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION (5)
6,560,701 Alternate boot record 14 1997
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6,446,184 Address re-mapping for memory module using presence detect data 16 2001
 
LENOVO (SINGAPORE) PTE LTD. (5)
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EXAFLOP LLC (4)
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ROUND ROCK RESEARCH, LLC (4)
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SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD. (4)
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GOOGLE INC. (2)
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MICROSOFT CORPORATION (2)
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SONY CORPORATION (2)
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NCR CORPORATION (1)
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OTHER [CHECK PATENT PROFILE FOR ASSIGNMENT INFORMATION] (1)
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