Importance

Loading Importance Indicators...

Abstract

A computer system bootstrap loads a processor and associated memory from an external memory device instead of being bootstrap loaded from on-board read only memory. The computer system is comprised of a system bus, a processing component, a first system memory device, a memory card interface controller, and an external memory device connected to the memory card interface controller. The system also includes a second system memory device, a keyboard memory device, a keyboard controller and a reset switch for causing a reset and initialization of the processing component. Upon reset, the logic in the memory card interface controller remaps the address space associated with the first system memory device to the external memory device and remaps the address space associated with the second system memory device to the keyboard memory device. This remapping redirects execution control of the processing component to the external memory device and allows the keyboard memory device to be loaded and verified by the processing component. The keyboard controller is held in a reset state. Once the keyboard memory device and local random access memory has been loaded from the external memory device, the address space remapping of the first and second memory devices is restored to a normal configuration. The contents of the first and second memory devices can then be loaded and verified. The reset condition is then removed from the keyboard controller and normal operation of the computer system is restored.

Loading the Abstract Image...

First Claim