Ken R Crocker

US Patent:

59537469, Sep 14, 1999

Filed:

Dec 21, 1998

Appl. No.:

9/217946

Inventors:

Ken M. Crocker - Orangevale CA
Radhakrishnan Venkataraman - Folsom CA
Nicholas Wade - Vancouver WA

Assignee:

Intel Corporation - Santa Clara CA

International Classification:

G06B 1200

US Classification:

711173

Abstract:

A method and system for dynamically sizing a dedicated memory in a shared memory buffer architecture. At initial boot, system BIOS programs control register to allocate a dedicated memory of a desired size. The size of the dedicated memory allocated is dependent on the performance requirements. If after initial boot, the performance requirements change, it may necessitate a change in dedicated memory size. By reprogramming the control registers, the dedicated memory size is dynamically changed without any manual manipulation of internal components.

US Patent:

57908494, Aug 4, 1998

Filed:

Dec 22, 1995

Appl. No.:

8/587775

Inventors:

Ken M. Crocker - Orangevale CA
Radhakrishnan Venkataraman - Folsom CA
Nicholas Wade - Vancouver WA

Assignee:

Intel Corporation - Santa Clara CA

International Classification:

G06F 906

US Classification:

395652

Abstract:

A method and system for allowing an arbitrary operating boot in a shared memory buffer architecture system. A chipset including a memory controller, a bridge, and an arbitration unit is used to control access to a shared physical memory. The physical memory is divided between the system memory and dedicated memory to be used by one or more devices. A portion of the physical memory is allocated as a dedicated memory for some system device. The remainder of the memory may be allocated as system memory. The allocation is performed by a system BIOS either at initial start up or through system BIOS calls made during initialization of the device to use the dedicated memory. Programmable bits in the chipset are programmed to prevent the memory controller from claiming dedicated memory accesses during the boot of an operating system. Since the operating system's attempts to write to the dedicated memory are not claimed by the memory controller during memory sizing, they are forwarded to an I/O bus. No 1/0 device claims these addresses, so a memory sizing read back is unanswered, and the operating system is caused to believe the top of memory has been reached below the dedicated memory.

US Patent:

59152656, Jun 22, 1999

Filed:

Dec 22, 1995

Appl. No.:

8/577490

Inventors:

Ken M. Crocker - Orangevale CA
Radhakrishnan Venkataraman - Folsom CA
Nicholas Wade - Vancouver WA

Assignee:

Intel Corporation - Santa Clara CA

International Classification:

G06F 1200

US Classification:

711170

Abstract:

A method and system for dynamically sizing a dedicated memory in a shared memory buffer architecture. At initial boot, system BIOS programs control register to allocate a dedicated memory of a desired size. The size of the dedicated memory allocated is dependent on the performance requirements. If after initial boot, the performance requirements change, it may necessitate a change in dedicated memory size. By reprogramming the control registers, the dedicated memory size is dynamically changed without any manual manipulation of internal components.