Portable operating system operation system and method

Abstract

The invention relates to a portable operating system running system and method, which are characterized in that a drive compatible layer is arranged in a portable storage device to call a local hardware drive of a computing power unit, so that deep decoupling of an operating system and bottom hardware is realized, the problem of serious compatibility caused by drive mismatching in the prior art is fundamentally solved, and the reliability of the operating system is improved. And high performance of system operation is ensured by means of a high-speed communication interface. Besides, the system architecture also has a cross-processor platform adaptation capability, so that a user can obtain a unified, stable and safe personal working environment on different devices, and the portability, compatibility and practical value of the system are effectively improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of computer technology, and in particular to a portable operating system and method. Background Technology

[0002] With the increasing popularity of mobile office and remote collaboration, business professionals, software developers, designers and other professional users have placed unprecedented demands on the portability of computing environments. The traditional solution is to carry a laptop, but this is usually accompanied by inconveniences such as large size, heavy weight and the need to carry a dedicated power adapter. Therefore, the industry has been exploring a more portable solution: users only need to carry a portable storage device containing their personal operating system, applications and data, so that they can instantly restore their familiar working environment on any available computing device.

[0003] To achieve this goal, several attempts have been made in existing technologies, such as Microsoft's Windows To Go (WTG) technology and various Linux Live CD / USB systems. The common idea behind these technologies is to install a complete operating system image onto a bootable USB storage device, which users can then plug into different computers and boot the operating system from. However, such solutions need to run on different hosts with vastly different hardware configurations, requiring compatibility with various CPUs, motherboard chipsets, graphics cards, network cards, etc. To solve this problem, an extremely large and bloated generic driver library must be pre-integrated into the operating system image. However, for newer or less common hardware, this generic driver library often cannot cover it, leading to boot failures and the inability to recognize critical devices. Furthermore, to keep pace with hardware updates, the operating system image needs to frequently update its massive driver library, causing significant inconvenience for users. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address the aforementioned issues, this application provides a portable operating system and method with good cross-platform runtime compatibility.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, in a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a portable operating system running system, comprising: A computing power unit, comprising a processor, memory, and hardware drivers stored locally and corresponding to its own hardware; A portable storage device that stores an operating system and a driver compatibility layer; A high-speed communication interface is provided for connecting the computing unit and the portable storage device. The driver compatibility layer is configured to: when the portable storage device is connected to the computing unit through the high-speed communication interface, invoke the hardware driver of the computing unit and provide a standardized hardware interface to the operating system so that the operating system can run on the computing unit.

[0006] Preferably, the high-speed communication interface is a PCIE-based interface, an Oculink interface, or a Thunderbolt interface.

[0007] Preferably, the driver compatibility layer is configured to support at least two different processor instruction set architectures, including ARM architecture and x86 architecture.

[0008] Preferably, the standardized hardware interface provided by the driver compatibility layer can be recognized by at least two different operating system kernels, including the Windows kernel and the Linux kernel.

[0009] Preferably, the system is further configured to: perform a benchmark test on the performance of the computing unit during the startup process of the operating system; and determine and activate one or more functional modes of the operating system based on the results of the benchmark test.

[0010] Preferably, the portable storage device further includes a built-in power failure protection module.

[0011] Preferably, the power failure protection power supply module is a supercapacitor module, which is configured to provide power to the portable storage device to complete the data write-back operation when the high-speed communication interface is abnormally disconnected.

[0012] Preferably, the hardware driver of the computing unit is stored in the non-volatile flash memory area of ​​the computing unit.

[0013] Secondly, embodiments of this application provide a method for running a portable operating system, comprising the following steps: A portable storage device is connected to a computing unit via a high-speed communication interface. The computing unit stores local hardware drivers, and the portable storage device stores an operating system and a driver compatibility layer. The driver compatibility layer in the portable storage device is loaded and run by the computing unit; The driver compatibility layer calls the hardware driver program of the computing unit; The driver compatibility layer provides a standardized hardware interface to the operating system; The operating system starts and runs on the computing unit based on the standardized hardware interface.

[0014] Preferably, the method further includes: performing a benchmark test on the performance of the computing unit before or during the startup of the operating system; and selectively activating one or more functions of the operating system based on the results of the benchmark test.

[0015] The portable operating system and method designed in this application achieve deep decoupling between the operating system and the underlying hardware by setting a driver compatibility layer in the portable storage device to call the local hardware drivers of the computing unit. This fundamentally solves the serious compatibility problems caused by driver incompatibility in existing technologies, and ensures high system performance through a high-speed communication interface. Furthermore, the system architecture has cross-processor platform adaptability, enabling users to obtain a unified, stable, and secure personal working environment on different devices, effectively improving the system's portability, compatibility, and practical value. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 This is a structural block diagram of a portable operating system running system according to an embodiment of this application.

[0017] Figure 2 This is a flowchart of a portable operating system running method provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0018] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the hardware structure of the portable operating system provided in this application embodiment.

[0019] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the software architecture of the portable operating system provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0020] The components include: computing unit 110, flash memory area 111, portable storage device 120, personal operating system 121, driver compatibility layer 122, power failure protection power supply module 123, and high-speed communication interface 130. Detailed Implementation

[0021] The preferred embodiments of this application are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the preferred embodiments described herein are for illustration and explanation only and are not intended to limit this application.

[0022] Firstly, embodiments of this application provide a portable operating system. Please refer to... Figure 1 It shows a structural block diagram of a portable operating system running system according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0023] See Figure 1 , Figure 3 , Figure 4As shown, the system includes a computing unit 110, a portable storage device 120, and a high-speed communication interface 130 for connecting the two.

[0024] Specifically, see Figure 3 The computing unit 110 can be any hardware entity with computing capabilities, such as a personal computer (PC), server, workstation, thin client, or even a smartphone or tablet with sufficient performance. The core components of the computing unit 110 include a processor (CPU), memory (RAM), and a graphics processing unit (GPU). In this embodiment, the computing unit 110 pre-stores optimized hardware drivers that are fully compatible with its own hardware, such as the motherboard chipset, graphics card, network card, and sound card, in its local non-volatile storage medium, such as a separate flash memory area 111. Exemplarily, these drivers are native programs provided by the hardware manufacturer that maximize hardware performance. In some embodiments, the flash memory area 111 can be integrated into the motherboard firmware (such as UEFI / BIOS).

[0025] Portable storage device 120 is a device that a user can carry with them, such as a portable solid-state drive (SSD), USB flash drive, or other high-speed storage device. The portable storage device 120 internally stores the user's personal operating system 121, such as Windows, Linux, or a custom OS, and user data. Simultaneously, the portable storage device 120 also stores a driver compatibility layer 122.

[0026] The high-speed communication interface 130 is responsible for establishing a high-bandwidth, low-latency data channel between the computing unit 110 and the portable storage device 120. In some preferred embodiments, to meet the stringent I / O performance requirements of the operating system, this interface can be a PCIe-based interface, such as an Oculink interface or a Thunderbolt 3 / 4 / 5 interface. Compared to traditional USB interfaces, these interfaces can provide a performance experience closer to that of an internal hard drive, thereby avoiding performance bottlenecks in system operation.

[0027] The working principle of this embodiment is as follows: When a user connects the portable storage device 120 to the computing unit 110 via the high-speed communication interface 130 and starts it up, the bootloader of the computing unit 110 first loads and executes the driver compatibility layer 122 in the portable storage device 120.

[0028] After the driver compatibility layer 122 is running, its core task is to act as middleware or an adaptation layer. It scans and identifies the hardware of the computing unit 110 and directly calls the native hardware drivers stored in the local flash memory area 111 of the computing unit. At the same time, the driver compatibility layer 122 provides a stable, unified, and standardized virtual hardware interface to the operating system 121. In other words, the operating system 121 no longer sees the diverse physical hardware of the computing unit 110, but a standardized hardware environment simulated by the driver compatibility layer 122.

[0029] In this way, the operating system 121 is completely shielded from the differences in underlying hardware. No matter how the hardware of the computing unit 110 changes, as long as it provides the corresponding local driver, the driver compatibility layer 122 can adapt, thus enabling the same operating system 121 to run seamlessly and with high performance on different computing units without any modification. This achieves deep decoupling between the operating system and the hardware driver, fundamentally solving the compatibility problem of existing technologies.

[0030] In some further embodiments, to achieve broader applicability, the driver compatibility layer 122 is designed to be cross-platform capable. For example, the driver compatibility layer 122 may have built-in instruction set translation or emulation functions, enabling the driver compatibility layer 122 to dynamically translate x86 instructions into ARM instructions for execution when the computing unit 110 uses an ARM architecture processor and the operating system 121 in the portable storage device 120 is compiled for x86 architecture, and vice versa. This allows users to carry an x86 Windows system and run it on an ARM architecture device. Similarly, the standardized hardware interface provided by the driver compatibility layer 122 can also be designed to be compatible with the API calling specifications of multiple operating system kernels, for example, it can be recognized by both the Windows kernel and the Linux kernel, thereby supporting seamless switching between different types of operating systems.

[0031] In an optional embodiment, to improve user experience, during the startup process of the operating system 121, the driver compatibility layer 122 or an initial startup program will first run a lightweight benchmark program to quickly evaluate the performance level of the current computing unit 110, such as the number of CPU cores, frequency, memory size, GPU performance, etc., and select a matching operating system function mode based on the test score or level. For example, when a high-performance workstation is connected, a full-featured mode with all effects and background services can be activated; while when a less powerful mobile device is connected, the system will automatically enter a lightweight mode that disables unnecessary services and graphics effects.

[0032] Furthermore, to prevent accidental disconnection during use and to ensure data security and system integrity, the portable storage device 120 can also incorporate a power failure protection module 123. In a preferred embodiment, this module can be a supercapacitor module; when the high-speed communication interface 130 is accidentally disconnected, causing a main power interruption, the supercapacitor can instantly release stored electrical energy to provide power to the main control chip and cache of the portable storage device 120 for several hundred milliseconds to several seconds. This time is sufficient for the device to complete the write-back operation of all in-flight data from the volatile cache (DRAM cache) to the non-volatile flash memory (NAND flash), thereby effectively avoiding the risk of data loss or file system corruption.

[0033] Secondly, this embodiment provides a portable operating system running method corresponding to the system of Embodiment 1. Please refer to [link / reference]. Figure 2 The flowchart of the method is shown.

[0034] Step S201: Connect a portable storage device to a computing unit via a high-speed communication interface. As mentioned earlier, the computing unit stores local hardware drivers, while the portable storage device stores the operating system and driver compatibility layer.

[0035] Step S202: Start the device, and the driver compatibility layer stored in the portable storage device is loaded and run by the bootloader of the computing unit.

[0036] Step S203: When the driver compatibility layer runs, it calls the hardware driver stored locally in the computing unit. This step is crucial for achieving high-performance operation because it utilizes the optimized native driver rather than the generic driver.

[0037] Step S204: The driver compatibility layer provides a standardized hardware interface to the upcoming operating system based on the invoked local driver. This step is crucial for achieving high compatibility, as it masks hardware differences.

[0038] Step S205: The operating system boots and runs based on this standardized hardware interface. Because the interface is stable and unified, the operating system itself does not need to know what the underlying physical hardware is.

[0039] In an optional implementation process, a performance evaluation step can be added before or during step S205. That is, before the operating system is fully started, a benchmark test of the performance of the current computing unit is performed, and the function set of the current operating system is dynamically adjusted according to the test results. For example, certain system services and functions are selectively loaded or disabled to achieve the best balance between performance and power consumption.

[0040] The portable operating system and method provided in this application achieve deep decoupling between the operating system and the underlying hardware by setting a driver compatibility layer in the portable storage device to call the local hardware driver of the computing unit. This fundamentally solves the serious compatibility problem caused by driver incompatibility in the prior art, and ensures high performance of the system operation by means of a high-speed communication interface. In addition, the system architecture also has cross-processor platform adaptability, enabling users to obtain a unified, stable and secure personal working environment on different devices, effectively improving the portability, compatibility and practical value of the system.

[0041] In the description of this application, it should be noted that the terms "vertical", "up", "down", "horizontal", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this application.

[0042] In the description of this application, it should also be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "set," "install," "connect," and "link" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application according to the specific circumstances.

[0043] Finally, it should be noted that the above descriptions are merely preferred embodiments of this application and are not intended to limit this application. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art can still modify the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments or make equivalent substitutions for some of the technical features. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A portable operating system runtime system, characterized by The system comprises: a computing unit, which comprises a processor, a memory, and a hardware driver corresponding to the hardware of the computing unit stored locally; a portable storage device, which stores an operating system and a driver compatibility layer; a high-speed communication interface for connecting the computing unit and the portable storage device; wherein the driver compatibility layer is configured to invoke the hardware driver of the computing unit and provide a standardized hardware interface to the operating system when the portable storage device is connected to the computing unit via the high-speed communication interface, so that the operating system can run on the computing unit.

2. The portable operating system runtime system of claim 1, wherein, The high-speed communication interface is a PCIE protocol-based interface, an Oculink interface, or a Thunderbolt interface.

3. The portable operating system runtime system of claim 1, wherein, The driver compatibility layer is configured to support at least two different processor instruction set architectures, including ARM architecture and x86 architecture.

4. The portable operating system runtime system of claim 1 or 3, wherein, The standardized hardware interface provided by the driver compatibility layer can be recognized by at least two different operating system kernels, including Windows kernel and Linux kernel.

5. The portable operating system runtime system of claim 1, wherein, The system is further configured to benchmark the performance of the computing unit during the startup of the operating system, and determine and activate one or more functional modes of the operating system according to the results of the benchmarking.

6. The portable operating system runtime system of claim 1, wherein, The portable storage device further comprises a built-in power-off protection power supply module.

7. The portable operating system runtime system of claim 6, wherein, The power-off protection power supply module is a super capacitor module configured to provide power to the portable storage device to complete data write-back operations when the high-speed communication interface is abnormally disconnected.

8. The portable operating system runtime system of claim 1, wherein, The hardware driver of the computing unit is stored in the non-volatile flash memory area of the computing unit.

9. A portable operating system run method, characterized by, The system comprises the following steps: connecting a portable storage device to a computing unit via a high-speed communication interface, wherein the computing unit stores a local hardware driver, and the portable storage device stores an operating system and a driver compatibility layer; loading and running the driver compatibility layer in the portable storage device by the computing unit; the driver compatibility layer invokes the hardware driver of the computing unit; the driver compatibility layer provides a standardized hardware interface to the operating system; the operating system starts and runs on the computing unit based on the standardized hardware interface.

10. The portable operating system execution method according to claim 9, wherein Further comprising: performing a benchmarking step of the performance of the computing unit before or during the startup of the operating system; selectively activating one or more functions of the operating system according to the results of the benchmarking.

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