ACPI OEM Driver for Real-Time OOB Inventory
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current Out-of-Band (OOB) management of peripheral devices is restricted and requires Operating System (OS)-based OEM software agents or hardware modifications, limiting real-time management capabilities, especially for Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIe) devices.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of systems and methods using Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) and Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) services to provide real-time inventory and configuration of Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) devices, involving the creation of an OEM runtime-defined table with Globally Unique Identifiers (GUIDs) and loading an ACPI OEM driver to invoke UEFI services, enabling operations through a Baseboard Management Controller (BMC) independent of the OS.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If OS-based OEM software agents are used for OOB management, then real-time management capabilities are improved, but system complexity and hardware modification requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an ACPI-based intermediary layer that mediates between the BMC and OEM devices. The ACPI driver acts as a mediator that translates BMC management requests into standard ACPI operations, eliminating the need for OS-specific agents while maintaining real-time management capabilities through the standardized ACPI interface.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes the BMC capable of performing multiple functions through ACPI standardization. By implementing universal ACPI interfaces, the BMC can manage diverse OEM devices (storage, network, graphics) through a single standardized mechanism, reducing system complexity while maintaining comprehensive real-time management.
2Adaptability or versatility
If hardware modifications are implemented for OOB management, then device functionality is improved, but ease of manufacture and system compatibility deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the interface parameters and communication protocols to use standard ACPI interfaces instead of proprietary hardware modifications. By altering the interaction model from hardware-specific to standard-compliant interfaces, the system achieves enhanced device functionality while maintaining ease of manufacture and broad compatibility.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of modifying hardware to achieve OOB management functionality, the patent inverts the approach by modifying the software interface layer (ACPI) to enable existing hardware to provide the desired functionality. This inversion eliminates hardware modification requirements while maintaining adaptability.
3Ease of operation
If ACPI and UEFI services are used for OOB management, then ease of operation is improved, but impact on runtime execution may increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs OOB management operations through ACPI interfaces during system initialization and boot phases, before the main OS runtime execution begins. By preliminarily establishing the ACPI communication channels and device inventories early in the boot process, the system achieves ease of operation without significant impact on subsequent runtime execution.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for providing Out-of-Band (OOB) real-time inventory and configuration of Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) devices using Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) and Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) services. In an embodiment, a method may include, during the booting of an Operating System (OS) and under control of an UEFI firmware, creating an OEM runtime-defined table configured to store a list of Globally Unique Identifiers (GUIDs) associated with OEM devices, where each OEM device corresponds to an OEM vendor-owned UEFI real-time service, and where each OEM vendor-owned UEFI real-time service is configured to enable operations after the booting of the OS; and load an ACPI OEM driver configured to interpret the OEM runtime-defined table and to invoke one or more corresponding OEM vendor-owned UEFI runtime services, and inform a Baseboard Management Controller (BMC) coupled to the processor that the ACPI OEM driver is available.