BIOS Settings Migration via Hardware Telemetry and Compatibility Trees

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Solution Overview

Problem

Migrating BIOS settings between old and new computational devices is often prone to human errors and compatibility issues, requiring manual intervention and extensive investigation, which can disrupt operations and affect dependent devices.

Innovation Solution

A method that retrieves telemetry from the new computational device, identifies its hardware elements, and creates a compatible tree to determine which BIOS settings need to be changed. The method then updates the previous BIOS settings and migrates the updated settings to the new device, configuring the BIOS accordingly.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If manual BIOS settings migration is performed, then flexibility and adaptability are maintained, but human errors increase and migration reliability decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemigration reliabilityVSAvoidautomation level

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSExtent of automation

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs self-service by automatically detecting hardware elements, creating compatibility trees, identifying required BIOS setting changes, and applying updates without human intervention. The migration system serves itself by autonomously completing the entire BIOS settings migration process from source to target device.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the manual mechanical process of BIOS settings migration with an automated electronic system. Instead of administrators manually configuring settings, the system uses electronic detection, data processing, and automatic application of BIOS settings through software automation and hardware interaction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Manufacturing precision

If extensive investigation and manual steps are performed, then migration precision is improved, but time consumption and operational disruption increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemigration precisionVSAvoidmigration time

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by automatically detecting all hardware elements and creating a compatibility tree before the actual BIOS settings migration. This preliminary investigation phase prepares the system with all necessary information about hardware compatibility and required settings changes, enabling precise and rapid migration execution.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent maintains continuity of useful action by automating the entire migration process from investigation to execution without interruption. The system continuously performs detection, analysis, and application of BIOS settings in an uninterrupted automated sequence, eliminating the time losses associated with manual transitions between different migration phases.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

3Reliability

If the computing device is taken off-line for migration, then migration reliability is improved, but operational continuity and productivity decrease

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemigration reliabilityVSAvoidoperational productivity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the traditional mechanical approach of taking devices offline with an automated electronic migration system. The system uses electronic detection, data transfer, and automated BIOS configuration to perform migration without requiring the target device to be completely taken offline, maintaining operational continuity through automated processes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

4Measurement precision

If comprehensive hardware identification is performed, then compatibility accuracy is improved, but system complexity and investigation requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecompatibility accuracyVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies segmentation by dividing the complex hardware identification process into structured segments: detecting individual hardware elements, organizing them into a hierarchical compatibility tree, and systematically analyzing compatibility requirements. This segmented approach breaks down the complex investigation into manageable, automated stages that improve accuracy without proportionally increasing overall system complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS12210624B2Method to clone and/or migrate the applicable bios settings in a device twin/migration environment

Publication Date: 2025.01.28 DELL PROD LP

AI summary

Embodiments described herein relate to methods, systems, and non-transitory computer readable mediums storing instructions for migrating BIOS settings to a new computational device. Using telemetry and other sources, one or more embodiments of the invention determine the identity of the one or more hardware elements and from that produces a compatible tree for the new computation device. The method then retrieves previous BIOS settings that are to be migrated, and determines, using the compatible tree, one or more BIOS settings of the previous BIOS settings that need to be changed. The BIOS is changed, and the updated BIOS settings are then migrated to the new computational device, wherein the BIOS on the new computational device is configured with the updated BIOS settings.