BIOS NVRAM Wireless Profile Storage

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Information handling systems face challenges in automatically retrieving and configuring wireless access point profiles during OS reinstallation, as existing methods require user intervention or rely on stored profiles in the operating system, which may be lost during failures.

Innovation Solution

Storing wireless access point profiles in the BIOS NVRAM, allowing the BIOS firmware to automatically configure the WLAN interface by retrieving and using this information during initial boot or in recovery scenarios, enabling access to network resources without user input.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If wireless access point profiles are stored in the operating system, then the system can access network resources during normal operation, but the profiles are lost during OS reinstallation or hardware failures requiring user intervention

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprofile retention reliabilityVSAvoidsystem recovery complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent stores wireless access point profiles in advance in the BIOS NVRAM, a persistent storage location that survives OS reinstallation. This preliminary action ensures that when the system needs to recover after failure, the profiles are already available without requiring user re-entry, thus resolving the contradiction between reliability and ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Extent of automation

If wireless profiles are automatically retrieved from BIOS NVRAM, then system recovery is simplified and connectivity is maintained, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprofile retrieval automationVSAvoidfirmware complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Extent of automationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The BIOS firmware is modified to automatically retrieve wireless profiles from NVRAM and configure the WLAN interface without user intervention. This self-service approach automates the profile retrieval process, maintaining connectivity during recovery while the added firmware functionality manages the increased device complexity internally.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Duration of action of stationary object

If wireless profiles are stored in BIOS NVRAM, then profile persistence is improved, but the storage capacity and flexibility are reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprofile storage durationVSAvoidavailable storage capacity

Core Design Contradiction:

Duration of action of stationary objectVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent allocates a specific portion of the BIOS NVRAM dedicated to storing wireless profiles, rather than using general-purpose storage. This local quality approach ensures persistent storage for profiles while maintaining the distinction between firmware storage and user data storage, effectively managing the trade-off between duration and quantity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS9846640B2System and method for retrieving wireless access point credentials from a BIOS NVRAM

Publication Date: 2017.12.19 DELL PROD LP

AI summary

A wireless access point profile is retrieved from a basic input output system (BIOS) non-volatile random-access memory (NVRAM). The wireless access point profile is provided to a wireless local area network controller.