Boot Program Multi-Threaded Media Playback During System Initialization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current computing devices take a long time to boot, during which users must wait before media content can be displayed, as existing BIOS and OS boot processes do not efficiently utilize this time for media playback.
Innovation Solution
A computing device architecture that loads a boot program to execute both the operating system and a media player in separate threads, allowing the media player to read and convert video data from non-volatile memory and write it to a frame buffer, enabling media content display during the boot process, even if the video controller does not support the original format.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If the boot program executes the operating system in a sequential manner, then the operating system can be loaded properly, but the boot time is extended and users must wait before media content can be displayed
Solution Approach 1:
The boot program is divided into multiple independent threads: a first thread dedicated to loading and booting the operating system, and a second thread dedicated to loading and executing the media player. This segmentation allows both tasks to proceed simultaneously without interfering with each other, effectively utilizing the boot period for media content preparation and display.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from sequential single-threaded execution to parallel multi-threaded execution, adding a temporal dimension to the boot process. By implementing threads with different priorities and execution contexts, the system can perform OS loading and media player execution concurrently, transforming the traditional linear boot sequence into a parallel processing model.
2Productivity
If the media player is executed in a separate thread during boot, then media content can be displayed during boot time, but the device complexity increases due to multi-threaded execution
Solution Approach 1:
The boot program is segmented into distinct functional threads with clear separation of responsibilities. The first thread handles OS loading while the second thread handles media player execution. This modular segmentation manages complexity by organizing functions into independent, manageable units that can be developed and maintained separately.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic thread management where the media player thread can be selectively enabled or disabled based on system configuration and resource availability. The threads operate with different priority levels and can be dynamically terminated or suspended, allowing the system to adapt its complexity level based on operational requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
Certain aspects direct to a computing device, which include a processor, a random access memory (RAM) having a frame buffer, a video controller configured to read video data from the frame buffer, and a non-volatile memory. The non-volatile memory stores an operating system, a media player, and first video data. The processor is configured to load the boot program to the RAM and execute the boot program. The boot program is configured to, when executed at the processor, boot the operating system in a first process or thread of the boot program, and load the media player and execute the media player in a second process or thread separate from a first process or thread. The media player is configured to, when executed by the processor, read the first video data from the non-volatile memory, and write second video data representing the first video data to the frame buffer.