Dynamic Boot Image Streaming via Stalled Memory Controller Descriptors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional boot image streaming techniques require full initialization of memory controllers, which consumes time and processing resources, leading to slower device boot times when the destination memory is not contiguous or has insufficient capacity.
Innovation Solution
A method that stalls the memory controller during boot image streaming, generates a descriptor for streaming to a non-contiguous memory location, and resumes the controller to stream the boot images to these locations, allowing dynamic boot image streaming without full initialization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the memory controller is fully initialized before streaming boot images, then the streaming operation can proceed reliably, but the device boot time increases due to the initialization overhead
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-configuring the memory controller with streaming parameters and descriptors before the actual boot image transfer begins. This allows the controller to be partially prepared without completing full initialization, thus reducing boot time while maintaining sufficient reliability for the streaming operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements partial action by performing only the necessary initialization steps required for boot image streaming, rather than completing the full memory controller initialization sequence. This partial initialization approach eliminates unnecessary overhead while ensuring the controller is sufficiently prepared for its specific task of streaming boot images.
2Productivity
If the destination memory has sufficient contiguous capacity, then boot images can be streamed directly without stalling, but the system lacks flexibility for non-contiguous or limited capacity scenarios
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by implementing a flexible descriptor-based addressing mechanism that allows the memory destination to dynamically adapt between contiguous and non-contiguous locations. The system can switch between different memory allocation strategies based on availability, maintaining streaming efficiency while providing adaptability for various memory configurations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses segmentation by dividing the boot image transfer into multiple segments that can be directed to different memory locations. When contiguous space is insufficient, the system segments the transfer and uses descriptors to specify alternative non-contiguous locations, thus maintaining flexibility without sacrificing overall transfer efficiency.
3Speed
If the memory controller streams boot images to contiguous locations, then the streaming process is simple and fast, but the system cannot handle non-contiguous memory allocations or capacity constraints
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces descriptors as intermediary data structures that mediate between the simple streaming mechanism and complex memory allocation requirements. These descriptors contain addressing information that enables the controller to handle non-contiguous allocations while maintaining the efficiency of direct streaming operations, thus reconciling speed with adaptability.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure describes apparatuses and techniques for dynamic boot image streaming. In some aspects a memory controller that is streaming multiple boot images from a first memory to a second memory is stalled, a descriptor for streaming one of the multiple boot images from the first memory to a non-contiguous memory location is generated while the memory controller is stalled, and the memory controller is resumed effective to cause the memory controller to stream, based on the descriptor generated while the memory controller is stalled, the second boot image to the non-contiguous memory location.