Firmware Image Display During Platform Initialization
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Information handling systems during platform initialization often present a blank or flickering display, leading to user uncertainty about the system's operation, especially as they lack the ability to display images early in the process, which can be misleading and decrease user satisfaction.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for displaying an image throughout the platform initialization process by processing and storing an image in firmware during the initial phase, allowing it to be reused in subsequent phases, including the Pre-Extensible Firmware Interface (PEI) and Boot Device Selection (BDS) phases, without requiring expensive hardware like TCON panels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If the system processes and stores an image in firmware during the initial phase, then the image can be displayed early in the initialization process, but the processing time and firmware storage requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by processing the image during the PEI phase before the system is fully initialized. The image is prepared, stored in firmware, and made available for display during subsequent phases (DXE and BDS), eliminating the need for complex real-time processing during boot and enabling early display output
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the image processing task across different initialization phases. The PEI phase handles image processing and firmware storage, while the DXE and BDS phases handle display output and user interaction. This segmentation allows each phase to focus on specific tasks, reducing overall system complexity while enabling early image display
2Ease of operation
If the system displays a blank or flickering screen during initialization, then the hardware complexity is reduced, but user confidence and satisfaction decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses copying by storing the processed image in firmware memory during the PEI phase. The same image data is then reused and displayed during the DXE and BDS phases, ensuring consistent visual output without requiring complex real-time rendering or multiple display buffers, thereby maintaining user confidence while avoiding excessive hardware complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces firmware-stored image data as an intermediary between the initialization process and the display output. This intermediary allows the system to present a consistent, pre-processed image during boot phases without requiring complex real-time display processing, improving user perception while managing system complexity
Data Source
AI summary
A disclosed information handling system is configured to display a consistent logo or image throughout a platform initialization process. In a first-time boot, in a DXE phase, image information is read from firmware storage and processed for native resolution for a display panel and HOB information is saved to firmware volumes with Hand-Off Block (HOB) information. In subsequent iterations of the platform initialization process, the processed image is displayed early in a PEI phase and the HOB information is stored with the processed image. The image is displayed throughout the DXE and BDS phases of each subsequent platform initialization process and the display is consistent for different information handling systems and display panels.