Kernel Reload via BMC Signal for OS Error Recovery

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Solution Overview

Problem

Information handling systems experience lengthy boot times due to the need for full system reboots when encountering operating system errors, which can be inconvenient and impact user experience, especially in systems with multiple components.

Innovation Solution

An information handling system can recover from operating system errors by reloading the kernel instead of performing a full system reboot, with a Baseboard Management Controller (BMC) generating a signal to initiate the kernel reload process, using a complex programmable logic device (CPLD) to pulse the power button line and an ACPI driver to issue a kernel reset command, potentially reloading from non-volatile random access memory (NVRAM).

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a full system reboot is performed to recover from operating system errors, then the system can recover from errors, but the boot time becomes excessively long

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveerror recovery capabilityVSAvoidboot time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the boot process into two distinct parts: (1) kernel reloading, which is fast and can be performed without full hardware initialization, and (2) full system reboot, which involves complete hardware enumeration and initialization. By separating these functions, the system can choose the faster kernel reloading path for routine error recovery while reserving the full reboot for more severe issues.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of performing a complete system reboot (excessive action) to recover from operating system errors, the patent applies partial action by reloading only the kernel component. This partial reboot achieves error recovery for many OS issues without the overhead of re-initializing all hardware components, thereby reducing boot time while maintaining sufficient error recovery capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

2Stability of the object's composition

If multiple hardware components are inventoried and initialized during boot, then system stability is improved, but boot time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem stabilityVSAvoidboot time

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements preliminary action by maintaining a cached inventory of hardware components in non-volatile memory (NVRAM) that persists across reboots. During kernel reloading, the system can restore previously inventoried hardware states without performing complete hardware enumeration, thereby reducing boot time while preserving system stability through restored hardware configurations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS11010249B2Kernel reset to recover from operating system errors

Publication Date: 2021.05.18 DELL PROD LP

AI summary

A baseboard management controller (BMC) of an information handling system may generate a signal to cause the information handling system to reload a kernel of an operating system of the information handling system. The BMC may generate a signal for reloading a kernel of an operating system of an information handling system, and the information handling system may reload the operating system kernel.