UEFI HII Attribute Modifiers for Platform-Independent Configuration
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Solution Overview
Problem
The configuration and management of information handling systems are complicated by proprietary and ad-hoc subsystem architectures and protocols, making it difficult to standardize administration procedures across different models, manufacturers, and configurations.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of attribute modifiers within the Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) configuration language strings allows for platform-independent identification and management of configuration options, enabling application software to manage devices and interdependencies without prior knowledge of specific subsystems, even when the system is offline.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If proprietary and ad-hoc subsystem architectures and protocols are used for information handling systems, then manufacturers can optimize their specific systems, but configuration and administration become difficult and cannot be standardized across different models and manufacturers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal configuration language (XML-based) that can represent configuration data for multiple different subsystem architectures and protocols. This allows a single standardized interface to manage diverse hardware configurations from different manufacturers, resolving the contradiction between system-specific optimization and standardized administration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary configuration language layer between the proprietary subsystems and the administration interface. This intermediary translates various manufacturer-specific configurations into a unified representation, enabling standardized management without losing the benefits of specialized subsystem designs.
2Manufacturing precision
If manufacturer-specific configuration procedures are used, then each system can be optimized for its particular architecture, but standardization across different models and manufacturers becomes impossible
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the configuration system into distinct layers: manufacturer-specific subsystem configurations and a universal configuration language. This segmentation allows each layer to maintain its specific optimizations while the upper layer provides cross-platform compatibility through standardized XML representations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter representation format to XML, which can flexibly represent different data types and structures. This parameter transformation enables the same configuration language to adapt to various manufacturer-specific parameters while maintaining a consistent interface.
3Ease of operation
If application software requires prior knowledge of specific subsystems to manage configuration, then detailed control is possible, but the software cannot manage diverse systems without extensive customization
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a copied representation of subsystem configurations in XML format, which preserves all the detailed control information needed for configuration management while presenting it in a standardized, universally understandable format. This eliminates the need for software to have prior knowledge of specific subsystems.
Data Source
AI summary
A first portion of a Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) configuration language string is determined, the first portion identifying an Human Interface Infrastructure (HII) configuration attribute. A second portion of the string is determined and includes a first attribute modifier. The first attribute modifier includes a first name-value pair identifying a first name and a first value. The first name and the first value are individually parsable, and the meaning of the first value is determined based on the first name. The string is stored at a HII string package of an HII database. An HII string identifier uniquely references the string.