WO2000017726A2 - Controleur de systemes d'exploitation multiples pour ordinateur - Google Patents

Controleur de systemes d'exploitation multiples pour ordinateur Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2000017726A2
WO2000017726A2 PCT/US1999/018849 US9918849W WO0017726A2 WO 2000017726 A2 WO2000017726 A2 WO 2000017726A2 US 9918849 W US9918849 W US 9918849W WO 0017726 A2 WO0017726 A2 WO 0017726A2
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
memory device
master
controller
slave
memory
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US1999/018849
Other languages
English (en)
Other versions
WO2000017726A3 (fr
Inventor
Daehun David Chin
Original Assignee
Computron
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Computron filed Critical Computron
Priority to AU64952/99A priority Critical patent/AU6495299A/en
Publication of WO2000017726A2 publication Critical patent/WO2000017726A2/fr
Publication of WO2000017726A3 publication Critical patent/WO2000017726A3/fr

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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • G06F9/00—Arrangements for program control, e.g. control units
    • G06F9/06—Arrangements for program control, e.g. control units using stored programs, i.e. using an internal store of processing equipment to receive or retain programs
    • G06F9/44—Arrangements for executing specific programs
    • G06F9/4401—Bootstrapping
    • G06F9/4406—Loading of operating system
    • G06F9/441—Multiboot arrangements, i.e. selecting an operating system to be loaded

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a controller switch that allows a user to select one operating system from among a plurality of different operating systems.
  • the invention also relates to a controller switch that allows a user to select one data storage device, from among a plurality of data storage devices, to act as the master data storage device.
  • Unix, Windows, OS/2) can be maintained on a single computer. The user can then select one of the operating systems for use at any given time.
  • the software corresponding to the multiple operating systems are stored on a single data storage device, such as a hard disk.
  • the hard disk may require partitioning, where different operating systems are stored on different partitions, in order for the computer to operate properly.
  • FIG. 1 An example of a background art computer system with two operating systems stored on the same hard disk is shown in Figure 1.
  • the central processing unit 40 is connected to a display screen 42, a floppy disk drive 44, a pointing device 46, such as a mouse or a trackball, and a hard disk drive 48.
  • the hard disk drive is partitioned, and a different operating system is stored on each partition.
  • a hard disk can be partitioned using conventional software to create two or more partitions on a single hard disk. While this allows the partitioned disk drive to simultaneously store two operating systems, such a configuration can result in increased wear, and even breakage of the hard disk, as well as a loss of data. The hard disk must then be repaired or replaced, and all the data stored on the disk drive may be lost.
  • the hard disk wear problem can be quite severe in certain various circumstances. For instance, when two different language versions (i.e., Korean and English) of the -same operating system are stored on different partitioned sections of the same hard disk, the user can choose to use one or the other of the operating systems at any given time.
  • An object of the present invention is to provide a device for switching between a plurality of operating systems that substantially obviates at least one or more of the limitations and disadvantages of the related art.
  • Another obj ect of the present invention is to provide a switching device capable of selecting an operating system from a plurality of operating systems stored on different memory devices.
  • Another object of the invention is to improve the efficiency and performance capabilities of a computer system that is configured to selectively run one of a plurality of different operating systems.
  • Another object of the present invention is to provide a switching device capable of providing an effective countermeasure against losses due to the year 2000 problem (Y2K), network vandalism, computer viruses, and the like.
  • a device embodying the invention can be used for selecting and independently storing, loading, and operating a plurality of operating systems.
  • a device embodying the invention can be used with a computer having a plurality of memory devices, each of which is used to store different operating system software.
  • a device embodying the invention can also be used to switch between a main memory device and a backup memory device if the main memory device becomes corrupted to damaged.
  • a device embodying the invention can comprise a switching device that is used to selectively designate one memory device, from among a plurality of memory devices, to be the master controlling memory device. The remaining memory devices are then designed as subordinate or secondary memory devices.
  • Figure 1 is a block diagram of a background art computer system having two operating systems stored on different partitions of a single hard disk drive;
  • FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a computer system using a device embodying the present invention.
  • Figures 3A and 3B show a device embodying the invention in two different operational states. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
  • one hard disk drive will be configured as the "master” drive, and the remaining disk drives will be designated as “slave” drives.
  • the computer When the computer is first switched on and booted up, the computer will look to the master disk drive for the operating system software. It will load the operating system software from the master disk drive, and the user can then operate the computer. Other programs and data files can be accessed from the master drive, or from the slave drives.
  • a controller switch embodying the present invention is intended for use with a computer system that includes at least two different memory storage devices, such as hard disk drives.
  • the controller switch is used to selectively designate one of the memory storage devices the master drive unit, and the remaining memory devices as slave units.
  • the user of the system can move the controller switch to different positions to change the master drive designation from one memory device to another.
  • An example of a system utilizing a controller switch embodying the invention is shown in Figure 2.
  • the system includes a central processing unit 40 that is connected to a display screen 42, a floppy disk drive 44, a pointing device 46, a first hard disk drive 50, and a second hard disk drive 52.
  • a controller switch 54 is connected to the central processing unit 40 and the first and second hard disk drives 50, 52.
  • the controller switch 54 can be set to a first position, where the first hard disk drive 50 is designated the master drive and the second hard disk drive 52 is designated the slave drive.
  • the controller can switch also be set to a second position, where the second hard disk drive 52 is designated the master drive and the first hard disk drive 50 is designated the slave drive. If software for a first operating system is stored on the first hard disk drive 50, and software for a second, different operating system is stored on the second hard disk drive 52, the controller switch 54 can be used to switch between the operating systems. If the user wanted to operate the computer system using the first operating system, the user would place the controller switch 54 in the first position, designating the first hard disk drive 50 as the master drive. The user would then switch the computer on, or re-boot the computer.
  • a controller switch embodying the invention can also be used to maintain one hard disk drive as the normal operating hard disk drive, while a second hard disk drive is maintained as a backup.
  • the controller switch 54 is set so that the first hard disk drive is designated as the master drive, and the computer is also configured to periodically copy all files from the first hard disk drive 50 to the second hard disk drive 52, the second hard disk drive 52 can be maintained as a backup drive. Then, if an error occurs in the first hard disk drive 50, or if a computer virus infects the first hard disk drive 50, the operating switch 54 can be changed to the second position, and the computer re-booted. This will get the computer system up and running again using the backup files stored on the second hard disk drive 52.
  • the use of the controller switch 54 eliminates the need to re-load backup files from floppy disks or from a tape drive.
  • a hard disk drive used in a personal computer is set to master or slave status based on the presence or absence of a jumper on electrical output pins on a circuit board of the hard disk drive.
  • a jumper can be used to electrically connect two pins to designate the hard disk drive as a master drive. The absence of a jumper across the two pins will eliminate any electrical connection between the pins, thereby designating the hard disk drive as a slave drive.
  • Figures 3A and 3B illustrate how a controller switch embodying the invention is used to selectively designate one hard disk drive as a master drive, and another hard disk drive as a slave drive.
  • the controller switch 54 includes first and second electrical switches 56, 58.
  • the input and output lines of the first switch 56 are connected to the two pins 51 A, 5 IB on the first hard disk drive 50 which control the master/slave status of the first hard disk drive 50.
  • the input and output lines of the second switch 58 are connected to the two pins 53A, 53B on the second hard disk drive 52 which control the master/slave status of the second hard disk drive 52.
  • the first electrical switch 56 when the first and second electrical switches 56, 58 are in position A, the first electrical switch 56 will electrically connect the pins 51 A, 5 IB on the first hard disk drive 50 to designate the first hard disk drive 50 as the master drive.
  • the second electrical switch 58 will prevent any electrical connection between the pins 53A, 53B of the second hard disk drive 52, to designate the second hard disk drive 52 as a slave drive.
  • the first and second electrical switches are set to the B position, the master/slave status of the hard disk drives is reversed.
  • the first electrical switch 56 When the first electrical switch 56 is set to the B position, it will prevent any electrical connection between the pins 51 A, 5 IB of the first hard disk drive 50, to designate the first hard disk drive 50 as a slave drive.
  • the second electrical switch 58 When the second electrical switch 58 is in the B position, the switch electrically connects the pins 53 A, 53B of the second hard disk drive 52, to designate the second hard disk drive as the master drive.
  • a controller switch as described above can be any type of electrical switching device capable of selectively designating one memory device as a master device, and other memory devices as slave devices.
  • the switch could be a mechanical switching device such as a sliding or pole-type rotating switch, the switch could be implemented as part of an integrated circuit based device, or the switch could take the form of software.
  • FIG. 3 A and 3B illustrate hard disk drives, whose master/slave status is controlled based on the electrical connections between output pins, other types of memory devices, and other methods of controlling the master/slave status of the memory devices are also possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
  • a controller switch embodying the invention could be used to control the master/slave status of floppy disk drives, optical disk drives, magnetic tape drives, optical tape drives, flash memory devices, bubble memory devices, semiconductor chip based memory devices, or any other type of memory device.
  • a controller switch embodying the invention would be configured to control the master/slave status of the memory devices according to their designs.
  • controller switch could be implemented in software which is resident in a memory device of a computer.
  • a controller system embodying the invention could comprise software in a computer that is used to selectively designate one flash memory device as a master unit, and a second flash memory device as a slave unit. The user of such a system would control the master/slave status of the flash memory devices by executing key strokes and/or making selections with a pointing device.
  • controller switch is used to control the master/slave status of two hard disk drives
  • the controller switch could control the master/slave status of more than two memory devices.
  • Embodiments of the present invention have various applications. As discussed above, a plurality of operating systems can be electronically isolated from each other. For example, bilingual systems for English/Chinese and English/Korean versions of an operating system can effectively be loaded, stored and operated on electronically separate hard drives in a single computer. Embodiments of the invention can also be used to allow a computer to easily and rapidly switch from a main memory device to a backup memory device. Embodiments of the invention may also be useful in dealing with disruptions caused by the year two thousand (Y2K) problem. While many Y2K software problems have been resolved, it has become apparent that a significant amount of software will not have been fixed until well after January 1, 2000. As a result, many computer users will experience software failure in operating systems and other applications.
  • Y2K year two thousand
  • a computer system with a controller switch embodying the invention can be used to temporarily avoid problems caused by Y2K software bugs.
  • important data and programs would be stored on a backup disk drive, and the files would be back dated with dates that occur before January 1, 2000.
  • the controller switch can be set to designate the backup disk drive as the master drive, and the computer can be re-started.
  • the present invention has various advantages. By electronically isolating "master” and “slave” drives prior to booting the computer, the BIOS of the computer automatically searches the desired drive for the desired operating system. Additionally, random access memory space is saved by re-booting the computer prior to switching between operating systems.
  • the increased efficiency of the hard drives reduces excess wear and breakdown of the drives, as well as increasing data storage and retrieval speed.
  • a system configured according to the invention permits more efficient storage of data, a more efficient loading of an operating system, and thus produces a computer system with greater memory storage efficiency and faster operating speeds.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Software Systems (AREA)
  • Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
  • Computer Security & Cryptography (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Stored Programmes (AREA)
  • Hardware Redundancy (AREA)

Abstract

Un dispositif de commutation permet à un utilisateur de sélectionner un dispositif de mémoire parmi une pluralité de dispositifs de mémoire constituant un dispositif 'maître', tandis que les dispositifs de mémoire restants font office de dispositifs 'esclaves'. Dans un système d'exploitation différent, un logiciel est stocké dans chacun des dispositifs de mémoire, l'ordinateur charge et fait tourner le système d'exploitation stocké dans l'unité maîtresse lorsque l'ordinateur est mis en marche. Le système fournit un procédé plus rapide et plus efficace de stockage de données, de chargement de systèmes d'exploitation et de commutation entre des systèmes d'exploitation.
PCT/US1999/018849 1998-09-18 1999-09-10 Controleur de systemes d'exploitation multiples pour ordinateur WO2000017726A2 (fr)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AU64952/99A AU6495299A (en) 1998-09-18 1999-09-10 Multiple operating system controller for a computer

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US29147498A 1998-09-18 1998-09-18
US09/291,474 1998-09-18
US37184099A 1999-08-11 1999-08-11
US09/371,840 1999-08-11

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2000017726A2 true WO2000017726A2 (fr) 2000-03-30
WO2000017726A3 WO2000017726A3 (fr) 2000-09-08

Family

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PCT/US1999/018849 WO2000017726A2 (fr) 1998-09-18 1999-09-10 Controleur de systemes d'exploitation multiples pour ordinateur

Country Status (2)

Country Link
AU (1) AU6495299A (fr)
WO (1) WO2000017726A2 (fr)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2388445A (en) * 2002-01-23 2003-11-12 Amin Hamad Alzuhair Master/slave switching device
WO2008025238A1 (fr) * 2006-08-18 2008-03-06 Fortune Spring Technology (Shenzhen) Corporation Dispositif de stockage avec une grande capacité et procédé basé sur une mémoire flash
US20130299325A1 (en) * 2011-06-06 2013-11-14 Andrew (Andrzej) Lewicki "On - on master switch"

Citations (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3781811A (en) * 1967-09-14 1973-12-25 Tokyo Shibaura Electric Co Memory protective systems for computers
US4376973A (en) * 1979-02-13 1983-03-15 The Secretary Of State For Defence In Her Britannic Majesty's Government Of The United Kingdom Of Great Britain And Northern Ireland Digital data processing apparatus
US5131085A (en) * 1989-12-04 1992-07-14 International Business Machines Corporation High performance shared main storage interface
US5167028A (en) * 1989-11-13 1992-11-24 Lucid Corporation System for controlling task operation of slave processor by switching access to shared memory banks by master processor
US5265201A (en) * 1989-11-01 1993-11-23 Audio Precision, Inc. Master-slave processor human interface system
US5732041A (en) * 1993-08-19 1998-03-24 Mmc Networks, Inc. Memory interface unit, shared memory switch system and associated method
US5761460A (en) * 1996-07-19 1998-06-02 Compaq Computer Corporation Reconfigurable dual master IDE interface
US5901276A (en) * 1994-12-22 1999-05-04 Konica Corporation Image forming apparatus having an interface to connect with other image forming apparatus

Patent Citations (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3781811A (en) * 1967-09-14 1973-12-25 Tokyo Shibaura Electric Co Memory protective systems for computers
US4376973A (en) * 1979-02-13 1983-03-15 The Secretary Of State For Defence In Her Britannic Majesty's Government Of The United Kingdom Of Great Britain And Northern Ireland Digital data processing apparatus
US5265201A (en) * 1989-11-01 1993-11-23 Audio Precision, Inc. Master-slave processor human interface system
US5167028A (en) * 1989-11-13 1992-11-24 Lucid Corporation System for controlling task operation of slave processor by switching access to shared memory banks by master processor
US5131085A (en) * 1989-12-04 1992-07-14 International Business Machines Corporation High performance shared main storage interface
US5732041A (en) * 1993-08-19 1998-03-24 Mmc Networks, Inc. Memory interface unit, shared memory switch system and associated method
US5901276A (en) * 1994-12-22 1999-05-04 Konica Corporation Image forming apparatus having an interface to connect with other image forming apparatus
US5761460A (en) * 1996-07-19 1998-06-02 Compaq Computer Corporation Reconfigurable dual master IDE interface

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2388445A (en) * 2002-01-23 2003-11-12 Amin Hamad Alzuhair Master/slave switching device
WO2008025238A1 (fr) * 2006-08-18 2008-03-06 Fortune Spring Technology (Shenzhen) Corporation Dispositif de stockage avec une grande capacité et procédé basé sur une mémoire flash
US20130299325A1 (en) * 2011-06-06 2013-11-14 Andrew (Andrzej) Lewicki "On - on master switch"

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
WO2000017726A3 (fr) 2000-09-08
AU6495299A (en) 2000-04-10

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