Patents by Inventor Dan Howard Nowlin, Jr.

Dan Howard Nowlin, Jr. has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Method for monitoring a BIOS
    Patent number: 6081664
    Abstract: A method for monitoring a basic input/output system, or BIOS, in a computer system involves intercepting a call by a software routine to access a BIOS, invoking the BIOS on behalf of the calling routine, and communicating the result of the call back to the calling routine. Intercepting a BIOS call is accomplished by establishing a false entry point to the BIOS, and providing the address of this false entry point to a calling routine in response to a request for the address of the BIOS. The calling routine will then direct subsequent BIOS service requests to the false entry point, which in turn forwards the service requests to a BIOS monitor for processing. By inserting an intermediary between the calling routine and the BIOS, usage of the BIOS can be readily monitored.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2000
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventor: Dan Howard Nowlin, Jr.
  • Software-implemented tool for monitoring power management in a computer system
    Patent number: 5953536
    Abstract: A software-implemented tool for monitoring CPU power usage in a personal computer system, especially well-suited for use in battery-powered computers running a Windows.RTM. operating system, includes a virtual device driver for causing the computer system's processor to enter a low-power state when software running on the computer system is idle. A monitor routine is in communication with the virtual device driver for gathering and storing information relating to a condition of the computer system while the processor is in its low-power state. A user interface routine is also provided to facilitate displaying this information to a system user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 14, 1999
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventor: Dan Howard Nowlin, Jr.
  • CPU power management in non-APM systems
    Patent number: 5845138
    Abstract: In order to save power in a computer system which lacks an APM BIOS or similar built-in power management facility, a power management V.times.D is hooked into the idle callback chain in such a way that it is the last device driver to receive an idle callback. Upon receipt of an idle callback, the power management V.times.D causes the CPU to enter a low-power consumption state. For processors that support a halt state, this may be done by issuing a HLT instruction to the CPU. Control returns to the power management V.times.D upon subsequent occurrence of an external interrupt, after which the power management V.times.D consumes the idle and returns control to the operating system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 1, 1998
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventor: Dan Howard Nowlin, Jr.