Abstract: According to the present invention, a “smart system call” may be implemented. The smart system call employs a code “stub” that is used to make function calls to privileged memory locations. The code stub includes facilities to determine the current mode of execution (e.g., privileged, unprivileged), and where the current mode is sufficiently trusted, allows a direct access to the desired memory address. If the current mode is not sufficiently trusted (e.g., unprivileged), an alternate indirect system call mechanism may be employed, such as an interrupt-based, exception-based, or hardware-assisted system call. Additionally, the smart system call permits selection of a system call method based on processor type, which may be used, for example, for porting to processor architectures which support specialized hardware-assisted system call instructions.

Abstract: A system page is implemented to provide direct access to operating system data structures by user tasks. Frequently accessed data structures are located in the system page, and may be linked against during linking. The system page memory locations are mapped into user tasks as read-only memory locations, allowing read-only memory accesses during run-time. The system page reduces execution overhead without sacrificing system security.

Abstract: A system for allocating memory for execution of computational tasks in an embedded device is described. The system uses a single stack to store the runtime memory for an executing task, and the context for selected suspended tasks, pointers are dynamically set to indicate top of stack locations for the tasks, and context locations for suspended tasks. The amount of memory in the stack is optimized during run time to use the least memory necessary.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for management of an automated license installation is presented. An automated license daemon runs on a server waiting for transmissions/connections from a client-based Setup program. The Setup program utilizes a tunneling agent to make a socket connection with the automated license daemon. Upon such transmission/connection, the automated license daemon begins a thread for each license request, each thread creating a number of SQL queries with information that is received from the Setup program. These SQL queries are sent to an automated license management database for validation. After validation, a license file is returned from the automated license database to the automated license daemon and then back to the Setup program client.

Abstract: A method for managing a memory of a computer system to store a data of a first size, comprising the steps of defining chunks of the memory, wherein each chunk is a continuous memory space of a predetermined size. Defining chunk pools for managing the chunks, wherein each chunk pool corresponds to chunks of a particular size and defining unit pools for managing units of the first size, wherein the chunk pool corresponding to the unit pool provides a chunk of the particular size to be separated into the units of the first size, and the data of the first size is stored in the units.

Abstract: A task stack and a context pointer in a task control block (TCB) are implemented to provide more efficient context switching. Additionally, multiple routines each of which saves or restores a certain combination of volatile registers is implemented. A task can store in its task control block a routine identifier to select from the multiple routines a set of routines for saving and restoring volatile registers during context switching. On the occurrence of an event that may lead to a context switch a scheduler selects based on the routine identifier a routine that only saves registers used by the task, thereby, reducing execution overhead. The registers are saved on the task stack and a context pointer to the registers is saved in the TCB. In the event a context switch is necessary, it is not necessary to copy the registers to the TCB because the context pointer is in the TCB. A non-volatile register indicator that indicates whether non-volatile registers are used is stored in the task control block.

Abstract: A package manager of a media gateway component is described, which is configured to receive requests to encode or decode a message containing package descriptors. The package manager determines the type of package descriptor, and invokes the appropriate helper function which carries out the encoding or decoding operation. The package manager includes a package resolver portion that interfaces with other elements of the media gateway component, and a package helper portion that stores the helper functions. The package resolver portion includes a package list that describes the correlation between package descriptors and the corresponding helper functions.

Abstract: A method for emulating one or more file system functions is provided. On a first processing device, a request is received. The request comprises a first data indicating a first file that a file system resident on the first processing device does not support. In an emulation library a second data for emulation of the first file is located. A response based upon the first and second data is formed.

Abstract: A protection domain system is implemented to provide protection for applications executing in a computing environment. Protection domains are allocated system resources and may contain executing tasks. The protection domain system may allow tasks to access resources in other protection domains to which attachments have been made. Attachment is transparent to the software developer. The protection domain system provides flexibility in implementing operating system services and defining protection hierarchies.

Abstract: A method and system to generate a CLI command designed to output a configuration dump of a networked device is described. The method and system allows generation of a command that discovers the state value parameters of the device, and from those discovered state value parameters constructs a CLI command script that, when executed, sets the networked device back to the configuration existing when the command was initially executed. The method and system provides templates and routines that may be customized by the user to form a command specific to the networked device.

Abstract: A method for generating a list of desired elements of a first software code, the first code having a predefined command structure; extracting the desired elements from the first code; and performing an operation on the extracted elements. A system includes a first engine which receives a list of desired elements of a first software code, the first code having a predefined command structure; a second engine which extracts the desired elements from the first code; and a third engine which performs an operation on the extracted elements.

Abstract: A method and system of monitoring code as it is executed by a target processor is provided for debugging, etc. Standardized software code function preamble and postamble instructions are dynamically replaced with instructions that will generate a predetermined exception. The exception generates a branch to a conventional exception vector table. An exception routine is inserted into the vector table, and includes instruction(s) to disable the data and/or address caches. Subsequent instructions in the vector table execute the replaced preamble instruction and, with or without re-enabling the cache, branch back to the address of the program code immediately following the faulted preamble address. Instructions of the function executed while cache is disabled are executed on the bus where they are visible, as opposed to within cache.

Abstract: A system and method that improve a process of creating software programs for a variety of existing computing platforms. The method includes the steps of: receiving a formatted data file having a predefined, platform independent structure, compiling a common generation file, written in a lowest common denominator language utilized by each of the plurality of computing platforms, with the data file to generate a predefined output file. The output file will be compatible with one of a plurality of computing platforms. The system generates a predefined output file utilizing a common generation file adapted to create the predefined output file that is compatible with each of a plurality of computing platforms, and a compiler for compiling the common generation file with a data file having a predefined and platform independent structure.

Abstract: A method for emulating one or more file system functions is provided. On a first processing device, a request is received. The request comprises a first data indicating a first file that a file system resident on the first processing device does not support. In an emulation library a second data for emulation of the first file is located. A response based upon the first and second data is formed.

Abstract: A method and system of monitoring code after being compiled or assembled is provided. Software code instructions, such as a function preamble and/or a data manipulation instruction, are identified using debug information and then dynamically replaced with an instruction that will branch execution to a scratchpad buffer. A routine is inserted into the scratchpad buffer, and includes instruction(s) to generate output to a trace buffer. Subsequent instructions in the scratchpad may execute the replaced instruction(s) and branch back to the address of the program code immediately following the original address of the replaced instruction.

Abstract: A method and system may be implemented, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, to permit transformation of software to use conditional execution instructions. According to the preferred embodiment, a system and method is provided to transform machine instructions (for example, machine instructions generated by a source code compiler) to make use of the conditional execution features of a processor. The preferred embodiment thus reduces code size and better utilizes the instruction pipeline and cache.

Abstract: A project analysis system and method is described to allow for automated generation of scalable bootable applications and downloadable applications, preferably in connection with an integrated development environment (IDE). The project analysis system and method includes facilities for automatically identifying and including software components in application development projects based on symbol dependencies and component dependencies. The project analysis system and method also includes facilities for automatically identifying and removing software components in application development projects where no symbol dependencies or component dependencies exist, thereby removing unused code. A graphical user interface is provided for user display and selection of includable and excludable components.

Abstract: A computer system is provided comprising a core operating system and a system space having a number of memory locations. The core operating system creates a number of protection domains to partition the system space. Each of the partitions includes a partition operating system and a partition user application. Each partition operating system provides resource allocation services to the respective partition user application within the partition.

Abstract: A method for debugging an application running on a target device includes running a debugging program on a host device. A global path substitution is specified, the global path substitution indicating a first file path according to a file path convention of the host device to be substituted for a second file path according to a file path convention of the target device. The path substitution avoids file path ambiguities which may occur, for example, when the host attempts to access files having file paths referenced to the file path convention of the target device.

Abstract: A timer facility, comprising a plurality of slots, each slot representing a time period, and a timer logic module configured to receive counter information from a counter incrementing at predetermined time intervals, and update at least one of the slots when the counter information corresponds to the time period represented by the at least one slot.