Abstract: A system and method for discovering I/O bus capabilities. Specifically, a system is described for discovering I/O bus capabilities on a computer system. The system includes an ACPI name space, a first ACPI interface, and a second ACPI interface. The ACPI name space details hardware configuration in the computer system. The first ACPI interface in the ACPI name space details current capabilities of an I/O bus that is communicatively coupled to an I/O slot. The second ACPI interface details a list of all the capabilities of the I/O bus that supports the I/O slot.

Abstract: The firmware interface table (FIT) of IA-64 instruction set is used to populate the hardware component namespace using SSDT data, where the SSDT data describes components in the system. At boot-up time all hardware components are discovered. The ACPI sub-system, in the system firmware, consumes the data set-up and loads the SSDTs from the FIT to create the namespace for the active system components. There is one FIT type indicating an SSDT entry, and the sub-type is indicated using the FIT version field.

Abstract: A computer system includes an operating system. An advanced configuration and power interface (ACPI) system is in communication with the operating system and receives an ACPI request from the operating system. A cache is in communication with the ACPI system and receives the ACPI request from the ACPI system and provides ACPI data to the operating system via the ACPI system.

Abstract: The firmware interface table (FIT) of IA-64 instruction set is used to populate the hardware component namespace using secondary system description table (SSDT) data, where the SSDT data describes components in the system. At boot-up time all hardware components are discovered. The Advanced Configuration Power Interface (ACPI) sub-system, in the system firmware, consumes the data set-up and loads the SSDTs from the FIT to create the namespace for the active system components.

Abstract: A system and method for using memory mapped I/O (MMIO) to manage system devices is provided. A parent device in the ACPI namespace uses (MMIO) to identify the memory addresses of its children devices. An existing, but unused, construct of ACPI is used to pass the MMIO information through the operating system (OS) to the device drivers, enabling memory to be reserved by a device, and also remain hidden to the OS. The vendor defined resource data type for long information, also known as the “vendor-long” descriptor, is used to pass the appropriate information through the OS.

Abstract: A system and method for supporting multiple operating systems with mutually exclusive requirements on a single computer system, or platform. The operating system sets an ACPI variable to identify the operating system running on the platform. The system firmware automatically comes up with a common set of functionality to satisfy all operating systems that can run on the platform. The ACPI interpreter reads the OS identifying variable upon boot-up and uses it in conditional code that depends on the operating system to fully define the operation of the system component.

Abstract: The present system and method allows for a memory location, typically a system event register, present in a processor to be accessed as either big or little endian mode, depending on an operating system (OS) accessible bit for endian selection. The OS type is determined at boot time.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for compiling ASL (ACPI Source Language) code into AML (ACPI machine language) code. The method includes accessing an ASL program. A preprocessor is executed to process the ASL program and to insert support for at least one non-native programming construct. The ASL program is then processed using an ASL compiler to compile the ASL program into a resulting AML program.

Abstract: A system and method for discovering I/O bus capabilities. Specifically, a system is described for discovering I/O bus capabilities on a computer system. The system includes an ACPI name space, a first ACPI interface, and a second ACPI interface. The ACPI name space details hardware configuration in the computer system. The first ACPI interface in the ACPI name space details current capabilities of an I/O bus that is communicatively coupled to an I/O slot. The second ACPI interface details a list of all the capabilities of the I/O bus that supports the I/O slot.

Abstract: In one embodiment of the invention, a method of semaphoring between a system firmware and ACPI subsystem, includes: prior to entering a critical section by a first entity, checking a turn flag to determine if a second entity has a turn to access a critical section; if the second entity has the turn, then checking an In flag of the second entity to determine if the second entity is in the critical section; if the second entity is in the critical section, then waiting for the second entity to exit the critical section; and entering the critical section by the first entity. The method may further include: if the second entity is not in the critical section, then entering the critical section by the first entity.

Abstract: A computer program that is executable by a computer system for causing the computer system to detect a character subsequent to a double quote mark and adjacent to a string in a double-quoted portion of a pre-processing directive and replace a constant associated with the pre-processing directive with the string is provided.

Abstract: A system and method for using memory mapped I/O (MMIO) to manage system devices is provided. A parent device in the ACPI namespace uses (MMIO) to identify the memory addresses of its children devices. An existing, but unused, construct of ACPI is used to pass the MMIO information through the operating system (OS) to the device drivers, enabling memory to be reserved by a device, and also remain hidden to the OS. The vendor defined resource data type for long information, also known as the “vendor-long” descriptor, is used to pass the appropriate information through the OS.

Abstract: A system and method for using memory mapped I/O (MMIO) to manage system devices is provided. A parent device in the ACPI namespace uses (MMIO) to identify the memory addresses of its children devices. An existing, but unused, construct of ACPI is used to pass the MMIO information through the operating system (OS) to the device drivers, enabling memory to be reserved by a device, and also remain hidden to the OS. The vendor defined resource data type for long information, also known as the “vendor-long” descriptor, is used to pass the appropriate information through the OS.

Abstract: A system and method for supporting multiple operating systems with mutually exclusive requirements on a single computer system, or platform. The operating system sets an ACPI variable to identify the operating system running on the platform. The system firmware automatically comes up with a common set of functionality to satisfy all operating systems that can run on the platform. The ACPI interpreter reads the OS identifying variable upon boot-up and uses it in conditional code that depends on the operating system to fully define the operation of the system component.

Abstract: The firmware interface table (FIT) of IA-64 instruction set is used to populate the hardware component namespace using secondary system description table (SSDT) data, where the SSDT data describes components in the system. At boot-up time all hardware components are discovered. The Advanced Configuration Power Interface (ACPI) sub-system, in the system firmware, consumes the data set-up and loads the SSDTs from the FIT to create the namespace for the active system components.

Abstract: The present system and method allows for a memory location, typically a system event register, present in a processor to be accessed as either big or little endian mode, depending on an operating system (OS) accessible bit for endian selection. The OS type is determined at boot time.

Abstract: The firmware interface table (FIT) of IA-64 instruction set is used to populate the hardware component namespace using SSDT data, where the SSDT data describes components in the system. At boot-up time all hardware components are discovered. The ACPI sub-system, in the system firmware, consumes the data set-up and loads the SSDTs from the FIT to create the namespace for the active system components. There is one FIT type indicating an SSDT entry, and the sub-type is indicated using the FIT version field.

Abstract: A system and method for using memory mapped I/O (MMIO) to manage system devices is provided. A parent device in the ACPI namespace uses (MMIO) to identify the memory addresses of its children devices. An existing, but unused, construct of ACPI is used to pass the MMIO information through the operating system (OS) to the device drivers, enabling memory to be reserved by a device, and also remain hidden to the OS. The vendor defined resource data type for long information, also known as the “vendor-long” descriptor, is used to pass the appropriate information through the OS.