Patent Application
20060179330
This invention relates generally to computer system hardware and software, and more particularly to a technique for ensuring compatibility between system boards and processing devices such as central processing units (“CPUs”).
System boards, also commonly called motherboards, are limited with respect to the amount of power they can supply to a processor such as a CPU. For example, desktop CPUs currently manufactured by Intel Corporation are divided into two classes—“mainstream” CPUs and “performance” CPUs. Some system boards are designed to source sufficient power to host either a performance CPU or a mainstream CPU, while other system boards are designed to support only a mainstream CPU. Operating a performance CPU in the latter type of system board can result in overheating, damage to components and possibly even fire. Consequently, it is necessary for system designers and manufacturers to ensure that each system board is matched appropriately with its processors.
The prior art solution to this problem has been for basic input/output services (“BIOS”) firmware to keep a hard-coded list of system board models that do not support high-power processors. During power-on selftest (“POST”), the BIOS would determine if a high-power processor is installed on the system board. If so, then the BIOS would determined the model number of the system board and would check the hard-coded list to determine whether the system board supports high-power processors. If not, the BIOS would disallow continuing with the boot procedure. This solution is somewhat undesirable in that the BIOS must keep a list of many different types of system boards. Moreover, whenever new system boards are released, the BIOS must be updated accordingly.
For the purposes of this document, “high-power” may be taken to mean any power consumption level higher than a threshold power consumption level. For example, in the case of the Intel Corporation CPUs described above, a performance processor could be classified as a high-power processor while a mainstream processor could be classified as a non-high-power processor.
In the illustrated embodiment, input 108 is an asserted-low signal. In such an embodiment, the configuration in which the signal is pulled up to a logical high voltage 114 would indicate that system board 100 is not capable of supporting a high-power processing device, while the configuration in which the signal is pulled down to a logical low voltage 118 would indicate that system board 100 is capable of supporting a high-power processor. In alternative embodiments, input 108 may be an asserted-high signal. In such alternative embodiments, the meanings of the two just-described configurations would be reversed.
While the invention has been described in detail with reference to preferred embodiments thereof, the described embodiments have been presented by way of example and not by way of limitation. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the form and details of the described embodiments without deviating from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. For example, the order of steps in method 200 may be altered without deviating from the scope of the invention as described and claimed. Input 108 may be read before any determination is made about the power requirements of the processing device. If the logic level of input 108 indicates that the system board is capable of supporting a high-power processor, then it would not be necessary to determine which type of processor is installed. But if the logic level of input 108 indicates that the system board is not capable of supporting a high-power processing device, then the determination of step 202 may be performed and the appropriate action taken depending on the outcome.
