Claims
- 1. A write protected register in a computer system, comprising:
- means including a write once read many (WORM) register having one or more volatile storage devices for storing data, said one or more volatile storage devices including one or more registers adapted to being connected to one or more predetermined data lines to enable said data storing means to be written to once anytime after said data storing means is powered up including the time after the computer system is booted up; and
- means connected to said data storing means for automatically locking data into said write once read many register and automatically blocking subsequent write signals to said data storing means subsequent to the first write to said write one read many register after boot up.
- 2. A WORM register as recited in claim 1, further including means for resetting said storing means.
- 3. A WORM register as recited in claim 2, wherein resetting means includes means for resetting said storing means when said storing means is powered down.
- 4. A configuration register write protection system in a computer system, comprising:
- means including a write once read many register having one or more volatile storage devices for storing data which include one or more registers adapted to being connected to one or more predetermined data lines to enable said data storing means to be written to once anytime after said data storing means is powered up;
- means for allowing said write once read many register to store data once anytime after said data storing means is powered up; and
- means for automatically locking data in said write once read many register and preventing user applications from writing to said write once read many register by automatically blocking subsequent write signals to said data storing means subsequent to said data storing means storing data once anytime after boot up.
- 5. A WORM register as recited in claim 4, further including means resetting said storing means.
- 6. A WORM register as recited in claim 5, wherein resetting means includes means for resetting said storing means when said storing means is powered down.
- 7. A write inhibited configuration register in a computer system, comprising:
- a write once read many (WORM) register having one or more volatile storage devices adapted to store data, said storage devices including one or more registers adapted to being connected to one or more predetermined data lines to enable said data storage devices to be written to once anytime after power up including the time after the computer system is booted up; and
- a data locking device connected to said storage devices and adapted to automatically lock the current data into the WORM register and to prevent subsequent user applications from modifying said locked data by automatically blocking subsequent write signals to said storage device subsequent to the first write to the WORM register after boot up.
- 8. A configuration register write protection system, comprising:
- a configuration register including a write once read many (WORM) register adapted to store configuration data, said WORM register adapted to being connected to one or more predetermined data lines;
- firmware adapted to enable said WORM register to be written to once anytime after power up including the time after the computer system is booted up; and
- a data locking device connected to said storage devices and adapted to automatically lock the current data into said WORM register and to prevent subsequent data from user applications from overwriting said locked data by automatically blocking subsequent write signals to said storage device subsequent to the first write to the WORM register after boot up, said configuration data being changeable only through a change in firmware.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/484,452, filed Jun. 7, 1995, now abandoned, entitled WRITE ONCE READ ONLY REGISTERS, which is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/220,961, filed on Mar. 25, 1994, now abandoned, entitled WRITE ONCE READ ONLY REGISTERS.
This application is also related to the following applications all filed on Mar. 25, 1994: NON-VOLATILE SECTOR PROTECTION FOR AN ELECTRICALLY ERASABLE READ ONLY MEMORY, Ser. No. 08/217,800, now abandoned in favor of continuation U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/554,667, filed on Nov. 8, 1995, entitled PROTECTED ADDRESS RANGE IN AN ELECTRICALLY ERASABLE PROGRAMMABLE READ-ONLY MEMORY; SHARED CODE STORAGE FOR MULTIPLE CPUs, Ser. No. 08/217,958, now abandoned in favor of continuation U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/480,047, filed on Jun. 6, 1995; METHOD TO PREVENT DATA LOSS IN AN ELECTRICALLY ERASABLE READ ONLY MEMORY, Ser. No. 08/218,412, now abandoned in favor of continuation U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/478,363, filed on Jun. 7, 1995; PROGRAMMABLY RELOCATABLE CODE BLOCK, Ser. No. 08/217,646, now abandoned in favor of continuation U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/549,304, filed on Oct. 27, 1995, entitled APPARATUS TO ALLOW A CPU TO CONTROL A RELOCATION OF CODE BLOCKS FOR OTHER CPUs; METHOD TO STORE PRIVILEGED DATA WITHIN THE PRIMARY CPU MEMORY SPACE, Ser. No. 08/218,273, now abandoned in favor of continuation U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/572,190, filed on Dec. 13, 1995; METHOD FOR WARM BOOT FROM RESET, Ser. No. 08/218,968, now abandoned in favor of continuation U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/607,445, filed Feb. 27, 1996; PROGRAMMABLE HARDWARE COUNTER, Ser. No. 08/218,413, now abandoned in favor of divisional U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/481,850, entitled PROGRAMMBLE HARDWARE TIMER INCLUDING TWO PROGRAMMABLE HARDWARE DOWNCOUNTERS WHEREIN THE SECOND DOWNCOUNTER COUNTS IN MULTIPLES OF THE FIRST DOWNCOUNTER, filed Jun. 7, 1995; ALTERNATE I/O PORT ACCESS TO STANDARD REGISTER SET, Ser. No. 08/218,273, now abandoned in favor of continuation U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/579,037, filed on Dec. 19, 1995.
US Referenced Citations (36)
Non-Patent Literature Citations (2)
Entry |
80386-33/40 CWB personal computer manual, Mugen, 1990, pp. 1-44. |
Press Release: "Zenith Data Systems introduces new class of high-performance modular notebook PCs", May 16, 1994. |
Divisions (1)
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220961 |
Mar 1994 |
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Continuations (1)
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484452 |
Jun 1995 |
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