Patent ID: 6289396
Filing Date: 2001-09-11
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
A process of providing for the controlled manipulation of the operating state of a hardware controller attached to a computer system, which includes a processor and a memory, said computer system executing an operating system that couples through a device driver to said hardware controller, said process comprising the steps of:a) determining in the execution of said device driver by said processor the occurrence of a mode switch event specifying a switch from a first predetermined operating state of said hardware controller to a second predetermined operating state of said hardware controller, wherein said first predetermined operating state and said second predetermined operating state correspond to respective sets of configurable operational features on said hardware controller;b) selectively storing data defining a first context within which said device driver is executed by said processor, said first context corresponding to said first predetermined operating state of said hardware controller, in a first predefined location reserved within said memory by said device driver;c) selectively restoring data defining a second context within which said device driver is executed by said processor, said second context corresponding to said second predetermined operating state, from a second predefined location reserved within said memory by said device driver; andd) applying said data defining said second context to said hardware controller to establish said second predetermined operating state.