Patent ID: 7827339
Filing Date: 2010-11-02
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. In a computing system, a method for calling a 16-bit function of a firmware from an application program running on a 32-bit operating system that provides a system management interrupt (SMI) interface to the firmware, the method comprising: generating, by way of the application program, a 32-bit SMI function call comprising an identifier of the 16-bit function of the firmware; passing, by way of the SMI interface, the 32-bit SMI function call to an SMI entry module, the SMI entry module executing in a system management mode of the computing system; in the SMI entry module, extracting the identifier of the 16-bit function of the firmware from the 32-bit SMI function call; and generating in the system management mode a 16-bit format function call to the 16-bit function of the firmware.