Patent ID: 8291209
Filing Date: 2012-10-16
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. An instant-on environment for a computer comprising a boot ROM and a mass storage device, wherein the mass storage can be either hard disk or flash memory, said instant-on environment comprising: a loader that is integrated into said boot ROM, based on an embedded OS, and that functions to load other instant-on environment components; an EPG1 interface element comprising a first user screen that appears on a computer display within seconds after power-on, and from which a user can choose to launch one of a plurality of instant-on environment applications or launch a primary OS; an EPG2 interface element that is launched if said user chooses to launch an instant-on environment application, wherein said EPG2 interface element comprises a desktop environment that said user enters once an application is selected from said EPG1 interface element; and wherein said instant-on environment comprises any or all of said loader, EPG1, and EPG2, and resides in any one or all of said boot ROM and mass storage; wherein the computer always boots first to said loader and said EPG1, instead of to said primary OS; and wherein said loader further comprising means for: switching between real and protected modes; calling BIOS/UEFI's various software services and APIs; and further comprising: data structures in memory, comprising headers, that are integral to a boot process, said headers comprising: a header which BIOS/UEFI can programmatically find and which provides BIOS/UEFI with the necessary information to successfully run the loader; and a header that is used for exchanging information between said BIOS/UEFI and said instant-on environment.