EFFICIENT RAM USAGE IN COMPUTING DEVICES

摘要

Systems and methods are disclosed for managing program code in a computing device, such as an embedded system. In a computing device, a non-volatile flash memory stores program code comprising initialization code designed to be executed a single time during device booting, main program code separate from the initialization code, and main code loader code designed to direct a controller of the computing device to load the main program code from the flash memory to the RAM when executed by the controller. The controller loads the initialization code and the main code loader code to first and second adjacent portions of the RAM, respectively, and loads the main program code, separately from the initialization code, to a third portion of the RAM at least partially overlapping the first portion but not overlapping the second portion, thereby at least partially overwriting the initialization code.

主权项

1. A computing device comprising:
a volatile random access memory (RAM); a controller; and a non-volatile flash memory storing program code comprising:
initialization code designed to be executed a single time during device booting;main program code separate from the initialization code and designed to be executed after execution of the initialization code; andmain code loader code designed to direct the controller to load the main program code from the flash memory to the RAM when executed by the controller; and wherein the controller is configured to:
load the initialization code and the main code loader code to first and second adjacent portions of the RAM, respectively;load the main program code, separately from the initialization code, to a third portion of the RAM at least partially overlapping the first portion but not overlapping the second portion, thereby at least partially overwriting the initialization code; andexecute the main program code.