System for enabling multiple execution environments to share a device

摘要

According to the present invention, there is provided a data processing system comprising: a dedicated physical device for access by a single client only; a shared physical device for shared access by multiple clients; a partition of a first type associated with the dedicated physical device, the first type partition comprising said single client and a first device driver for accessing the dedicated physical device; a partition of a second type associated with the shared physical device, the second type partition comprising a second device driver for accessing the shared physical device, and a back end driver for accessing the second device driver; and multiple partitions of the third type each comprising a respective one of said multiple clients and a front end driver for accessing the shared physical device via the second type partition. There is also provided a method of operating the data processing system comprising: executing a user application in the standard domain; and executing in the trusted domain, one or more predetermined operations, services and/or functions relating to the user application.

主权项

1. A data processing system comprising:
at least one shared physical device configured to share access by one or more clients; at least one primary partition associated with the shared physical device, wherein a primary partition comprises a device driver configured to access the shared physical device, and a back end driver configured to access the device driver; and one or more secondary partitions, each comprising at least one of said clients and a front end driver configured to access the shared physical device via the at least one primary partition; wherein at least one of the one or more secondary partitions comprises a virtual device representing the physical device intended for access by a respective one of the clients; and wherein at least one of the one or more secondary partitions that comprise a virtual device comprises an isolator configured to prevent communications between the secondary partition and the primary partition except through the virtual device; wherein the isolator includes a bridge driver for preventing unauthorized access between the back end driver and the front end driver; wherein the isolator comprises software; and wherein the at least one of the one or more secondary partitions further comprises one or more applications that is in the same partition as said isolator, said one or more applications configured to access said shared physical device using said bridge driver and said back end driver when authorized.