Hardware abstraction for set-top box operating systems

摘要

A standardized system for developing hardware platforms and operating systems for computer systems. The system comprises: (1) a first standardized protocol for developing hardware platforms, wherein the first standardized protocol requires each hardware platform to include a bios program having: a first system for setting up a plurality of control features on the hardware platform; and a second system for collecting a standardized set of abstraction information and storing the abstraction information in a standardized format; and (2) a second standardized protocol for developing operating systems, wherein the second standardized protocol: requires each operating system to include an interface call to obtain the abstraction information in the standardized format; and requires each operating system to be operational on a target hardware platform with the abstraction information.