Invalidity dossier
US 5257387
Computer implemented method and apparatus for dynamic and automatic configuration of a computer system and circuit boards including computer resource allocation conflict resolution
Current assignee: Hewlett Packard Development Co LP
Added 9/23/2026, 4:33:35 PM
Active provider: DeepSeek · deepseek-flash
Patent summary
Title, assignee, inventors, filing/issue dates, abstract, and a plain-language overview of the claims.
Patent Overview: US5257387A
Title: Computer implemented method and apparatus for dynamic and automatic configuration of a computer system and circuit boards including computer resource allocation conflict resolution.
Assignee/Inventor: Original assignee was Compaq Computer Corp.; inventors Martin D. Richek, Robert S. Gready, and Curtis R. Jones, Jr. (application US07/403,297).
Key dates: Priority date 1988-09-09 (filed 1989-09-05); granted 1993-10-26; expiration listed 2010-10-26; status "Expired – Lifetime."
Purpose: The invention addresses configuration of computer systems with interchangeable circuit boards, particularly allocating limited shared resources—interrupt request lines, DMA channels, and I/O and memory address space—and resolving conflicts among them, while also handling board initialization and slot locations.
Plain-language scope: The patent covers a method for determining each installed (or to-be-installed) board's configuration options and settings, expressed as parameters, including initialization values and slot location. It selects among options so boards operate without conflicts. Requests are assigned priorities based on resource type and relationships to other requests, sorted into a prioritized list, and allocated on a priority basis. When a conflict arises, the system attempts to assign alternate resources; if that fails, it examines the conflicting and prior requests (and their related requests) to decide what to change. If unresolved, it notifies the user and identifies the conflicting requests. Configuration information can be stored in non-volatile memory (e.g., battery-powered CMOS RAM) and/or a diskette file. The invention also describes determining options via an established configuration file format made available to board manufacturers, a vendor-supplied database of configuration files, and a utility for creating a configuration file from a default-filled template that users augment or modify.
Source: https://patents.google.com/patent/[US5257387](/patent/US5257387)/en
What the excerpt does not establish: The supplied text is partial—figures and much of the specification/claims are omitted (a portion of the figure list is truncated). It does not provide full claim language, detailed component descriptions, or the complete configuration file format. It also does not establish litigation, ownership transfers, validity, or prior-art comparisons, and none are assessed here.
Generated 10/1/2026, 9:44:22 PM
Cases on file (0)
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Litigation summary
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Proceedings on file (0)
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PTAB challenges
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Assignment history
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Prior art
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Obviousness
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Extensions
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Derivative works
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