Prior art

To identify the most relevant prior art for US patent 8510543, I will access the USPTO database to view the patent and its cited references.

Most Relevant Prior Art for US Patent 8510543

The following prior art references were cited in US patent 8510543:

1. US6138234A

• Full Citation: US6138234A - Node booting method in high-speed parallel computer
• Publication/Filing Date: Published: October 24, 2000 / Filed: November 25, 1997
• Brief Description: This patent describes a node booting method for a high-speed parallel computer where a boot server transmits a boot image to client nodes. The client nodes receive the boot image and boot themselves. This differs from US'543 in that it focuses on distributed booting in a parallel computing environment rather than multiple boot paths from a single BIOS firmware.
• Potential Anticipated Claim(s) under 35 U.S.C. § 102: This reference primarily deals with the method of booting (Claim 1, 9, 16) but from a network perspective rather than configurable boot paths within a single system's BIOS based on OS needs. It may partially anticipate the broad concept of "booting a computer" but lacks the specific "boot path indicator" and "generating a configuration... based on retrieved configuration information" for different operating systems.

2. US20040143729A1

• Full Citation: US20040143729A1 - System and method for managing a computer system having a plurality of partitions
• Publication/Filing Date: Published: July 22, 2004 / Filed: April 29, 2000
• Brief Description: This publication details a system and method for managing a computer system with multiple partitions, where a boot manager can select one of the partitions to boot an operating system. While it involves selecting an operating system from multiple options, it doesn't explicitly describe the BIOS firmware executing different initialization configurations based on an operating system's specific requirements, which is central to US'543.
• Potential Anticipated Claim(s) under 35 U.S.C. § 102: This reference could potentially anticipate the "launching an operating system, among a plurality of operating systems" aspect (Claims 1, 9, 16). However, it may not fully anticipate the "retrieving configuration information associated with the boot path," "generating a configuration of the firmware... based on the retrieved configuration information," and "performing the configuration... including initializing at least one firmware module" in response to an operating system specific boot path indicator as claimed in US'543.

3. US7234051B2

• Full Citation: US7234051B2 - Method and apparatus for booting from a selection of multiple boot images
• Publication/Filing Date: Published: June 19, 2007 / Filed: August 9, 2002
• Brief Description: This patent describes booting a computer from multiple boot images, allowing a user to select which image to boot. Similar to US20040143729A1, it focuses on the selection of an operating system image. The key distinction from US'543 is the lack of explicit teaching about varying the BIOS firmware initialization process itself based on the needs of the selected operating system.
• Potential Anticipated Claim(s) under 35 U.S.C. § 102: Similar to US20040143729A1, this reference may anticipate the broader concept of selecting and launching an operating system (Claims 1, 9, 16). The specific method of "generating a configuration of the firmware that is associated with the boot path based on the retrieved configuration information" and "initializing at least one firmware module that is specified by the retrieved configuration information" for varied firmware configurations, as detailed in US'543, might not be fully present.

4. US7451302B2

• Full Citation: US7451302B2 - System and method for managing configuration data for a multi-cell computer system
• Publication/Filing Date: Published: November 11, 2008 / Filed: March 10, 2004
• Brief Description: This patent addresses managing configuration data in a multi-cell computer system. While it deals with configuration data, it is in the context of a distributed, multi-cell system and not specifically about a single BIOS firmware dynamically adjusting its pre-OS initialization routine for different operating systems.
• Potential Anticipated Claim(s) under 35 U.S.C. § 102: This reference relates to "retrieving configuration information" (Claims 1, 9, 16) but within a different architectural context (multi-cell vs. single-system BIOS). It is unlikely to anticipate the specific interaction between a boot path indicator, dynamically generated firmware configuration, and targeted OS launch described in US'543.

5. US7117302B2

• Full Citation: US7117302B2 - Boot techniques involving tape media
• Publication/Filing Date: Published: October 3, 2006 / Filed: February 28, 2005
• Brief Description: This patent describes boot techniques, specifically focusing on booting from tape media. The novelty is in the media type and associated booting process, not in varying system initialization paths based on operating system requirements.
• Potential Anticipated Claim(s) under 35 U.S.C. § 102: This reference broadly addresses "booting a computer" but does not contain the specific elements of selecting different firmware initialization paths based on an operating system indicator, which are key to US'543 (Claims 1, 9, 16).

6. US7516315B2

• Full Citation: US7516315B2 - Electronic device having an alterable configuration and methods of manufacturing and configuring the same
• Publication/Filing Date: Published: April 7, 2009 / Filed: March 18, 2005
• Brief Description: This patent describes an electronic device with an alterable configuration. While it involves changing configurations, the context appears to be broader device configuration and manufacturing, not specifically the BIOS firmware dynamically adjusting its boot-time initialization for distinct operating systems.
• Potential Anticipated Claim(s) under 35 U.S.C. § 102: This patent might generally touch upon "generating a configuration" (Claims 1, 9, 16) but is unlikely to anticipate the very specific application to BIOS boot paths and OS-dependent initialization outlined in US'543. The claims of US'543 are much more narrowly focused on the interaction between a boot path indicator, firmware configuration, and OS launch.

7. US7669048B2

• Full Citation: US7669048B2 - Computing device limiting mechanism
• Publication/Filing Date: Published: February 23, 2010 / Filed: December 9, 2005
• Brief Description: This patent describes a mechanism for limiting the functionality of a computing device. This is distinct from the multiple boot path functionality of US'543, which aims to provide flexible initialization rather than functional limitations during boot.
• Potential Anticipated Claim(s) under 35 U.S.C. § 102: This reference is not highly relevant and is unlikely to anticipate any of the key claims of US'543, as its focus is on limiting device functionality rather than dynamic boot path selection and configuration.

8. US7886140B2

• Full Citation: US7886140B2 - Booting a computer using a boot list when a non-volatile memory on the computer does not contain the boot list
• Publication/Filing Date: Published: February 8, 2011 / Filed: August 16, 2007
• Brief Description: This patent discusses booting a computer using a boot list, particularly when the non-volatile memory lacks the boot list. This addresses a specific scenario related to the location of boot information, not the varied initialization processes for different operating systems that US'543 describes.
• Potential Anticipated Claim(s) under 35 U.S.C. § 102: This patent primarily relates to the process of finding and using a boot list for "launching an operating system" (Claims 1, 9, 16). However, it does not appear to anticipate the core inventive concept of US'543 regarding different BIOS firmware configurations based on a boot path indicator for specific operating system requirements.