DYNAMIC EXTENSION OF STATIC DEVICE DRIVERS

摘要

By dynamically expanding a static device driver using a registered driver extension, a method is provided for changing the function of a statically coupled device driver. The static device driver has a plurality of handlers or functions (such as input / output functions) that are used to control devices that are connected to or are part of a computer system. And, the driver extension may change at least one of the functions, although it may be used to change some or all of these functions. In embodiments where the computer system is a UNIX-type workstation with a kernel residing in memory, the static device driver is dynamically expanded by providing at least one entry point for the driver extension.