Computer With Automatic Power Cut-Off Function and Control Method Therefor

This application makes reference to, incorporates the same herein, and claims all rights accruing thereto under 35 U.S.C. .sctn.121 through my patent application entitled Computer With Automatic Power Cut-Off Function And Control Method Therefor earlier filed in the Korean Industrial Property Office on the 21.sup.ST day of March 1997 and there duly assigned Ser. No. 97-9703.

The invention is related to power control of a computer system, and particularly, to providing a computer with an automatic power cut-off function and a control method therefor for automatically cutting the power supply to a system.

A typical computer is supposed to operate according to a predetermined operating system. The operating system controls the starting and stopping of the computer. Especially, the stopping operation occurs upon the power being cut-off. In that case, the system stopping command of the operating system is used to force the computer to store program information and data, as described for example in computer operating systems utilizing an APM (advanced power management) function is on an increasing trend. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,638,541 for System And Method For Managing Power On Desktop System issued to Shivaprasad Sadashivaiah and U.S. Pat. No. 5,560,023 for Automatic Backup System For Advance Power Management issued to Dwayne T. Crump et al.

Some operating systems then display a final message, indicating that the user can now turn off power to the system, on a monitor for a user to read. The computer is determined to store information and data of a user's job in a predetermined period time prior to displaying the final message. This means the user must wait for a time before shutting off the power. Accordingly, the user is inconvenienced by this waiting time.

An object of invention is to provide a computer with an automatic power cut-off function and a control method therefor for cutting the power source to a system in itself.

The other object of the invention is to provide a computer with an automatic power cut-off function and a control method therefor for enabling a microprocessor to cut the power source to a system, automatically, using an advanced power management.

Another object of the invention is to provide a computer comprising a BIOS provided with a power cut-off service portion for enabling a microprocessor to cut the power source to a system, automatically, using an advanced power management and for enabling a microprocessor to cut the power source to a system, automatically, and a control method therefor.

According to one embodiment of the invention, a computer with automatic power cut-off function comprises a BIOS portion for storing a program to control various inputs and outputs of the system; a CPU for performing the data processing function; a power control portion for controlling the power supply and cut-off of a power source to the system; and a microprocessor for enabling the power control portion to generate the power cut-off signal, cut the power source to the system and perform a predetermined programming mode, when a software of the computer is ended, thereby improving the performance of an operating system and confirming the connection of a power adaptor and the power cut-off by itself.

A control method of the computer with automatic power cut-off function comprises steps of ending the operating system of a system, generating a power cut-off control signal to cut the power source to the system, automatically; and outputting the power cut-off control signal to cut the power source to the system, thereby improving the performance of an operating system and confirming the connection of a power adaptor and the power cut-off by itself.

According to the other embodiment of the invention, a computer with automatic power cut-off function comprises a BIOS portion for storing a program to control various inputs and outputs of a system; a CPU for performing the data processing function; a power control portion for controlling the power supply and cut-off to the system; a microprocessor including an advanced power management portion for enabling the power control portion to generate the power cut-off signal, cut the power source to the system and perform a predetermined ending mode, thereby improving the performance of an operating system and confirming the connection of a power adaptor and the power cut-off by itself.

A control method of the computer with automatic power cut-off function comprises steps of ending the operating system of a system, generating a power cut-off control signal based on an advanced power management to cut the power source to the system, automatically; and outputting the power cut-off control signal to cut the power source to the system, thereby improving the performance of an operating system and confirming the connection of a power adaptor and the power cut-off by itself.

According to another embodiment of the invention, a computer with automatic power cut-off function comprises a BIOS portion including a system power cut-off service routine for generating the power cut-off command to write it; a microprocessor including an advanced power management portion for generating the power cut-off control signal; and a power control portion for cutting the power source to the system based on the power cut-off control signal and performing a predetermined mode, thereby performing the power cut-off function by itself without the waiting time taken in storing data and various information of a system at a predetermined memory.

A control method of the computer with automatic power cut-off function comprises steps of calling a system power cut-off service routine from a BIOS portion using an advanced power management function of a microprocessor upon the system ending; determining whether the microprocessor is ready to perform the power cut-off command; enabling the BIOS portion to write the power cut-off command in the microprocessor, if the microprocessor is ready; forcing the BIOS portion to be halted during the power cut-off command performing of the microprocessor; and enabling the microprocessor to cut the system power, thereby performing the power cut-off function by itself without the waiting time taken in storing data and various information of a system at a predetermined memory.

A more complete appreciation of the present invention, and many of the attendant advantages thereof, will become readily apparent as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like reference symbols indicate the same or similar components, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a view illustrating a notebook computer;

FIGS. 2A, 2B and 2C are views illustrating hypothetically displayed messages generated by an operating system prior to power shut off;

FIG. 3 is a view illustrating the configuration of a computer having an automatic power cut-off function according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a view illustrating a flow chart of the power cut-off operation according to a power cut-off service routine stored at a BIOS portion;

FIG. 5 is a view illustrating the function blocks of a microprocessor constructed according to the invention;

FIG. 6 is a view illustrating the hardware blocks of the microprocessor constructed according to the invention;

FIG. 7 is a detailed view illustrating a power control portion of the computer constructed according to the invention;

FIG. 8 is a flow chart illustrating a method of the automatic power cutting off according to the other embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 9 is a detailed flow chart illustrating the power cut-off service routine of FIG. 7.

Referring to FIG. 1, a notebook computer 100 is shown in appearance. The computer is provided with a monitor 10 including a liquid crystal display panel, a main body 20, a keyboard 30, a floppy disk drive 40 and a compact disc-read only memory (CD-ROM) drive 50. The notebook computer is operated under a known operating system. The operating system stops the operation of the notebook computer as explained below with respect to FIGS. 2A-2C.

Referring to FIG. 2A, when the end of system operation is intended, a user clicks a mouse button when a mouse pointer is positioned over a START button displayed on the screen of the liquid crystal display panel. A sub-menu is then displayed comprising selectable commands such as SYSTEM END, SYSTEM RESTART, and MS-DOS MODE, and the user then selects SYSTEM END and clicks on the YES confirmation button as shown in FIG. 2B, in order to prepare the computer for turn off. At that time, if the confirmation of the system end is established, the message SYSTEM POWER CAN BE TURNED OFF is displayed on the screen indicated that the user can now toggle a power switch off, as shown in FIG. 2C.

Referring to FIG. 3, a computer with an automatic power cut-off function comprises a BIOS portion 210, a central processing unit (CPU) 200, a microprocessor 270 and a power control portion 260 to remove a waiting time which the operating system takes for permitting the user to perform power cut-off and instead, performs the power cut-off by itself.

CPU 200 performs the operation control function of a computer according to a system program. A main memory 220 includes a random access memory (RAM) to store processed data, temporally. An auxiliary memory 230 includes a hard disk drive or a CD-ROM drive to store a system program, data and other programs. A key inputting device 250 includes a keyboard to input system commands, data and information. A display 240 includes a video card and a monitor to display the operation and processing states of the computer. BIOS portion 210 stores programs for various inputting and outputting operations of the computer and a processing program to perform an intended object of the system. A power control portion 260 cuts the power supply from a battery 280 or an adapter 290 to the system according to the control of microprocessor 270 as described below in detailed.

Referring to FIG. 4, according to a power cut-off service routine stored in the BIOS portion 210 the power cut-off operation will be described. The end of system operation is accomplished by selecting the SYSTEM END command as shown in FIG. 2B. The operating system performs the power cut-off command based on an advanced management function (APM). As the command SYSTEM END is selected, CPU 200 fetches the power cut-off routine from BIOS portion 210 to perform the power cut-off command. CPU 200 forces the BIOS portion 210 to apply a power cut-off command control signal to microprocessor 270. Microprocessor 270 detects the control signal and applies a power cut-off signal to power control portion 260. Power control portion 260 cuts the direct current (DC) power supply, received from battery 280 or adaptor 290 as shown in FIG. 3, to all power inputting ports of the system. Then, microprocessor 270 checks for a power interrupting detecting signal to determine whether the system power is cut off. If the system power is not cut off, the microprocessor again controls power control portion 260 to cut the power supply to the system.

Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, the function and configuration of microprocessor 270 are shown in detail. Microprocessor 270 performs an advanced power management function corresponding to a power management controller 271, a keyboard controller 272, a real time clock interface 273, a host address decoder 274 and a microcontroller portion 275, which are represented as a functional block, as shown in FIG. 5. Also, as shown in FIG. 6, microprocessor 270 comprises an accumulator 310, an index register 320, a stack pointer 330, a condition code register 340, a program counter 350, a micro control portion 360 and an arithmetic logic unit 370 in order to perform the advanced power management function. Therefore, CPU 200 calls a system power cut-off service routine from a BIOS portion using an advanced power management function of microprocessor 270 upon ending system operations. CPU 200 determines whether microprocessor 270 is ready to perform the power cut-off command. CPU 200 forces the BIOS portion 210 to write the power cut-off command in microprocessor 270, when the microprocessor 270 is ready. Microprocessor 270 forces the BIOS portion to be halted during the power cut-off command operation. Power control portion 260 cuts the power source to the system. Herein, microprocessor 270 can be commercially obtained as model name CPU 6805, well-known in this field. The detailed description of its configuration and functional application programs is well-known and thus not further described herein.

Referring to FIG. 7, the power control portion 260 is shown in detail. The power control portion 260 comprises a power selecting portion 71, a 12V switching portion 72, a 12V power control portion 73, a power down control portion 74 having a control port PWR-CLR, a microprocessor power control portion 75, a 3.3V switching power source 76, a 5V switching power source 77, an overload detecting portion 78 and a low voltage interrupting portion 79.

The power selecting portion 71 selects a power voltage from the adaptor 145 or the battery 140. According to the selection of a voltage, the 3.3V switching power source 76 and the 5V switching power source 77 each respectively outputs 3.3 V and 5 V to corresponding system loads. And, the 12V switching portion 72 is enabled by means of the 12V power control portion 73 to apply a 12 voltage to corresponding system loads. The microprocessor power control portion 75 supplies the power voltage MICOM.sub.-- Vcc to microprocessor 270. The low voltage interrupting portion 79 applies a control signal, via control port C5, to the power down control portion 74 to interrupt the voltage supply to system loads, when the voltage selected by the power selecting portion 71 is below a predetermined power level. The overload detecting portion 78 determines whether the power sources of the 3.3V switching power source 76 and the 5V switching power source 77 are in an overload state. If the power sources become overloaded, the overload interrupting portion 79 applies a power cut-off control signal to a control port C4 of the power down control portion 74. At that time, the power down control portion 74 controls the 3.3V switching power source 76 and the 5V switching power source 77, via control ports C2 and C3, respectively, to cut the power supply to system loads.

In a normal operation mode, when the power down control portion 74 receives a control signal of a high logic level through the control port PWR-CLR, the power control portion 74 controls the 3.3V switching power source 76 and the 5V switching power source 77, via control ports C2 and C3, respectively.

According to the principal of the invention, when the power down control portion 74 receives a control signal of a low logic level through the control port PWR-CLR from microprocessor 270 due to the power cut-off mode, the power control portion 74 controls the 3.3V switching power source 76 and the 5V switching power source 77, via control ports C2 and C3, respectively, to deplete or cut the power source to the system. Therefore, all power sources 3.3V, 5.0V and 12V supplied to the system are interrupted. But, even though the power sources are turned off, a power source MICOM.sub.-- Vcc is supplied by means of the microprocessor power control portion 75 to microprocessor 270 in order to permit microprocessor 270 to perform the predetermined modes of memorizing data and system programs storing.

An automatic power cut-off method is illustrated in detail in FIGS. 8 and 9. The automatic power cut-off method S100 comprises a power cut-off command discriminating step S110, a power control port identifying step S120, a power cut-off control signal outputting step S130 and a power cutting-off step S140.

First, as the power cut-off function is selected by an interrupt command or an application program, the operating system performs the power cut-off command discriminating step S110 of the advanced power management function. The advanced power management function is started by calling a predetermined interrupt service routine from the BIOS portion 210. In the interrupt service routine, CPU 200 checks the input/output ports of microprocessor 270 to control the turning on or turning off of the power source. At that time, it is determined whether the microprocessor 270 is set at a waiting mode not to perform data transmission, data reception nor a control function of a load according to step S120. If microprocessor 270 is at a waiting mode, CPU 200 outputs a power cut-off command signal to the microprocessor 270 according to step S130. Microprocessor 270 detects the power cut-off command signal to perform the power cut-off operation according to step 140 as explained below with respect to FIG. 9.

Next, referring now to FIG. 9, when microprocessor 270 receives the power cut-off command signal from BIOS portion 210, at step 210, microprocessor 270 outputs the power cut-off signal, for example a low level signal, to the power control port PWR-CLR of a power control portion 260, at step S220. Then, microprocessor 270 scans the power output port of the power control portion 260 in order to confirm the power cut-off operation, at step S230. At that time, if the power output port is at a low level, for example 0V, it is determined that the power source is turned off and the process proceeds to step S240. On the contrary, if the power outputting port is at a high level, for example 5V, it is determined that the power source is turned on and the process returns to step S220. If the power source is determined to be turned on at step S230, microprocessor 270 again applies the power cut-off control signal to the power control port PWR-CLR, at step S220.

At step S240, when the power source is determined to be turned off, microprocessor 270 determines whether an adaptor 145 is connected to the power control portion 260. If adaptor 145 is determined to be connected to power control portion 260, microprocessor 270 performs a battery charging mode to force battery 140 to be charged at step S260. If it is determined that adaptor 145 is not connected to power control portion 260, microprocessor 270 performs a system ending mode at step S250 to cut off power from battery 140.

Accordingly, the invention comprises a power cut-off control portion including a system power cut-off service routine in a BIOS portion and an advanced power management function portion in a microprocessor, so that the operation of the power cut-off is accomplished without a waiting time taken in storing data and information at a system memory during cutting off of power to the operating system.