Apparatus, method and program product for preventing system mode change by mistaken instruction

• US 20040243862A1
• Filed: 12/18/2003
• Published: 12/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo PC International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Tanaka, Akiyoshi, Yoshiyama, Noritoshi, Ohishi, Shinji
• Granted Patent: US 7,171,569 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/300
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode

Abstract

An information processing apparatus that allows the operating mode of a system to be changed according to the input of a user instruction includes a request signal obtaining module for obtaining a change request signal for requesting the change of the operating mode of the system; an instruction signal generation module for generating a change instruction signal for changing the operating mode of the system according to the change request signal obtained by the request signal obtaining module; an operation control module for changing the operating mode of the system according to the change instruction signal generated by the instruction signal generation module; and an instruction signal generation control module for preventing the instruction signal generation module from generating the change instruction signal if the request signal obtaining module re-obtains the same change request signal as the change request signal during a time period required for the operation control module to successfully change the operating mode of the system.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus, comprising:

a request signal obtaining module for obtaining from a user input instruction a change request signal for requesting a change of an operating mode of a system;

an instruction signal generation module for generating a change instruction signal for changing the operating mode of said system according to said change request signal obtained by said request signal obtaining module;

an operation control module for changing the operating mode of said system according to said change instruction signal generated by said instruction signal generation module; and

an instruction signal generation control module for preventing said instruction signal generation module from generating said change instruction signal if said request signal obtaining module re-obtains the same change request signal as said change request signal during a time period required for said operation control module to successfully change the operating mode of said system.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the operating mode of said system comprises a system power state.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising an operating mode detection module for detecting said system power state, wherein:

said request signal obtaining module obtains a return request signal for requesting to return the power management system to said system power state;

said instruction signal generation module generates a return instruction signal for returning said system to said system power state according to said return request signal obtained by said request signal obtaining module;

said operation control module returns said system to said system power state according to said return instruction signal generated by said instruction signal generation module; and

said instruction signal generation control module removes the prevention of generation of said change instruction signal by said instruction signal generation module if said operating mode detection module detects that said system is returned to said system power state.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an alert generation module for generating an alert to said user, wherein:

if said request signal obtaining module re-obtains the same change request signal as said change request signal while said instruction signal generation control module is preventing said instruction signal generation module from generating said change instruction signal, then said instruction signal generation module generates an alert generating instruction signal different from said change instruction signal according to said change request signal re-obtained by said request signal obtaining module to cause said alert generation module to generate said alert.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising an operating mode detection module for detecting the system power state, wherein:

said operation control module changes the system power state to a low-power-consuming low-system power state according to said change instruction signal if said request signal obtaining module obtains said change request signal while the system power state is a high-power-consuming high-system power state, or changes the system power state to said high-system power state according to said change instruction signal if said request signal obtaining module obtains said change request signal while the system power state is said low-system power state; and

said instruction signal generation control module prevents said instruction signal generation module from generating said change instruction signal if said request signal obtaining module obtains said change request signal, and removes the prevention of generation of said change instruction signal by said instruction signal generation module if said operating mode detection module detects that the system power state is changed.

6. A method, comprising:

obtaining from a user input instruction a change request signal for requesting a change of an operating mode of a system;

generating a change instruction signal for changing the operating mode of said system according to said change request signal;

changing the operating mode of said system according to said change instruction signal; and

preventing generation of said change instruction signal if the same change request signal as said change request signal is re-obtained during a time period required for successfully changing the operating mode of said system.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the operating mode of said system comprises a system power state.

8. The method according to claim 6, further comprising:

if the change request signal is re-obtained during a time when the generation of the change instruction signal is being prevented, generating an alert to the user.

9. The method according to claim 7, further comprising:

detecting the system power state, and;

changing the system power state to a low-power-consuming low-system power state if said change request signal is obtained while the system power state is a high-power-consuming high-system power state, or

changing the system power state to said high-system power state if said change request signal is obtained while the system power state is said low-system power state.

10. A computer program product comprising computer-readable instructions effective when executing on an information processing apparatus to function as:

a request signal obtaining module for obtaining from a user input instruction a change request signal for requesting a change of an operating mode of a system;

an instruction signal generation module for generating a change instruction signal for changing the operating mode of said system according to said change request signal obtained by said request signal obtaining module;

an operation control module for changing the operating mode of said system according to said change instruction signal generated by said instruction signal generation module; and

an instruction signal generation control module for preventing said instruction signal generation module from generating said change instruction signal if said request signal obtaining module re-obtains the same change request signal as said change request signal during a time period required for said operation control module to successfully change the operating mode of said system.

11. The computer program product according to claim 10, wherein the operating mode of said system comprises a system power state.

12. The computer program product according to claim 10 wherein the computer-readable instructions are effective when executing on an information processing apparatus to further function as an alert generation module for generating an alert to said user, wherein:

if said request signal obtaining module re-obtains the same change request signal as said change request signal while said instruction signal generation control module is preventing said instruction signal generation module from generating said change instruction signal, then said instruction signal generation module generates an alert generating instruction signal different from said change instruction signal according to said change request signal re-obtained by said request signal obtaining module to cause said alert generation module to generate said alert.

13. The computer program product according to claim 11 wherein the computer-readable instructions are effective when executing on an information processing apparatus to further function as an operating mode detection module for detecting the system power state, wherein:

said operation control module changes the system power state to a low-power-consuming low-system power state according to said change instruction signal if said request signal obtaining module obtains said change request signal while the system power state is a high-power-consuming high-system power state, or changes the system power state to said high-system power state according to said change instruction signal if said request signal obtaining module obtains said change request signal while the system power state is said low-system power state.