Information processing apparatus with resume function and information processing system

• US 20080184052A1
• Filed: 03/24/2008
• Published: 07/31/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/1992
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Itoh, Hiromichi, Nonaka, Naomichi, Watanabe, Yoshinori, Nakane, Keiichi
• Granted Patent: US 7,661,029 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/324
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/24 Resetting means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1441 Resetting or repowering
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4418 Suspend and resume; Hibernate and awake

Abstract

An information processing apparatus having a resume function which can maintain the security even when a plurality of users commonly use the apparatus. A work state at a power-off time of the apparatus is preserved together with a work state name including a user'"'"'s ID in a different area in a plurality of preservation areas for resume function on a main memory for each user. When a power source is again turned on, data in the preservation area corresponding to the user'"'"'s ID is used to reproduce the work state of the user at the power-off time. The work preservation areas can be provided on a file server apparatus in a network not needing battery back-up. When the information processing apparatus is used, a work state at a power-off time can be independently preserved and reproduced for each user.

Claims

1. (canceled)

2. A network connectable equipment comprising:

a storage unit;

a processing unit;

a communication module to be connected to a network so that a frame can be transferred between said network connectable equipment and another equipment connected to said network; and

a power supply module for supplying electric power within said network connectable equipment, the electric power being supplied to said communication module even if said network connectable equipment stays in a power-saving state,

wherein said communication module receives a frame transmitted from another equipment connected to said network, discriminates whether or not said received frame is destined to said network connectable equipment, and transmits a notice of the frame to said processing unit if said received frame is destined to said network connectable equipment and said network connectable equipment does not stay in the power-saving state or transmits a power-on request to said power supply module if said received frame is destined to said network connectable equipment and said network connectable equipment stays in the power-saving state, and

wherein said power supply module supplies electric power within the network connectable equipment on said power-on request.

3. The network connectable equipment in claim 2, wherein the frame transmitted from another equipment includes data for identifying a destination of the frame and the contents of a process to be executed for supplying electric power.

4. The network connectable equipment in claim 2, wherein said power supply module is a unity module.

5. The network connectable equipment in claim 2, wherein if the frame is destined to said network connectable equipment and said network connectable equipment stays in the power-saving state, said communication module transmits said power-on request to said power supply module without immediately transmitting the notice of the frame to said processing unit.

6. The network connectable equipment in claim 5, wherein the notice of the frame to said processing unit is a signal of interrupting the receipt of the frame.

7. The network connectable equipment in claim 2, wherein if the network connectable equipment stays in the power-saving state, said power supply module stops supplying electric power to said processing unit and starts supplying electric power to said processing unit on said power-on request.

8. The network connectable equipment in claim 2, wherein said communication module changes a process to be executed for said processing unit based on the frame, depending upon whether or not the network connectable equipment stays in the power-saving state.

9. The network connectable equipment in claim 2, wherein said communication module transmits the notice of the frame to said processing unit through an interrupt signal line if said network connectable equipment does not stay in the power-saving state or said communication module saves the notice of the frame for said processing unit and transmits said power-on request to said power supply module if said network connectable equipment stays in the power-saving state.

10. The network connectable equipment in claim 9, wherein said communication module saves the notice of the frame for said processing unit and transmits said power-on request to said power supply module if said network connectable equipment stays in the power-saving state, and then if said communication module receives a notice from said power supply module, then said communication module transmits the notice of the frame to said processing unit through said interrupt signal line.

11. The network connectable equipment according to claim 2, wherein said power supply module comprises:

a circuit for controlling whether electric power is to be supplied within said network connectable equipment.

12. The network connectable equipment in claim 2, wherein said communication module transmits a response frame to another equipment connected to the network after supplying electric power within said network connectable equipment.

13. The network connectable equipment in claim 12, wherein said communication module transmits the response frame to said another equipment connected to said network in response to a request sent from said processing unit after supplying electric power within said network connectable equipment.

14. An equipment for outputting contents of display to a display unit, comprising:

a storage unit;

a processing unit;

a circuit for outputting the contents of display to said display unit;

a communication module for receiving a request sent from another equipment through a communication medium; and

a power supply module that is capable of supplying electric power within said network connectable equipment for outputting contents of display, the electric power being supplied to said communication module even if said outputting equipment stays in a power-saving state,

wherein said communication module receives a request transmitted from said another equipment, discriminates whether or not said received request is destined to said network connectable equipment for outputting contents of display, and transmits a notice of the frame to said processing unit if said request is destined to said network connectable equipment and said network connectable equipment does not stay in the power-saving state or transmits a power-supply request to said power supply module if said request is destined to said network connectable equipment and said network connectable equipment stays in the power-saving state, and

wherein said power supply module supplies electric power within said network connectable equipment on said power-on request.

15. The equipment for outputting contents of display to a display unit in claim 14, wherein said processing unit reads information pre-stored in said storage unit after supplying electric power within said network connectable equipment.

16. A network connectable equipment comprising:

a display unit;

a storage unit;

a processing unit;

a communication module to be connected to a network so that a frame may be received from another equipment connected to said network; and

a power supply module for supplying electric power within said network connectable equipment, the electric power being supplied to at least said communication module even if said network connectable equipment stays in a power-saving state,

wherein said communication module receives a frame transmitted from another equipment connected to said network, discriminates whether or not said received frame is destined to said network connectable equipment, and transmits a notice of the frame to said processing unit if said frame is destined to said network connectable equipment and said network connectable equipment does not stay in the power-saving state or transmits a power-on request to said power supply module if said frame is destined to said network connectable equipment and said network connectable equipment stays in the power-saving state, and

wherein said power supply module supplies electric power to at least said display unit on said power-on request.

17. An equipment for displaying contents of display comprising:

a display unit;

a storage unit;

a processing unit;

a communication module for receiving a frame from another equipment; and

a power supply module for supplying electric power within said network connectable equipment for displaying contents of display, the electric power being supplied to said communication module even if said network connectable equipment stays in a power-saving state, and

wherein said communication module receives a frame transmitted from said another equipment, discriminates whether or not said frame is destines to said network connectable equipment for displaying contents of display, and transmits a notice of the frame to said processing unit if said frame is destined to said network connectable equipment and said network connectable equipment does not stay in the power-saving state or transmits a power-on request to said power supply module if said frame is destined to said network connectable equipment and said network connectable equipment stays in the power-saving state, and

wherein said power supply module supplies electric power within said network connectable equipment on said power-on request.

18. The equipment for displaying contents of display in claim 17, wherein said power supply module does not supply electric power to said display unit but supplies electric power to said storage unit on said power-on request.