Power Management Device for a Computer System and Related Power Management Method and Computer System

• US 20100180132A1
• Filed: 11/30/2009
• Published: 07/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Wistron Corporation
• Original Assignee: Wistron Corporation
• Inventors: Yu, Ho-Nien, Wu, Te-Lung
• Application Number:
  US12/626,954
• Publication Number:
  US 20100180132A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/300
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/266 Arrangements to supply power to external peripherals either directly from the computer or under computer control, e.g. supply of power through the communication port, computer controlled power-strips
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/325 Power saving in peripheral device

Abstract

A power management device for a computer system includes a detection unit coupled to a peripheral interface of the computer system for detecting whether a portable electronic device is coupled to the peripheral interface when the computer system is shut down, to generate a detection result, and a control unit coupled to the detection unit and a power supply device of the computer system for controlling the power supply device to output a charge current to the portable electronic device via the peripheral interface when the detection result indicates that the portable electronic device is coupled to the peripheral interface.

Claims

1. A power management device for a computer system comprising:

a detection unit, coupled to a peripheral interface of the computer system, for detecting whether a portable electronic device is coupled to the peripheral interface of the computer system when the computer system is shut down, to generate a detection result; and

a control unit, coupled to the detection unit and a power supply device of the computer system, for controlling the power supply device to output a charge current to the portable electronic device via the peripheral interface when the detection result indicates that the portable electronic device is coupled to the peripheral interface.

2. The power management device of claim 1, wherein the detection unit is further utilized for detecting a magnitude of the charge current.

3. The power management device of claim 2, wherein the control unit is further utilized for controlling the power supply device to stop outputting the charge current to the portable electronic device via the peripheral interface when the magnitude of the charge current is smaller than a default value.

4. The power management device of claim 1 further comprising a power storage unit, for providing power to the detection unit and the control unit when the computer system is shut down.

5. The power management device of claim 1, wherein the computer system is a notebook computer.

6. The power management device of claim 1, wherein the peripheral interface is a universal serial bus interface.

7. The power management device of claim 1, wherein the peripheral interface is an IEEE 1394 interface.

8. A power management method for a computer system comprising:

detecting whether a portable electronic device is coupled to a peripheral interface of the computer system when the computer system is shut down; and

outputting a charge current to the portable electronic device via the peripheral interface when the portable electronic device is coupled to the peripheral interface.

9. The power management method of claim 8 further comprising detecting a magnitude of the charge current.

10. The power management method of claim 9 further comprising stopping outputting the charge current to the portable electronic device via the peripheral interface when the magnitude of the charge current is smaller than a default value.

11. The power management method of claim 8, wherein the computer system is a notebook computer.

12. The power management method of claim 8, wherein the peripheral interface is a universal serial bus interface.

13. A computer system capable of saving power comprising:

a system circuit, for performing functions of the computer system, comprising a peripheral interface;

a power supply device, coupled to the system circuit, for providing power to the system circuit; and

a power management device comprising;

a detection unit, coupled to the peripheral interface, for detecting whether a portable electronic device is coupled to the peripheral interface when the computer system is shut down, to generate a detection result; and

a control unit, coupled to the detection unit and the power supply device, for controlling the power supply device to output a charge current to the portable electronic device via the peripheral interface when the detection result indicates that the portable electronic device is coupled to the peripheral interface.

14. The computer system of claim 13, wherein the detection unit is further utilized for detecting a magnitude of the charge current.

15. The computer system of claim 14, wherein the control unit is further utilized for controlling the power supply device to stop outputting the charge current to the portable electronic device via the peripheral interface when the magnitude of the charge current is smaller than a default value.

16. The computer system of claim 13 further comprising a power storage unit, for providing power to the detection unit and the control unit when the computer system is shut down.

17. The computer system of claim 16, wherein the power storage unit is embedded in the power supply device.

18. The computer system of claim 13, wherein the computer system is a notebook computer.

19. The computer system of claim 13, wherein the peripheral interface is a universal serial bus interface.

20. The computer system of claim 13, wherein the peripheral interface is an IEEE 1394 interface.