ELECTRONIC DEVICE AND CONTROL METHOD THEREOF

• US 20150088278A1
• Filed: 01/03/2014
• Published: 03/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wistron Corporation
• Original Assignee: Wistron Corporation
• Inventors: Chang, Yung-Yen, Shu, Chia-Jen
• Granted Patent: US 9,983,662 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/40
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23018 Enter parameters by combinations of keys and duration of actuation of keys
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23316 Standby, inactive, sleep or active, operation mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3209 Monitoring remote activity, e.g. over telephone lines or network connections
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/00 Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4418 Suspend and resume; Hibernate and awake
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/02 Power saving arrangements in wired systems H04L12/12; signaling of mobile application services, e.g. low battery notifications H04W4/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0235 where the received signal is a power saving command
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

An electronic device including a physical button, a processing unit and a sensing unit is provided. The processing unit is coupled to the physical button and the sensing unit is coupled to the processing unit. When the electronic device enters a hibernation mode or in a shutdown state, the sensing unit continuously detects a wake-up signal. When receiving the wake-up signal, the sensing unit wakes up the processing unit. The sensing unit further receives an instruction signal externally, generates an instruction information according to the instruction signal, and sends the instruction information to the processing unit. When receiving the instruction information, the processing unit adjusts a corresponding function of the physical button according to the instruction information.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a physical button;

a processing unit, coupled to the physical button; and

a sensing unit, coupled to the processing unit,

wherein, when the electronic device enters a hibernation mode or is in a shutdown state, the sensing unit continuously detects a wake-up signal;

when the sensing unit receives the wake-up signal, the sensing unit wakes up the processing unit;

the sensing unit receives an instruction signal externally, generates an instruction information according to the instruction signal, and sends the instruction information to the processing unit; and

when the processing unit receives the instruction information, the processing unit adjusts a corresponding function of the physical button according to the instruction information.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the sensing unit comprises:

a wireless controller, coupled to the processing unit; and

a signal detector, coupled to the wireless controller and the processing unit,

wherein, when the signal detector receives the wake-up signal, the signal detector wakes up the wireless controller and the processing unit; and

when the wireless controller is waken up, the wireless controller receives the instruction signal, generates the instruction information according to the instruction signal, and sends the instruction information to the processing unit.

3. The electronic device according to claim 2, wherein the sensing unit further comprises:

an antenna; and

a switch, coupled among the wireless controller, the signal detector and the antenna,

wherein, when the electronic device enters the hibernation mode or is in the shutdown state, the wireless controller switches the switch to connect a path between the antenna and the signal detector; and

when the signal detector wakes up the wireless controller, the wireless controller switches the switch to connect the path between the antenna and the wireless controller.

4. The electronic device according to claim 2, wherein the sensing unit further comprises:

an antenna; and

a switch, coupled among the wireless controller, the signal detector and the antenna,

wherein, when the electronic device enters the hibernation mode or is in the shutdown state, the processing unit switches the switch to connect a path between the antenna and the signal detector; and

when the signal detector wakes up the processing unit, the processing unit switches the switch to connect a path between the antenna and the wireless controller.

5. The electronic device according to claim 2, wherein the sensing unit comprises:

a first sub-antenna, coupled to the wireless controller; and

a second sub-antenna, coupled to the signal detector,

wherein, when the signal detector receives the wake-up signal from the second sub-antenna, the signal detector wakes up the wireless controller and the processing unit; and

when the wireless controller is waken up, the wireless controller receives the instruction signal through the first sub-antenna.

6. The electronic device according to claim 2, wherein:

the signal detector is a passive radio frequency identification tag,

wherein when the signal detector receives the wake-up signal, the wake-up signal triggers the signal detector; and

when the signal detector is triggered, the signal detector sends a wake-up voltage to the wireless controller and the processing unit.

7. The electronic device according to claim 2, wherein:

when the wireless controller is incapable of generating the instruction information according to the instruction signal, the wireless controller generates an error signal and sends the error signal.

8. The electronic device according to claim 2, wherein:

the instruction signal is attached to the wake-up signal; and

the sensing unit receives the wake-up signal, and obtains the instruction signal from the wake-up signal.

9. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein:

The processing unit is an embedded controller or a keyboard controller.

10. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein:

the processing unit is a central processing unit.

11. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein:

the instruction information comprises a setting value, and when receiving the instruction information, the processing unit saves the setting value in an internal memory of the processing unit,

wherein, when the physical button is pressed, the processing unit activates the corresponding function of the physical button according to the setting value by applying a look-up table method.

12. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein:

the instruction information further comprises a plurality of setting parameters, and when receiving the instruction information, the processing unit saves the setting parameters in an internal memory of the processing unit,

wherein, when rebooted, the electronic device executes a boot process according to the setting parameters.

13. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein:

the corresponding function comprises an operation process of rapidly booting the electronic device.

14. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein:

the corresponding function corresponds to a key value of a keyboard.

15. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein:

the corresponding function corresponds to a power saving mode or a temperature control mode of the electronic device.

16. A control method, adapted to an electronic device comprising a physical button, the control method comprising:

detecting a wake-up signal continuously when the electronic device enters a hibernation mode or is in a shutdown state;

receiving an instruction signal after receiving the wake-up signal, and generating an instruction information according to the instruction signal; and

adjusting a corresponding function of the physical button according to the instruction information.

17. The control method according to claim 16, wherein:

generating an error signal and sending the error signal when the wireless controller is incapable of generating the instruction information according to the instruction signal.

18. The control method according to claim 16, wherein the instruction signal is attached to the wake-up signal, the step of receiving the instruction signal comprising:

receiving the wake-up signal and obtaining the instruction signal from the wake-up signal.

19. The control method according to claim 16, wherein the instruction information comprises a setting value, the step of adjusting the corresponding function of the physical button according to the instruction information comprising:

saving the setting value; and

when the physical button is pressed, activating the corresponding function of the physical button according to the setting value by applying a look-up table method.

20. The control method according to claim 16, wherein the instruction information comprises a plurality of setting parameters, the control method further comprising:

saving the setting parameters,

wherein, when rebooted, the electronic device executes a boot process according to the setting parameters.

21. The control method according to claim 16, wherein:

the corresponding function comprises an operation process of rapidly booting the electronic device.

22. The control method according to claim 16, wherein:

the corresponding function corresponds to a key value of a keyboard.

23. The control method according to claim 16, wherein:

the corresponding function corresponds to a power saving mode or a temperature control mode of the electronic device.