Computer system which is operative to change from a normal operating state to a suspend state when a power supply thereof detects that an external source is no longer providing power to said power supply at a predetermined level
First Claim
1. A computer system capable of operating in at least two states of power management, namely a normal operating state in which code is executed by said computer system and a suspend state, the system comprising:
- (a) a CPU capable of executing said code;
(b) power management circuitry in circuit communication with said CPU for selectively changing the state of said computer system between said normal operating state and said suspend state responsive to a first control signal;
(c) a switch in circuit communication with said power management circuitry,(d) a power supply in circuit communication with said CPU, said power management circuitry and said switch, said power supply comprising circuitry for selectively providing system power from an external source to said computer system responsive to said power management circuitry, characterized by having a first power supply state, a second power supply state and a third power supply state and further characterized by having circuitry for providing auxiliary power to said power management circuitry, said power supply further comprising circuitry for providing system power to said computer system and auxiliary power to said power management circuitry from an internal source, said power supply being operative to generate a second control signal to said switch when said system in said normal operating state and said external source stops providing power at a predetermined level to said power supply,wherein said first power supply state is characterized by said power supply providing system power to said computer system from said external source and auxiliary power to said power management circuitry from said external source,wherein said second power supply state is characterized by said power supply not providing system power to said computer system from said external source and said power supply providing auxiliary power to said power management circuitry from said external source,wherein said third power supply state is characterized by said power supply providing system power to said computer system and auxiliary power to said power management processor from said internal source,wherein said normal operating state is characterized in that said power supply is in said first power supply state; and
wherein said suspend state is characterized by the code executing on the CPU being reversibly interrupted such that the execution of the code on the CPU is capable of being resumed after the power supply changes to said first power supply state, andwherein responsive to said power supply activating said second control signal while said system is in said normal operating state, said switch generates a closure event which activates said first control signal, said power management circuitry being characterized in that in response to activation of said first control signal said power management circuitry causes said computer system to change to said suspend state.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Described is a personal computer system which includes a central processing unit (CPU) and power management circuitry (PMC) in circuit communication with the CPU. A switch is coupled to the PMC. A power supply is coupled to the CPU, PMC and the switch and includes circuitry for selectively providing system power to the computer system and auxiliary power to the PMC (1) from an external source or (2) from an internal source. When the system is in a normal operating state and the external source stops providing power at a predetermined level (e.g., blackout or brownout) to the power supply, the power supply is operative to change to its internal power and generate a control signal to the switch. The control signal causes the switch to activate a closure event and generate another control signal. In response to the activation of the latter control signal, the power management circuitry is operative to cause the system to change to the suspend state wherein the entire state of the system is safely saved to a non-volatile storage device.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A computer system capable of operating in at least two states of power management, namely a normal operating state in which code is executed by said computer system and a suspend state, the system comprising:
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(a) a CPU capable of executing said code; (b) power management circuitry in circuit communication with said CPU for selectively changing the state of said computer system between said normal operating state and said suspend state responsive to a first control signal; (c) a switch in circuit communication with said power management circuitry, (d) a power supply in circuit communication with said CPU, said power management circuitry and said switch, said power supply comprising circuitry for selectively providing system power from an external source to said computer system responsive to said power management circuitry, characterized by having a first power supply state, a second power supply state and a third power supply state and further characterized by having circuitry for providing auxiliary power to said power management circuitry, said power supply further comprising circuitry for providing system power to said computer system and auxiliary power to said power management circuitry from an internal source, said power supply being operative to generate a second control signal to said switch when said system in said normal operating state and said external source stops providing power at a predetermined level to said power supply, wherein said first power supply state is characterized by said power supply providing system power to said computer system from said external source and auxiliary power to said power management circuitry from said external source, wherein said second power supply state is characterized by said power supply not providing system power to said computer system from said external source and said power supply providing auxiliary power to said power management circuitry from said external source, wherein said third power supply state is characterized by said power supply providing system power to said computer system and auxiliary power to said power management processor from said internal source, wherein said normal operating state is characterized in that said power supply is in said first power supply state; and wherein said suspend state is characterized by the code executing on the CPU being reversibly interrupted such that the execution of the code on the CPU is capable of being resumed after the power supply changes to said first power supply state, and wherein responsive to said power supply activating said second control signal while said system is in said normal operating state, said switch generates a closure event which activates said first control signal, said power management circuitry being characterized in that in response to activation of said first control signal said power management circuitry causes said computer system to change to said suspend state. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A computer system capable of operating in at least two states of power management, namely a normal operating state in which code is executed by said computer system and a suspend state in which execution of code by said computer system is interrupted, the system comprising:
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(a) a CPU capable of executing said code; (b) a power management circuitry in circuit communication with said CPU for selectively changing the state of said computer system between said normal operating state and said suspend state in response to a first control signal; (c) a switch in circuit communication with said power management circuitry; (d) a power supply in circuit communication with said CPU and said power management circuitry comprising circuitry for selectively providing system power from an external source to said computer system responsive to said power management circuitry, characterized by having circuitry for providing auxiliary power to said power management circuitry, said power supply further comprising circuitry for providing system power to said computer system and auxiliary power to said power management circuitry from an internal source, said power supply being operative to generate a second control signal to said switch when said system in said normal operating state and said external source stops providing power at a predetermined level to said power supply, (e) a non-volatile storage device in circuit communication with said CPU, (f) a volatile memory in circuit communication with said CPU and for storing memory data, (g) volatile registers in circuit communication with said CPU and for storing register data, wherein responsive to said power supply activating said second control signal while said system is in said normal operating state, said switch generates a closure event which activates said first control signal, said power management processor being characterized in that in response to activation of said first control signal said power management processor causes said computer system to change to said suspend state; and wherein said change from said normal operating state to said suspend state comprises transferring the memory data from said volatile memory to said non-volatile storage device and transferring the register data from the volatile registers to said non-volatile storage device. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification