Computer hibernation system for transmitting data and command words between host and controller

• US 5,805,910 A
• Filed: 03/25/1996
• Issued: 09/08/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Park, Noh-byung, Cho, Shung-hyun, Lee, Chang-ho
• Primary Examiner(s): Ray, Gopal C.
• Application Number:
  US08/621,948
• Time in Patent Office: 897 Days
• Field of Search: 395/750, 395/800, 395/733, 395/182.2, 395/182.12, 395/750.05, 395/750.06, 395/750.08, 395/750.01, 364/707, 364/492, 364/483, 307/65, 307/66, 365/226-229
• US Class Current: 713/323
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3215 Monitoring of peripheral devices

Abstract

A computer system includes: a host unit, a power management system, a data backup power supply, a switching mode power supply, an auxiliary storage unit and a memory. The power management system generates a hibernation signal when an event is not generated from peripheral devices for a predetermined time period, a battery driving signal is output from the data backup power supply due to a power-off operation, or a command word is generated in accordance with performing a scheduled program. The host unit backs up the current operational environment and data in the auxiliary memory storage unit according to the hibernation signal, and outputs a powerdown command word so that the power management system interrupts the system power supply by outputting a main power cut-off signal or outputting a battery power cut-off signal according to the powerdown command word. The power management system resumes the power supply by outputting a power supply signal when a WAKE-UP signal in generated while the power is interrupted. When power is resumed, the host unit retrieves the backed up data and the work environment, identifies the source outputting the WAKE-UP signal, and then performs the corresponding operation.

Claims

1. A computer system, comprising:

a host unit;

a power management system;

a data backup power supply;

a switching mode power supply for supplying operating power to the computer system;

an auxiliary memory storage unit; and

a memory, wherein;

said power management system generates a hibernation signal when one of a hibernation switch is manually activated by a user, an event is not generated from peripheral devices of said computer system for a predetermined time period, a command word is generated by said host unit to perform a scheduled hibernation, and a battery driving signal is output from said data backup power supply due to a power-off operation;

said host unit stores a working environment and data in said auxiliary memory storage unit in response to said hibernation signal, and outputs a powerdown command word so that said power management system cuts off a supply of power to said computer system by outputting one of a main power cut-off signal and a battery power cut-off signal; and

said host unit retrieves said working environment and data, identifies a source requesting a wake-up operation, and performs a corresponding operation, when said power management system resumes said supply of power to said computer system; and

wherein said power management system comprises;

a WAKE-UP source interface unit for outputting a WAKE-UP signal to wake up said computer system while said supply of power to said computer system is cut off;

a controller for outputting said hibernation signal when one of said hibernation switch is manually activated by the user, said event is not generated from said peripheral devices of said computer system for said predetermined time period, said command word is generated to perform said scheduled hibernation, and said battery driving signal is output from said data backup power supply due to said power-off operation, said controller cutting off said supply of power to said computer system by outputting one of said main power cut-off signal and said battery power cut-off signal in response to said powerdown command word, and resuming said supply of power to said computer system by outputting a power supply signal in response to one of said WAKE-UP signal, activation of said hibernation switch and passage of a designated time period while said supply of power to said computer system is cut off; and

an interface unit for transmitting data for controlling hibernation process of the computer system according to the command word transmitted between said controller and said host unit.

2. The computer system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said interface unit comprises:

an address decoder for decoding an address output from said host unit and outputting a latch enabling signal and an output enabling signal;

a host interface control unit for outputting a corresponding signal to control data transmission between said host unit and said controller according to said latch enabling signal;

an input port for latching data output from said host unit according to said latch enabling signal; and

an output port for outputting data and controlling signal output from said controller to a system bus according to said output enabling signal.

3. The computer system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said controller compares said WAKE-UP signal with a designated mask bit stored in an internal register of said controller when said WAKE-UP signal is output from said WAKE-UP source interface unit to determine whether said WAKE-UP signal is an enabling signal, said controller outputting a power driving signal when said WAKE-UP signal is said enabling signal and ignoring said WAKE-UP signal when said WAKE-UP signal is not said enabling signal.

4. The computer system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said power management system is comprised of an integrated circuit.

5. The computer system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said host unit checks a hibernation setup flag stored in said memory in response to output of said hibernation signal from said power management system to determine whether a hibernation support mode is set, and thereafter said host unit stores said working environment and data when said hibernation support mode is set, and outputs said battery power cut-off signal to said data backup power supply when said hibernation support mode is not set.

6. The computer system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said host unit checks a hibernation state flag stored in said memory when said supply of power is resumed to said computer system to determine whether a present state of said computer system corresponds to a hibernation state, and thereafter said host unit performs a normal booting process when said present state of said computer system does not correspond to said hibernation state, and retrieves said working environment and data when said present state of said computer system corresponds to said hibernation state.

7. The computer system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said host unit retrieves said working environment and data, and thereafter resumes operations from a state before said supply of power to said computer system was cut off when said source requesting said wake-up operation is said hibernation switch.

8. The computer system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said host unit retrieves said working environment and data, performs said corresponding operation according to a ring signal received from said source requesting said wake-up operation, and then stores said working environment and data after cutting off said supply of power to said computer system.

9. The computer system as claimed in claim 8, wherein said source requesting said wake-up operation comprises one of a facsimile and a modem.

10. The computer system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said host unit retrieves said working environment and data, and thereafter performs a scheduled program when said source requesting said wake-up operation outputs a WAKE-UP signal in accordance with passage of a designated time period.

11. A method for controlling power of a computer system, comprising the steps of:

generating a hibernation signal when one of a hibernation switch is manually activated by a user, an event is not generated from peripheral devices of said computer system for a predetermined time period, a command word is generated by a CPU (central processing unit) to perform a scheduled hibernation, and a battery driving signal is output from a data backup power supply due to a power-off operation;

checking a hibernation set-up flag to determine whether a hibernation support mode is set;

storing a current hardware condition and memory contents of said computer system when said hibernation support mode is set;

generating a powerdown command after storing said current hardware condition and memory contents of said computer system;

determining whether a hibernation state of said computer system is being activated due to said power-off operation;

generating a battery cut off signal and interrupting battery power when said hibernation state is being activated due to said power-off operation; and

generating a main power cut off signal, interrupting main power while providing said battery power when said hibernation state is not being activated due to said power-off operation.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11, further comprising a step of generating said battery cut off signal and interrupting said battery power when said hibernation support mode is not set.