Desktop computer system having compressed suspend to hardfile
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for saving the state of a computer system which has:
- (a) a power supply having circuitry for selectively providing system power from an external source to the computer system, the power supply having a first power supply state and a second power supply state;
(b) an electromechanical non-volatile storage device;
(c) volatile memory for storing memory data; and
(d) volatile registers for storing register data;
the method comprising the steps of;
(1) responsive to a preselected suspend event, reversibly altering the memory and register data;
(2) writing the reversibly altered memory and register data to the electromechanical non-volatile storage device to allow the state of the computer system to be restored therefrom; and
(3) thereafter causing the power supply to change from the first power supply state to the second power supply state.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A desktop computer system having the capability to suspend and resume the state of the computer system. The suspended system state is saved to the system hard file such that system power may be removed, effectively allowing a system suspend requiring no power from the power supply.
39 Citations
43 Claims
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1. A method for saving the state of a computer system which has:
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(a) a power supply having circuitry for selectively providing system power from an external source to the computer system, the power supply having a first power supply state and a second power supply state; (b) an electromechanical non-volatile storage device; (c) volatile memory for storing memory data; and (d) volatile registers for storing register data;
the method comprising the steps of;(1) responsive to a preselected suspend event, reversibly altering the memory and register data; (2) writing the reversibly altered memory and register data to the electromechanical non-volatile storage device to allow the state of the computer system to be restored therefrom; and (3) thereafter causing the power supply to change from the first power supply state to the second power supply state. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for saving the state of a computer system which has:
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(a) a power supply having circuitry for selectively providing system power from an external source to the computer system, the power supply having a first power supply state and a second power supply state; (b) an electromechanical non-volatile storage device; (c) volatile memory for storing memory data; and (d) volatile registers for storing register data;
the method comprising the steps of;(1) responsive to a preselected suspend event, reversibly altering at least one portion of the memory and register data; (2) writing to the electromechanical non-volatile storage device the reversibly altered memory and register data and at least a portion of any remaining unaltered memory and register data to allow the state of the computer system to be restored therefrom; (3) thereafter causing the power supply to change from the first power supply state to the second power supply state. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A desktop computer system for running an operating system and an application program, comprising:
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(a) a CPU; (b) a power supply having circuitry for selectively providing system power from an external source to said computer system, said power supply having a first power supply state and a second power supply state, said first power supply state being characterized by said power supply providing system power and auxiliary power to said computer system from said external source, and said second power supply state being 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 computer system from said external source; (c) an electromechanical non-volatile storage device in circuit communication with said CPU; (d) volatile system memory in circuit communication with said CPU and for storing memory data; (e) volatile system registers in circuit communication with said CPU and for storing register data; and (f) a control unit in circuit communication with said CPU and for selectively changing the state of said computer system from a normal operating state to a suspend state responsive to a preselected suspend event; (1) said normal operating state being characterized by said power supply being in said first power supply state and said computer system being capable of executing the application program; (2) said suspend state being characterized by the register data and the memory data being stored on said electromechanical non-volatile storage device and said power supply being in said second power supply state; (3) said change from said normal operating state to said suspend state including said control unit responsive to said preselected suspend event; (i) reversibly altering the memory and register data; and (ii) writing the reversibly altered memory and register data to the electromechanical non-volatile storage device to allow the state of the computer system to be restored therefrom; (4) said power supply changing between said power supply states responsive to said control unit; and (5) said change from said normal operating state to said suspend state further including said control unit causing said power supply to change from said first power supply state to said second power supply state, respectively, responsive to said preselected suspend event. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A desktop computer system for running an operating system and an application program, the system comprising:
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(a) a CPU; (b) at least one electronic device in circuit communication with said CPU, said at least one electronic device having an associated device driver, said device driver capable of execution by said CPU to initialize said at least one electronic device into a known state that is different from the power-on state of said at least one electronic device. (c) a power supply having circuitry for selectively providing system power from an external source to said computer system, said power supply having a first power supply state and a second power supply state; (d) a non-volatile storage device in circuit communication with said CPU; (e) volatile system memory in circuit communication with said CPU and for storing memory data; (f) volatile system registers in circuit communication with said CPU and for storing register data; (g) a control unit in circuit communication with said CPU for selectively changing the state of said computer system from a normal operating state to a suspend state responsive to a preselected suspend event, and for selectively changing the state of said computer system from the suspend state to the normal operating state responsive to at least one predetermined resume event; and (h) a boot unit in circuit communication with said CPU and said control unit, said boot unit capable of execution by said CPU to perform at least a first predetermined resume boot task responsive to said at least one predetermined resume event; (1) said normal operating state being characterized by said power supply being in said first power supply state and said computer system being capable of executing said application program responsive to user commands or to the operating system; (2) said suspend state being characterized by the register data and the memory data being stored on said non-volatile storage device and said power supply being in said second power supply state; (3) said change from said normal operating state to said suspend state including said control unit copying the memory data and the register data from said system memory and said system registers to said non-volatile storage device responsive to said preselected suspend event; (4) said power supply changing between said power supply states responsive to said control unit; (5) said change from said normal operating state to said suspend state further including said control unit causing said power supply to change from said first power supply state to said second power supply state, respectively, responsive to said preselected suspend event; and (6) said first predetermined resume boot task including loading said device driver into said system memory and executing said device driver responsive to said at least one predetermined resume event, thereby initializing said at least one electronic device into the known state that is different from the power-on state of said at least one electronic device. - View Dependent Claims (26)
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27. A desktop computer system for running an operating system. and an application program, the system comprising:
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(a) a CPU; (b) a power supply having circuitry for selectively providing system power from an external source to said computer system, said power supply having a first power supply state and a second power supply state; (c) a non-volatile storage device in circuit communication with said CPU; (d) volatile system memory in circuit communication with said CPU and for storing memory data; (e) volatile system registers in circuit communication with said CPU and for storing register data; (f) a control unit in circuit communication with said CPU for selectively changing the state of said computer system from a normal operating state to a suspend state responsive to a preselected suspend event, and for selectively changing the state of said computer system from the suspend state to the normal operating state responsive to at least one predetermined resume event; and (g) a boot unit in circuit communication with said CPU and said control unit, said boot unit capable of execution by said CPU to perform at least a first predetermined resume boot task responsive to said at least one predetermined resume event, said boot unit having associated therewith a plurality of device drivers capable of execution by said CPU, said device drivers initializing electronic devices into a known state that is different from the power-on state of said electronic devices and said plurality of device drivers being prioritized into at least one predetermined subset; (1) said normal operating state being characterized by said power supply being in said first power supply state and said computer system being capable of executing said application program responsive to user commands or to the operating system; (2) said suspend state being characterized by the register data and the memory data being stored on said non-volatile storage device and said power supply being in said second power supply state; (3) said change from said normal operating state to said suspend state including said control unit copying the memory data and the register data from said system memory and said system registers to said non-volatile storage device responsive to said preselected suspend event; (4) said power supply changing between said power supply states responsive to said control unit; and (5) said change from said normal operating state to said suspend state further including said control unit causing said power supply to change from said first power supply state to said second power supply state, respectively, responsive to said preselected suspend event; (6) said first predetermined resume boot task including loading said device drivers of said predetermined subset of device drivers into said system memory and executing said device drivers of said predetermined subset of device drivers. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29)
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30. A desktop computer system for running an operating system and an application program, comprising:
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(a) a CPU; (b) a power supply having circuitry for selectively providing system power from an external source to said computer system, said power supply having a first power supply state and a second power supply state, said first power supply state being characterized by said power supply providing system power and auxiliary power to said computer system from said external source, and said second power supply state being 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 computer system from said external source; (c) an electromechanical non-volatile storage device in circuit communication with said CPU; (d) volatile system memory in circuit communication with said CPU and for storing memory data; (e) volatile system registers in circuit communication with said CPU and for storing register data; and (f) a control unit in circuit communication with said CPU and for selectively changing the state of said computer system from a normal operating state to a suspend state responsive to a preselected suspend event; (1) said normal operating state being characterized by said power supply being in said first power supply state and said computer system being capable of executing the application program; (2) said suspend state being characterized by the register data and the memory data being stored on said electromechanical non-volatile storage device and said power supply being in said second power supply state; (3) said change from said normal operating state to said suspend state including said control unit responsive to said preselected suspend event; (i) reversibly altering at least one portion of the memory and register data; and (2) writing to the electromechanical non-volatile storage device the reversibly altered memory and register data and at least a portion of any remaining unaltered memory and register data to allow the state of the computer system to be restored therefrom; (4) said power supply changing between said power supply states responsive to said control unit; and (5) said change from said normal operating state to said suspend state further including said control unit causing said power supply to change from said first power supply state to said second power supply state, respectively, responsive to said preselected suspend event. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. A method for restoring the state of a computer system which has:
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(a) a power supply having circuitry for selectively providing system power from an external source to the computer system, the power supply having a first power supply state and a second power supply state; (b) an electromechanical non-volatile storage device; (c) volatile memory for storing memory data; and (d) volatile registers for storing register data;
the method comprising the steps of;(1) responsive to a preselected resume event, causing the power supply to change from the first power supply state to the second power supply state; (2) reading reversibly altered memory and register data from the electromechanical non-volatile storage device; (3) reversing the alteration of the memory and register data; (4) writing the memory data to the volatile system memory; and (5) writing the register data to the volatile system registers. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40)
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41. A method for restoring the state of a computer system which has:
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(a) a power supply having circuitry for selectively providing system power from an external source to the computer system, the power supply having a first power supply state and a second power supply state; (b) an electromechanical non-volatile storage device; (c) volatile memory for storing memory data; and (d) volatile registers for storing register data;
the method comprising the steps of;(1) responsive to a preselected resume event, causing the power supply to change from the first power supply state to the second power supply state; (2) reading from the electromechanical non-volatile storage device reversibly altered memory and register data; (3) reading from the electromechanical non-volatile storage device unaltered memory and register data; (4) reversing the alteration of the reversibly altered memory and register data; (5) writing the memory data to the volatile system memory; and (6) writing the register data to the volatile system registers. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43)
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Specification