Computer system with an advanced power saving function and an operating method therefor
First Claim
1. A method of operating a computer system with a suspend function and resume function, comprising the steps of:
- determining, after a power-on-self-test, whether a resume operation is to be performed;
storing, in a memory, a present time as a resume starting time, when it is determined that the resume operation is to be performed;
performing the resume operation after storing the present time;
detecting a system management interrupt (SMI) request signal;
determining whether said SMI request signal is an interrupt signal for performing a power saving operation;
performing an operation corresponding to said SMI request signal, when it is determined that said SMI request signal is not said interrupt signal for performing a power saving operation;
determining whether an operating system of said computer system supports an advanced power management function, when it is determined that said SMI request signal is said interrupt signal for performing a power saving operation;
performing said power saving operation by storing a plurality of register information of said computer system to an auxiliary storage device, when it is determined that said advanced power management function is not supported by said operating system;
checking a flag storage area of said memory to determine whether a previous power saving operation has been performed, when it is determined that said advanced power management function is supported by said operating system;
comparing a current time to said resume starting time to determine whether a preset time period has elapsed, when it is determined that said previous power saving operation has been performed;
performing said power saving operation by storing said plurality of register information of said computer system to said auxiliary storage device, when it is determined that said preset time period has elapsed; and
clearing said SMI request signal so as not to perform said power saving operation, when it is determined that said preset time period has not elapsed.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A computer system with power saving function and a method for operating the computer system whose maloperation or halt is capable of being prevented during system management interrupt (SMI) forpower saving operation, comprises a central processing unit determining whether or not a resume operation is performed; storing, if the resume operation is performed, a present time as a resume starting time; performing the resume operation; determining, by the central processing unit, whether or not a SMI request signal for performing a power saving operation is generated so as to store a plurality of register information of the computer system in an auxiliary storage device; determining, if the SMI request signal is generated, whether the power saving operation can be performed with referring to the stored resume starting time; storing, if the power saving operation can be performed, the plurality of register information in the auxiliary storage device and setting a completion flag in a CMOS memory upon completion of storing the plurality of register information in the auxiliary storage device; and the SMI request signal is cleared so as not to perform a SMI process routine even though an additional SMI request signal is generated when the additional SMI request signal is generated prior to the elapse of a preset time.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method of operating a computer system with a suspend function and resume function, comprising the steps of:
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determining, after a power-on-self-test, whether a resume operation is to be performed; storing, in a memory, a present time as a resume starting time, when it is determined that the resume operation is to be performed; performing the resume operation after storing the present time; detecting a system management interrupt (SMI) request signal; determining whether said SMI request signal is an interrupt signal for performing a power saving operation; performing an operation corresponding to said SMI request signal, when it is determined that said SMI request signal is not said interrupt signal for performing a power saving operation; determining whether an operating system of said computer system supports an advanced power management function, when it is determined that said SMI request signal is said interrupt signal for performing a power saving operation; performing said power saving operation by storing a plurality of register information of said computer system to an auxiliary storage device, when it is determined that said advanced power management function is not supported by said operating system; checking a flag storage area of said memory to determine whether a previous power saving operation has been performed, when it is determined that said advanced power management function is supported by said operating system; comparing a current time to said resume starting time to determine whether a preset time period has elapsed, when it is determined that said previous power saving operation has been performed; performing said power saving operation by storing said plurality of register information of said computer system to said auxiliary storage device, when it is determined that said preset time period has elapsed; and clearing said SMI request signal so as not to perform said power saving operation, when it is determined that said preset time period has not elapsed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method of operating a computer system with a power saving operation for storing a plurality of register information of said computer system to an auxiliary storage device in a suspend mode, comprising the steps of:
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detecting a system management interrupt (SMI) request signal; determining whether said SMI request signal is an interrupt signal for performing said power saving operation; performing an interrupt operation corresponding to said SMI request signal, when it is determined that said SMI request signal is not said interrupt signal for performing said power saving operation; determining whether an operating system of said computer system supports an advanced power management function, when it is determined that said SMI request signal is said interrupt signal for performing said power saving operation; performing said power saving operation, when it is determined that said advanced power management function is not supported by said operating system; checking a flag storage area of said memory to determine whether a previous power saving operation has been performed, when it is determined that said advanced power management function is supported by said operating system; determining whether a preset time period has elapsed, when it is determined that said previous power saving operation has been performed; performing said power saving operation, when it is determined that said preset time period has elapsed; storing, in said flag storage area, a flag signal indicating that said step of performing said power saving operation has been completed after storing said plurality of register information of said computer system to said auxiliary storage device; and clearing said SMI request signal so as not to perform said power saving operation, when it is determined that said preset time period has not elapsed. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A computer system with a power saving operation for storing a plurality of register information of said computer system to an auxiliary storage device in a suspend mode, comprising:
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a power supply for distributing power from an AC adapter or a battery to respective components of the computer system; a microcomputer for controlling said power supply in response to a power-on signal from a power-on switch and enabling power from said power supply to be supplied to said respective components of said computer system; a central processing unit for controlling operations of said computer system; a BIOS storage memory; an auxiliary storage device for storing data; and a CMOS memory, said CMOS memory comprising a flag storage region which is used to determine whether or not a power saving operation is completely performed, and a resume time storage region for storing information related to a resume starting time indicating when a resume operation starts. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification