Computer system having remote wake-up function and remote wake-up method thereof

• US 6,366,957 B1
• Filed: 03/05/1999
• Issued: 04/02/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Na, Seung-Ju
• Primary Examiner(s): Burgess, Glenton B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): FIELDS, KENNETH WAYNE
• Application Number:
  US09/262,739
• Time in Patent Office: 1,124 Days
• Field of Search: 709/229, 709/217, 709/222, 709/225, 713/2, 713/202, 713/180
• US Class Current: 709/229
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/266 Arrangements to supply power to external peripherals either directly from the computer or under computer control, e.g. supply of power through the communication port, computer controlled power-strips
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3287 by switching off individual functional units in the computer system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/575 Secure boot
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/12 Arrangements for remote connection or disconnection of substations or of equipment thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/50 in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate

Abstract

A computer system having a remote wake-up function capable of storing confidential information, and a remote wake-up method thereof. The computer system having a remote wake-up function includes: a network information storage portion for storing network information including a network address and a password; and a magic packet controller for receiving a magic packet via a physical layer portion, comparing a network address and a password which are contained in a magic packet, with the network address and the password stored in the network information storage portion, and generating a wake-up control signal to transfer to a power management unit of the computer system only when the compared network addresses and passwords are the same each other, wherein the computer system suspended is booted by the wake-up control signal. Therefore, when waking up remotely the computer system via a network, it is determined whether or not such remote waking up is by an authorized supervisor system. As a result, the computer system can be prevented from having information stolen therefrom by a user with bad intentions. Also, as a further result, the computer system can avoid becoming damaged by a user with bad intentions.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a computer system processing first data when said computer system is in a first power mode, said computer system not processing the first data when said computer system is in a second power mode not corresponding to said first power mode;

a storage unit storing a first address and a first password;

a control unit being coupled to said storage unit and said computer system, said control unit receiving a first packet signal including a second address and a second password, comparing said first address and said first password with said second address and said second password respectively, and generating a control signal when said first address corresponds to said second address and said first password corresponds to said second password, said computer system being initialized in response to said control signal, said computer system being converted to said first power mode from said second power mode in response to said control signal;

a supervisory computer unit transmitting said first packet signal to said control unit;

a network unit being disposed between said supervisory computer unit and said computer system, said network unit coupling said supervisory computer unit and said computer system;

a confirmation unit being coupled to said computer system and transferring an identification request signal to said supervisory computer unit in response to said first packet signal received from said supervisory computer unit, said computer system having an operating system loaded onto said computer system when a second packet signal is received from said supervisory computer unit in response to said identification request signal.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, said first address corresponding to a network address of said supervisory computer unit.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, the operating system being loaded onto said computer system when data in said second packet signal satisfies a predetermined test.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, said second packet signal satisfying said predetermined test when a code received in said second packet signal corresponds to a generated code.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a basic input output system coupled to said computer system, said basic input output system including a power on self test portion for performing said transferring of said identification request signal.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, said power on self test portion loading the operating system onto said computer system when said second packet signal is received from said supervisory computer unit in response to said identification request signal.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, said first address corresponding to a network address of said computer system.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, the operating system being loaded onto said computer system when data in said second packet signal satisfies a predetermined test.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 said second packet signal satisfying said predetermined test when a code received in said second packet signal corresponds to a generated code.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a basic input output system coupled to said computer system, said basic input output system including a power on self test portion for performing said transferring of said identification request signal.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, said power on self test portion loading the operating system onto said computer system when said second packet signal is received from said supervisory computer unit in response to said identification request signal.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, said computer system receiving a first power when said computer system is in said first power mode, said computer system receiving a second power when said computer system is in said second power mode, said first power being more than said second power.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a power unit supplying a low level of power to said computer system when said computer system corresponds to said second power mode, and supplying a high level of power to said computer system when said computer system corresponds to said first power mode, said high level of power corresponding to more power than said low level of power.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a power unit not supplying power to said computer system when said computer system corresponds to said second power mode, and supplying power to said computer system when said computer system corresponds to said first power mode, said storage unit corresponding to one electrically erasable programmable read only memory.

15. A method, comprising:

supplying a first level of power to a first computer system;

receiving a first packet signal via a network unit, said network unit being coupled to at least said first computer system and a second computer system;

detecting whether a first network address contained in said first packet signal corresponds to a predetermined address;

detecting whether a first password contained in said first packet signal corresponds to a predetermined password;

when said first network address corresponds to said predetermined address and said first password corresponds to said predetermined password, supplying a second level of power to said first computer system and initializing said first computer system and not loading an operating system for operating said first computer system, said second level of power being higher than said first level of power;

when said first network address corresponds to said predetermined address and said first password corresponds to said predetermined password, transmitting an identification request signal to said second computer system from a power on self test portion of a basic input output system of said first computer system;

receiving an identification packet signal in response to said identification request signal;

determining whether said identification packet signal corresponds to a predetermined identification code; and

when said identification packet signal does correspond to said predetermined identification code, loading the operating system for operating said first computer system.

16. The method of claim 15, said initializing of said first computer system corresponding to performing a power on self test procedure on said first computer system by said basic input output system.

17. The method of claim 15, said first network address corresponding to said second computer system.

18. The method of claim 15, said first network address corresponding to said first computer system.

19. The method of claim 15, said second computer system corresponding to a supervisory computer system.

20. The method of claim 15, said identification packet signal corresponding to said predetermined identification code when said identification packet signal is received from said second computer system.

21. The method of claim 15, said identification request signal including a random number, said identification packet signal including a secret code, said secret code being generated based on said random number and being generated by a predetermined secret code generation function.