Apparatus and method for power management of computer system

• US 6,684,338 B1
• Filed: 09/08/2000
• Issued: 01/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: PC Coma LLC (IPValuation Partners, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Koo, Ja-goun
• Primary Examiner(s): BUTLER, DENNIS
• Application Number:
  US09/657,806
• Time in Patent Office: 1,236 Days
• Field of Search: 713/300, 713/320, 713/322, 713/323, 713/324
• US Class Current: 713/300
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode

Abstract

A computer system according to the present invention, comprises a light emitting diode (LED) indicating unit for indicating a power management system (PMS) state such as an Advanced Power Management (APM) mode and an Advanced Configuration and Power Interface mode, and a microcomputer for controlling the indicate unit in response to the power management system (PMS) state. Since the light emitting diode (LED) indicating unit indicates the power management system (PMS) state in a power saving mode as well as a normal mode of the computer system, a user can identify the power management system (PMS) state of the computer system correctly.

Claims

1. A computer apparatus, comprising:

a basic input-output system memory for storing a routine for setting a power management system state;

a power management system state storage unit for storing said power management system state set by said routine stored in said basic input-output system memory;

an indicating unit for indicating said power management system state;

a power switch for generating a switching signal; and

microcontroller for controlling said indicating unit in response to said power management system state stored in said power management system state storage unit, and for implementing power management functions in response to said switching signal, said power management system state of said computer apparatus being set to one selected from among an Advanced Power Management mode and an Advanced Configuration and Power Interface mode.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, said indicating unit comprising at least one light emitting diode for indicating said power management system state.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, said indicating unit continually indicating said power management system state when said computer apparatus is in a power saving mode and when said computer apparatus is in a normal power mode.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, said microcontroller comprising a power management system control unit and a control unit for indicating said power management system state.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, said control unit for indicating said power management system state controlling said indicating unit to indicate said power management system state, by latching said power management system state stored in said power management system state storage unit in a booting operation of said computer apparatus.

6. A method, comprising:

setting a power state of a computer to one mode selected from among an Advanced Power Management mode and an Advanced Configuration and Power Interface mode;

detecting said power state of said computer;

indicating said power state of said computer with an indicating unit;

determining when a switching signal is generated through a power switch; and

executing a power management operation corresponding to said power state, in response to said switching signal.

7. The method of claim 6, said executing of said power management operation comprising:

detecting a power supply state of said computer;

switching on power of said computer in response to said switching signal, when said switching signal is generated while power is not being supplied to said computer system;

switching off power of said computer in response to said switching signal, when said switching signal is generated while power is being supplied to said computer and said computer is in said Advanced Power Management mode;

switching off power of said computer in response to said switching signal, when said switching signal is generated while power is suspended and said computer is in said Advanced Power Management mode;

suspending power of said computer in response to said switching signal, when said switching signal is generated while power is being supplied to said computer and said computer is in said Advanced Configuration and Power Interface mode; and

switching off power of said computer in response to said switching signal, when said switching signal is generated while power is being supplied to said computer system and said computer is in said Advanced Configuration and Power Interface mode and said power switch is pressed a predetermined plurality of occurrences, each occurrence for a predetermined quantity of time.

8. The method of claim 6, said executing of said power management operation comprising:

detecting a power supply state of said computer;

switching on power of said computer in response to said switching signal, when said switching signal is generated while power is not being supplied to said computer system;

switching off power of said computer in response to said switching signal, when said switching signal is generated while power is being supplied to said computer and said computer is in said Advanced Power Management mode;

switching off power of said computer in response to said switching signal, when said switching signal is generated while power is suspended and said computer is in said Advanced Power Management mode;

suspending power of said computer in response to said switching signal, when said switching signal is generated while power is being supplied to said computer and said computer is in said Advanced Configuration and Power Interface mode; and

switching off power of said computer in response to said switching signal, when said switching signal is generated while power is being supplied to said computer system and said computer is in said Advanced Configuration and Power Interface mode and said power switch is pressed a predetermined number of times separated by predetermined intervals of time.

9. The method of claim 6, said executing of said power management operation comprising:

detecting a power supply state of said computer;

switching on power of said computer in response to said switching signal, when said switching signal is generated while power is not being supplied to said computer system;

switching off power of said computer in response to said switching signal, when said switching signal is generated while power is being supplied to said computer and said computer is in said Advanced Power Management mode;

switching off power of said computer in response to said switching signal, when said switching signal is generated while power is suspended and said computer is in said Advanced Power Management mode;

suspending power of said computer in response to said switching signal, when said switching signal is generated while power is being supplied to said computer and said computer is in said Advanced Configuration and Power Interface mode; and

switching off power of said computer in response to said switching signal, when said switching signal is generated while power is being supplied to said computer system and said power switch is engaged for at least a predetermined quantity of time and said computer is in said Advanced Configuration and Power Interface mode.

10. The method of claim 9, said indicating unit comprising at least one light emitting diode for indicating said power state.

11. The method of claim 10, said indicating unit continually indicating said power state when said computer is in a power saving mode and when said computer is in a normal mode.

12. The method of claim 11, said detecting of said power state of said computer being performed by latching said power state stored in a memory in a booting operation of said computer.

13. The method of claim 12, said memory corresponding to a complementary metal oxide semiconductor memory.

14. A computer apparatus, comprising:

a power management system including at least one state selected from among a first power mode and a second power mode;

a basic input-output system memory for storing a routine for setting the at least one state of said power management system;

a PMS state storage unit for storing the state of said power management system; and

an indicating unit for indicating the stored state of said power management system, said indicating unit corresponding to at least one selected from among a multicolor unit and a multiple-display unit.

15. The computer apparatus of claim 14, with the first power mode corresponding to Advanced Configuration and Power Interface mode, and with the second power mode corresponding to Advanced Power Management mode.

16. The computer apparatus of claim 15, when said indicating unit corresponds to the multiple-display unit, said indicating unit further comprising:

a first unit with a label selected from among “

ACPI” and

“

4”

, said first unit emitting light when the state of said power management system corresponds to the Advanced Configuration and Power Interface mode; and

a second unit with a label selected from among “

APM” and

“

0”

, said second unit emitting light when the state of said power management system corresponds to the Advanced Power Management mode.

17. The computer apparatus of claim 14, when said indicating unit corresponds to the multicolor unit, said indicating unit displaying a first color when the state of said power management system corresponds to the first power mode, and said indicating unit displaying a second color when the state of said power management system corresponds to the second power mode.

18. The computer apparatus of claim 17, with the first power mode corresponding to Advanced Configuration and Power Interface mode, and with the second power mode corresponding to Advanced Power Management mode.

19. The computer apparatus of claim 18, with the first color corresponding to a label selected from among “

ACPI” and

“

4”

, and with the second color corresponding to a label selected from among “

APM” and

“

0”

.