Preheating control system of information processing device and control method thereof

• US 7,706,929 B2
• Filed: 12/28/2007
• Issued: 04/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Getac Technology Company Limited (MiTAC Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Getac Technology Company Limited (MiTAC Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Chiu, Chia-Chang
• Primary Examiner(s): Kasenge; Charles R
• Application Number:
  US11/966,261
• Publication Number:
  US 20080294295A1
• Time in Patent Office: 851 Days
• Field of Search: 700/20, 700/79, 700/276, 700/299, 700/300, 360/69, 360/97.02, 360/60, 360/75, 713/300, 369/53.18, 369/53.21, 369/275.5
• US Class Current: 700/300
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1919 characterised by the type of controller
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/206 comprising thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/144 by detection, control, regulation of the temperature
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

A preheating control system of an information processing device and a control method thereof are described. The system includes a temperature sensing module, a first controller, a heating module, and a second controller. After receiving a power ON signal, the first controller shifts to a primary control mode and determines whether temperature of the hard disk satisfies an operating temperature scope or not. When the temperature does not satisfy the operating temperature scope, the heating module is used to heat the hard disk. When the temperature satisfies the operating temperature scope, the first controller shifts to a secondary control mode and activates the second controller to execute a boot program of the information processing device, thereby improving system stability.

Claims

1. A preheating control system of an information processing device, comprising:

a temperature sensing module, for sensing a temperature of a hard disk;

a first controller, electrically coupled to the temperature sensing module, and having a primary control mode and a secondary control mode, wherein after receiving a power ON signal, the first controller shifts to the primary control mode, and determines whether the temperature of the hard disk satisfies an operating temperature scope or not, when the temperature does not satisfy the operating temperature scope, a heating control signal is generated, and when the temperature satisfies the operating temperature scope, an activate signal is generated;

a heating module, electrically coupled to the first controller, and beginning to heat according to the heating control signal, so as to generate heat to heat the hard disk; and

a second controller, electrically coupled to the first controller, and activated by the activate signal, wherein the second controller is configured such that after finishing activation, the second controller generates a finish signal to the first controller, such that the first controller shifts to the secondary control mode, and the second controller executes a boot program of the information processing device.

2. The preheating control system of an information processing device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a cell, for supplying power required by operation of the information processing device.

3. The preheating control system of an information processing device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first controller further determines whether to activate the second controller to execute the boot program of the information processing device, according to an electric quantity of the cell.

4. The preheating control system of an information processing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first controller has a power consumption lower than that of the second controller.

5. The preheating control system of an information processing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second controller is electrically coupled to the first controller through an inter-integrated circuit bus (I2C bus).

6. The preheating control system of an information processing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second controller is electrically coupled to the first controller through a system management bus (SM bus).

7. A preheating control method of an information processing device, comprising:

(a) receiving a power ON signal through a first controller, and setting the first controller to a primary control mode;

(b) the first controller obtaining a sensing temperature of a hard disk;

(c) the first controller determining whether the sensing temperature satisfies an operating temperature scope;

(d) the first controller activating a heating module to heat the hard disk, when confirming that the temperature does not satisfy the operating temperature scope;

(e) the first controller activating a second controller for operation, when confirming that the temperature satisfies the operating temperature scope; and

(f) after finishing the activation, the second controller generating a finish signal to the first controller, so as to shift the first controller to a secondary control mode, and executing a boot program of the information processing device.

8. The preheating control method of an information processing device as claimed in claim 7, wherein after step (a), the method further comprises a step of the first controller determining whether to activate the second controller to execute the boot program of the information processing device, according to an electric quantity of a cell.

9. A preheating control system of an information processing device, comprising:

a temperature sensing module, for sensing a temperature of a hard disk;

a first controller, electrically coupled to the temperature sensing module, and having a primary control mode and a secondary control mode, wherein after receiving a power ON signal, the first controller shifts to the primary control mode, and determines whether the temperature of the hard disk satisfies an operating temperature scope or not, when the temperature does not satisfy the operating temperature scope, a heating control signal is generated, and when the temperature satisfies the operating temperature scope, an activate signal is generated;

a heating module, electrically coupled to the first controller, and beginning to heat according to the heating control signal, so as to generate heat to heat the hard disk; and

a second controller, electrically coupled to the first controller, and activated by the activate signal, wherein after finishing activation, the second controller generates a finish signal to the first controller, such that the first controller shifts to the secondary control mode, and the second controller executes a boot program of the information processing device;

wherein when the first controller does not receive the finish signal in a predetermined time, a reset signal is generated to the second controller, so as to reactivate the second controller; and

wherein when a number of reactivation of the second controller reaches a predetermined value, the first controller shifts to the primary control mode, and stops the boot program of the information processing device.

10. The preheating control system of an information processing device as claimed in claim 9, further comprising a cell, for supplying power required by operation of the information processing device.

11. The preheating control system of an information processing device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the first controller further determines whether to activate the second controller to execute the boot program of the information processing device, according to an electric quantity of the cell.

12. The preheating control system of an information processing device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the first controller has a power consumption lower than that of the second controller.

13. The preheating control system of an information processing device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the second controller is electrically coupled to the first controller through an inter-integrated circuit bus (I2C bus).

14. The preheating control system of an information processing device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the second controller is electrically coupled to the first controller through a system management bus (SM bus).

15. A preheating control method of an information processing device, comprising:

(a) receiving a power ON signal through a first controller, and setting the first controller to a primary control mode;

(b) the first controller obtaining a sensing temperature of a hard disk;

(c) the first controller determining whether the sensing temperature satisfies an operating temperature scope;

(d) the first controller activating a heating module to heat the hard disk, when confirming that the temperature does not satisfy the operating temperature scope;

(e) the first controller activating a second controller for operation, when confirming that the temperature satisfies the operating temperature scope; and

(f) after finishing the activation, the second controller generating a finish signal to the first controller, so as to shift the first controller to a secondary control mode, and executing a boot program of the information processing device, and generating a reset signal to the second controller to reactivate the second controller, when the first controller does not receive the finish signal in a predetermined time, wherein when a number of the reactivation of the second controller reaches a predetermined value, the first controller shifts to the primary control mode, and stops the boot program of the information processing device.

16. The preheating control method of an information processing device as claimed in claim 15, wherein after step (a), the method further comprises a step of the first controller determining whether to activate the second controller to execute the boot program of the information processing device, according to an electric quantity of a cell.