PXI express controller power control state machine

• US 8,312,298 B2
• Filed: 11/17/2006
• Issued: 11/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: National Instruments Corporation (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: National Instruments Corporation (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Peterson, Keith D., Kennedy, Jeffrey L.
• Primary Examiner(s): YANCHUS III, PAUL B
• Application Number:
  US11/561,109
• Publication Number:
  US 20080120498A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,188 Days
• Field of Search: 713/1, 713/2, 713/300, 713/340
• US Class Current: 713/300
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C

Abstract

A PXI Express controller may be configured to support at least three different conditions under which the controller may be turned on. If a chassis (e.g. a PXI Express chassis) interfacing with the controller has a power button, the first condition (which may be considered normal operation) may be met when the power button is being pressed at a time auxiliary power is present. When the chassis does not have a power button, the second condition may be met when the power is switched on at a time auxiliary power is present, and the third condition may be met when the power is switched on at a time auxiliary power is not present. A state-machine comprised in the PXI Express controller may be configured to interface with a chipset equally comprised in the PXI Express controller, to perform the control functions required to provide the support for the three different conditions.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a functional block configured to perform one or more system functions; and

a controller block coupled to the functional block and configured to couple to a power supply that is configured to provide auxiliary power and main power to the system, wherein the controller block is configured to;

receive a first feedback signal asserted by the power supply in response to;

the power supply being switched on;

the power supply operating properly; and

the power supply providing main power to the system; and

automatically assert a control signal to the functional block in response to the first feedback signal being asserted by the power supply;

wherein the functional block is configured to instruct the system to turn on in response to the control signal being automatically asserted by the controller block; and

wherein the controller block is configured to keep the system turned off when auxiliary power is applied to the system at a time the system is turned off.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the functional block is configured to provide a second feedback signal to the controller block, wherein the second feedback signal indicates to the controller block:

that the functional block has instructed the system to turn on;

or

that the functional block has instructed the system to turn off.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the functional block is configured to instruct the system to turn off in response to the first control signal being asserted at a time when the system is on;

wherein the controller block is configured to turn off the power supply in response to the second feedback signal indicating that the functional block has instructed the system to turn off.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the functional block comprises a microprocessor coupled to a chipset and the controller block is a finite state machine.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is a circuit board.

6. A method for booting up (turning on) a system comprising a chassis with a power supply configured to provide main power and auxiliary power to the system, and a circuit board inserted into the chassis, the method comprising:

switching on the power supply to provide main power to the system;

in response to said switching on the power supply resulting in the power supply operating properly, the circuit board receiving from the power supply a feedback signal indicating that the power supply is operating properly and is providing main power to the system;

in response to said receiving the feedback signal indicating that the power supply is operating properly and is providing main power to the system, automatically asserting a control signal on the circuit board to a functional block configured on the circuit board to perform one or more system functions, wherein said automatically asserting the control signal on the circuit board is performed regardless of the presence of auxiliary power in the system at the time said switching on the power supply is performed; and

the functional block instructing the system to boot up in response to said automatically asserting the control signal.

7. A method for managing booting up (turning on) and shutting off a system, the method comprising:

entering a first state, wherein the first state indicates that auxiliary power is present in the system and the system is off;

transitioning from the first state to a second state if main power is present in the system and the system is on, wherein the second state indicates that the system is on;

transitioning from the first state to a third state if main power is present in the system and the system is off;

transitioning from the third state to the second state if the system is on;

transitioning from the second state to the first state if there is no main power present in the system;

transitioning from the second state to a fourth state if an instant off feature is enabled in the system and the system is instructed to shut off; and

transitioning from the fourth state to the first state if the system is off.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said entering the first state is performed in response to one of:

providing auxiliary power to a chassis comprised in the system, wherein the system further comprises a circuit board plugged into the chassis;

or

plugging a circuit board comprised in the system into a chassis comprised in the system, wherein auxiliary power is present in the chassis at a time said plugging the circuit board into the chassis is performed.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the chassis is a PXI Express chassis and the circuit board comprises a PXI Express Controller.

10. A system comprising:

a functional block configured to perform one or more system functions; and

a controller block coupled to the functional block and configured to couple to a power supply that is configured to provide auxiliary power and main power to the system, wherein the controller block is configured to;

automatically assert a control signal to the functional block in response to the power supply being switched on and providing main power to the system;

receive a feedback signal from the functional block, wherein the feedback signal indicates to the controller;

that the functional block has instructed the system to turn on;

or

that the functional block has instructed the system to turn off; and

turn off the power supply in response to the feedback signal indicating that the functional block has instructed the system to turn off;

wherein in response to the control signal being automatically asserted by the controller, the functional block is configured to instruct the system to turn on;

wherein the functional block is configured to instruct the system to turn off in response to the first control signal being asserted at a time when the system is on; and

wherein the controller is configured to keep the system turned off when auxiliary power is applied to the system at a time the system is turned off.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the functional block comprises a microprocessor coupled to a chipset and the controller block is a finite state machine.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the system is a circuit board.