Computer system and notebook computer, and method for controlling computer system

• US 8,745,417 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2008
• Issued: 06/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Beijing Lenovo Software Ltd (Lenovo Group Ltd.), Beijing Software Lenovo Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.), Lenovo (Beijing) Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Beijing Lenovo Software Ltd (Lenovo Group Ltd.), Lenovo (Beijing) Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Huang, Maolin, Ding, Xiaojian, Chen, Xingwen
• Primary Examiner(s): Dang, Khanh
• Application Number:
  US12/317,482
• Publication Number:
  US 20090177898A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,988 Days
• Field of Search: 713/300, 713/310, 713/322, 713/323, 713/324, 713/340, 713/375
• US Class Current: 713/300
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3293 by switching to a less power-consuming processor, e.g. sub-CPU
• 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

The present invention provides a computer system, a notebook computer and a method for controlling a computer system. The method comprises steps of: determining current state of the main computer subsystem; turning off the power of the embedded subsystem or enabling the embedded subsystem into a low-power state of the embedded subsystem when the main computer subsystem stays in a power-on state of the main computer subsystem; and enabling the embedded subsystem into an operating state of the embedded subsystem when the main computer subsystem stays in a low-power state or a shut-down state of the main computer subsystem. The computer system comprises: a power supply, a main computer subsystem and an embedded subsystem, wherein the main computer subsystem comprises a state determination module and a state control module for the embedded subsystem. The notebook computer comprises a main board, an embedded subsystem and a power supply, wherein the main board comprises an embedded controller and a power switch controller as well. With the above technical solutions, the power consumption caused by the embedded subsystem is reduced while implementing a preset function in real time.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a computer system, said computer system comprising a main computer subsystem and an embedded subsystem configured to perform a preset function, wherein the main computer subsystem comprises a central processing unit, a memory, a power supply module, a south bridge and a north bridge and an Embedded Controller (EC), and the embedded subsystem comprises an application processor, a memory unit, a power supply module and control logic, wherein the main computer subsystem including a functional module for implementing the preset function, and wherein the application processor of the embedded subsystem implements the preset function even when the main computer subsystem is not in an operating state, and wherein the functional module is in an operating state while the main computer subsystem stays in a power-on state of the main computer subsystem, said method comprising steps of:

turning on the main computer subsystem to a power-on state, or turning off the main computer subsystem to a shut-down state, independent on the state of the embedded subsystem;

determining current state of the main computer subsystem;

automatically turning off the power of the embedded subsystem or enabling the embedded subsystem into a low-power state of the embedded subsystem if it is determined that the main computer subsystem stays in the power-on state of the main computer subsystem and the preset function is implemented by the functional module of the main computer subsystem; and

automatically enabling the embedded subsystem into an operating state of the embedded subsystem if it is determined that the main computer subsystem stays in a low-power state of the main computer subsystem or a shut-down state of the main computer subsystem, wherein the preset function is implemented by the application processor of the embedded subsystem,

wherein the preset function is always enabled in the computer system by either the main computer subsystem or the embedded subsystem, whether the computer system is on or off,

wherein the EC of the main computer subsystem determines whether to switch state of the power of the embedded subsystem by communicating with the application processor in the embedded subsystem via a bus, and wherein the EC changes the state of the power of the embedded subsystem by means of a control signal which is input via a control terminal of a power switch controllers connected to the EC.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

controlling the embedded subsystem to enter into the low-power state of the embedded subsystem after a task of the embedded subsystem being in the operating state of the embedded subsystem is completed.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising:

waking up the embedded subsystem being in the low-power state of the embedded subsystem when the embedded subsystem has a new task or an external interrupt.

4. The method according to claim 1, before the step of turning off the power of the embedded subsystem, further comprising:

synchronizing data of the main computer subsystem with data of the embedded subsystem.

5. The method according to claim 1, before the step of turning off the power of the embedded subsystem or enabling the embedded subsystem into a low-power state of the embedded subsystem, further comprising:

communicating with the embedded subsystem and determining whether the state of the embedded subsystem is changeable.

6. The method according to claims 1, wherein the preset function includes receiving and sending email in real time, and monitoring virus.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the embedded subsystem connects to the main computer subsystem via an Expresscard slot on the main computer subsystem.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the EC of the main computer subsystem determines whether there is an Expresscard inserted into the main computer subsystem, and the type of the inserted Expresscard and information thereof from input signals on CPUSB# and CPPE# of the Expresscard slot.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the bus is an I²C bus.

10. A computer system, comprising a main computer subsystem, an embedded subsystem configured to implement a preset function and a power supply connected to the main computer subsystem and to the embedded subsystem, the main computer subsystem comprises a central processing unit, a memory, a power supply module, a south bridge and a north bridge and an Embedded Controller (EC), and the embedded subsystem comprises an application processor, a memory unit, a power supply module and a control logic, wherein the main computer subsystem including a functional module for implementing the preset function wherein the application processor of the embedded subsystem implements the preset function even when the main computer subsystem is not in an operating state, and wherein, the functional module is in an operating state while the main computer subsystem stays in a power-on state of the main computer subsystem;

and the main computer subsystem further comprises;

a state determination module for determining current state of the main computer subsystem;

a state control module for the embedded subsystem, which is connected to the power supply and is adapted to automatically turn off the power of the embedded subsystem or to automatically enable the embedded subsystem into a low-power state of the embedded subsystem if the state determination module determines that the main computer subsystem stays in the power-on state of the main computer subsystem and the preset function is implemented by the functional module of the main computer subsystem, and is adapted to enable the embedded subsystem into an operating state of the embedded subsystem if the state determination module determines that the main computer subsystem stays in a low-power state or a shut-down state of the main computer subsystem wherein the preset function is implemented by the application processor of the embedded subsystem,

wherein the main computer subsystem is turned on to a power-on state, or turned off to a shut-down state, independent on the state of the embedded subsystem, and wherein the preset function is always enabled in the computer system by either the main computer subsystem or the embedded subsystem, whether the computer system is on or off, wherein the EC of the main computer subsystem determines whether to switch state of the power of the embedded subsystem by communicating with the application processor in the embedded subsystem via a bus, and wherein the EC changes the state of the power of the embedded subsystem by means of a control signal which is input via a control terminal of a power switch controllers connected to the EC.

11. The computer system according to claim 10, wherein the embedded subsystem further comprises:

a low-power control module for controlling the embedded subsystem to enter into the low-power state of the embedded subsystem after a task of the embedded subsystem being in the operating state of the embedded subsystem is completed; and

a wake-up module for waking up the embedded subsystem being in the low-power state of the embedded subsystem when the embedded subsystem has a new task or an external interrupt.

12. The computer system according to claim 10, wherein the main computer subsystem further comprises:

a data synchronization module for synchronizing data of the main computer subsystem with data of the embedded subsystem before the power of the embedded subsystem is turned off.

13. The computer system according to claim 10, wherein the embedded subsystem connects to the main computer subsystem via an Expresscard slot on the main computer subsystem.

14. The computer system according to claim 13, wherein the EC of the main computer subsystem determines whether there is an Expresscard inserted into the main computer subsystem, and the type of the inserted Expresscard and information thereof from input signals on CPUSB# and CPPE# of the Expresscard slot.

15. The computer system according to claim 10, wherein the bus is an I²C bus.

16. A notebook computer, comprising a main board, an embedded subsystem, and a power supply for supplying power to the main board and the embedded subsystem, the main board comprises a central processing unit, a memory, a power supply module, a south bridge and a north bridge and an Embedded Controller (EC), and the embedded subsystem comprises an application processor, a memory unit, a power supply module and a control logic, wherein the application processor of the embedded subsystem implements a preset function even when the notebook computer is not in operation, and the main board includes a functional module for implementing the preset function, said notebook computer further comprising:

a power switch controller connected to the embedded controller and to the embedded subsystem,

wherein the embedded controller is adapted to automatically turn off power of the embedded subsystem by controlling the power switch controller when the notebook computer stays in a power-on state of the notebook computer and the preset function is implemented by the functional module of the notebook computer, and is adapted to automatically turn on the power of the embedded subsystem by controlling the power switch controller when the notebook computer stays in a low-power state or a shut-down state of the notebook computer, wherein the preset function is implemented by the application processor of the embedded subsystem, and wherein the notebook computer is turned on to a power-on state, or turned off to a shut-down state, independent on the state of the embedded subsystem, and wherein the preset function is always enabled in the notebook computer by either the functional module or the embedded subsystem, whether the notebook computer is on or off, wherein the EC of the main board determines whether to switch state of the power of the embedded subsystem by communicating with the application processor in the embedded subsystem via a bus, and wherein the EC changes the state of the power of the embedded subsystem by means of a control signal which is input via a control terminal of the power switch controller.

17. The notebook computer according to claim 16, wherein, said embedded controller comprises:

a communication module for communicating with the embedded subsystem and determining whether the state of the power supply of the embedded subsystem is changeable.

18. The notebook computer according to claim 16, wherein, said embedded subsystem comprises:

a low-power control module for controlling the embedded subsystem to enter into a low-power state of the embedded subsystem after a task of the embedded subsystem being in an operating state of the embedded subsystem is completed.

19. The notebook computer according to claim 16, wherein, said embedded subsystem comprises:

a wake-up module for waking up the embedded subsystem being in the low-power state of the embedded subsystem when the embedded subsystem has a new task or an external interrupt.

20. The notebook computer according to claim 16, wherein the embedded subsystem connects to the main board via an Expresscard slot on the main board.

21. The notebook computer according to claim 20, wherein the EC of the main board determines whether there is an Expresscard inserted into the main computer subsystem, and the type of the inserted Expresscard and information thereof from input signals on CPUSB# and CPPE# of the Expresscard slot.

22. The notebook computer according to claim 16, the bus is an I²C bus.