COMPUTER SYSTEM AND CONTROL METHOD FOR RECEIVING SATELLITE POSITIONING SIGNAL AT POWER-OFF STATE

• US 20100114486A1
• Filed: 11/06/2008
• Published: 05/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Mitac Technology Corporation (MiTAC Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Mitac Technology Corporation (MiTAC Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Chiu, Chia-Chang
• Application Number:
  US12/266,535
• Publication Number:
  US 20100114486A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/213
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/34 Power consumption

Abstract

A computer system is operative to receive a satellite positioning signal at a system power-off state. The computer system includes a power supply device, a satellite positioning chip, a communication interface, a control chip and an actuation element. The power supply device provides an operation voltage. The satellite positioning chip receives the satellite positioning signal through an antenna. The communication interface electrically connects with the satellite positioning chip and the control chip. The control chip receives the operation voltage, supplies source voltage to the satellite positioning chip, and retrieves and processes the satellite positioning signal through the communication interface. The actuation element electrically connects with the control chip. When the computer system is triggered by the actuation element under the system power-off state, the control chip supplies source voltage to the satellite positioning chip, so as to retrieve and process the satellite positioning signal.

Claims

1. A computer system, comprising:

a power supply device, providing an operation voltage;

a satellite positioning chip, receiving a satellite positioning signal through an antenna;

a communication interface, electrically connects with the satellite positioning chip;

a control chip, receiving the operation voltage, controlling to supply source voltage to the satellite positioning chip, and retrieving and processing the satellite positioning signal through the communication interface; and

an actuation element, electrically connecting with the control chip, wherein when the computer system is at a system power-off state and the actuation element is triggered, the control chip supplies source voltage to the satellite positioning chip so as to retrieve and process the satellite positioning signal.

2. The computer system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising an output device electrically connected with the control chip, when the actuation element is triggered at the system power-off state of the computer system, the output device outputs the processed satellite positioning signal.

3. The computer system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the output device is a display device, the display device being an auxiliary display independent from a default display of the computer system.

4. The computer system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the output device outputs longitude and latitude of a current location of the computer system, or outputs a current satellite time.

5. The computer system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control chip includes a converter device to convert the operation voltage into the source voltage supplied for the satellite positioning chip.

6. The computer system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the communication interface is a serial communication bus.

7. The computer system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a real-time clock electrically connected with the control chip, when the actuation element is triggered at the system power-off state of the computer system, a satellite time of the processed satellite positioning signal being used to rectify a current system time of the real-time clock.

8. The computer system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control chip includes a keyboard controller.

9. The computer system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the actuation element is at least one button included in a keyboard of the computer system, or is a designated button without being included in the keyboard of the computer system.

10. A control method to receive a satellite positioning signal at a system power-off state of a computer system, the computer system comprising a power supply device, a satellite positioning chip, a communication interface, a control chip and an actuation element, the control method comprising the steps of:

determining whether the computer system is at the system power-off state of the computer system;

determining whether the actuation element is triggered;

when the computer system is at the system power-off state and the actuation element is triggered, the control chip supplying source voltage to and actuating the satellite positioning chip through the communication interface to retrieve and process the satellite positioning signal received by the satellite positioning chip; and

using the processed satellite positioning signal to perform a specific action corresponding to the triggered actuation element.

11. The control method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the specific action is to display on an output device current geography information of a current location of the computer system.

12. The control method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the output device is a display device, and the specific action is to update a current system time of a real-time clock of the computer system by using a current satellite time of the processed satellite positioning signal.

13. The control method as claimed in claim 12 further comprising the steps of:

displaying an user menu on the display device;

according to a selection result of the user menu, determining whether to update a current time of a real-time clock of the computer system;

when the current time of the real-time clock is determined to be updated, using a current satellite time of the processed satellite positioning signal to update the current time of the real-time clock.

14. The control method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the control chip comprises a keyboard controller of the computer system.

15. The control method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the actuation element is at least one button included in a keyboard of the computer system.

16. The control method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the actuation element is a designated button without being included in the keyboard of the computer system.

17. The control method as claimed in claim 10 further comprising the steps of:

determining whether the actuation element is triggered again; and

when the actuation element is triggered again, cease performing the specific action and cease supplying source voltage to the satellite positioning chip.

18. The control method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the communication interface is a serial communication bus.