Method and apparatus for executing a scheduled operation after wake up from power off state

• US 5,974,552 A
• Filed: 12/23/1996
• Issued: 10/26/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Lee, Chang-Ho, Lim, Jae-Doo
• Primary Examiner(s): Auve, Glenn A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dharia, Rupal D.
• Application Number:
  US08/773,718
• Time in Patent Office: 1,037 Days
• Field of Search: 379/142, 395/750.01-750.06, 364/707
• US Class Current: 713/300
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3209 Monitoring remote activity, e.g. over telephone lines or network connections
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4418 Suspend and resume; Hibernate and awake

Abstract

The present invention provides a digital computer system executing a scheduled operation and method thereof including: a main system having a central processing unit for processing an interrupt processing routine; a bus which transmits information to system elements by connecting the main system and the system elements; a system memory which is connected to the bus and stores system information such as hibernation information; a power supply which supplies an external power to a computer system and supplies power to the computer system when the external power is turned off; a wake-up source which senses, receives and outputs an external change; a power control connected to the wake-up source, the power supply and the bus, controls the computer system for a hibernation function and receives the external change signal from the wake-up source in order that the computer system can execute the scheduled operation; and a storing device which is connected to the bus and stores data such as information of the system memory and the central processing unit.

Claims

1. A digital computer system for executing a scheduled operation, comprising:

a main system for processing an interrupt processing routine;

a bus for transmitting information to a plurality of system elements by connecting said main s system and the system elements;

a system memory being connected to said bus for storing system information defining a system and hibernation information defining a hibernation;

a power supply for supplying a first power to said digital computer system and for supplying a second power to said digital computer system when the first power is turned off;

a wake up source for sensing, receiving and sending an external change signal;

a power controller having a scheduled operation storing device for storing the scheduled operation set by a user for execution, said power controller being connected to said wake up source, said power supply and said bus, for controlling said digital computer system for a hibernation function, for receiving the external change signal from said wake up source to execute the scheduled operation, and for facilitating said digital computer system to execute the scheduled operation when a time predetermined by a timer has passed; and

a storing device being connected to said bus, for storing data, for storing information from said system memory, and for storing information from said main system, wherein the scheduled operation comprises the steps of;

receiving by said power controller to execute the scheduled operation one of a wake up request as said external change signal from said wake up source and a wake up request generated by said timer indicating when the time predetermined by the timer has passed;

supplying power to said digital computer system, thereby permitting said digital computer system to operate;

determining whether a hibernation mode is set;

if the hibernation mode is set, restoring data and an operating system stored in said storing device;

if the hibernation mode is not set, initializing said digital computer system and executing a power-on-self test;

setting data and an operating system;

executing a warning operation prior to turning off the first power to said digital computer system, wherein the step of executing the warning operation comprises the steps of;

searching for a telephone number corresponding to a wake up request source, and calling through a communication control said telephone number;

transmitting a stored message to said telephone number called prior to turning off the first power to said digital computer system; and

sending a warning sound through a speaker prior to turning off the first power to said digital computer system;

if the hibernation mode is set, storing the data and the operating system set by the setting step;

turning off the first power to said digital computer system; and

operating in the hibernation mode if the hibernation mode is set.

2. The digital computer system of claim 1, wherein the scheduled operation further comprises the steps of:

determining whether the scheduled operation is to be executed to wake up said digital computer system;

if the scheduled operation is to be executed, determining whether said digital computer system is to be woken up by the timer;

if said digital computer system is to be woken up by the timer, setting a wake up schedule time to execute the scheduled operation;

if said digital computer system is not to be woken up by the timer, sensing the wake up request of said wake up source to execute the scheduled operation; and

setting an operation to be executed after said digital computer system is woken up.

3. The digital computer system of claim 1, wherein the first power is from an external source.

4. The digital computer system of claim 1, wherein said wake up source comprises:

a sensor transmitting a wake up request signal if an external change is sensed; and

a communication control for controlling said main system in transmitting a signal to a user by receiving a user instruction from one of a telephone and a facsimile connected to a communication network, and for transmitting a wake up request signal.

5. The digital computer system of claim 1, wherein said power supply comprises:

a main power device for receiving and supplying external power to said digital computer system; and

a back up power device for supplying power by a battery when the external power is turned off.

6. The digital computer system of claim 1, wherein said power controller comprises:

a wake up source interface for transmitting a corresponding wake-up request signal for waking the digital computer system if the external change signal is received from said wake up source;

a power interface being connected to a main power source and to a back up power source, and for controlling said main power source and said back up power source; and

a controller being connected to said bus, to said wake up source interface, and to said power interface, said controller for transmitting a corresponding interrupt signal to said main system through said bus after said digital computer system is not used for a predetermined period of time, for setting said digital computer system to be in a hibernation state by controlling said power interface, for supplying power to said digital computer system by controlling said power interface when the wake-up request signal is received from said wake up source interface, and for setting the scheduled operation to be executable by said main system.

7. The digital computer system of claim 6, wherein said controller further comprises said timer.

8. The digital computer system of claim 1, wherein said system memory comprises a non-volatile memory element, and stores system data comprising a flag indicating a setting of the hibernation mode.

9. A digital computer system for executing a scheduled operation, comprising:

a main system for processing an interrupt processing routine;

a bus for transmitting information to a plurality of system elements by connecting said main system and the system elements;

a system memory being connected to said bus for storing system information defining a system and hibernation information defining a hibernation;

a power supply for supplying a first power to said digital computer system and for supplying a second power to said digital computer system when the first power is turned off;

a wake up source for sensing, receiving and sending an external change signal;

a power controller having a scheduled operation storing device for storing the scheduled operation set by a user for execution, said power controller being connected to said wake up source, said power supply and said bus, for controlling said digital computer system for a hibernation function, for receiving the external change signal from said wake up source to execute the scheduled operation, and for facilitating said digital computer system to execute the scheduled operation when a time predetermined by a timer has passed; and

a storing device being connected to said bus, for storing data, for storing information from said system memory, and for storing information from said main system,

wherein said digital computer system executes a warning operation prior to turning off the first power to said digital computer system, said warning operation comprising the steps of;

searching for a telephone number corresponding to a wake up request source, and calling through a communication control said telephone number;

transmitting a stored message to said telephone number called prior to turning off the first power to said digital computer system; and

sending a warning sound through a speaker prior to turning off the first power to said digital computer system.

10. A method for executing a scheduled operation in a digital computer system, comprising the steps of:

storing the scheduled operation set by a user for execution;

receiving to execute the scheduled operation one of a wake-up request from a wake up source and a wake-up request generated when a predetermined time of a timer has passed;

supplying power to said digital computer system, thereby permitting said digital computer system to operate;

determining whether a hibernation mode is set;

if the hibernation mode is set, restoring data and an operating system stored in a storing device;

if the hibernation mode is not set, initializing said digital computer system and executing a power on self test;

setting data and an operating system;

executing a warning operation prior to turning off a main power to said digital computer system, wherein executing the warning operation comprises the steps of;

searching for a telephone number corresponding to a wake up request source, and calling through a communication control said telephone number;

transmitting a stored message to said telephone number called prior to turning off the main power to said digital computer system; and

sending a warning sound through a speaker prior to turning off the main power to said digital computer system;

if the hibernation mode is set, storing the data and the operating system set by the setting step;

turning off the main power to said digital computer system; and

operating in the hibernation mode if the hibernation mode is set.

11. A method for executing a scheduled operation in a digital computer system, comprising the steps of:

storing the scheduled operation set by a user for execution;

determining whether the scheduled operation is to be executed to wake up said digital computer system;

if the scheduled operation is to be executed, determining whether said digital computer system is to be woken up by a timer;

if said digital computer system is to be woken up by the timer, setting a wake up scheduled time to execute the scheduled operation;

if said digital computer system is not to be woken up by the timer, sensing a wake up request of a wake up source to execute the scheduled operation;

setting an operation to be executed after said digital computer system is woken up;

determining whether a hibernation mode is set;

if the hibernation mode is set, storing data and an operating system;

executing a warning operation prior to turning off a main power to said digital computer system, wherein executing the warning operation comprises the steps of;

searching for a telephone number corresponding to a wake up request source, and calling through a communication control said telephone number;

transmitting a stored message to said telephone number called prior to tuning off the main power to said digital computer system; and

sending a warning sound through a speaker prior to turning off the main power to said digital computer system;

turning off the main power to said digital computer system; and

operating in the hibernation mode if the hibernation mode is set.