Controlled power cycling in computing devices

• US 7,774,633 B1
• Filed: 12/21/2006
• Issued: 08/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Harrenstien, Kenneth L., Biro, Ross
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel; Nitin C
• Application Number:
  US11/614,865
• Time in Patent Office: 1,328 Days
• Field of Search: 713/300, 713/323
• US Class Current: 713/323
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/24 Resetting means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/263 Arrangements for using multiple switchable power supplies, e.g. battery and AC G06F1/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0766 Error or fault reporting or storing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0793 Remedial or corrective actions recovery from an exception in an instruction pipeline G06F9/3861; by retry G06F11/1402; for recovering from a failure of a protocol instance or entity H04L69/40

Abstract

Cycling power in a computer to clear hang-up conditions may include disabling low voltage DC signals between an output of a standby DC power supply and standby-powered circuits in response to a power cycle request. In response to a disable signal, a power cycle module (PCM) may disable standby power being supplied to standby circuits in a computer, server, or router, for example. In addition, the PCM may disable power to main circuits by, for example, generating logic-level control signals to the power supply, or by opening a series-connected switch through which main current flows. In response to a re-enable signal, the PCM may re-enable the supply of standby and/or main power to a computer.

Claims

1. A power control system, comprising:

a switch having a first terminal to connect to a standby DC power source in a computer, and having a second terminal to connect to standby circuits of the computer; and

a controller communicating with an input device external to the computer, and operatively connected to the switch to decouple the first terminal from the second terminal in response to a power cycle signal from the input device to disable power supplied to the standby circuits while power remains supplied to main circuits of the computer, the power cycle signal being generated in response to a detected condition of the computer.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller comprises a processor.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the switch comprises a transistor.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a pass-through connection for at least one voltage from at least one power source other than a first standby power source for the computer.

5. The system of claim 4, further comprising a control output port operable to connect to the at least one power source other than the first standby power source and to cause the connected power source to shut down in response to the power cycle signal.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the input device generates the power cycle signal in response to user input.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the input device comprises an input switch.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the input device comprises a user interface.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the user interface comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of a keyboard, touch screen, keypad, or computer mouse.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising a data routing component powered by standby power and performing data routing operations.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising a server component powered by standby power and performing server operations when in communication with at least one client device.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the power cycle signal is transmitted as an Ethernet signal.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the power cycle signal is transmitted as an out-of-band signal.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the power cycle signal further comprises a signal associated with an invalid Ethernet frame.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the power cycle signal comprises a signal indicative of the absence of a signal within a predetermined period of time.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the power cycle request comprises a signal generated at a preselected time.

17. A method to power cycle a device, the method comprising:

receiving a signal to cycle power in a device having a main DC voltage supply and a standby DC voltage supply, disabling the main DC voltage supply, and not disabling the standby DC voltage supply during a re-boot operation, the signal being generated in response to a detected condition of the device; and

decoupling an output of the standby DC voltage supply from a standby circuit in the device in response to the received signal to disable the standby DC voltage supply while maintaining the main DC voltage supply.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein decoupling the output of the standby DC voltage supply from the standby circuit comprises modulating the conductivity of a semiconductor switch.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising re-coupling the output of the standby DC voltage supply to the standby circuit in response to a re-enable signal.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the re-enable signal is received at a communication port of the device.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising generating the re-enable signal at least a preselected period of time after decoupling the output of the standby DC voltage supply from the standby circuit.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein the signal is received in response to manipulation of a user interface on the device.

23. An apparatus to control power in a computing device, comprising:

a first circuit to couple a first DC voltage source for the computing device to a voltage supply node of a first circuit of the computing device, the first DC voltage source being disabled from supplying power during a re-boot operation of the computer device;

a second circuit to couple a second DC voltage source for the computing device to a voltage supply node of a second circuit of the computing device, wherein the second DC voltage source is operable to supply power during a re-boot operation of the computing device; and

means for decoupling the second DC voltage source from the second circuit voltage supply node in response to a power cycle request while the first DC voltage source supplies power to the first circuit, the power cycle request being generated in response to a detected condition of the computer device.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the power cycle request comprises a message received over an electronic communication channel.

25. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the power cycle request comprises a signal indicative of the operational status of a network to which the computing device is operatively coupled.

26. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the means for decoupling is supplied with operating power through a means for combining power from a plurality of power supplies.

27. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the first DC voltage source is a main voltage source, and the second DC voltage source is a standby voltage source.