Electrical computers and digital processing systems: support – Computer power control – By external command
Reexamination Certificate
1998-05-12
2001-05-29
Lefkowitz, Sumati (Department: 2181)
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: support
Computer power control
By external command
C713S300000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06240520
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a power on/off control device for a personal computer, specifically relates to a power on/off control device for computer capable of preventing a loss of data being in process, due to a sudden power-off caused by making a mistake of operating.
2. Discussion of Related Art
As computer techniques have been developed rapidly, especially in terms of function and speed for processing, a personal computer is widely being used as a communication terminal, and being developed to use as a central equipment for a home automation, whereas the conventional personal computer has been used simply as a word processor or as a data processor.
As the conventional computer is turned on and turned off only by operating of a mechanical power switch, it cannot accommodate with various user environments and, in fact, data being processed used to be lost by making a mistake of operating a power switch in the middle of working.
Thus, the applicant of the present invention has proposed a power on/off control device for computer for controlling the power on/off of a computer, especially controlling the power-off by operating a software function.
FIG. 1
shows a configuration of the power on/off control device for computer, disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/749,027. In the figure, reference numeral
1
denotes a power plug, numeral
2
a standby power source for outputting standby power Vs:5V needed when standby mode, based on input power from the power plug
1
, and number
3
a switching mode power supply (SMPS), operated according to power control signal {overscore (
PWR
+L )} received from a RTC
4
, hereinafter described, for generating variable operating voltages V
1
to V
4
, based on the input power from the power plug
1
.
And reference symbol SW
1
denotes an on/off switch, installed outside the computer, for turning a computer on and off mechanically by user, of which one end is grounded and the other end is connected to one end of an AND gate AND
1
through a pull-up resistor R
1
. And the other end of the AND gate AND
1
is connected with an infrared receiver, not depicted.
Here, the infrared receiver, which is a usual one for turning on and off a computer by receiving user's infrared command through a remote controller, outputs, for example, low level signal for a predetermined time, if a user inputs infrared signal to turn on the computer through the remote controller. That is, the AND gate AND
1
outputs power-on signal of low level for a corresponding time, while the user is operating the remote controller or the on/off switch SW
1
to turn on the computer.
Reference numeral
4
denotes a real time clock RTC, in which a kick start signal input port {overscore (
KS
+L )} receives the output of the AND gate AND
1
and a kick start signal output port {overscore (
PWR
+L )} is connected to the SMPS
3
through a pull-up resistor R
2
. And the RTC
4
outputs power control signal of low level through the output port {overscore (
PWR
+L )} at a falling edge of corresponding signals, for example, for a couple of seconds, when the signal inputted from the kick start signal input port {overscore (
KS
+L )} turns to be low level, and then outputs power control signal of low level through the output port {overscore (
PWR
+L )} till the output port {overscore (
PWR
+L )} is set to high level by means of another power-off operation, that is, data obtained from a system data bus, when a normal voltage of +5V is outputted from the SMPS
3
which is operated normally by the power control signal of low level from the output port
{overscore (PWR)}.
Besides, the RTC
4
, including a status resistor, not depicted, for setting signal status inputted from the kick start signal input port {overscore (
KS
+L )}, sets a status flag, for example, to “1” at a falling edge of the signal inputted through the kick start signal input port {overscore (
KS
+L )}, the status flag can be read and reset through a system address bus and a system data bus.
Meantime, when the computer is turned on, a CPU, not depicted, resets the status flag “1” to “0”, stored at the status resistor of the RTC
4
, through the system address bus and the system data bus, and then detects whether the status flag is reset to “1”. When the status flag is set to “1” again, the system data bus and the system address bus set the output of power control signal {overscore (
PWR
+L )} of the RTC
4
to high level, thus suspending the operation of the SMPS
3
. That is, in the above configuration, the power-off operation of the computer can be controlled by the CPU.
Accordingly, the above configuration provides various user environments, that is, confirming user's intention to turn off a computer when the user touches power switch, turning off the computer automatically after the computer remains alone for a predetermined time, and so on.
Meantime, as the power on/off control device for computer described above is designed to be turned off only by the CPU, it comes to be a problem that the computer can not be turned off through the power switch, in case that the CPU doesn't work by reason that the system is down, and so on.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a power on/off control device for computer, which substantially obviates one or more of the problems described above, capable of turning off the computer by operating a software power-off function and turning on and off by hand, mechanically as well.
To accomplish the object of the invention, a power on/off control device for computer, having a first power supply means for outputting predetermined first electric power upon receiving input power and a second power supply means for outputting main electric power to operate the computer being on power-on, which is turned on and off according to power driving signals of a first level or a second level, comprising: a power switch for outputting a first level while the power switch is being pressed down, and a second level while not pressed down; a power driving signal output means for outputting a power driving signal of the first level or of the second level alternatively according to pulse signals inputted from a microprocessor; a microprocessor, having a first port connected with the power switch and a second port coupled with the power driving signal output means, for controlling power on/off according to signal levels from the first port and the second port; a data output means for forwarding data outputted from the microprocessor to a system data bus; and a data input means for sending data inputted through the system data bus to the microprocessor, the microprocessor detects on/off status of computer according to level signals inputted through the second port and outputs pulse signals to the power driving output means according to the signal levels from the power switch and command data from the data input means.
Besides, the microprocessor outputs pulse signal to the power driving signal output means, in case that the first level signal is inputted from the power switch and at the same time the computer is being on power-off, outputs power-off signal through the data output means, in case that the first level signal is inputted from the power switch and at the same time the computer is being on power-on, and outputs pulse signal to the power driving signal output means according to power-off signal inputted through the data input means. Furthermore, the microprocessor outputs pulse signal to the power driving signal output means, in case that the first level signal is inputted from the power switch for a first predetermined time, when the computer is being on power-on.
In the above configuration according to the present invention, the computer can be turned off by means of transmitting command data through the data input means in the CPU, so it is possible to perform various program controls including turning off the computer, which is not in use, and so on.
Moreover, even when the us
Daewoo Telecom Ltd.
Lefkowitz Sumati
Lilling & Lilling P.C.
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