Electrical computers and digital processing systems: support – Computer power control
Reexamination Certificate
2000-09-07
2004-11-09
Lee, Thomas (Department: 2115)
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: support
Computer power control
C340S584000, C361S103000, C700S299000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06816975
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an electronic device which has a central processing unit that performs calculation-processes software information that is input, and a power source unit that supplies electric power to the central processing unit.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Video game devices, personal computers, and other electronic devices have long required faster processing capacity for calculation processing in calculation processing devices such as a central processing unit (CPU) in order to process at high speed the enormous amount of multimedia information and other software information that are input.
In particular, higher-speed processing in the CPU and image processing unit is required in video game devices in order to process and display detailed images at high speed.
However, when one tries to speed up the processing capacity, as the passing of signals within the CPU becomes faster and the wiring becomes more complicated, the amount of heat generated by the constituent elements increases, and the amount of heat generated by the CPU itself also increases.
The greater heat generated by the CPU can cause the CPU itself to become overheated and operate incorrectly, which can damage it. When the CPU operates incorrectly and is damaged, the program or other software which is being executed on the CPU will come to a halt. Thus what has been desired is a system that can surely prevent malfunction (or misoperation) and damage caused by overheating of the CPU.
Apart from CPUs, the same problem occurs in image processing units for which faster processing capacity is wanted.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of this invention to provide an electronic device that can easily prevent malfunction of and damage to the calculation processing device.
An electronic device according to the present invention includes a calculation processing unit that calculation-processes software information that is input therein; a power source unit that supplies electric power to the calculation processing unit. The electronic device includes a temperature detection means that detects a temperature of said calculation processing unit; and a power control means that controls the supply of electric power from the power source unit to the calculation processing unit according to the temperature detected by the temperature detection means.
With the present invention, if for example the temperature of the calculation processing unit is detected to be near the temperature that would cause malfunction, the supply of electric power to the calculation processing device can be automatically stopped by the power control means, thereby preventing malfunction of and damage to the calculation processing unit and making it possible to easily prevent the occurrence of runaway programs, etc.
In this invention, it is preferable that the electronic device has a status display means that displays the status of the supply of electric power to the electronic device, and is constituted so that when a temperature abnormality of the calculation processing unit is detected by the temperature detection means, the power control means outputs to the status display means a signal indicating that there is a temperature abnormality.
In this way, the status of the supply of electric power to the electronic device, in other words, the status of the calculation processing unit can be confirmed visually, and if for example a simulation game or role-playing game is being played on a video game device, which is an electronic device, then the data can be saved or some similar step can be taken before the calculation processing unit causes malfunction or is damaged.
It is desirable that the status display means consists of multiple light emitters that emit light in different colors in order to display the power supply status, and is constituted so that when a signal indicating that there is a temperature abnormality, is input, one of the light emitters flashes.
Here, a light-emitting diode (LED) may be as a light emitter. Specifically, it is desirable that a green LED may be used that emits light when the switch is closed and power has been supplied from the power source unit to the calculation processing unit and a red LED that emits light when the switch is open and power from the power source unit to the calculation processing unit has been stopped, and that the red LED flash when there is a temperature abnormality.
In this way, the status of the supply of electric power to the electronic device, or the status of the calculation processing unit, can be confirmed at a glance by the light emitted by the light emitters, and it is easy to stop a program that is being operated on the electronic device, or to save the data, before the calculation processing unit causes malfunction or is damaged.
If, for example the color of the light emitted from the light emitter is divided according to the status of the supply of electric power to the electronic device, it is possible to recognize the status of the electronic device by color of light, so it is easily recognized by the user, and in this way, it is also possible to easily stop a program that is being operated on the electronic device, or to save the data, before the calculation processing unit causes malfunction or is damaged.
In addition, because the light emitter flashes only if the calculation processing device is at an abnormal temperature, the status of the calculation processing unit can be recognized by the user even more simply, making it possible to easily stop a program that is being operated on the electronic device, or to save the data, before the calculation processing unit causes malfunction or is damaged.
It is preferable that the electronic device has a heat dissipation means that is closely connected to the calculation processing unit and radiates to the outside the heat that is produced from the calculation processing unit, and that a temperature detection means is provided on the heat dissipation means.
In this way, the heat produced from the calculation processing device is absorbed by the heat dissipation means and is radiated to the outside, thus making it possible to simply detect the temperature of the calculation processing unit by detecting the temperature of the heat dissipation means. And the installation of the temperature detection means can be made easier because it suffices to provide it on the heat dissipation means rather than on the calculation processing unit.
Also, it is desirable that the calculation processing device has a calculation processing unit that calculation-processes software information and an image processing unit that forms output images based on the calculation results of this calculation processing unit, and that the heat dissipation means is arranged straddling the calculation processing unit and image processing unit.
Here, the calculation processing unit and the image processing unit are among the processing units used in the electronic device and are divided into the parts that generate the most heat.
Thus, if a heat dissipation means that straddles them is provided and the temperature of this heat dissipation means is detected with a temperature detection means, then the power control means can automatically stop the supply of electric power when the temperature of either the calculation processing unit or the image processing unit rises above a value near the temperature at which malfunction occurs or it is damaged.
This makes it possible to easily prevent malfunction and damage of the calculation processing device without trouble, even if multiple processing units are provided that generate much heat.
An electronic device of this invention is one that has a calculation processing unit which calculation-processes the software information that is input and a power source unit that supplies electric power to this calculation processing unit. The electronic device includes a temperature detection means that detects the temperature of the calculation processing device and a status display means that displays the
Akazawa Toru
Sasaki Dai
Katten Muchin Zavis & Rosenman
Lee Thomas
Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
Wang Albert
LandOfFree
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