Patent Grant
8745417
This application claims the benefit of priority, under 35U.S.C. Section 119, to Chinese Patent Application Serial No. 200710304407.3, filed on Dec. 27, 2007, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to computers, in particular to a computer system, a notebook computer and a method for controlling the computer system.
2. Description of Prior Art
Presently, in order to make a computer system implement certain functions, such as sending and receiving emails when the computer system is not in work, such as in its stand-by state or shut-down state, an embedded subsystem for implementing preset functions, such as an embedded subsystem for implementing the function of sending and receiving emails in real time, may be arranged or inserted into the computer system on the basis of the existing computer system infrastructure, for example on the main board of the existing computer. In general, in order to ensure sending and receiving emails in real time, the embedded subsystem will always stay in an operating state after being connected with the main computer subsystem, regardless of the main computer subsystem's current state. In this manner, although the real-time email sending and receiving may be ensured, the power of the overall system are greatly consumed, resulting in a short stand-by time for the system.
An embodiment of the present invention is provided with a computer system, a notebook computer and a method for controlling such a computer system, which can reduce the power consumption caused by an embedded subsystem while implementing preset functions in real time.
For this purpose, in an aspect, the present invention provides a method for controlling a computer system, the computer system comprising a main computer subsystem and an embedded subsystem configured to realize a preset function, the main computer subsystem including a functional module for implementing the preset function. The functional module is in an operating state while the main computer subsystem stays in a power-on state of the main computer subsystem. The control method comprises the following steps:
In another aspect, the present invention provides a computer system, which comprises a main computer subsystem, an embedded subsystem configured to realize a preset function and a power supply connected to the main computer subsystem and to the embedded subsystem, the main computer subsystem including a functional module for implementing the preset function, wherein the functional module is in an operating state while the main computer subsystem stays in a power-on state of the main computer subsystem. The main computer subsystem further comprises:
In a further aspect, the present invention provides a notebook computer. The notebook computer comprises a main board, an embedded subsystem and a power supply for supplying power to the main board and the embedded subsystem. The main board comprises an embedded controller. The notebook computer further comprises a power switch controller connected to the embedded controller and to the embedded subsystem.
The embedded controller is adapted to turn off the power of the embedded subsystem by controlling the power switch controller when the notebook computer stays in a power-on state of the notebook computer, and to turn on power of the embedded subsystem by controlling the power switch controller when the notebook computer stays in a low-power state or a shut-down state of the notebook computer.
The above technical solutions have the following technical effects.
The computer system is allowed to turn off the power of the embedded subsystem or to enable the embedded subsystem into a low-power state of the embedded subsystem, such as a stand-by state or a dormant state, and to use its own functional module instead to implement present functions when the main computer subsystem stays in a power-on state of the main computer subsystem by controlling the state of the embedded subsystem for implementing the preset functions, such as sending and receiving email in real time or monitoring virus in real time. The power of the embedded subsystem can be turned on to enable the embedded subsystem into an operating state only when the main computer subsystem stays in a low-power state of the main computer subsystem, such as the stand-by state or the dormant state, or stays in a shut-down state of the main computer subsystem, in which the main computer subsystem is not in work. Therefore, the above technical solutions of the present invention achieve the real-time implementation of the preset functions, without requiring the embedded subsystem for always staying in an operating state, thereby reduce the power consumption of the computer system and prolong stand-by time for the system.
To make the technical problems that embodiments of the present invention intend to solve, the technical solutions and advantages more apparent, the present invention will be described in detail below, in combination with the drawings and embodiments.
As shown in
In this embodiment, by way of example, the current state of the main computer subsystem is determined when the embedded subsystem is connected to the main computer subsystem.
Although the embedded subsystem may be connected to the main computer subsystem illustratively via an Expresscard Slot arranged on the main computer subsystem, the embedded subsystem may also be connected to the main computer subsystem in other manners, for example the embedded subsystem may be integrated into the computer, such as into the main board of the computer. Alternatively, when the main computer subsystem is a notebook computer, an application processor of the embedded subsystem and the embedded controller of the notebook computer may be one and the same processor.
In this embodiment of the present invention, the main computer subsystem's current state is monitored. Once there is a change of the state, a corresponding process is performed.
In this embodiment of the present invention, illustratively, in order to avoid data loss, a communication between the main computer subsystem and the embedded subsystem may be performed before changing the power switch state of the embedded subsystem, and it may be determined whether the embedded subsystem's current state can be changed, so as to avoid a change of the state of the embedded subsystem at an inappropriate time.
In this embodiment of the present invention, illustratively, in order to avoid the data loss, data synchronization between the embedded subsystem and the main computer subsystem may be performed before turning off the power of the embedded subsystem or enabling the embedded subsystem into the low-power state. The power of the embedded subsystem can be turned off only after the data synchronization of the embedded subsystem to the main computer subsystem. In the same way, data synchronization between the embedded subsystem and the main computer subsystem is required before the computer system can enter its low-power state, such as the stand-by state or the dormant state, and its shut-down state. Only after the main computer subsystem is in data synchronization with the embedded subsystem, the main computer subsystem may be suspended.
The preset invention further discloses a computer system. As shown in
As shown in
a low-power control module 401 for controlling the embedded subsystem to enter into the low-power state of the embedded subsystem after a task of the embedded subsystem being in an operating state of the embedded subsystem is completed, and/or
a wake-up module 402 for waking up the embedded subsystem being in the low-power state of the embedded subsystem, causing it to return to the operating state of the embedded subsystem when the embedded subsystem has a new task or an external interrupt.
In
The main computer subsystem in the computer system according to the embodiment of the present invention further comprises:
The present invention further comprises a notebook computer. As shown in
In an implementation, the power switch controller may be or may be not arranged on the main board.
Preferably, the embedded controller in the notebook computer according to the embodiment of the present invention comprises:
Preferably, the embedded subsystem in the notebook computer according to the embodiment of the present invention comprises:
Preferably, the embedded subsystem in the notebook computer according to the embodiment of the present invention comprises:
Preferably, the main computer subsystem in the notebook computer according to the embodiment of the present invention comprises:
In
As shown in
The Always On System is a subsystem, which still implements a preset function after the notebook computer entering a stand-by state and a shut-down state of the notebook computer. Taking email sending and receiving as an example of the preset function, the Always On System is a subsystem that continues sending and receiving email after the notebook enters the stand-by state or the shut-down state of the notebook computer. The Always On System mainly includes an application processor (AP), a memory unit such as DDR/SDRAM and FLASH Memory, a power supply module and a control logic and the like, wherein the application processor is mainly configured to implement the preset functions and communication with the main computer subsystem, and so on.
When the main computer subsystem operates normally, a user will deal with his emails by the notebook computer, since an email processing functional module is arranged in the notebook computer. The Always On System needs not to operate, and the notebook cuts off the power of the subsystem or enables the subsystem into a low-power state of the subsystem. When the notebook computer enters a dormant state or a shut-down state of the notebook computer, the notebook computer turns on the power of the subsystem, and enables the subsystem into an operating state of the subsystem. The notebook computer will suspend after the data synchronization, while the Always On System will continue to deal with the emails. When the notebook computer is started again, it will cut off the power of the subsystem or enable the subsystem into a low-power state of the subsystem again, after the data synchronization.
As shown in
The above solutions of the embodiments of the present invention turn off the power of the embedded subsystem or enable the embedded subsystem into its low-power state when the computer system stays in power-on sate (S0), and turn on the power of the embedded subsystem and enable it into operating state when the computer system stays in a stand-by state (i.e. a low-power state) or a shut-down state (S3/S4/S5). The embedded subsystem automatically enters into a low-power state such as a dormant state when there is no task. In such a way, the preset functions such as sending and receiving email in real time, scanning virus in real time and the like can be implemented in real time, while reducing the power consumption caused by the embedded subsystem and prolonging the stand-by time of the computer system.
While the above embodiments may have been characterized as being preferred, it should be readily understood that there are various modifications or replacements to the embodiments without departing from the scope and the spirit of the present invention, and they shall fall into the scope defined by the appended claims.
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