JPH0293814A - Power supply controller for lap-top type personal computer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To eliminate wasteful power consumption by activating a resume function circuit and prohibiting power source supply when it is detected that a key input is not executed for a constant time. CONSTITUTION:In a lap-top type personal computer to be equipped with the function, an arbitrary time can be programmably set. A time monitor circuit 2 is obtained to output a significant signal by detecting that the key input is not executed during this time. Then, a resume function activating circuit 3 is operated by a signal 13, which is generated by this time monitor circuit 2 and the power source supply is prohibited. Thus, the power supply to the lap-top type personal computer can be automatically controlled and wasteful power can be prevented from being consumed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Object of the Invention] (Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to a power supply control device for a laptop personal computer.

(Conventional technology) In recent years, due to advances in semiconductor technology, microprocessors,
Peripheral control LSIs, memory LSIs, and the like have become available at relatively low prices, and it has become possible to construct relatively high-performance personal computer systems simply by appropriately combining them.

In addition, in the field of personal computers, small, lightweight,
Laptop-type devices that are convenient to carry are taking over the leading role. By the way, in this laptop type personal computer, power is supplied/stopped by turning the power switch 0N10FF (ON/OFF).

Therefore, while the personal computer is in use, doing other work, or if the user forgets to turn off the power, operating current continues to flow, wasting power.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) As described above, the conventional example has the disadvantage that even when the personal computer is not in use, unnecessary current flows and power is lost.

By the way, in the case where the memory contents are backed up by a battery, all the states necessary for the currently running program are retained even when the power is turned off, and when the power is turned on again, the program continues to run. There are things that have functions. Here, you can resume the function (Resume).
ume) function and will be explained below.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and provides a power supply control device for a laptop personal computer that automatically controls the current while the computer is not in use by utilizing the resume function. The purpose is to

[Structure of the Invention] (Means for Solving the Problem) The present invention maintains all the states necessary for the currently running program even when the power is turned off, and continues the program when the power is turned on again. A laptop-type personal computer equipped with a resume function circuit, which is programmably set to an arbitrary value, and has a time monitoring circuit that outputs a signal that becomes significant when it detects that no key input is made for a certain period of time. The resume function circuit is activated by a signal generated by the time monitoring circuit, and power supply is prohibited.

(Function) In the above configuration, it is detected that there is no key input for a predetermined period of time, and the resume function circuit is controlled. That is, when it is detected that no key input has been made within the time (timeout) set by the user in the time monitoring circuit, the resume function circuit is activated, the resume function is activated, and power supply is prohibited. This allows automatic 1i1J power supply to laptop personal computers.
You can avoid wasting power.

(Example) Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described using the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of a laptop personal computer in which the present invention is implemented.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a CPU body including a power supply circuit, which serves as the control center of the system. Further, the power supply circuit supplies power to each component of the computer. The power supply circuit of the CPU main body 1 can be turned on and off by a switch, and can also be turned off by a resume function wiring circuit 3, which will be described later.

2 is a time monitoring circuit. This time monitoring circuit 2 can be set to any number 6]! by the user. (clocking time) is set, time counting is executed according to this value, and the signal line 13 is set to active upon completion of counting.

3 is a resume function activation circuit. As mentioned above, the resume function maintains all the states necessary for the currently running program even when the power is turned off, and when the power is turned on again.
When the result is N, the program continues to be executed. When the signal line 13 becomes active, this resume function is activated and the signal line 14 is activated.

Note that 11 is a signal line for transmitting the set time to the time monitoring circuit 2, and the set time is sent from the CPU main body 1 to the time monitoring circuit 2 via this signal line.

Is 12 a key input? This is a signal line that conveys information to the time monitoring circuit 2, and when the signal transferred to this signal line 12 becomes active, it indicates that a key input has been made. Reference numeral 13 is a signal line requesting activation of the resume function, and when the signal transferred to this signal line 13 becomes active, it indicates that activation of the resume function is requested. Reference numeral 14 denotes a signal line requesting power OFF, and when the signal transferred to this signal line 14 becomes active, it indicates that power OFF is requested.

The operation in the embodiment of the present invention will be explained below.

First, the power switch of the personal computer having the circuit configuration shown in FIG. 1 is turned on, and the time period from when the personal computer is no longer used until it is resumed is set. The value set here is transmitted from the CPU main body 1 to the time monitoring circuit 2 through the signal line 11. The time monitoring circuit 2 monitors the time since the last key input based on a signal on a signal line 12 that is detected by the CPU main body 1 and becomes active when a key is pressed. Here, if no key input is performed even after the set time has elapsed, the signal line 13, which is normally inactive, is set to active. When the signal line 13 becomes active, the resume function activation circuit 3 instructs the CPU main body 1 to perform a resume operation, and then deactivates the signal line 14 to turn off the power circuit of the CPU main body 1. The power supply circuit 1 of the CPU main body 1 remains powered off until the power switch is turned on again.

[Effects of the Invention] As detailed above, according to the present invention, when the power is turned off, all the states necessary for the currently running program are retained, and when the power is turned on again, the program processing continues to be executed. A laptop personal computer equipped with a resume function circuit has a time monitoring circuit that outputs a signal that is programmably set to an arbitrary value and that becomes significant when it detects that no key input has been made for a certain period of time. By activating the resume function circuit with a signal generated by the time monitoring circuit and having a means for inhibiting power supply, unnecessary power consumption is eliminated, and the present invention is particularly suitable for use in battery-powered laptop computers. The effect becomes more noticeable.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention. 1...CPU main body, 2...Time monitoring circuit, 3...
Resume function starting circuit, 11-14... signal line.

Claims (1)

[Claims] A programmable laptop-type personal computer that is equipped with a resume function circuit that retains all the states necessary for the currently running program when the power is turned off and continues executing the program when the power is turned on again. is set to an arbitrary value, and has a time monitoring circuit that outputs a signal that becomes significant when it detects that there is no key input for a certain period of time, and the resume function circuit is activated by the signal generated by this time monitoring circuit. A power supply control device for a laptop-type personal computer, characterized in that the power supply is prohibited from being supplied.