JP2004334709A - Information processing apparatus fitted with power indicator lamp - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an information processing apparatus that is capable of preventing a user from being confused by a power indicator lamp of the apparatus being turned off once when the apparatus is re-started by restoration of power supply and rebooting after failure in starting the system, and capable of properly indicating status of the operation to an operator. <P>SOLUTION: Arrangement is made so that while power supply is restored automatically and the system is being rebooted, the lamp is kept on to indicate "power is on and being restored" or, alternatively, another lamp to indicate "power is being restored" is added. This arrangement makes it possible to indicate to the operator the distinction between the normal power-off and the power-off in the case of restoration of power supply, by keeping the power lamp on or by showing that power is being restored with another lamp when power is restored as a result of detection of an abnormal state, thereby preventing the operator who thinks by his own judgement that a power supply is cut off from performing an irregular operation such as turning a power switch on in case the distinction is not known to the operator. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method of displaying a power lamp of a computer, and more particularly, to a state display during a reboot operation.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Generally, when starting up a computer system, a CPU peripheral device including a main memory and an OS are automatically turned on when a power supply of a CPU (main processor) which is a center of the system configuration is turned on. The software system including the software starts up. FIG. 4 shows a basic configuration diagram around the CPU. The power supply unit of the apparatus is composed of a main power supply that is turned on by an on switch and a standby (stand-by) power supply that supplies a minimum amount of power even in a disconnected state. Implemented in a chipset. By the way, at the time of startup, some CPUs perform a reset called a reboot and then restart. This is to make the setting for switching the clock magnification from a low-speed clock such as a bus clock from the outside of the CPU to a high-speed clock inside the CPU effective by resetting.
[0003]
However, the change pattern of the memory control signal (DDR: Double Data Rate—when both the rising and falling edges of the clock signal are used) may become abnormal during this reboot. This is because the circuit is reset all at once, and the circuit is in an unexpected state. This abnormal state is detected when the data is written and then read and the correct data cannot be written to any address. In this case, the memory cannot be accessed after the reboot. Will be gone. When such a situation occurs, the memory no longer responds normally to any access, and it has no choice but to power cycle. Normally, even when the main power is turned off, the computer is in a state where a standby power circuit is turned on or the apparatus is equipped with a battery and the minimum power is supplied. Whether it is automatic or automatic, the power can be turned on again.
[0004]
The above description is illustrated in FIG. As shown in the flow of the process related to the reboot in FIG. 5, the system was rebooted when the power was turned on, the memory was checked, and in addition to the case of normal startup, an abnormality was detected as a result of the memory check, and the power was once turned off. Thereafter, there is a case where the power is turned on again to start up again.
When the BIOS (Basic Input Output System) detects such an abnormal state, it is considered that the system is in an inoperable state and a message is issued to stop the processing. In some cases, even if the power supply fails, the power supply may be successfully turned on again. Therefore, here, a case where the power supply is turned on again will be considered. In this case, the power is turned on again automatically, not by a manual power switch operation, but by a timer setting inside the chipset. The BIOS issues a command to turn off the power and activates a timer inside the chipset, so that the power is automatically turned on again. However, as shown in the schematic configuration diagram of the conventional apparatus in FIG. 3, the lamp display indicating that the power is turned on at this time is powered by the main power supply in the power supply unit. Until the power is turned on, the power lamp is turned off once, so that the operation of the operator to manually turn on the power again becomes irregular. As described above, in the conventional apparatus, the power lamp is turned off once the power is turned off, regardless of whether the power is turned on again by the operator itself or automatically turned on by the BIOS. There was a problem that
[0005]
Note that Patent Document 1 discloses a method of displaying a power supply state. For the purpose of reducing power consumption, an indicator light that indicates an operation state of a peripheral device that can be placed in a power saving state or a power-off state is displayed when the peripheral device is operating, in a standby state, or in a power-saving or power-off state. As a display method for displaying a state such as during the return operation of the power supply, the display is performed by controlling the cycle of blinking and / or the ratio of the lighting period to the light-off period. There was nothing related to the lamp display at the time of shooting.
[0006]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-6-102973 (pages 2-3, claims)
[0007]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
Therefore, in order to prevent the confusion of the operator due to the disappearance of the power supply indicator lamp when the power supply is restarted at the time of the reboot, in the present invention, the power supply lamp is kept turned on or the power supply is turned on again. An object of the present invention is to provide a lamp that indicates that the apparatus is in a restart operation, thereby accurately representing the state of the apparatus.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the present invention detects a standby power supply that is continuously supplied even after the main power supply is once turned off, and detects that boot-up cannot be performed by turning on the power supply. A rebooting means for performing, a lamp receiving the supply of the standby power, and displaying a power-on state and a reboot operation state;
A state in which the power cannot be booted up by turning on the power and the power is turned on again by the rebooting means. Construct a processing device.
[0009]
According to a second aspect of the present invention, the power-on indicator lamp is kept lit during the reboot operation. In a third aspect, a lamp for indicating that the reboot operation is being performed is provided in addition to the power-on indicator lamp. Provide and display. As a result, it is possible to indicate to the operator the distinction between the normal power-off and the power-off when the power is turned on again.
[0010]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a first embodiment of the present invention. Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. A standby power supply is used as a power supply lamp, a power supply for lighting the lamp being turned on again, and a power supply for a signal system for instructing lighting of the lamp, so that the lighting state of the lamp can be maintained even when the main power supply is turned off.
[0011]
Although not shown in the figure, the power can be turned on automatically by setting a timer inside the chipset without using a power switch. When an abnormal condition is found, the BIOS instructs to turn off the power, activates a timer inside the chipset, and makes settings so that the power is automatically turned on again.
Conventionally, the power supply lamp is turned on by one of the power supplies (for example, +5 V) output from the power supply unit in response to a power-on signal. In the present invention, the power supply lamp is turned on by a controller (chipset) signal. Instruct. Thus, the turning on / off of the power lamp can be instructed by the program. In addition, a standby power supply is used as a power supply for lighting the power lamp and a power supply for controlling the lighting thereof.
[0012]
In the lamp display method according to another embodiment of the present invention, as shown in a second embodiment of the present invention in FIG. 2, another lamp indicating that the lamp is being turned on again is added so as to be controlled by a program. The power for lighting the lamp is also supplied by the standby power.
[0013]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, when the power is turned on again by detecting an abnormal state, the operation is performed by either keeping the power lamp on or by using another lamp to indicate that the power is being turned on again. It is possible to indicate the distinction between normal power-off and power-off in the case of power-on for the power supply. Irregular operations such as pushing can be prevented.
[0014]
In other words, the present invention is not limited to the problem of memory control, and the present invention allows a certain degree of uncertainty when the system is started up.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a schematic configuration diagram of a conventional device. Fig. 5 Flow of reboot-related processing

Claims (3)

A standby power supply that is continuously supplied even after the main power supply is once turned off,
Reboot means for detecting that boot-up cannot be performed by turning on the power, and rebooting with a power-on instruction;
A lamp for receiving the supply of the standby power and displaying a power-on state and a reboot operation state;
Lamp control means for instructing lighting of the lamp in response to the supply of the standby power, in a state where the power cannot be booted up and the power is turned on again by the reboot means;
An information processing apparatus with a power supply display lamp, comprising: Even during the reboot operation, the power-on indicator lamp remains on.
The information processing device with a power supply display lamp according to claim 1, wherein: Means for providing and displaying a lamp indicating that a reboot operation is being performed, in addition to a display lamp for turning on the power,
The information processing device with a power supply display lamp according to claim 1, characterized by comprising:

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