JP5279762B2 - Electronic device capable of reducing power consumption in power-off state and method for reducing power consumption - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To start a notebook PC in a power-off state by activating a wake-up event to reduce power consumption in executing a predetermined task. <P>SOLUTION: A battery pack 100 can be mounted on an electronic device to supply power. A task processing unit 11 configures settings for executing a task based on a predetermined calender time. The battery pack includes a memory for setting the calender time, a timer for counting time, and a processor for outputting a wake-up event on the basis of the time counted by the timer and the set calender time. A notebook PC having received the wake-up event from the battery pack during a power-off state enters a power-on state to execute a task based on the calender time set by the task processing unit 11. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2012,JPO&amp;INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a technique for reducing power consumption of an electronic device in a power-off state, and more specifically, to reduce power consumption of an electronic device that supports a wake-up from a power-off state to a power-on state due to an event. Related to technology.

  In recent years, portable electronic devices such as notebook personal computers (hereinafter referred to as notebook PCs) and smartphones are required to have further power saving operation. A notebook PC conforming to the ACPI standard has a power-on S0 state, a sleeping state, an S5 state (also referred to as a soft-off state), and a G3 mechanical off-state. Here, the sleeping state includes an S3 state (also referred to as a suspend state) and an S4 state (also referred to as a hibernation state).

  Since notebook PCs consume a large amount of processor power, one trend to achieve power-saving operations is to monitor the usage state of notebook PCs to reduce the operating time in the S0 state, and in the S3 state, S4 state, or S5 state. Control is performed to increase the operation time. Since the processor does not operate in the S3 state, S4 state, and S5 state, an event or chip set received through the network is issued in order to execute any task in the notebook PC at the time of transition to the power state. It is necessary to shift to the S0 state based on the event that has been performed.

  Windows (registered trademark) provides a function called a task scheduler that executes a registered program at a preset date and time. In the task scheduler, the setting is executed only when the power of the notebook PC is supplied from the AC power supply, and the task scheduler is executed after returning to the S0 state when transitioning to the sleeping state such as the S3 state or the S4 state. It can be set like this.

  When the task scheduler is set to execute after returning from the sleeping state, the chip set issues a wake event at the calendar time set by the task scheduler to shift the power state to the S0 state. While the processor power can be stopped during the sleeping state, it is necessary to supply power to the circuit including the timer, count the calendar time, and issue a wake event at the predetermined calendar time.

  In a notebook PC that supports the execution of the task scheduler in the sleeping state, if the OS is set to enable a wake event in the sleeping state, the notebook PC operates a timer when it transitions to the sleeping state. It is also necessary to supply power to the circuit that issues the wake event. In the task scheduler, it is possible to make complicated settings such as setting a specific day and day of the week and executing the program repeatedly, or executing the program at a plurality of selected calendar times. Therefore, in order to generate a wake event, it is necessary to supply power not only to the timer but also to hardware that recognizes the set calendar time.

  In the past, the execution of the task scheduler in the sleeping state was supported by using a timer and a processor function incorporated in a chip set called an Io controller hub (ICH) or a south bridge. Since the task scheduler can be executed even when the power source of the notebook PC is a battery pack, the task scheduler may continue to supply power to the chip set even in the S4 state. As a result, when the wake event of the task scheduler is set to enable, the power consumption of the chip set and the power loss of the DC / DC converter that supplies power to the chip set occur even during the S4 state, and the battery consumption becomes severe. was there.

  Patent Document 1 discloses a technology in which a computer device equipped with a battery reduces standby power when an AC power supply exists and is shut down. In the charging method of this document, when power is turned off when AC power is present, a predetermined time measured by a timer provided in the gate array circuit after the M power supply system that realizes the charging function is turned off once. Later, the M power system is turned on to check the state of charge of the battery.

  Patent Document 2 discloses a technique for reducing standby power in the suspend state by causing the time micro controller, not the main micro controller, to perform time counting for shifting from the suspend state to the normal operation. . The time microcontroller operates with extremely low power consumption and has a function of controlling power supply from the power source to the main microcontroller. The time microcontroller also sets the return time when the main microcontroller enters the suspend state, counts the time during suspension, and turns on the switch to supply power to the main microcontroller when the return time is reached. To do.

  Patent Document 3 discloses a personal computer having an auto power-on function for automatically turning on power at a designated time. In this document, when the alarm time set by the operating system (OS) and the current time measured by the RTC match the RTC having a RAM that is always supplied with power from the battery, the system is turned on. It describes that it starts up automatically.

JP 2004-192350 A JP 2003-84871 A JP-A-10-105278

  The invention of Patent Document 1 supplies power to the gate array circuit for the purpose of reducing power during shutdown when an AC power supply is present. When the timer of the gate array circuit is operated, the power consumption is larger than when the timer is not operated, and it cannot be said that the power consumption when the notebook PC is shut down using a battery as a power source is sufficiently small. In addition, since the timer provided in the gate array circuit cannot be registered until the calendar time, the timer generates a trigger every predetermined time to start the M power supply system, and the system side uses the current calendar time and the task scheduler. It is necessary to check whether or not the set calendar times match, and the power cannot be reduced sufficiently.

  In the invention of Patent Document 2, the time micro-controller consumes less power than the main micro-controller, but it is necessary to operate a DC / DC converter in order to supply power. The power supply system of the DC / DC converter is configured to supply power to a plurality of devices at once because the cost increases when a switch is provided for each device. Therefore, in the invention of Patent Document 2, the power loss of the DC / DC converter and the power loss of the device connected to the common power supply system occur. Also, the power consumption of the microcontroller itself is larger than that of the timer.

  In the invention of Patent Document 3, the RTC that receives power supply from the battery while the system is shut down counts the time, and based on the calendar time set in the RAM that receives power supply from the same battery, The system is waked up by interrupting the always-operating power control microprocessor. Since the RTC needs to provide the calendar time to the notebook PC, it is necessary to count the elapsed time even when the battery of the system is removed or the capacity is reduced. The battery that supplies power to the RTC usually uses a button battery that cannot be recharged. Therefore, if a wake event is periodically generated from the RTC, the button battery will be exhausted and practically realized. Have difficulty.

  In addition, the RTC can generate a wake event at a set calendar time, but since it does not have a processor, it cannot support a task scheduler function that periodically repeats wake-up. . In order to support the task scheduler using the calendar time of the RTC, for example, the OS holds the setting information of the task scheduler and the generation of the current wake event ends until the next wake event occurs. During this time, it is necessary to set the next wake-up time in the RTC every time, and the control becomes complicated. Furthermore, recent RTCs are incorporated in chip sets such as South Bridge, and in order to supply power to RTCs, DC / DC converters are operated and other functional blocks of the chip set are also used. Since it is necessary to supply power, the power consumption during power-off increases.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an electronic device that supports wake-up while reducing power consumption in a power-off state. A further object of the present invention is to provide an electronic device capable of counting with a small amount of power the time required to shift from a power-off state to a power-on state at a predetermined time. A further object of the present invention is to provide an electronic apparatus that can reduce power consumption in a power-off state without providing an additional device. A further object of the present invention is to provide a battery pack that can be mounted on such an electronic device and a method for reducing power consumption.

  The present invention relates to an electronic device capable of shifting to a power-on state based on a wake event. In order to generate a wake event, it is necessary to recognize the time at which the wake event is issued even in the power-off state, and it is necessary to supply power to a circuit for that purpose. In particular, when an electronic device is supplied with power from a rechargeable battery instead of a commercial power supply, even if a small amount of power is consumed, if the elapsed time becomes longer, the battery will be consumed and the subsequent operation time will be affected. I will give it. The principle of the present invention is that, as a device for counting time during power-off, attention is paid to a battery pack capable of recognizing the time at which a wake event is issued from a system constituting an electronic apparatus.

  A battery pack that supplies power to an electronic device may output a wake event based on a timer that counts time, a memory that sets a time for issuing a wake event, a time that the timer counts, and a set time. With a possible processor as standard. The battery pack timer operates to cause the battery pack to transition between the sleeping mode and the active mode, and to manage the service life, and incorporates the wake event issuing function of the present invention. Even so, the power consumption of the battery pack hardly increases.

  In addition, if the power control circuit receives a wake event from the battery pack in the power-off state and shifts the electronic device to the power-on state, the electronic device can control the power during the power-off state. It is only necessary to supply power to the circuit. The power supply control circuit can be configured with a hardware circuit that includes a control circuit that controls the circuit that supplies power to the electronic device and a register that sets whether or not to enter the power-on state based on a wake event. The power consumption can be reduced. In an electronic device that controls the operation of a power supply circuit in software, it is necessary to supply power to the circuit that starts the power supply even during the power-off state. Therefore, in the present invention, the power-on based on the wake event is performed. By supporting the transition to the state, the power consumption of the electronic device is hardly increased.

  The task processing unit can set a calendar time for executing a predetermined task in the memory of the battery pack. The task processing unit may be configured to provide a user interface for a user to set a task through a display. If the task processing unit can execute the task after the electronic device enters the power-on state based on the wake event issued at the timing corresponding to the calendar time at which the task is executed, the sleep processing state It is possible to support a task scheduler capable of setting task execution in the system.

  Even if multiple calendar times corresponding to a wake event are set in the battery pack memory, the battery pack processor can generate a wake event at each calendar time. Based wake events can be output. The power control circuit wakes up while it is in the power-off state, whether the electronic device is receiving power from a commercial power source or receiving power from a battery pack. -When an event is received, the electronic device can be shifted to a power-on state.

  However, the present invention is particularly effective when applied to a case where a wake event is received and a power-on state is entered while power is supplied from the battery pack. The battery pack timer only needs to count the time. The wake event can be output at the set calendar time based on the time counted by the timer based on the calendar time received from the electronic device by the processor of the battery pack.

  When the processor is configured to uniquely recognize the calendar time with reference to the calendar time received from the electronic device, the calendar time is generated at two places, the system and the battery pack. In this case, it is desirable to periodically receive the calendar time from the electronic device and correct the difference between the calendar time of the electronic device and the calendar time recognized by the battery pack.

  In the battery pack, in order to enable the processor to generate a wake event based on the calendar time, there is no need to change the hardware, and it is only necessary to rewrite the firmware code. In addition, if the power control circuit outputs a wake event through a mounting detection circuit that detects the mounting of the battery pack to the electronic device or a temperature monitoring circuit that monitors the temperature of the battery pack, the battery pack and the electronic device in the battery bay No need to modify hardware interface. The power off state is not limited to the hibernation state, and the present invention can also be applied to the soft off state.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an electronic device that supports wake-up while reducing power consumption in a power-off state. Furthermore, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide an electronic device capable of counting the time for shifting from the power-off state to the power-on state at a predetermined time with a small amount of power. Furthermore, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide an electronic apparatus capable of reducing power consumption in a power-off state without providing an additional device. Furthermore, the present invention can provide a battery pack that can be mounted on such an electronic device and a method for reducing power consumption.

FIG. 2 is a schematic functional block diagram showing a main configuration of a notebook PC according to the present embodiment. It is a figure which shows an example of the task setting information set to a task scheduler. FIG. 3 is a schematic functional block diagram showing a main configuration of a time of outputting a battery pack and a wake event. It is a figure which shows the operation | movement relationship of the power state of a notebook PC, and several DC / DC converters. It is a flowchart which shows the procedure which transfers to a power-on state from a hibernation state, and performs a task.

[Configuration of notebook PC]
FIG. 1 is a schematic functional block diagram showing the main configuration of the notebook PC 10. The task processing unit 11 includes hardware such as a CPU 13, a memory controller hub (MCH) 14, and a main memory 15, and an OS 16, a BIOS 17, and an OS 16 that are read into the main memory 15 and executed by the CPU 13. It is configured by software such as a task scheduler 18 to be provided. An example of the OS 16 that provides the task scheduler 18 is Windows (registered trademark) or MAC OS (registered trademark).

  The task scheduler 18 is a program that executes tasks such as starting a predetermined program, displaying a message, or sending a mail at a set calendar time. In this specification, the term calendar time is used to mean information indicating a certain point on the calendar such as year, month, day, hour, minute, second, and the time is the year, month from the calendar time. , And is used to mean information excluding days, and time is used to mean the length of time between times.

  The task processing unit 11 sets task setting information including a task type, a calendar time to be executed, and whether or not to cancel sleeping in the task scheduler 18, and further, when determining that the set calendar time has arrived, Execute. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a setting screen for setting task setting information in the task scheduler 18. The setting screen of FIG. 2 is displayed on the display of the notebook PC 10 by the task scheduler 18. The user operates the keyboard or mouse to input task setting information on the setting screen.

  On the setting screen, the calendar time and unit to be started can be set for each task. The unit of setting is to set a plurality of calendar times to be executed sequentially in the future such as once, every day at a predetermined interval, every specified day of the week, or every specific day of the week. Can do. The task setting information set in the task scheduler 18 is registered in the registry of the OS 16. The OS 16 periodically acquires the calendar time from the system while the notebook PC 10 is in the power-on state, acquires the calendar time set from the registry, and executes a task in which both match.

  The task processing unit 11 can enable the notebook PC 10 to execute the task even during the sleeping state by setting “sleeping cancellation” to “enable”. In this case, the notebook PC 10 can execute the task after transitioning to the power-on state when the set calendar time coincides with the current calendar time.

  For example, security software that needs to be executed regularly in the background, data dumping work, etc. are set in the task scheduler 18 and the notebook PC 10 is shifted to the sleeping state at night, and a predetermined time is set. It is convenient to run in In this case, the notebook PC 10 needs to clock the elapsed time in order to recognize the calendar time even during the sleeping state. The configuration of the task processing unit 11 and the configuration of a computer that supports it are well known.

  The ICH 21 processes data transfer related to peripheral input / output devices. ICH21 is USB (Universal Serial Bus), SATA (Serial AT Attachment), SPI (Serial Peripheral Interface) bus, PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) bus, PCI-Express (PCIe) bus, LPC (Low Pin Count) bus, etc. It is possible to connect devices corresponding to these interfaces.

  FIG. 1 shows an HDD 22 connected to the SATA port and an embedded controller (EC) 31 connected to the LPC port. The ICH 21 further includes a real time clock (RTC) 23 and a register 29. The RTC 23 performs a clock operation based on the calendar time set by the user at the start of use on the BIOS setting screen, and provides the calendar time of the system used in the notebook PC 10. The RTC 23 operates with the power supplied to the ICH 21, but operates with the power supplied from the button battery 25 when the power is not supplied to the ICH 21. Therefore, the notebook PC 10 changes to any power state. However, the clock operation will not be stopped. Note that the calendar time of the RTC 23 can be periodically corrected with the standard time acquired through the network.

  Previously, ICH21 issued a wake event to the system using the calendar time clocked by RTC 23 in order to execute the task when the current calendar time matches the set calendar time in the sleeping state. The notebook PC 10 has been shifted to the power-on state. For this reason, in the conventional notebook PC, the power consumption during power-off has increased in order to operate the ICH 21, but in this embodiment, the calendar time that the battery pack 100 clocks is used as described below. Then, power supply to the ICH 21 is stopped to reduce power consumption.

  The register 29 is a non-volatile memory for setting a bit indicating the power state after the transition by the ICH 21 when the OS 16 and the BIOS 17 transition the power state of the notebook PC 10. The HDD 22 stores the OS 16, BIOS 17, task scheduler 18, and programs corresponding to tasks. The EC 31 is a microcomputer composed of a CPU, a ROM, an EEPROM, a DMA controller, an interrupt controller, a timer, and the like, and further includes an A / D input terminal, a D / A output terminal, an SM bus port, and an SPI bus port. And digital input / output terminals.

  The EC 31 operates independently of the CPU 11 and controls the power supplied to the device mounted on the notebook PC 10 according to the power state and manages the temperature inside the system housing. The non-volatile memory 32 of the EC 31 stores a program executed by the CPU of the EC 31. The EC 31 is connected to the battery pack 100 through the SM bus 48 and the mounting detection circuit 50, and is connected to the power supply control circuit 33 through the SPI bus.

  The task processing circuit 11 writes the task setting information for the task scheduler 18 registered in the registry into the nonvolatile memory 32, and also updates the task setting information in the nonvolatile memory 32 every time the registered contents of the registry are updated. The EC 31 can detect that the battery pack 100 is mounted in the battery bay provided in the casing of the notebook PC 10 through the mounting detection line 50.

  The AC / DC adapter 43 has a primary side connected to the outlet of the commercial power supply and a secondary side connected to the casing of the notebook PC 10. The AC / DC adapter 43 may be incorporated in the casing of the notebook PC 10. The AC / DC adapter 43 can convert the AC voltage into a DC voltage, supply power to the DC / DC converters 71 to 77, and further supply power to the charger 45 to charge the battery pack 100. A voltage detector 47 is connected to the output of the AC / DC adapter 43. The voltage detector 47 outputs to the power supply control circuit 33 a voltage detection signal ACPWR indicating that a voltage within a predetermined range is generated at the output of the AC / DC adapter 43.

  The battery pack 100 conforms to a standard called Smart Battery System (SBS) proposed mainly by US Intel Corporation and US Duracell Corporation, and the AC / DC adapter 43 is not connected. Sometimes it becomes a power source of the notebook PC 10 that supplies power to the DC / DC converters 71 to 77. The case where the power source for the DC / DC converters 71 to 77 is the AC / DC adapter 43 is referred to as AC supply, and the case of the battery pack 100 is referred to as DC supply. The battery pack 100 is charged by the charger 45 with the power supplied from the AC / DC adapter 43 when AC is supplied. The battery pack 100 is attached to a battery bay provided in the casing of the notebook PC 10 so that it can be easily attached and detached from the outside.

  The power supply control circuit 33 is composed of an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) composed of a logic circuit such as a NAND circuit and a NOR circuit, a single transistor, and a passive element such as a resistor, and includes a control circuit 35 and registers 37 and 39. , 41, 42 are included. Since the power supply control circuit 33 is composed of only hardware circuits and does not include a processor, the power consumption is very small. Connected to the power supply control circuit 33 are a voltage detector 47, a control circuit for the DC / DC converters 71 to 77, a mounting detection line 50, and a power button 51.

  The power button 51 is provided on the casing of the notebook PC 10 and is used when the user turns on / off the power. The notebook PC 10 can be activated from the sleeping state and the soft-off state by the system, but can be activated only by pressing the power button 51 from the G3 state. The control circuit 35 controls a switch of a charging / discharging circuit (not shown) or controls the operation of the DC / DC converters 71 to 77 by an instruction of the EC 31 or pressing of the power button 51. Register 37 sets a state indicating that voltage detection signal ACPWR has been received from voltage detector 34.

  The register 39 sets a state indicating that the power button 51 has been pressed. The register 39 is referred to by the EC 31 to determine the type of event that activates the notebook PC 10, and is reset by the control circuit 35 after the notebook PC 10 shifts to the power-on state. In the register 41, the ICH 21 sets the same power state as that of the register 29.

  Register 42 sets the state of wake up enable or wake up disable. When the task scheduler 18 enables sleep canceling, the register 42 is set to wake up enable by the task processing unit 11. When the task scheduler 18 sets the sleep release cancellation to disabled, the register 42 is set to wake up disabled by the task processing unit 11. The register 42 may be configured to cancel the sleeping for each task.

  The notebook PC 10 conforms to the ACPI standard, and can transition to four global system states of G0 state, G1 state, G2 state, and G3 state. The G0 state corresponds to the S0 state as a power state, and the CPU 11 is in a state in which an application program can be executed. The peripheral device is supplied with power, but performs a power saving operation based on a unique function. In this specification, this state is referred to as a power-on state. The G1 state is also called a sleeping state, and includes an S3 state and an S4 state as power states.

  The S3 state is also referred to as a suspend state, and the devices other than the power supply of the device necessary for holding the storage of the main memory 15 are stopped. The S4 state is also called a hibernation state, and the context is stored in the HDD 22 and the power of most devices is stopped. The G2 state corresponds to the S5 state as a power state, which is also called soft-off, and most devices are powered off without maintaining the context. In the notebook PC 10, the power supply ranges in the S4 state and the S5 state are the same during both AC supply and DC supply.

  The G3 state is also called a mechanical off state, and all power sources of the notebook PC 10 are stopped and no standby power is generated. In this specification, the S4 state and the S5 state are referred to as a power-off state. The DC / DC converters 71, 73, 75, 77 use either the AC / DC adapter 43 or the battery pack 100 as a power source, and are controlled by the power supply control circuit 33 according to the power state to be various devices of the notebook PC 10. To supply power.

[Relationship between power state and power supply system]
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an operational relationship between the power state and a plurality of DC / DC converters. In the present embodiment, the S4 state and the S5 state are different from each other in the DC / DC converter that operates by AC supply and DC supply. FIG. 3A shows the operation of the conventional DC / DC converters 71 to 77 when the register 42 is set to wake up disabled. FIG. 3B shows the operation of the conventional DC / DC converters 71 to 77 when the register 42 is set to wake up enable. FIG. 3C shows the operation of the DC / DC converters 71 to 77 according to the present embodiment when the register 72 is set to wake up enable.

  When the wake-up enable is set, the operation state of the present embodiment in FIG. 3C differs from the conventional operation state in FIG. 3B in that the DC / DC converter 73 operates in the S4 state. Is to stop. That is, in the present embodiment, when the wake-up enable is set, even if the operation of the DC / DC converter 73 that supplies power to the ICH 21 is stopped, the notebook PC 10 is set at the calendar time set in the task scheduler 18. Can be started. In the S3 state that is the same sleeping state, the same DC / DC converter operates in any case for other reasons.

  In FIG. 3C, a DC / DC converter 71 operates in all power states (S5, S4, S3, S0) except the G3 state, and includes a power supply control circuit 33 and LEDs (not shown) that display the charge state. ), And a lid sensor (not shown) for detecting opening and closing of the housing, power is supplied to a minimum device related to the status display and activation during power-off. The DC / DC converter 73 stops operating in the G3 state, the S5 state (DC supply), and the S4 state (DC supply), and operates in other power states to supply power to a part of the ICH 21 and the EC 31.

  The DC / DC converter 75 operates in the S0 state and the S3 state, and supplies power to a part of the ICH 17, the MCH 13, the main memory 15, and the like. The DC / DC converter 77 operates in the S0 state and supplies power to a part of the ICH 21, the CPU 13, the HDD 22, and the like. Since the ICH 17 has a plurality of functional blocks, power is supplied from different DC / DC converters so that each functional block can operate in accordance with the power state.

  In the S4 state in the DC supply of FIG. 3C, only the DC / DC converter 71 operates. In the S4 state in the DC supply of FIG. 3B, the DC / DC converter 71 and the DC / DC converter 73 operate, but the DC / DC converter 71 uses a type having a small capacity and an efficient at light load. Therefore, power loss is negligible, and most of the power consumption in the S4 state conventionally occurs due to the operation of the DC / DC converter 73.

[Battery pack]
FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram showing an internal configuration of the battery pack 100 and a wake event output circuit. In the battery pack 100, a power terminal 111, a data terminal 113, a clock terminal 115, a mounting detection terminal 117, and a ground terminal 119 are connected to the notebook PC 10, respectively. A charge protection switch C-FET and a discharge protection switch D-FET each formed of a p-type MOS-FET are connected to the power supply terminal 111 in series. A battery set 103 including three lithium ion battery cells is connected in series to the discharge protection switch D-FET. A discharging current from the battery set 103 and a charging current for the battery set 103 flow between the notebook PC 10 through a charging / discharging circuit including a power supply terminal 113 and a ground terminal 119.

  The battery set 103 also supplies power to the internal devices of the battery pack 100. The voltage side terminal of each battery cell of the battery set 103 is connected to the analog interface 107. A thermistor 121 is attached to the surface of the battery set 103. The thermistor 121 measures the surface temperature of the battery cell, and its output is connected to the MPU 105. A current sense resistor 123 is connected to the negative terminal of the battery set 103. Both ends of the current sense resistor 123 are connected to the analog interface 107.

  The analog interface 107 is connected to the gates of the charge protection switch C-FET and the discharge protection switch D-FET for on / off control. The analog interface 107 measures the cell voltage of the battery set 103, converts it into a digital value, and sends it to the MPU 105. The analog interface 107 measures the values of the charging current and discharging current flowing through the battery set 103 from the voltage detected by the current sense resistor 123, converts them into digital values, and sends them to the MPU 113. The MPU 113 is an integrated circuit including a ROM 105-2, a RAM 105-3, a nonvolatile memory 105-4, a timer 105-5, and the like in a single package in addition to the CPU 105-1 of about 8 to 16 bits. .

  The ROM 105-2 stores a program executed by the CPU 105-1 for wake event processing according to the present embodiment. The RAM 105-3 provides a storage area and a work area for programs executed by the CPU 105-1. The nonvolatile memory 105-4 stores unique information such as a manufacturing number, a manufacturing date, a charging voltage, and a charging current of the battery pack 100. The timer 105-5 measures time for causing the CPU 105-1 to transition at a predetermined time interval between the active mode and the sleep mode and for managing the usage period of the battery pack 100. The timer 105-5 is not provided specifically for generating a wake event, but is provided for controlling and managing the battery pack 100.

  In the battery pack 100, the CPU 105-1 shifts to a sleeping mode to reduce power consumption when the battery pack 100 is not attached to the notebook PC 10 or when it is attached but is not charged / discharged. For this reason, it is periodically checked whether it is attached to the notebook PC 10 between the active mode and the sleeping mode or whether the current value exceeds a predetermined value every several tens of milliseconds. Yes. The timer 105-5 needs to be operated at all times in order to control the transition between the active mode and the sleeping mode. Since the timer 105-5 originally needs to operate constantly for the control of the battery pack, even if it is used for generating a wake event in the present embodiment, no extra power is consumed.

  The MPU 105 can communicate with the analog interface 107, calculates the amount of charge and discharge based on the voltage and current relating to the battery set 103 sent from the analog interface 107, and further calculates the full charge capacity. Calculate and store in RAM 105-3. Those data are periodically received by the EC 31. The MPU 105 also has an overcurrent protection function, an overvoltage protection function (also referred to as an overcharge protection function), and a low voltage protection function (also referred to as an overdischarge protection function), and is based on the voltage and current received from the analog interface 107. When an abnormality is detected in the battery cell, the charge protection switch C-FET and / or the discharge protection switch D-FET are turned off through the analog interface 107. The overcurrent protection function, the overvoltage protection function, and the low voltage protection function are configured by programs executed by the CPU 105-1.

  The CPU 105-1 is connected to the EC 31 through the SM bus 48 connected to the data terminal 113 and the clock terminal 115, and communication between the CPU 105-1 and the EC 31 is possible. The EC 31 sets the set current value and the set voltage value received from the CPU 105-1 in the charger 45, and controls the operation of the charger 45. The resistor 125 is connected to the ground line 119 and the attachment detection terminal 117. The attachment detection terminal 117 is connected to the attachment detection line 50. A wake switch 127 whose gate is connected to the MPU 107 is connected to the resistor 125 in parallel. The operation of the wake switch 127 is controlled by the CPU 105-1.

  When the CPU 105-1 is first attached to the notebook PC 10, it receives the calendar time from the EC 31 and stores it in the RAM 105-3. At this time, the EC 31 obtains the system calendar time from the RTC 23 and provides it to the CPU 105-1. The CPU 105-1 can recognize the current calendar time by an operation independent from the notebook PC 10 by using the elapsed time clocked by the timer 105-5 with reference to the calendar time received from the EC 31. In addition to the wake event according to the present embodiment, the calendar time is used for managing the years of use of the battery pack. It is desirable that the CPU 105-1 periodically receives the calendar time from the EC 31, and corrects the current calendar time recognized by the CPU 105-1 so that it matches the calendar time of the system clocked by the RTC 23.

  Since the battery pack 100 is supplied with power from the battery set 103, the operation of the timer 105-5 and the storage of the calendar time in the RAM 105-3 are maintained as long as a predetermined voltage is secured in the battery set 103. When the EC 31 detects the attachment of the battery pack 100, the EC 31 becomes a master based on the SM bus protocol and starts communication with the CPU 105-1. The CPU 105-1 recognizes that the battery pack 100 is attached to the notebook PC 10 by communicating with the EC 31.

  The CPU 105-1 receives the task setting information stored in the nonvolatile memory 32 from the EC 31, stores it in the RAM 105-3, and detects attachment when the recognized current calendar time coincides with the calendar time of the task setting information. A wake event is notified to the power supply control circuit 33 through the line 50. At this time, the CPU 105-1 issues a wake wake event by operating the wake switch 127 for a short time and then operating it in a pulsed manner so as to return it to the off state. With such a configuration, the output of the wake event from the battery pack 100 to the notebook PC 10 can be realized without changing the interface circuit between the battery pack 100 and the notebook PC 10.

  In the present embodiment, the attachment detection line 50 is used for detection of attachment of the battery pack 100 by the EC 31 and notification of a wake event to the power supply control circuit 33. The mounting detection line 50 is connected to the DC / DC converter 71 through the resistor 81. When the wake switch 127 is off, the mounting detection line 50 is pulled by a voltage obtained by dividing the output voltage of the DC / DC converter 71 by the resistor 81 and the resistor 125. Has been up. A protection switch 83 is connected between the attachment detection line 50 and the EC 31. The protection switch 83 prevents the voltage of the attachment detection line 50 from being applied to the EC 31 when the voltage supplied from the DC / DC converter 73 to the EC 31 is stopped.

  The comparator 85 has a negative input connected to the mounting detection line 50 and a positive input connected to the ground through a reference voltage source 87. The output of the comparator 85 is composed of an open drain circuit. The output of the comparator 85 is connected to the DC / DC converter 73 through the pull-up resistor 89 and further connected to the power supply control circuit 33. Next, operations relating to detection of attachment of the battery pack 100 using the attachment detection line 50 and notification of a wake event will be described.

  While the DC / DC converter 73 is supplying voltage to the EC 31, the power supply control circuit 33 turns on the protection switch 83. The attachment detection line 50 is pulled up with the voltage of the DC / DC converter 71. When the battery pack 100 is attached with the wake switch 127 turned off, the voltage of the attachment detection line 50 decreases. Further, when the wake switch 127 is turned on, the voltage of the attachment detection line 50 becomes zero.

  The EC 31 sets a threshold value approximately in the middle between the voltage of the attachment detection line 50 when the battery pack 101 is not attached and the voltage of the attachment detection line 50 when the battery pack 101 is attached with the wake switch 127 turned off. By setting, it can be detected that the battery pack 100 is mounted. The voltage of the reference voltage source 87 is set lower than the voltage of the attachment detection line 50 when the battery pack 100 is connected with the wake switch 127 being off. Therefore, before the wake switch 127 operates, the output voltage of the comparator 85 is zero.

  When the wake switch 127 is turned on in a pulse state in this state, the voltage of the attachment detection line 50 becomes zero only during the period of the pulse width, falls below the voltage of the reference voltage source 87, and the output of the comparator 85 becomes Hi-Z. Thus, the output voltage of the pulsed DC / DC converter 71 is input to the power supply control circuit 33. The power supply control circuit 33 can receive a rising edge or a falling edge detected from a pulsed voltage input from the comparator 85 as a wake event.

  FIGS. 1 and 4 merely illustrate the main hardware configuration and connection relationships related to the present embodiment in order to explain the present embodiment. In addition to those mentioned in the above description, many devices are used to configure the notebook PC 10. However, they are well known to those skilled in the art and will not be described in detail here. A person skilled in the art also arbitrarily selects a plurality of blocks described in the figure as one integrated circuit or device, or conversely, a block is divided into a plurality of integrated circuits or devices. Is included in the scope of the present invention. In addition, the types of buses and interfaces connecting the devices are merely examples, and other connections are included in the scope of the present invention as long as those skilled in the art can arbitrarily select them. It is.

[Wake-up procedure]
FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure in which the notebook PC 10 executes a task set by transitioning from the hibernation state to the power-on state. In block 201, the notebook PC 10 receives power supplied from the battery pack 100 and operates in the power-on state, and the DC / DC converters 71 to 77 are all operating.

  The CPU 105-1 of the battery pack 100 independently recognizes the current calendar time with reference to the calendar time of the RTC 23. When the EC 31 detects that the battery pack 100 is attached to the notebook PC 10 through the attachment detection line 50, the EC 31 stores the task setting information currently registered in the nonvolatile memory 32 in the RAM 105-3 of the battery pack 100. Therefore, when the battery pack 100 is replaced, the new battery pack is immediately ready to generate a wake event for execution of the task scheduler 18. When the task processing unit 11 updates the task setting information in the nonvolatile memory 32, the EC 31 updates the task setting information in the RAM 105-3.

  In block 203, the user sets the task setting information shown in FIG. 2 through the setting screen of the task scheduler 18. Here, it is assumed that sleep canceling is enabled in the task setting information for a specific task. The task processing unit 11 updates the registry and the nonvolatile memory 32 with the task setting information input by the user. The EC 31 writes the updated task setting information of the nonvolatile memory 32 into the RAM 105-3 of the battery pack. In block 205, it is determined whether or not the sleep canceling is enabled in the task setting information of the nonvolatile memory 32 in which the EC 31 is updated.

  When the sleep canceling is enabled, the process proceeds to block 207, and the EC 31 sets the register 42 of the power supply control circuit 33 to wake up enable, and then proceeds to block 209. If unsleeping is disabled at block 205, the process proceeds to block 208 where the EC 31 sets register 42 to wake up disabled and then proceeds to block 209.

  In block 209, when the user operates through the screen of the display or the system detects the elapse of the idle time, the OS 16 sets the register 29 of the ICH 23 and shifts the notebook PC 10 to the S4 state. The OS 16 instructs the EC 31 to shift to the S4 state through the BIOS 17. When the EC 31 confirms that the voltage detection signal is not set by referring to the register 37, the EC 31 instructs the power supply control circuit 33 to stop the DC / DC converters 73, 75, and 77.

  As a result, since only the DC / DC converter 71 operates, the power consumption of the battery pack 100 decreases. Since the power consumption is low in the S4 state, the CPU 105-1 of the battery pack 100 transitions between the active mode and the sleep mode at a predetermined cycle. In block 213, the CPU 105-1 compares the current calendar time with the calendar time of the task setting information every time the mode is changed to the active mode. If the CPU 105-1 determines that the current calendar time matches the calendar time of the task setting information, the CPU 105-1 turns on the wake switch 127 in block 215 and outputs a wake event to the power supply control circuit 33.

  In block 217, the power supply control circuit 33 that has received the wake event refers to the register 42 to determine whether or not the wake up enable is set. If the wake-up enable is set, the process proceeds to block 219, where the power supply control circuit 33 operates the DC / DC converters 73, 75, 77 to shift the notebook PC 10 to the power-on state.

  When the power-on state is entered, the notebook PC 10 returns to the operating environment immediately before the transition to the S4 state in block 209, and the OS 16 confirms the execution state of the task scheduler 18 and the task that caused the wake event in block 221. Execute. If the power supply control circuit 33 determines in block 217 that the register 42 is set to wake up disabled, the process returns to block 203.

  As described above, the method of executing the task scheduler 18 by issuing the wake event when the battery pack 100 is in the hibernation state has been described. However, the present invention is a battery pack in the S5 state (soft-off state) with DC supply. When 100 executes the task scheduler 18, the power consumption in the S5 state can be reduced. In this case, the register 42 is configured so that two types of settings, wake on enable / disable in the S5 state and wake on enable / disable in the S5 state, can be set, and the power control circuit 33 wakes up. When an event is received, it is possible to determine whether or not to shift to the power-on state by referring to the settings of the register 42 and the register 41.

  In addition, the example in which the DC / DC converter 73 is stopped only when DC is supplied and a wake event is received from the battery pack 100 to shift to the power-on state has been described, but the present invention similarly applies when AC is supplied. It is possible to stop the DC / DC converter 73 in the hibernation state or the soft-off state, receive a wake event from the battery pack 100, and shift to the power-on state. In addition, the method of recognizing the current calendar time and issuing a wake event while the battery pack is powered off is not limited to the purpose of executing the task scheduler 18, but the notebook PC is powered off. The present invention can be widely applied to a method for reducing power consumption in the power-off state by periodically transitioning between the state and the power-on state.

  For example, during AC supply, it is necessary to charge the battery pack 100 when the charge amount of the battery pack 100 becomes a predetermined value or less even in a power-off state. Since the EC 31 is monitoring the state of charge of the battery pack 100, it is necessary to operate the DC / DC converter 73 that operates it. In this case, the DC / DC converter 73 is temporarily stopped in the power-off state, issues a wake event from the battery pack 100 at a predetermined time interval, and operates the DC / DC converter 73 when the wake event is received. It is possible to let the EC 31 confirm the state of charge. If charging is required, the DC / DC converter 73 is stopped after charging is completed. If charging is not required, the DC / DC converter 73 is immediately stopped to return to the power-off state. is there.

  For the purpose of generating a wake event only, the battery pack 100 need not recognize the current calendar time even when the task scheduler 18 has not set any task setting information. For example, when receiving the task setting information from the EC 31, the battery pack 100 also receives the calendar time of the RTC 23 at that time, and outputs a wake event based on the time counted by the timer 105-5 from that time. You may make it recognize timing.

  If wake-up enable / disable is set for each task in the register 42, the CPU 105-1 of the battery pack 100 can output a wake event only for the selected task. The EC 31 can also monitor the temperature of the battery pack 100 by providing a thermistor instead of the resistor 125 of the battery pack 100. In this case, the mounting detection line 50 can be referred to as a temperature detection line.

  Although the present invention has been described with the specific embodiments shown in the drawings, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments shown in the drawings, and is known so far as long as the effects of the present invention are achieved. It goes without saying that any configuration can be adopted.

10 ... Notebook PC
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 ... Task processing part 21 ... IO control hub 31 ... Embedded controller 33 ... Power supply control circuit 29, 37, 39, 41, 42 ... Register 50 ... Installation detection line

Claims (15)

An electronic device capable of transitioning from a power-off state to a power-on state based on a wake event,
A clock circuit for generating the calendar time of the system ;
A timer for counting time, a memory for storing a calendar time for issuing the wake event, and the stored calendar time based on an elapsed time counted by the timer with reference to the calendar time received from the timer circuit. a battery pack capable of supplying power to the electronic device and a processor for outputting the wake-event in,
An electronic device comprising: a power supply control circuit that receives power supply in the power-off state, receives the wake event from the battery pack, and shifts the electronic device to the power-on state. The electronic device according to claim 1 having a task processing unit for setting the calendar time executing the given task in the memory.   The electronic device according to claim 2, wherein the task processing unit executes the task after the electronic device shifts to the power-on state based on the wake event.   4. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the memory can set a plurality of calendar times corresponding to the wake event, and the processor generates the wake event at each calendar time. 5. . Said power supply control circuit, the power-on state said electronic device upon receiving the wake event while the electronic device is shifted to the power-off state by being supplied with electric power from the battery pack The electronic device according to claim 1, which is shifted to   The power supply control circuit is configured by a hardware circuit including a control circuit that controls a circuit that supplies power to the electronic device and a register that sets whether to shift to a power-on state based on the wake event The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the electronic apparatus is used. The electronic device according to any one of the power supply control circuit according to claim 6 claims 1 to receive the wake-event through mounting detection circuit for detecting the mounting of the battery pack with respect to the electronic device. The electronic device according to claim 6 wherein the power supply control circuit of claims 1 to receive the wake-event through a temperature monitoring circuit for monitoring the temperature of the battery pack. The electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 8 is a hibernation state in which the power-off state to operate the battery pack as a power source. A battery pack that can be attached to an electronic device that can detect a wake event and transition from a power-off state to a power-on state and supply power to the electronic device,
Memory for setting the calendar time for issuing a wake event,
A timer that counts the time,
A battery pack comprising: a processor capable of outputting the wake event to the electronic device at the set calendar time based on the elapsed time counted by the timer based on the calendar time received from the electronic device . The battery pack according to claim 10 , wherein the processor outputs the wake event to a power supply control circuit that controls a power supply of the electronic device through a resistance circuit that detects attachment of the battery pack to the electronic device. The memory can be set a plurality of the calendar time, the processor according to claim 10 or claim outputs a plurality of said wake event based on the plurality of calendar time and elapsed time which the timer has counted 11. The battery pack according to 11 . A method of reducing power consumption in an electronic device that operates by receiving power supply from a battery pack,
The electronic device sets a schedule time in the battery pack;
Providing the calendar time to the battery pack by the electronic device ;
Recognizing a current calendar time based on an elapsed time counted by a timer based on the provided calendar time for the battery pack;
The electronic device transitioning to a power-off state;
The battery pack having determined that the recognized calendar time has reached the schedule time, and outputting a wake event to the electronic device;
Transitioning the electronic device from the power- off state to the power-on state based on the wake event. A calendar time said scheduled time to perform a predetermined task, to claim 13, wherein the electronic device recognizes that the calendar time to transition to the power-on state has arrived has the step of performing said task The method described. The method according to claim 13 or 14 , wherein a calendar time recognized by the battery pack is periodically corrected with a calendar time generated by a system of the electronic device.

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