JPH041817A - Power consumption saving device for computer system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve the reliability of a data input function and at the same time to save the power consumption in a computer system by securing a constitution where a keyboard controller detects the presence or absence of a key input waiting state and switching conditionally the keyboard controller to a low power consumption mode based on the result of the preceding detection. CONSTITUTION:A means is provided to detect the state of a keyboard controller 22 especially whether the controller 22 is kept in a key input waiting state or not. If so, the controller 22 is switched to a low power consumption mode by a command as prescribed. If not, the controller 22 is not switched to the low power consumption mode. Thus the controller 22 can be switched to a low power consumption mode without impairing the input data on the keyboard input 24. Then the reliability of a data input function is improved and at the same time the power consumption is saved.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a computer system equipped with a keyboard controller, and more particularly to a computer system power consumption saving device for reducing power consumption of a keyboard controller.

[Background Art] When a computer system such as a personal computer is powered by a battery, devices that are not in operation are placed in a low power consumption mode in order to conserve power consumption within the system and extend battery life as much as possible. Control is being carried out to

For example, by switching the operating clock of the CPU to a lower frequency and lengthening the refresh cycle of the RAM, the power consumption of the RAM can be saved. Furthermore, in a system equipped with a keyboard controller, when the CPtJ determines that the sonocontroller is not operating, the C:PU issues a command to switch the controller to a low power consumption mode.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, when a keyboard controller is provided on the keyboard side, the above-described conventional switching control can sometimes produce undesirable results. In other words, since it is impossible for the CPU to determine whether or not the keyboard controller provided on the keyboard side is in a state where the keys are manually operated, the CPU
In some cases, a low power consumption mode switching command is issued from U, resulting in an inconvenient result in that the data taken into the keyboard controller at this time is not effectively input into the system.

In order to avoid such problems, some conventional systems do not switch the keyboard controller to a low-power mode at all; It was not possible to estimate the savings or the long-term battery life.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and aims to switch the keyboard controller to a low power consumption mode without damaging keyboard input data, thereby achieving reliability of data input function and reduction of power consumption at the same time. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a power consumption saving device that achieves the following.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, the power consumption saving device of the present invention includes means for detecting whether a keyboard controller is in a key input waiting state, and a detection means for detecting whether or not a keyboard controller is in a key input waiting state. The present invention is configured to include power consumption mode switching means for conditionally switching the keyboard controller to a low power consumption mode according to the result.

[Operation If a keyboard controller is provided on the keyboard side, the status of the controller is not visible to the system CPU. Therefore, in the present invention, a means is provided to detect the state of the keyboard controller, in particular, whether or not it is waiting for a key input.
If the controller is waiting for key input, it works as expected (C
(according to the command from the PU), and otherwise it would not switch to the low power consumption mode. This ensures that even if the keyboard controller is processing key data and is commanded to put it into low power mode, the keyboard controller will continue to process that key data by remaining in its normal operating state. Data can be entered into the system reliably.

Further, when the keyboard number controller is in a key input waiting state, by switching it to a low power consumption mode as expected, it is possible to save power consumption during that time.

[Embodiment] FIG. 1 shows the main configuration of a personal computer to which an embodiment of the present invention is applied. In this system, bus 1
0 to the CPU 12 via ROMI4, RAM16. R.A.
M controller 18. An I10 controller 20 and the like are connected, and a keyboard 24 is also connected to the I10 controller 20 via a keyboard controller 22. Each of these parts is operated by driving voltage from a battery (not shown).

The keyboard controller 22 is a dedicated controller for the keyboard 24, takes in data input from the keyboard 24, and transfers it to the I10 controller 20. The I10 controller 20 sends data received from the keyboard controller 22 to the CPU 12 via the bus 10. In such a system configuration, CP
From the U10's perspective, although the operating state of the I10 controller 20 can be grasped, the operating state of the keyboard controller 22 cannot be accurately grasped.

The power consumption controller 26 switches the power consumption mode of each part in the system under a command from the CPU 12. In this system, the operating clock frequency of the CPU 12 is switched via the control line 28a, and the ROM 1
For the RAM 18, the chip enable/disable state is switched via the control line 28b, and for the RAM 18, the period of the refresh cycle is switched via the control line 28c for the RAM controller 18. By switching the frequency of each operating clock or the number of operating clocks used for the controller 22 via control lines 28d and 28e, the power consumption mode of each part can be set to normal mode when operating or low consumption when not operating. Set to one of the power modes. A general keyboard controller is equipped with an idle terminal, and the power consumption mode of the controller can be controlled by setting the level of the control voltage applied to that terminal to "H" or "L". The system keyboard controller 22 is also controlled by the power consumption controller 26 in such a manner.

Now, in this system, the keyboard controller 22
A signal representing the operating state of the power consumption controller 26 is provided via a control line 30. As shown in FIG. How to determine the status of the keyboard controller 22■
), if the keyboard controller 22 is in the key input waiting state, it switches to the low power consumption mode according to the command (■
), unless the keyboard controller 22 is in the key input waiting state, the switching is not performed despite the switching command (■). Such selective mode switching control (■,■)
The result may be notified to the CPU 12.

In this way, the power consumption controller 26 of this system executes the low power consumption switching command from the CPU 12 to the keyboard controller 22 only when it is in the key input waiting state. As a result, while the keyboard controller 22 is importing key manual data from the keyboard 24 or passing the imported key manual data to the I10 controller 20,
Even if a low power consumption mode switching command is issued by the CPU 12, the keyboard controller 22 maintains its normal operating state, so there is no fear that such key manual input data will be invalidated or destroyed.

Further, when the keyboard controller 22 is in the key input waiting state, it is placed in a low power consumption mode as instructed by the CPU 12, so that the power consumption during that time can be saved and the battery operating time can be extended.

Note that if there is a key pressed on the keyboard 24 while the keyboard controller 22 is switched to the low power consumption mode, an interrupt is sent from the keyboard 24 to the keyboard controller 22 through the control line 32, and the interrupt is is detected by the power consumption controller 26 via the control line 30. Then, the power consumption controller 26 connects the keyboard via the control line 28e.
Switch the controller 22 to normal (operating) mode.

Thereby, the keyboard controller 22 can take in the data entered manually using the keys.

[Effects of the Invention] By having the above-described configuration, the present invention provides the following effects.

Detects whether the keyboard controller is waiting for a key input, and adjusts the keyboard according to this detection result.
Since the controller is conditionally switched to low power consumption mode, it is possible to transition to low power consumption mode without damaging keyboard input data, achieving reliability of data input function and reduced power consumption at the same time. can do.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the main configuration of a personal computer to which an embodiment of the present invention is applied, and FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of the power consumption controller of the embodiment. 12...CPU1 14...ROM. 16...RAM. 18...RAM controller, 20...I10 controller, 22...keyboard controller, 24...
Keyboard, 26... Power consumption controller, 28a-28e... Control line, 24.32... Control line.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claim] A computer system equipped with a keyboard controller for controlling a keyboard for data input, comprising means for detecting whether or not the keyboard controller is in a key input waiting state; According to the detection result, the keyboard
A computer system power consumption saving device comprising: power consumption mode switching means for conditionally switching a controller to a low power consumption mode.