JPH04363710A - Resuming control system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To attain a resuming processing to options incapable of being used unless it is set with a certain sequence by having a means which calls the resuming processing of the option equipment at the time of the execution of the resuming processing accompanied with a power source ON. CONSTITUTION:This device is equipped with a ROM 12 which stores a system boot program having a routine which calls for the resuming processing of the option by the resuming processing at the time of the power source ON in a resuming mode setting state, CPU 11 which executes the system boot processing which calls for the resuming processing of the option by performing an access to the pertinent ROM 12, and option hardware equipped with an option ROM 30 having a resuming processing routine which is activated by the call of the resuming processing.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a portable computer that is connected to an expansion slot and has an optional resume function.

0002

[Prior Art] Conventionally, in a personal computer equipped with a resume function, by setting the resume mode, when the power is turned on, it is possible to continue working from the state immediately before the power was cut off during the last use. are not supported by the resume function and will result in a resume error, or even if they are resumed, they are not supported and cannot be used. In other words, even if options are supported by resume, they cannot be used unless they are set in a certain sequence, for example, in an option connection configuration where an option connected to an expansion slot is connected to another machine. Resume processing was difficult in some cases.

0003

As mentioned above, in a personal computer equipped with a conventional resume function, even if options are included in the resume support, options ( For example, there is a problem in that resume processing is difficult for options that require processing such as communication protocols.

[0004] The present invention was made in view of the above circumstances.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a resume control method that makes it possible to realize resume processing for options that cannot be used unless they are set in a certain sequence in a portable computer.

That is, the present invention prepares a processing routine on the option side to bring up the self-option to an operable state, and activates the routine during system boot processing to set the self-option in a certain sequence. An object of the present invention is to provide a resume control method that can realize resume processing for options that otherwise cannot be used.

[0006]

[Means for Solving the Problems] In a portable computer having a resume processing function, the present invention calls an optional resume processing after restoring system data by the existing resume processing in the resume mode, and then the system A system boot program that transfers control to the system boot program, and options that have a resume processing means that sets the data of the options themselves in a certain sequence and makes them usable, realizes resume processing of options. do.

[0007]

[Operation] In a portable computer with a resume processing function, the system boot program executes the system data restoration process according to the existing resume processing, and then
Calls the option's resume processing to activate the option's resume processing mechanism, and then transfers control to the system. Option ROM on the option side
The resume process sets the option data in a certain sequence, makes the option usable, and then returns. This makes it possible to resume processing even for options that cannot be used unless they are set in a certain sequence.

[0008]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a portable computer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, 10 is a system bus, and 11 to 14 are components connected to the system bus 10, respectively. Of these components, 11 are CPs that control the entire system.
U (main CPU), which accesses the BIOS-ROM 12 when the power is turned on, and follows the system boot program that includes a routine that calls the optional resume processing under the resume setting mode, as shown in Figure 2. Execute startup processing.

12 is a BIO in which fixed programs are stored;
As shown in FIG. 2, in the resume setting mode, predetermined resume processing (
A system boot program is stored that includes a processing routine that calls an optional resume processing after executing (system data restoration processing). Reference numeral 13 denotes a RAM constituting the main memory, in which programs, data, etc. to be processed are stored. 14 is a backup RAM that serves as a data storage area to realize the resume function, and a backup power supply (V
BK) is supplied.

Reference numeral 15 denotes an expansion slot with an expansion bus connector (EBC) for function expansion, and various expansion optional equipment (optional hardware) such as a communication board and an expansion memory board can be connected to the interface unit 16. 17 are connected.

[0012] Here, descriptions of the various constituent elements (components) connected to the system bus 10 other than those mentioned above will be omitted since they are not directly related to the present invention. In addition, the resume processing within the system is the same as the existing resume processing, so here we will explain the resume mode flag, which indicates whether the resume mode is set,
A detailed description thereof, including a storage presence/absence flag indicating the presence or absence of storage data, will be omitted. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure of the system boot program in the above embodiment.

In FIG. 2, S1 is a step for checking whether or not the resume mode is set.The resume mode flag is checked, and if it is cleared, the process branches to normal start-up processing (S7). S2 is a step for checking the presence or absence of saved data; the save presence/absence flag is checked, and if it is cleared, the process branches to normal startup processing.

S3 is a step for restoring system data under the setting mode of resume processing, in which the data saved in the backup RAM 14 immediately before the power was turned off during the previous use is read out, and each function is restored. information (LSI information) and system data such as V-RAM data and memory data are returned to the state immediately before the power was turned off during the previous use, thereby restoring the system to the state immediately before the power was turned off during the previous use.

S4 is a step of issuing an optional resume processing call (CALL) after the above-mentioned resume processing, and calls an optional resume processing routine.

[0016] S5 is a step of clearing the save flag, and sets the save flag to a non-save state in case the system is started up by resetting the system next time without saving.

S6 is a step in which control is transferred to the system, in which the CPU register is restored from the data saved in the backup RAM 14, and control is returned to the program counter.

FIG. 3 shows optional hardware (for example, an optional card such as a communication card) in the above embodiment.
17 is a diagram showing a memory map of an option ROM 30 built in the computer.

In FIG. 3, 31 is option ROM 3.
This is an installation jump instruction stored at address A within 0, and serves as the entry point for the option ROM driver installation process in boot mode.

Reference numeral 32 is a resume jump instruction stored at address B in the ROM, and serves as an entry point for optional resume processing in the resume mode.

Reference numeral 33 denotes an installation processing routine stored at address C in the ROM, which is executed by an installation jump instruction (31) and performs processes such as driver installation and option initialization.

Reference numeral 34 denotes an optional resume processing routine stored at address E in the ROM, which is executed by a resume jump instruction (32) to perform optional resume processing.

Reference numeral 35 is a driver processing routine for the option ROM stored at address D in the ROM, and is executed by an installation process (33) executed by an installation jump instruction (31) or a resume jump instruction (35).
32), and executes processing specific to the option (for example, communication processing accompanied by specific protocol processing).

Note that 36 is a checksum for determining whether an option ROM is installed, 37 is an ID field having identification information specific to the option ROM, and 38 is a size field indicating the ROM area. The operation of an embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3.

When the system power is turned on by operating the power switch (SW) and normal system power is supplied from the power supply circuit (PS) to each component in the system,
The CPU 11 accesses the BIOS-ROM 12 and executes system boot processing as shown in FIG. The system boot processing operation at this time will be explained according to the flowchart of FIG.

When the power is turned off in the resume mode after the power is turned on in the boot mode, the system data is saved before the system is powered off in accordance with the power switch (SW) off operation, as in conventional resume processing. It is saved in a file (backup RAM 14), the save flag is set to save, and then the system is powered off. At this time, option data is not saved.

When the power is turned on after being powered off in the above-mentioned resume mode, the system boot program shown in FIG.
CALL) (steps S1 to S4 in FIG. 2).

That is, in the system boot process in one embodiment of the present invention, the resume mode flag is checked to determine whether or not the resume mode is set (step S1 in FIG. 2). Here, if resume mode is not set and the resume mode flag is cleared,
The process branches to the normal start-up process (step S7 in FIG. 2), but if the resume mode flag is set indicating the resume mode setting state, then the save flag is checked (step S2 in FIG. 2), and the save mode is started. Confirm that the data exists and execute startup processing (restore system data) in resume mode according to the saved data (
Figure 2 step S3). This process restores the system data based on the data saved in the save file (backup RAM 14) immediately before the power was turned off during the previous use, and restores the system data to the state that was used immediately before the power was turned off during the previous use. (step S3 in FIG. 2). After the system data restoration process in the resume mode, an optional resume process routine is called here (step S4 in FIG. 2).

[0029] Option ROM 30 resume processing 3
Step 4 sets the data of the optional hardware 17 in a certain sequence, makes the optional hardware 17 usable, and then returns.

That is, when the optional resume processing routine is called, the resume jump instruction in the option ROM 30 shown in FIG. 3 is executed, and the optional resume processing routine 34 is activated in accordance with the instruction.
Resume processing of the optional hardware 17 is executed.

The system boot program calls the optional resume processing routine as described above.
(Step S4 in Figure 2), the save flag is set to not save (Step S5 in Figure 2), the CPU register is returned to the state immediately before power-off, and control is transferred to the system (Step S5 in Figure 2).
Figure 2 step S6).

[0032] Through the above processing, it becomes possible to resume the option, but since conventional options do not have the above-mentioned resume jump function, the system boot program checks for the existence of this function, and then checks whether the option has the resume jump function. It is necessary to have a means to call only when

Another embodiment of the present invention is to set the resume processing address to an interrupt vector in the installation process without having a resume jump function, and to call the resume process using a software interrupt in the system boot program. It is also possible to do so. An example of this implementation will be explained with reference to FIG. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a memory map of the option ROM in another embodiment of the invention described above. In FIG. 4, 41 is an installation jump command, which is the entry point for the option ROM driver installation process.

43 is an installation processing routine;
This is executed by the installation jump instruction 41, and here, in addition to driver installation and option initialization, vector setting processing for the above-described resume processing is performed. Reference numeral 44 denotes a resume processing routine, which is activated by a software interrupt and performs the same optional resume processing as in the above-described embodiment.

Here, the optional resume processing address is set in the system memory, and in the processing step S4 of FIG. 2, the interrupt vector IN is set.
Tn is called.

By having the above-described call function for resume processing of options during system boot processing, it is possible to perform resume processing even for options that cannot be used unless they are set in a certain sequence.

In the above embodiment, the optional hardware 17 is connected to the expansion slot 15 via the interface unit 16, but if the optional hardware 17 has an interface circuit for the expansion slot 15, Of course, the interface unit 16 is not required. Further, the configuration of the portable computer applied to the above embodiment is not limited to the configuration shown in FIG. 1, and may have other configurations including the power supply section.

[0038]

As described in detail above, according to the resume control method of the present invention, in a portable computer having a resume processing function, the resume processing of optional equipment can be performed by executing the resume processing upon power-on. By having a configuration including a means for calling , it is possible to perform resume processing even for options that cannot be used unless they are set in a certain sequence, and the system functionality can be improved.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration in an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing system boot processing in the above embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a memory map of an option ROM in the above embodiment.

FIG. 4 Option ROM in another embodiment of the present invention
The figure which shows the memory map of.

[Explanation of symbols]

10...System bus, 11...CPU, 12...BIOS-ROM, 13...RAM, 14...Backup RAM, 1
5... Expansion slot, 16... Interface unit,
17...Optional equipment (optional hardware),
30...Option ROM.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A portable computer having a resume processing function, comprising means for calling the resume processing of an optional device upon execution of the resume processing upon power-on. method. 2. The device has a resume mode setting means and a resume processing function at the time of setting the resume mode, and has a processing means for calling the resume processing of an optional device in the resume processing when the power is turned on in the resume mode setting state. A portable computer system comprising: a portable computer main body; and an optional device connected to the portable computer main body and having a resume processing function for executing internal resume processing in response to the above-mentioned resume processing call.