JPH05241674A - Portable electronic equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To perform the resume processing of maintenance information as needed when the power is applied by preserving the information for maintenance so as to realize the resume function other than the memory backed up by battery. CONSTITUTION:At the disconnection of power supply, a first data transfer control means of a data transfer control circuit 3 saves resume information to both a backup memory 2 and an external nonvolatile memory 6 such as hard disk. When the power is applied again, a second data transfer control means of the data transfer control circuit 3 restores the state just before the disconnection of power supply for both a main storage 1 and the backup memory 2 based on the resume information preserved in the external nonvolatile memory 6 such as hard disk.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a battery-operable portable electronic device which supports a resume function (instantaneous reproduction function).

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In the field of portable devices for various office automation such as personal computers and word processors, laptop type devices, which are small in size, light in weight and convenient for carrying, have become widespread in place of conventional disk top types.

Most of these kinds of portable electronic devices are driven by a battery due to their characteristics, and those having a resume function as a standard are widely spread in order to improve operability, especially in personal computers. ing.

The resume function is an instantaneous reproduction function that can be continuously executed from the program state immediately before the previous power-off even when the power is turned off during the execution of the program.

This resume function is a power supply for continuing to store the battery-backed memory (backup memory) holding the hardware state at the time of power-off and the content of the main memory by the power of the battery even after the power-off. It is realized by a control circuit, a data transfer circuit that reproduces the state at the time of power-off immediately before the power is turned on again, and a software program that controls these.

[0006]

However, according to the above-mentioned conventional example, when the battery is completely consumed during resume or when the battery is accidentally removed from the device body,
The hardware status information (resume information) and the like stored in the backup memory are erased, and in this case, valuable data being created is destroyed and the resume function cannot be realized.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and the resume information can be stored in a non-volatile external memory such as a hard disk, and can be driven by a battery to realize an effective resume function even when the battery is exhausted. A portable electronic device is provided.

[0008]

A battery-operable portable electronic device of the present invention includes a backup memory in which hardware state information is saved and stored when power is turned off, and hardware state information when power is turned off. A first data transfer circuit that saves and saves the contents of the main memory in the non-volatile external memory, and restores the hardware status information saved in the non-volatile external memory to the main memory and the backup memory when the power is turned on again. A second data transfer circuit and a resume control circuit for restarting the execution of the program from the state immediately before the power-off are provided according to the restored hardware state information.

Further, the battery-powered portable device of the present invention is provided with a switch, in the above-mentioned configuration, in which the user can set the information as to whether or not to save the hardware status information in the non-volatile external memory. Resume control is performed by checking.

[0010]

In the battery-powered portable apparatus of the present invention, when the power failure is detected, the first data transfer circuit saves the resume information in both the backup memory and the external non-volatile memory such as a hard disk, and then restarts the power. The resume information stored in the external non-volatile memory such as a hard disk is restored to the main memory and the backup memory according to the second data transfer circuit at the time of input.

In addition to the above-mentioned operation, a switch which can be set by the user as to whether or not to save the hardware status information in the non-volatile external memory is checked by the contents to save the data, restore the data, or cut off the power. Resume control such as processing is realized. The above-mentioned two data transfer circuits can be realized by using an existing hard disk interface logic and adding a control program stored in the ROM. As a result, the resume function with improved reliability can be realized without being aware of battery consumption.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

In the figure, reference numeral 1 is a main memory, in which programs and various data are stored. Reference numeral 2 is a backup memory, which stores the state of the hardware when the power is turned off. Reference numeral 3 denotes a data transfer control circuit, which controls data transfer between the main memory 1 and the backup memory 2 and the externally connected hard disk device 6.

Reference numeral 4 is a ROM that stores firmware that controls peripheral devices connected to the portable device, and includes software logic 5 for resume control.

Reference numeral 5 is a resume control firmware provided in the ROM 4, which detects the power failure and saves the resume information in the backup memory 2 and the hard disk device 6, and detects that the power is turned on again and saves it first. This is software logic that restores resume information to the main memory 1. Details of this logic are shown in FIGS.

Reference numeral 6 is a hard disk device serving as an external non-volatile memory. Reference numeral 7 is a resume information storage area in the hard disk device 6. Reference numeral 9 is a hard disk resume switch, and this switch 9 determines whether or not the resume information is stored in the hard disk device 6.

2 and 3 are flow charts showing the operation in the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a control procedure by the firmware 5 when the power switch is off, and FIG.
Shows the control procedure by the firmware 5 when the power switch is turned on. The operation of the embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

When the power switch of the main body of the portable device is turned off (OFF), the hardware state is stored in the backup memory 2 under the control of the firmware 5 for resume control stored in the ROM 4 (FIG. 2). Step S1).

At this time, the state of the switch 9 is checked. If the switch 9 is "off", the power supply is cut off by the conventional process (steps S2 and S4 in FIG. 2). After storing the contents of the memory 1 and the backup memory 2 in the resume area 7 in the hard disk 6 via the data transfer control circuit 3, the power-off process is performed (steps S2, S3 and S4 in FIG. 2). As a result, even if the battery is exhausted and the contents of the main memory 1, the backup memory 2, etc. are erased, the contents are stored in the hard disk 6.

Next, after setting the resume, when the power switch is turned on to turn on the power,
Under the control of the firmware 5 in the ROM 4, first, the operation of the resume processing is started using the contents stored in the main memory 1 and the backup memory 2 (step S in FIG. 3).
(11, S12, S15), when the read is impossible, the state of the switch 9 is checked, and when it is “ON”, after the stored information in the hard disk device 6 is read into the main memory 1 and the backup memory 2, A normal power-on operation at the time of resume from the main memory 1 and the backup memory 2 is executed (steps S12, S13, S14, S in FIG. 3).
15). When the switch 9 is in the "off" state, the normal resume processing operation is performed.

As described above, by turning the switch 9 "on", even if the contents of the main memory 1, the backup memory 2 and the like are erased due to exhaustion of the battery, the contents are saved in the hard disk 6. Therefore, the resume mode can be started up by the stored contents.
Although only the hard disk is illustrated as the save memory in the embodiment of the present invention, it can be similarly applied to other nonvolatile memory.

[0022]

As described above, according to the present invention, even if the battery is exhausted and the contents of the main memory and the backup memory are erased, the contents are stored in the external non-volatile memory. It is possible to start up in the resume mode from the stored contents, and therefore, the resume function can be realized without worrying about battery consumption, and reliability can be improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a processing operation procedure when power is cut off according to the embodiment shown in FIG.

3 is a flowchart showing a processing operation procedure at power-on according to the embodiment shown in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Main memory, 2 ... Backup memory, 3 ... Data transfer control circuit, 4 ... ROM, 5 ... Resume control firmware, 6 ... Hard disk device, 7 ... Resume information storage area, 9 ... Switch.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. In a portable electronic device having a non-volatile external memory and capable of being driven by a built-in battery, a backup memory in which hardware status information is saved and stored when the power is turned off, and a hardware status information when the power is turned off And a first data transfer means for saving and storing the contents of the main memory in the non-volatile external memory, and a second data restoring means for restoring the information stored in the non-volatile external memory to the main memory and the backup memory when the power is turned on again. And a resume control means for restarting the execution of the program from the state immediately before the power-off, according to the restored hardware state information. 2. A non-volatile external memory is provided with a switch that can be set by the user for information on whether or not to save the hardware status information, and resume control is performed by checking the setting contents of this switch. The portable electronic device according to claim 1.