TW201321953A - Power control method during booting and system thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

A power control system includes a power management unit, a voltage regulation module, and a power controller. After enabling a computer system, the power controller controls the power management unit to execute the sequence control of each stage and to sense an instruction command inputted outwardly and stored. According the sequence control from the power management unit, the voltage regulation module regulates the system voltage for the supply of the electric devices in the computer system, thereby the power supply system performs the power initialization. When the instruction command fits a certain stage, the power management unit performs the instruction of sequence control. Thereby, the flexibility of monitoring the power of computer system is increased.

Description

Power boot control method and system thereof

The invention relates to a power source startup control method and a system thereof, in particular to a power source startup control method and a system thereof capable of interrupting power supply sequence control during a booting process.

In general, there are two main parts in the system initialization process when the computer system is turned on. One is before the first code (BIOS code) is captured, and the other is after the BIOS code is started. . The main procedure of the former is to start all basic voltage rails and release the reset signal in the appropriate "base start sequence" startup sequence. On a system motherboard of a computer system, the base system boot sequence is typically controlled by a typical system chipset.

When the system board power is turned on, the power management unit can continuously turn the power from the outermost layer to the innermost core component continuously according to the standard settings of each platform. The measurement of the state of the power sequence control during the system development or the system at each stage cannot be stopped by the hardware control, and thus the flexibility of the application is lacking.

In view of the above problems, the present invention provides a power-on control method and a system thereof, thereby solving the problem of lack of flexibility of the monitoring application due to the inability to interrupt the power sequence control during the power-on initialization process of the conventional system power supply.

The power-on control system disclosed in the present invention comprises a power management unit, a voltage regulation module and a power controller. The power management unit is respectively connected to the voltage modulation module and the power controller. Power management, the unit performs power sequence control according to the control of the power controller to control the voltage modulation module to modulate the system voltage. The power management unit determines whether to interrupt the power sequence control according to an interrupt command.

According to the power-on control method provided by the present invention, first, the power-on control system is activated to supply the system voltage. Then, the power management unit detects whether there is a breakpoint command input for further storage; and performs a stage of power sequence control to control the voltage modulation module to modulate the system voltage to supply electronic components in the computer system. After performing the power sequence control of this stage, it is judged whether the power sequencing control of the next stage conforms to the stored interrupt point command. The interrupt power sequencing control is executed when the power sequencing control of the next stage conforms to the stored interrupt point instruction. When the power sequencing control of the next stage does not comply with the stored interrupt point command, the power sequence control of the next stage is continued until the initialization is completed.

The features, implementations, and utilities of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

In order to further illustrate the technical features and embodiments of the present invention, please refer to FIG. 1 , which is a schematic structural diagram of a power-on control system according to the present invention. The invention is applicable to a computer system (not shown), after being turned on, before entering the BIOS, as a power supply power supply initialization control. An exemplary embodiment of a computer system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention includes a power-on control system 100, a control chipset 150, an electric device unit 160, and a basic input and output unit (base input). Output system, BIOS) 180.

The power-on control system 100 includes a power management unit 120, a voltage modulation module 130, a power controller 140, and a status monitoring unit 170.

The external input unit 110 is disposed outside the computer system, and may also be integrated into the computer system for externally inputting commands into the computer system. The external input unit 110 needs to be independent of the system board, and with the appropriate electronic circuit design, even if the system has not been turned on to the operating system, the related voltage can be stably supplied. (Therefore, the operating system is not turned on, so the input device should not be used if it is a general computer keyboard). Or through the remote (such as the network interface) input, through the BMC and the power management unit's transmission interface for write settings. Therefore, the external input unit 110 can be a device that can input commands such as a computer keyboard, function keys, and the like. Alternatively, the command can be input through the touch panel (not shown), and transmitted to the power management unit 120 via the power controller 140 and the access processing of the control chip set 150 for control of the power management.

The power management unit 120 is coupled to the external input unit 110 for performing power sequence control of a phase corresponding to an electronic component (not shown) of the electronic component unit 160, and is provided according to an interrupt point command input by an external device. The user interrupts the power sequence control program as needed. Although only a single electronic component unit is summarized herein, those skilled in the art will recognize that it can include electronic components of one or several computer systems, such as circuit components, logic circuits, and the like in a computer system. Among them, the power sequence control of each stage will include an indicator value. When the index value matches the value indicated by the interrupt point command, the power management unit 120 performs the interrupt power sequence control.

The voltage modulation module 130 is coupled to the power management unit 120 for adjusting the system voltage of the computer system to the output voltage required by each of the electronic component units 160 according to the control of the power management unit 120. To further supply this output voltage to each electronic component. When performing the voltage modulation of the sequential control of each stage, the power management unit 120 sends a start signal to the voltage modulation module 130, and the voltage modulation module 130 returns the power to start the power good signal to the power management. The unit 120 ensures that the power supply is normal, and the power management unit 120 will continue to perform the power sequence control, wherein the power sequence control is executed in an orderly manner from the electronic components having a large voltage value to the electronic components having a small voltage value. Of course, it is also possible to use an electronic component having a small voltage value to an electronic component having a large voltage value.

The control chip set 150 is coupled to the power management unit 120 for communicating the system with peripheral devices. For example, control industry standard architecture (ISA) bus and peripheral components on the peripheral component interconnect (PCI) bus, such as keyboard, mouse, and universal serial bus ( The universal serial bus) and the like, and the data transfer between the basic input and output unit 180 is accessed by the bus. The control chip set 150 includes at least a south bridge wafer or an integrated south bridge wafer and a north bridge wafer.

The power controller 140 is connected to the power management unit 120, and can control the interface between the management software of the computer system and the platform management hardware, and provides self-monitoring, event recording, and recovery control functions, and can be used as a computer system management software and a smart platform. Management of the network gateway between the intelligent platform management bus (IPMB) and the Intelligent Chassis Management Bus (ICMB) interface. Therefore, in an embodiment of the present invention, the user can input a breakpoint command by the remote terminal through the power controller 140. In an embodiment of the present invention, the user can issue an interrupt point command through the external input unit 110.

In addition, the power controller 140 collects information about the system status, and can perform an adjustment action when a serious event occurs. Typically system monitoring functions are implemented using sensors (not shown) to monitor different system voltages, temperatures, and fan speeds.

The power controller 140 includes an independent real-time monitoring timer (not shown), that is, a watchdog, which can be used to detect various software components such as the basic input/output unit 180, the operating system, the application, or the diagnosis. The system caused by the software is locked. When the watchdog timer generates a timeout signal, the power controller 140 can automatically restart the system, perform re-powering, or report the deadlock condition to the remote terminal through the regional network or the serial data machine.

In another embodiment, when the power controller 140 detects that the real-time monitoring timer has expired, or the voltage modulation module 130 does not receive the power to start the normal signal, an error signal is generated, that is, the detection The test signals are transmitted to the power management unit 120 through the state monitoring unit 170 to further notify the system of the interruption according to the control of the power controller 140, and perform voltage error processing. Therefore, the status monitoring unit 170 can be disposed within the power controller 140. On the other hand, the parameters required for the operation of each electronic component of the power-on control system 100, the preset value of the monitoring time of the instant monitoring timer, the preset value of the delay time, and the preset parameters of the circuit control time, and The binary converted interrupt point instructions are stored in a temporary storage unit (not shown) in the power management unit 120.

In order to further clarify the steps of the power-on control of the power-on control system 100 of the present invention, please refer to FIG. 2, which is a flowchart of the power-on control method according to the present invention. First, after the user starts the system power of the computer system, before the computer system enters the operation phase of the basic input/output unit 180, a system voltage is supplied to the power-on control system 100, so that the power-on control system 100 operates, as step S210. .

The power management unit 120 will detect whether there is an interrupt point command input, as in step S220. In an embodiment of the present invention, the user can input through the external input unit 110 according to the design, and the power management unit 120 receives the interrupt point instruction. In another embodiment of the present invention, the user can input the remote terminal through the power controller 140 according to the design, and receive the interrupt point command by the power management unit 120. In either embodiment, the breakpoint command can be a numerical value, such as 1, 2, 3, and the like. Each value represents the power sequence control of a certain stage that the user wants to interrupt. For example, if the user inputs a "10" break point command, it means that the user wants to execute the interrupt in the power sequence control of the tenth stage.

According to step S220, when the power management unit 120 does not detect the user input interrupt point instruction, the single-stage power sequence control is directly started, as in step S230. When the power management unit 120 detects an externally input interrupt point instruction, the instruction is temporarily converted into a temporary storage unit by binary conversion to prepare for comparison of the power sequence control of each stage, as in step S221. . After the storage, the power sequence control of this stage is continued, as in step S230.

Then, according to the power sequence control at this stage, it is determined whether the voltage modulation is completed, that is, the power management unit 120 outputs the startup signal to the voltage modulation module 130, and waits for and determines whether the power activation normal signal is returned, as in step S240. When the power management unit 120 has not received the power start normal signal, indicating that the power supply is not ready, the system returns to step S230 to continue waiting until the voltage modulation module 130 reduces the system voltage to the voltage required by the electronic component at this stage. The value forms an output voltage that is supplied to the corresponding electronic component. When the power management unit 120 has received the power-on normal signal, the voltage modulation at this stage is completed.

After completing the power sequence control of this stage, before proceeding to the next stage power sequence control, the power management unit 120 will represent the index value of the power sequence control of the next stage and the interrupt point command stored in the temporary storage unit. The values shown are compared to determine whether the order of the next stage conforms to the interrupt point instruction, as in step S250. Wherein, the index value is equal to the value indicated by the interrupt point command, indicating that the power sequence control has reached the interruption point preset by the user, and the power management unit 120 notifies the interrupt to execute the interrupt power sequence control, as in step S251.

If the index value is less than the value indicated by the interrupt point command, it indicates that the power sequence control has not reached the user-preset interruption point, and the power management unit 120 will continue to perform the next stage power sequence control. Before execution, the power management unit 120 first determines whether the completed power sequence control is the final stage, as in step S260. When this phase is the final phase, it means that all the power sequence control has been completed, and the computer system will enter the normal operating state, as in step S270. When this phase is not the last phase, indicating that all power sequence control has not been completed, the process returns to step S230 to continue the power supply sequence control of the next stage.

The invention has the advantage that the power-on control system provides the right to select the user to select the power sequence control for interrupting the system power supply, thereby increasing the flexibility of the system application. By setting the break point, the user can easily interrupt the power supply sequence control during the initialization process to further discover the power supply problem of the electronic components in the computer system and solve it. The design of the hardware and software allows the user to control the operation of the power-on control system by inputting commands through an external input unit or a remote terminal.

While the present invention has been described above in terms of the preferred embodiments thereof, it is not intended to limit the invention, and the invention may be modified and modified without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The patent protection scope of the invention is subject to the definition of the scope of the patent application attached to the specification.

100. . . Power on control system

110. . . External input unit

120. . . Power management unit

130. . . Voltage modulation module

140. . . Power controller

150. . . Control chipset

160. . . Electronic component unit

170. . . Status monitoring unit

180. . . Basic input and output unit

1 is a schematic structural view of a power-on control system according to the present invention.

Figure 2 is a flow chart of a power-on control method in accordance with the present invention.

Claims (10)

A power-on control method for initializing a power-on control system in a computer system, the method comprising: supplying a system voltage; detecting whether there is an interrupt point command input to further store the interrupt point instruction; performing a stage a power sequence control to modulate the voltage of the system to output the system voltage after the modulation; and determine whether the power sequence control of the next stage of the computer system meets the interrupt point command to further perform an interrupt power sequence control, Or continue to the power sequencing control of the next stage to complete the initialization. The power-on control method according to Item 1, wherein the power-sequence control of the next stage does not meet the interrupt point instruction, and the power-sequence control of the next stage is performed, and the power-sequence control of the next stage is performed. When the interrupt point instruction is met, the interrupt power sequence control is executed. The power-on-control method according to Item 1, wherein the power-sequence control of the next stage is in accordance with the instruction of the interrupt point, whether an index value of the power sequence control of the next stage is equal to the break point. The instruction includes a value, and the power sequence control of the next stage does not conform to the basis of the interrupt point instruction, and is whether the index value of the power sequence control of the next stage is less than that indicated by the interrupt point instruction. This value. The power-on control method of claim 1, wherein the interruption point command is provided through a remote terminal or input by an external input unit outside the computer system. A power boot control system suitable for a computer system, the system comprising: a power management unit for performing an interruptible continuous power sequence control; a voltage modulation module coupled to the power management unit for adjusting Changing a system voltage of the power-on control system; and a power controller coupled to the power management unit for controlling the power management unit and controlling the modulation of the voltage of the system. The power-on control system of claim 5, further comprising a status monitoring unit for monitoring execution of the power sequence control of the computer system to generate a detection signal to the power management unit. The power-on control system of claim 5, wherein the power management unit detects and receives an interrupt point command and stores, and then, after performing a phase power sequence control, determines whether the power sequence control of the first stage is consistent. The interrupt point command is further executed to perform an interrupt power sequence control or to continue to the next stage power sequence control. The power-on control system of claim 7, wherein when the power sequencing control of the next stage does not meet the interrupt point instruction, the power sequence control of the next stage is continued, and the power of the next stage is When the sequence control conforms to the interrupt point instruction, the interrupt power sequence control is executed. The power-on control system of claim 7, wherein the interrupt point command is provided by the power controller or input by the computer system. The power-on control system of claim 7, wherein the power-sequence control of the next stage is in accordance with the instruction of the interruption point, whether an index value of the power sequence control of the next stage is equal to the interruption point. The instruction includes a value, and the power sequence control of the next stage does not conform to the basis of the interrupt point instruction, and is whether the index value of the power sequence control of the next stage is less than that indicated by the interrupt point instruction. This value.