WO2003075141A1

WO2003075141A1 - Computer function status storage method at a stoppage of electric current

Info

Publication number: WO2003075141A1
Application number: PCT/KR2002/000426
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jae Seung Park; Byung Soo Choi
Original assignee: Power Bank Co., Ltd.
Priority date: 2002-03-06
Filing date: 2002-03-12
Publication date: 2003-09-12
Also published as: KR20030072683A; AU2002239116A1

Abstract

The present invention provides a computer operation status storage method at the time of a power failure of storing a computer operation status at the time of a power failure and of properly completing the operation of a computer in order to continuously carry out tasks after rebooting the computer. In the method according to the present invention, even at a power blockage, a computer operation status is an intact manner in which the computer carries out at least one programs is stored, and the operation of the computer is properly completed, thereby facilitating the continuous task after rebooting the computer. In order to achieve the object, the method comprises a step of preparing a list of programs currently carried out at the time of the power failure detected, a step of converting the statuses of the currently carried out programs into separates files and storing tem, and of carrying out program completing instructions for the respective programs. By doing so, in the present invention, since the task results carried out at the time of the power failure and the associated statuses are stored in an intact manner and the operations of the computer are properly completed, it is possible to continuously carry out the tasks after the power is recovered and the system is rebooted. Therefore, it is possible to continuously carry out the tasks without any loss of data. Furthermore, the series of procedures are automatically carried out, so that it is very convenient to users.

Description

COMPUTER FUNCTION STATUS STORAGE METHOD AT A STOPPAGE OF

ELECTRIC CURRENT

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a computer operation status storage method of storing a computer operation status at the time of a power failure in order to use the status for booting the computer.

BACKGROUND ART

As well known, there are some cases that power of a computer is blocked out mainly due to a power failure, a defect of plug connection, or a user's careless unplugging during the operation of the computer. If the power blockage abruptly occurs during carrying out a program in the computer, the task contents stored in storage devices such as the RAM and the hard disc may be instantly lost. In the case that the user have not backed up all the task results, the lost tasks have to be performed again, which is very burdensome to the user.

One method of reducing damage of the abrupt power blockage is that the task results have been intermediately stored in the course of the task. However, it is difficult for the user to store the intermediate task results in the middle of performing computer work which the user have to pay much attention to. These cases are frequently found during the computer work. Another method of coping with the problem is to use a program which stores the task results in an automatic manner. However, the program unconditionally and periodically stores the task result at a predetermined interval regardless of the user's operational status, so that it may put the user to inconvenience. Furthermore, even in case of the computer not used for a long time, the program repeatedly stores the data, so that the hardware such as hard disc may be damaged and shortened in its life time.

Therefore, an uninterruptible power supply apparatus has been recently used in order to avoid the problems. In the normal time, the alternating power is supplied to the computer and the uninterruptible power supply apparatus is charged. At the time that the alternating power is blocked out, the uninterruptible power supply apparatus immediately use its internal battery to supply power to the computer for a predetermined time interval, so that the computer may complete the current task.

However, price of the uninterruptible power supply apparatus is generally very high. Furthermore, since the battery in the uninterruptible power supply apparatus has a memory effect in itself, its charging capability is drastically reduced after its certain usage, so that power supply capability may be weakened or lost.

Therefore, even though the uninterruptible power supply apparatus is installed, there are many cases that the user may not store the task results of a long time work and thus lost them at the time of the power blockage. Moreover, even though the uninterruptible power supply apparatus works well, after the power blockage, the user must carry out a series of operations for completing the task, storing the task results, finishing the program, and then completing the currently working OS (operating system). However, these operations are burdensome to the user. In particular, the computer has recently been provided with CPU having high performance and RAM having large storage capacity. Moreover, the computer has commonly carried out multitasking work in which plural programs are simultaneously performed. In the aforementioned case, the user must carry out the series of the operations described above that are completing the tasks simultaneously executed by the plural programs, storing the respective task results, and finishing the programs. These series of the operations are burdensome to the user, and besides, if it the user makes any error during the burdensome operations, the task status may not be stored and the lost tasks have to be performed again, which is very burdensome to the user.

DISCLOUSRE OF INVENTION

Therefore, in order to solve the aforementioned problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a computer operation status storage method, even at a power blockage due to a power failure or power unplugging, of storing a computer operation status in an intact manner in which the computer carries out at least one programs and of properly completing the computer, thereby facilitating the continuous task after rebooting the computer.

A computer operation status storage method according to the present invention, in which a program stored in a hard disc is transferred to an RAM by an execution instruction, data is processed and executed in a manner set by the program, and the results of the execution are stored in the RAM or the hard disc, and in which after completion of the execution of the program, the data transferred to the RAM is deleted by an completion instruction, further comprises a step of preparing a list of programs currently carried out at the time of the power failure detecting pulse being detected, a step of converting statuses of the currently carried out programs into individual files and storing them, and a step of carrying out each of program completing instructions associated with the respective programs.

By doing so, in the present invention, since the task results carried out at the time of the power failure and the associated statuses are stored in an intact manner and the operation of the computer are properly completed, it is possible to continuously carry out the tasks after the power is recovered and the system is rebooted. Therefore, it is possible to continuously carry out the tasks without any loss of data. Furthermore, the series of procedures are automatically carried out, so that it is very convenient to users. Fig. 1 illustrates a flow of the operations according to the present invention. As shown in Fig. 1, a computer operation status storage method according to the present invention comprises an emergency power supplying step of starting operation for supplying an emergency power at the time of a power failure detected by a power supply monitoring circuit provided at one side of a power supply circuit; a program list preparing step of preparing a list of programs currently carried out; an instruction list preparing step of fetching status storing instructions and operation completing instructions asso'ciated with the prepared program list from a hard disc; a program status storing step of sequentially outputting the status storing instructions at a CPU while sequentially activating each of the programs in accordance with the program list, and then waiting for a predetermined time interval; a program operation completing step of sequentially outputting program operation completing instructions at the CPU while sequentially activating each of the programs in accordance with the program list, and then waiting for a predetermined time interval; and a system operation completing step of outputting OS (operating system) operation completing instructions. According to the present invention, the status storing instructions and the operation completing instructions of various kinds of programs stored in the hard disc are stored in the hard disc in advance.

In addition, since the time intervals required for making files for the status storing and for operation completing are different among the programs, the required time intervals for the status storing and the operation completing must be also predetermined.

After such preparation, at least one of the programs is carried out. At the time of power failure, the statuses of all the programs operated on the RAM in the computer are stored in an intact manner in the hard disc, and then the programs are completed. When the power is recovered and the system is booted, the stored statuses are fetched again, so that the tasks performed at the time of the power failure continues to be carried out.

In other words, according to the present invention, when the power failure detecting pulse is generated, the emergency power is immediately supplied by a battery. The emergency power is generally supplied by the battery having small charging capability. Therefore, the time interval in which the power supply is maintained is very short, for example, 5 minutes or less.

Under this state, the CPU first prepares the program list on the programs currently carried out on the RAM. And also, the status storing instructions and the operation storing instructions are fetched from the hard disc, as described above. Next, one of the programs in the program list is activated. The CPU outputs the status storing instruction associated with the activated program. As a result, the current status of the screen associated with the activated program can be stored. Subsequently, the next one of the programs in the program list is activated. The current status of the screen associated with the next activated program is also stored with the status storing instruction for storing the current task status of the next activated program. The procedure is repeated on all the programs in the program list, so that the current statuses associated with all the programs currently operated can be stored.

In the series of the task status storing procedures, the time intervals required for storing the statuses are different depending on the programs. Therefore, after the status storing instruction for each program is output, the waiting time interval associated with the program has to be set differently from that for the other programs.

Under this state, the CPU sequentially activates the programs in accordance with the program list and outputs the operation completing instructions associated with the programs. Herein, since the time intervals required for completing the programs are different depending on the programs, after the operation completing instruction for each program is output, the waiting time interval associated with the program are set differently from that for the other programs.

Under this state, the programs are activated in accordance with the program list, the operation completing instructions associated with the programs are output, and then the operations of the programs are completed. After all the programs registered in the program list are completed, OS operation completing instructions are output in order to complete a series of the operations. At this time, the pulse for power supply with the emergency power supplier is generated, or the power supply is automatically blocked out with the aforementioned operation completing instructions. By doing so, even at the time of the power failure, the program files are stored in the statuses in which the programs exist before the power failure. After power supply is recovered, the system is booted and the programs are restarted. At that time, the stored files are fetched out, and then the tasks can be carried out without any loss of data.

Therefore, according to the present invention, it is possible to avoid damage of data due to the power failure. Furthermore, since the present invention do not utilize high-price UPS comprising batteries having high charging capabilities, it is possible to further reduce cost.

Moreover, according to the present invention, since the task files at the time of the power failure are automatically stored and the operations of the programs are properly completed, it is convenient to users and it is possible to avoid loss of data due to user's erroneous manipulation.

In addition, according to the present invention, since the various types of programs are properly completed in any cases, the associated errors are not generated, so that it is unnecessary to correct errors with a series of procedures. Therefore, it is advantageously possible to rapidly boot the system and to avoid damage or loss of the programs and the hardware.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The above and other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a flowchart illustrating a computer operation status storage method according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PERFERED EMGODIMENTS

Now, the preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to Fig. 1. Assume that the currently carried out programs are Hangul 97 which is a word processor and Photoshop 6.0 which is an image processing program. During the execution of the programs, power of the system is blocked out due to a power failure. At that time, the emergency power supply is started with a power supply monitoring circuit well known in the art. Under this state, the CPU first prepares the program list in which Hangul 97 and

Photoshop 6.0 are listed. Thereafter, status storing instructions and operation completing instructions, associated with the Hangul 97 and the Photoshop 6.0, which are fetched from the hard disc are separately stored in the RAM. The status storing instruction of the Hangul 97 is Alt+S of which actual character codes are 330c, 3330. Therefore, the CPU generates the actual character codes and then completes the status storing of the Hangul 97. After a predetermined time interval required for completing the storing, for example, 5 seconds, a status storing instruction Shift-Alt-S for the next program, that is, Photoshop 6.0 in the program list is generated. The actual character codes of the status storing instruction are 33 Od, 333c, 330. Subsequently, the character codes 3341, 3341 corresponding to the instruction

Enter, Enter for verifying the storing of the Photoshop 6.0 are consecutively generated, thereby completing the status storing.

In. addition, according to the present invention, the character codes 330c, 3335 corresponding to the instruction Alt+X for completing operation of the Hangul 97 are generated. After a predetermined waiting time interval required for the completing, for example, 3 seconds, the operation of the Hangul 97 is completed.

Subsequently, the next program, that is, Photoshop 6.0 is activated. The charter codes 330e, 330e corresponding to the associated operation completing instruction are output, thereby completing the operation. After a predetermined waiting time interval, for example, 5 seconds, the character codes 3366, 3332, 3330, 3341 corresponding to the instruction A+U+S+Enter for completing the operation of the OS are sequentially generated. In case that the OS is Windows 98 version or better, the power blockage are automatically carried out and a separate emergency power blockage mechanism is not necessary. When the power failure is ended and the normal power supply is recovered, at the time of the system rebooted, the programs which were carried out at the time of the power failure are executed again. At that time, the stored files are fetched out, and then the tasks can be recovered and continuously carried out.

Therefore, when the power failure is ended and the normal power supply is recovered, at the time of the system rebooted, the programs which were carried out at the time of the power failure are executed again. At this time, the stored files are fetched out, and then the tasks can be recovered and continuously carried out.

Furthermore, according to the present invention, the emergency power supplier may have small charging capability, since the supplier is sufficient for maintaining power only during the time interval required for executing the status storing instructions and the operation completing instructions and for completing the operation of the OS properly.

Furthermore, according to the present invention, since the operations of the programs executed at the time of the power failure are properly completed and any errors due to improper completion are not generated, it is not necessary to correct the error at the time of the system booted and then it is possible to avoid the burdensome manipulation.

However, in cases of using some OSs, the power may not be automatically blocked out. In theses case, it is necessary to provide a separate emergency power blockage mechanism that generates a pulse for blocking the emergency power supply. The preferred embodiments described above are not limiting the scope of the present invention, and the present invention may further comprise modifications that can be made by the skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the present invention and within the scope of the claims.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The present invention is preferably adaptable for installing a hard disc in a computer.

Claims

CLAIMSWhat is claimed is

1. A computer operation status storage method comprising: an emergency power supplying step of starting an operation for supplying an emergency power at the time of a power failure detected by a power supply monitoring circuit provided at one side of a power supply circuit; a program list preparing step of preparing a list of programs currently carried out; an instruction list preparing step of fetching status storing instructions and operation completing instructions associated with the prepared program list from a hard disc; a program status storing step of sequentially outputting the status storing instructions at a CPU while sequentially activating each of the programs in accordance with the program list, and then waiting for a predetermined time interval; a program operation completing step of sequentially outputting program operation completing instructions at the CPU while sequentially activating each of the programs in accordance with the program list, and then waiting for a predetermined time interval; and a system operation completing step of outputting OS (operating system) operation completing instructions.