A power supply with a built-in microcomputer for use in a computer system

Claim 2

A power supply for use in a computer system, comprising: a power supply section (1) constituted by at least one of a battery (7) and an alternative current (AC) adapter (9); a power control section (5), having a micro­computer (19) and coupled to said power supply section (1) and said computer system (11) through a serial transmission path, for sending an externally-supplied power off request signal to said computer system (11) and outputting a power off signal upon reception of a power-off acknowledge signal from said computer system (11); and a power output section (3), coupled to said power supply section (1) and said power control section (5), for inhibiting said power supply section (1) from being supplying power to said computer system (11) in response to said power off signal from said power control section (5).

Claim 3

The power supply according to claim 1, charac­terized in that said power control section (5) has a low battery display section, monitors a voltage and a current of said battery (7), changes a reference voltage value in accordance with a detected current value, com­pares a detected voltage value with said reference voltage value and causes said low battery display sec­tion to indicate a low battery when said detected voltage value is below said reference voltage value.

Claim 4

The power supply according to claim 2, charac­terized in that said power control section (5) divides a level of said low battery into first through third sub­levels in accordance with said detected current value, causes said low battery display section to indicate said low battery upon detection of said first sub-level, sends said power off request signal to said computer system (11) upon detection of said second sub-level, and outputs said power off signal to said power output sec­tion (3).

Claim 5

The power supply according to claim 1, charac­terized in that said power output section (3) supplies power to said battery (7) for a charging operation, and said power control section (5) has a charge completion display section (21), calculates a charged capacitance and a remaining capacitance of said battery (7) and a charging time based on a value of current flowing from said battery, determines the completion of charging said battery from said calculated charged capacitance, remaining capacitance and charging time, and causes said charge completion display section to indicate said completion of charging.

Claim 6

The power supply according to claim 1, charac­terized in that said power control section (5) has an AC adapter input voltage display section (21), detects an input voltage of said AC adapter (9) and causes said AC adapter input voltage display section to indicate a voltage abnormalities when said voltage abnormalities occur.

Claim 7

The power supply according to claim 1, charac­terized in that said computer system (11) comprises a power switch (13) for indicating ON/OFF modes of power supply to a computer system assembly, a disk switch (15) for indicating ON/OFF modes of power supply to a disk drive and a reset switch (17) for indicating a system initialization, and said power control section (5) detects an ON or OFF signal from said power switch, disk switch and reset switch and outputs a signal to either supply power or inhibit the supply of power to said power output section (3).

Claim 8

The power supply according to claim 1, charac­terized in that said power control section (5) has an analog-to-digital converter (23) for converting voltage values and current values from said battery (7) and said AC adapter (9) into digital values.

Claim 9

The power supply according to claim 1, charac­terized in that said computer system (11) is a small-­size personal computer.

Claim 10

The power supply according to claim 1, charac­terized in that said externally-supplied power off request signal is sent to said computer system (11) when a power switch provided on said computer system is turned off.

Claim 11

The power supply according to claim 1, characterized in that said externally-supplied power off request signal is sent to said computer system (11) when a disk drive switch provided on said computer system is turned off.

Claim 12

The power supply according to claim 1, charac­terized in that said externally-supplied power off request signal is sent to said computer system (11) when power of said battery (7) is below a predetermined value.

Claim 13

The power supply according to claim 1, charac­terized in that said power control section (5) informs said computer system (11) of a battery remaining capaci­tance in response to a battery's remaining capacitance check request from said computer system (11).

Claim 14

A personal computer system comprising: a data processor assembly (11) including, a central processing unit (24), program storage means (25) for storing a program for controlling said central processing unit (24) and a data processing result, a backup memory (29), and a disk drive (27, 28); and a power supply including, a power supply section (1) constituted by at least one of a battery and an alternative current (AC) adapter, a power control section (5), having a microcomputer (19) and coupled to said power supply section (1) and said data processor assembly (11) through a serial transmission path, for sending an externally-supplied power off request signal to said data processor assembly and out­putting a power off signal upon reception of a power off acknowledge signal from said data pro­cessor assembly, and a power output section (3), coupled to said power supply section (1) and said microcomputer (19), for inhibiting power of said power supply section from being supplied to said data processor assembly, in response to said power off signal from said microcom­puter.

Claim 15

A personal computer system comprising: a data processor assembly (11) including, a central processing unit (24), program storage means (25) for storing a program for controlling said central processing unit (24) and a data processing result, a backup memory (29), and a disk drive (27, 28); and a power supply including, a power supply section (1) constituted by at least one of a battery and an alternative current (AC) adapter, a power control section (5), having a microcomputer (19) and coupled to said power supply section (1) and said data processor assembly (11) through a serial transmission path, for sending an externally-supplied power off request signal to said data processor assembly and out­putting a power off signal upon reception of a power off acknowledge signal from said data pro­cessor assembly, and a power output section (3), coupled to said power supply section (1) and said microcomputer (19), for inhibiting power of said power supply section from being supplied to said data processor assembly, in response to said power off signal from said microcom­puter.

Claim 16

The system according to claim 13, charac­terized in that upon reception of said power off request signal from said power control section (5), said data processor assembly (11) causes said central processing unit (24) to interrupt a currently-running program, saves information necessary to continue said interrupted program to said backup memory (29) and returns said power off acknowledge signal to said power control sec­tion (5).

Claim 17

The system according to claim 14, charac­terized in that said power control section (5) waits for said power off acknowledge signal from said data pro­cessor assembly, sends a time out signal to said data processor assembly and a control signal to said power output section (3) when said power off acknowledge signal is not received upon the elapse of a predeter­mined period of time, thereby stopping power supply to said disk drive (27, 28).