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EP0419909A2 Expired / Lapsed EP ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Computer system with control unit for controlling power supply to storage unit

Assignee: Toshiba Corp
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Filing: 1990-09-06
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2010-09-06
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Abstract

Abstract A computer system is provided with both an auto power off mode and a resume mode. In the computer system, the motor off command (MOC) for an HDD (42) is kept effective from the time when the system is turned on to the time when the HDD (42) is accessed. During the interval, therefore, no power is supplied to the HDD (42). When the HDD (42) has just been accessed, the motor off command (MOC) is made ineffective, to thereby supply power to the HDD (42). When the power supply to the HDD (42) is started, with the system in the resume mode, the CPU (11) permits data processing to be performed from the state immediately before the power supply is stopped.

Inventors

  • 👤 Shizuka C/O Intellectual Property Division Gunji

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction EP
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-30 02:17
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F1/00; G06F1/26; G06F1/32; G06F1/3203; G06F1/3206; G06F1/3215; G06F1/3234; G06F1/325; G06F1/3268; Y; Y02; Y02D; Y02D10/00; Y02D30/00; Y02D30/50

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim 229 words
A computer system provided with a control unit for controlling an on/off operation of a storage unit, comprising: mode-setting means (11) for setting an auto power off mode wherein a given unit is turned off in response to a predetermined condition, and a resume mode wherein those contents in registers which are required for the system to execute data processing are stored in a backup memory (29) when the system is turned off; and mode-executing means (11) for executing the auto power off mode and the resume mode set by the mode-­setting means (11), characterized by further comprising: command setting/resetting means (11) for setting a command (MOC) in a control register (26a) to stop the operation of the storage unit (42) in response to actuation of the system and for resetting the command (MOC) in the control register (26a) in response to access to the storage unit (42), in the case where the auto power off mode and the resume mode are both set by the mode-setting means (11); and storage control means (26) for cutting off the power supply to the storage unit (42) in the case where the command (MOC) is set in the control register (26a) and for actuating the storage unit (42) in the case where the access to the storage unit (42) is started and the command (MOC) in the control register (26a) reset.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 229 words
A computer system provided with a control unit for controlling an on/off operation of a storage unit, comprising: mode-setting means (11) for setting an auto power off mode wherein a given unit is turned off in response to a predetermined condition, and a resume mode wherein those contents in registers which are required for the system to execute data processing are stored in a backup memory (29) when the system is turned off; and mode-executing means (11) for executing the auto power off mode and the resume mode set by the mode-­setting means (11), characterized by further comprising: command setting/resetting means (11) for setting a command (MOC) in a control register (26a) to stop the operation of the storage unit (42) in response to actuation of the system and for resetting the command (MOC) in the control register (26a) in response to access to the storage unit (42), in the case where the auto power off mode and the resume mode are both set by the mode-setting means (11); and storage control means (26) for cutting off the power supply to the storage unit (42) in the case where the command (MOC) is set in the control register (26a) and for actuating the storage unit (42) in the case where the access to the storage unit (42) is started and the command (MOC) in the control register (26a) reset.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 18 words
A system according to claim 1, characterized in that said storage unit (42) includes a hard disk drive.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 47 words
A system according to claim 1, characterized in that said mode-setting means (11) sets the auto power off mode and the resume mode in response to selection from among a plurality of mode items included in a setup menu displayed on a display unit (45, 46, 47).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 29 words
A system according to claim 1, characterized in that said storage control means (26) includes the control register (26a) and constitutes an interface cir­cuit of the storage unit (42).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 56 words
A system according to claim 1, characterized by further comprising: power source control means (10a) for outputting an interrupt signal which designates whether the system is turned on or off; and a CPU (11) for executing the data processing of the system in accordance with the interrupt signal output from the power source control means (10a).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 49 words
A system according to claim 1, characterized by further comprising: means for restoring the registers by transferring data from the backup memory (29) to the registers when the system is turned on, in the case where the resume mode is on but the auto power off mode is off.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 52 words
A system according to claim 1, characterized in that said mode-executing means (11) causes those con­tents in the registers which are required for the system to execute data processing to be stored in the backup memory (29) when the system is turned off, in the case where the resume mode is on.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 85 words
A system according to claim 1, characterized in that said system is supplied with power from one of a battery (9) and an AC power source and further comprises power source control means (10a) for selecting one of the battery (9) and the AC power source for use with the system, said power source control means (10a) making the command setting/resetting means (11) inoperative when the AC power source is used, and making the command setting/resetting means (11) operative when the battery (9) is used.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 30 words
A system according to claim 2, characterized in that said storage control means (26) includes an inter­face circuit used for the hard disk drive and incor­porates the control register (26a).
Claim 11
Independent Claim 195 words
A method of controlling an on/off operation of a storage unit, comprising the steps of: setting an auto power off mode wherein a given unit is turned off in response to a predetermined condition, and a resume mode wherein those contents in registers which are required for the system to execute data pro­cessing are stored in a backup memory (29) when the system; and executing the auto power off mode and the resume mode, characterized by further comprising the steps of: setting a command (MOC) in a control register (26a) to stop the operation of the storage unit (42) in response to actuation of the system, and resetting the command (MOC) in the control register (26a) in response to access to the storage unit (42, in the case where the auto power off mode and the resume mode are both set; and cutting off the power supply to the storage unit (42) in the case where the command (MOC) is set in the control register (26a), and actuating the storage unit (42) in the case where the access to the storage unit (42) is started and the command (MOC) in the control register (26a) reset.
Claim 12
Independent Claim 195 words
A method of controlling an on/off operation of a storage unit, comprising the steps of: setting an auto power off mode wherein a given unit is turned off in response to a predetermined condition, and a resume mode wherein those contents in registers which are required for the system to execute data pro­cessing are stored in a backup memory (29) when the system; and executing the auto power off mode and the resume mode, characterized by further comprising the steps of: setting a command (MOC) in a control register (26a) to stop the operation of the storage unit (42) in response to actuation of the system, and resetting the command (MOC) in the control register (26a) in response to access to the storage unit (42, in the case where the auto power off mode and the resume mode are both set; and cutting off the power supply to the storage unit (42) in the case where the command (MOC) is set in the control register (26a), and actuating the storage unit (42) in the case where the access to the storage unit (42) is started and the command (MOC) in the control register (26a) reset.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 48 words
A method according to claim 10, characterized in that the registers are restored in response to actuation of the system, with data being transferred from the backup memory to the registers, in the case where the resume mode is on but the auto power off mode is off.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 46 words
A method according to claim 10, characterized in that those contents in the registers which are required for the system to execute data processing are stored in the backup memory (29) when the system is turned off, in the case where the resume mode is on.

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