Method and system for controlling resuming operation of an AC-driven computer system using an external memory

Claim 2

A computer system to which a hard disk storage device is connected, the computer system being driven by a power source which outputs power at a predetermined level, comprising: a switch for controlling the supply of power from the power source to the computer system; memory means for storing system data used in the computer system; means for holding resume flag data, the resume flag data representing whether a resume mode is set, the resume mode representing whether the stored system data is to be written into the hard disk storage device when the switch is turned off; means for maintaining the power at the predetermined level when the switch is switched off and the resume flag data represents that the resume mode is set; means for writing the stored system data into the hard disk storage device while the power is maintained at the predetermined level when the switch is turned off and when the resume flag data represents that the resume mode is set; means for stopping, when the switch is turned off and when the resume flag data representing that the resume mode is set, the supply of power from the power source to the computer system after the system data is written into the hard disk storage device, wherein said means for maintaining the power stops the maintaining of the power when the means for stopping stops the supply of power; and means for reading out the written system data from the hard disk storage device and restoring the read out system data into the memory means when the supply of power from the power source is recommenced when the switch is turned on.

Claim 3

A computer system according to claim 1, wherein said means for writing also writes onto the hard disk storage device, retention flag data representing whether the system data is written into the hard disk storage device when the switch is turned off and when the resume flag data representing that the resume mode is set is stored in the hard disk storage device.

Claim 4

A computer system according to claim 2, wherein said means for reading out system data and restoring the read out system data reads out the written system data from the hard disk storage device and restores the read out system data into the memory means when the supply of power from the power source is recommenced when the switch is turned on and when the retention flag data representing that the system data has been written into the hard disk storage device is stored in the hard disk storage device.

Claim 5

A computer system to which a hard disk storage device is connected, the computer system being driven by a power source which outputs power at a predetermined level, comprising: a switch for controlling the supply of power from the power source to the computer system; memory means for storing system data used in the computer system; means for holding resume flag data, the resume flag data representing whether a resume mode is set, the resume mode representing whether the stored system data is to be written into the hard disk storage device when the switch is turned off; means, connected to the switch, for maintaining the power at the predetermined level when the switch is switched off and the resume flag data represents that the resume mode is set; means for writing the stored system data into the hard disk storage device while the power is maintained at the predetermined level when the supply of power from the power source is recommenced when the switch is turned off and when the resume flag data represents that the resume mode is set; means for stopping, when the switch is turned off, a supply of power from the power source to the computer system after a predetermined period of time, wherein said means for maintaining the power stops the maintaining of the power when the means for stopping stops the supply of power; and means for reading out the written system data from the hard disk storage device and restoring the read out system data into the memory means when the switch is turned on.

Claim 6

A computer system to which a hard disk storage device is connected, the computer system being driven by a power source which outputs power at a predetermined level, comprising: a switch for controlling the supply of power from the power source to the computer system; memory means for storing system data used in the computer system; means for holding resume flag data, the resume flag data representing whether a resume mode is set, the resume mode representing whether the stored system data is to be written into the hard disk storage device when the switch is turned off; means, connected to the switch, for maintaining the power at the predetermined level when the switch is switched off and the resume flag data represents that the resume mode is set; means for writing the stored system data into the hard disk storage device while the power is maintained at the predetermined level when the supply of power from the power source is recommenced when the switch is turned off and when the resume flag data represents that the resume mode is set; means for stopping, when the switch is turned off, a supply of power from the power source to the computer system after a predetermined period of time, wherein said means for maintaining the power stops the maintaining of the power when the means for stopping stops the supply of power; and means for reading out the written system data from the hard disk storage device and restoring the read out system data into the memory means when the switch is turned on.

Claim 7

A computer system according to claim 4, wherein said means for writing also writes, onto the hard disk storage device, retention flag data representing whether the system data is written into the hard disk storage device when the supply of power from the power source is recommenced when the switch is turned off and when the resume flag data representing that the resume mode is set is stored in the hard disk storage device.

Claim 8

A computer system according to claim 5, wherein said means for reading out system data and restoring the read out system data reads out the written system data from the hard disk storage device and restores the read out system data into the memory means when the switch is turned on and when the retention flag data representing that the system data has been written into the hard disk storage device is stored, in the hard disk storage device.

Claim 11

The method according to claim 7, further comprising the steps of: determining whether the system data is written into the hard disk storage device when the power switch is turned on; reading out the system data from the hard disk storage device when the power switch is turned on and when the system data is written into the hard disk storage device; and restoring the read out system data into the memory.

Claim 12

In a computer system being driven by a power source which outputs power at a predetermined level to which a hard disk storage device is connected, the computer system including a memory for storing system data and a system state, and a timer, a method for controlling operation of the computer system comprising the steps of: generating a power on signal to apply power from said power source to said computer system and a power off signal to stop application of power to the computer system; detecting whether the power off signal is generated; setting a predetermined delay time in the timer; determining whether a resume mode has been set, the resume mode representing whether the system data and system state are to be written into the hard disk storage device and starting the timer to measure an elapsed time in response to the detected power off signal; maintaining the power at the predetermined level when the power off signal is generated and the resume mode is determined to be set; storing the system data and system state into the hard disk storage device while the power is maintained at the predetermined level when it is determined in the determining step that the resume mode has been set and the power off signal has been detected; comparing the measured elapsed time with the predetermined delay time; stopping a supply of power from the power source to the computer system when the comparing step determines the elapsed time is greater than or equal to the predetermined delay time, wherein said step of maintaining the power stops the maintaining of the power when the stopping step stops the supply of power; detecting the power on signal after the processed system data and system state have been stored into the hard disk storage device; reading out the system data and system state stored in the hard disk storage device when the resume mode is set in response to the detected power on signal; and restoring the read out system data and system state into the memory.

Claim 13

In a computer system being driven by a power source which outputs power at a predetermined level to which a hard disk storage device is connected, the computer system including a memory for storing system data and a system state, and a timer, a method for controlling operation of the computer system comprising the steps of: generating a power on signal to apply power from said power source to said computer system and a power off signal to stop application of power to the computer system; detecting whether the power off signal is generated; setting a predetermined delay time in the timer; determining whether a resume mode has been set, the resume mode representing whether the system data and system state are to be written into the hard disk storage device and starting the timer to measure an elapsed time in response to the detected power off signal; maintaining the power at the predetermined level when the power off signal is generated and the resume mode is determined to be set; storing the system data and system state into the hard disk storage device while the power is maintained at the predetermined level when it is determined in the determining step that the resume mode has been set and the power off signal has been detected; comparing the measured elapsed time with the predetermined delay time; stopping a supply of power from the power source to the computer system when the comparing step determines the elapsed time is greater than or equal to the predetermined delay time, wherein said step of maintaining the power stops the maintaining of the power when the stopping step stops the supply of power; detecting the power on signal after the processed system data and system state have been stored into the hard disk storage device; reading out the system data and system state stored in the hard disk storage device when the resume mode is set in response to the detected power on signal; and restoring the read out system data and system state into the memory.

Claim 14

The method according to claim 9, further comprising the steps of: setting a retention flag representing whether the processed system data and system state has been written into the hard disk storage device; and storing the set retention flag into the hard disk storage device.

Claim 15

The method according to claim 10, further comprising the step of resetting the retention flag after the stored data system and system state are read out.