JP2012118891A - Reduction method for power consumption of computer, and computer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce a power consumption of a computer in an idle state.SOLUTION: A laptop PC 1 includes a primary proprietary device group 100 including a CPU 101, a secondary proprietary device group 200 including a CPU 201a, and a common device group 10 including an LCD 11 and an input device 27 and switched to be connected to one of the primary proprietary device group and secondary proprietary device group. The primary proprietary device group enters a suspended state a predetermined idle time later. While the primary proprietary device group is in the suspended state, the CPU 201a displays an image, displayed on the LCD before the primary proprietary device group enters the suspended state, on the LCD. In response to input from an input device to the LCD, the primary proprietary device group returns to a power-ON state.

Description

  The present invention relates to a technique for reducing power consumption of a computer that operates in an idle state, and more particularly to a technique for reducing power consumption while ensuring workability and operability.

  In the ACPI standard, in addition to the power-on state, a plurality of sleeping states including a suspend state and a hibernation state are defined. There are various technologies for reducing the power consumption of a computer by realizing the sleeping state defined there. Even when the computer is in an idle state where the processor does not execute instructions, the processor and other devices consume power because they need to operate in a standby state to process them instantaneously. Therefore, it is desirable to make the computer transition to the sleeping state as much as possible in the idle state.

  However, in order to transition from the suspended state or hibernation state, which is a part of the sleeping state, to a power-on state in which the processor can execute instructions, operation of the power button and function keys and a certain return time are required. And as the depth of the sleeping state is deeper, the amount of power consumption that can be reduced increases, but the recovery time becomes longer, so the workability decreases. In a notebook portable personal computer (hereinafter referred to as a notebook PC) that is operating on a battery, a user sets a sleeping state in consideration of workability and battery operable time.

  Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-228561 discloses a technique for setting the main body of the computer to a low power consumption mode while the screen saver is operating. The display device depends on the operating state of the computer main unit by providing a graphic controller different from the graphic controller for image display provided on the computer main unit and a memory storing screen protection data on the display device. The screen saver can be started without any problems.

  When the operation on the computer main body side is not performed, the screen saver is activated on the display device side to display the screen protection data, and the computer main body side is suspended. The computer returns to its original state when there is an input. Patent Document 2 discloses a technique for reducing the power consumption of a computer by seamlessly switching between two graphics processors displayed on a display.

  In Patent Document 3, a storage unit for storing display data of each pixel is provided therein, and when there is no change in display contents, data transfer to the liquid crystal display side is stopped, and the display data stored in this storage unit Disclosed is a liquid crystal display having a self-refresh mode in which display is carried out using a display. With this self-refresh mode, the display control device can be stopped, and the power consumption of a computer having a liquid crystal display can be reduced.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-231850 JP-T 2009-545770 JP 2000-181416 A

  Windows (registered trademark) or MAC_OS (registered trademark) has a function (hereinafter referred to as a function for shifting a computer to a power saving state such as a standby state, a hibernation state, or a soft-off state when the processor is in an idle state for a certain period of time. Is called an idle / sleep function). Since the processor stops in the power saving state, it is necessary to operate the function keys and power button of the keyboard in order to return to the power on state.

  In the power saving state, the display of the image disappears and a recovery time is required to some extent. When working for a long time while thinking while looking at the screen with occasional pause from keyboard input, it is inconvenient because the thought will be interrupted if the screen suddenly disappears. In addition, the user has a desire to input as soon as the idea is settled. In such a case, in order to ensure a certain level of workability, the user tends to set a longer time to enter the suspend state or hibernation state, so the idle / sleep function does not function effectively, and the idle state Electric power is consumed wastefully for a long time.

  The same situation also occurs when multiple participants discuss on the same screen in a conference. On the other hand, since there is no change in the image on the display in the idle state, it can be said that there is no problem in actual work if the same image is displayed in the power saving state. In addition, if a computer can create a power saving state that allows the computer to respond to the computer in an idle state and respond to it in a short time, the inconvenience in operation can be eliminated. Can be used more effectively.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a method for reducing the power consumption of an idle computer. It is another object of the present invention to provide a method for reducing power consumption while providing an interface close to an idle state to a user. Furthermore, an object of the present invention is a method for reducing power consumption while ensuring continuity of a display screen and continuity of operation between a transition from an idle state to a power saving state and a return to a power on state. Is to provide. A further object of the present invention is to provide a computer program and a computer that realize such a method.

  The principle of the present invention is that the computer is operated with power saving while providing an interface close to an idle state to the user. The computer can input to the user with the continuity of the display screen and the same operation feeling as input to the computer in the idle state while transitioning from the idle state to the power saving state and returning to the power-on state. To ensure continuity of operations.

  One aspect of the present invention is realized in a computer including a hybrid system capable of realizing the first operating environment and the second operating environment with lower power consumption. An image is displayed on the display while working in the first operating environment. Then, when the idle time in the first operating environment reaches a predetermined time, the first operating environment transitions to the suspended state.

  While the first operating environment transitions to the suspended state, the second operating environment displays the image displayed in the first operating environment on the display. Therefore, even when the first operating environment transitions to the suspend state, the continuity of the display screen from the idle state is ensured, and the user's thinking while looking at the screen is not interrupted. The user inputs from the input device while viewing the image displayed in the idle state.

  The image displayed at that time was generated in the first operating environment, and the operating environment at the time of input is the second operating environment. However, when the user operates the input device while viewing the same image as the idle image in the first operating environment, the first operating environment transitions to the power-on state and inputs to the computer that is almost idle. Therefore, even if the first operating environment is in the suspended state, the continuity of the operation from the idle state can be ensured. It is desirable that the transition from the suspended state to the power-on state is performed without requiring password input and fingerprint authentication in order to shorten the recovery time.

  When there is a high possibility that the user is away from the computer, it is desirable to shift to a state with less power consumption. In this regard, in the present invention, the second operating environment can be transitioned to the suspend state when there is no input from the input device for a predetermined time while the first operating environment is transitioning to the suspend state. The first operating environment can be shifted to the power-on state in response to a return event generated when both the first operating environment and the second operating environment are in the suspended state. At this time, the second operating environment may also be shifted to the power-on state.

  The state in which the first operating environment and the second operating environment both transition to the suspend state is the same as the state in which a computer having a single operating environment has transitioned to the suspend state. It can be generated by either a button, a lid sensor, or a function key on the keyboard. The first operating environment can request a password or fingerprint authentication when returning to the power-on state to prevent others from accessing the computer illegally.

  The second operating environment can receive image data from the first operating environment before the first operating environment transitions to a suspended state in order to display an image. When the idle time reaches another predetermined time, the first operating environment can be shifted to the suspended state, and an image prepared in advance can be displayed on the display in the second operating environment. The image prepared in advance can be a screen saver or other standard image. If the input device that gives the trigger to transition to the power-on state is a basic key of the keyboard and the scan code of the basic key pressed after the first operating environment transitions to the power-on state is processed The continuity of operation can be further enhanced. The input device may be a mouse.

  Other aspects of the invention can be implemented in a computer with a single operating environment. An image is displayed on the display in the power-on state, and the computer is shifted to the suspend state when the processor idle time reaches a predetermined time. The image displayed on the display before the computer transits to the suspend state is similarly displayed in the suspend state. A transition from the suspended state to the power-on state is made based on the input received from the input device that inputs to the display. At this time, the display of the image in the suspended state can be realized by operating the display in the self-refresh mode or using another processor with lower power consumption for the image display.

  According to the present invention, a method for reducing power consumption of an idle computer can be provided. Furthermore, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a method for reducing power consumption while providing an interface close to an idle state to a user. Furthermore, the present invention provides a method for reducing power consumption while ensuring the continuity of the display screen and the continuity of operation between the transition from the idle state to the power saving state and the return to the power-on state. We were able to. Further, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a computer program and a computer that realize such a method.

It is a functional block diagram which shows the structure of the main hardware of the notebook PC carrying a hybrid system. It is a functional block diagram which shows the structure of the main software of a notebook PC. It is a figure which shows an example of the transition of the power state of notebook PC1. It is a flowchart which shows the procedure of transition [3]-[6] which implement | achieves the super power saving mode concerning this Embodiment.

[Configuration of notebook PC]
FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing a main hardware configuration of a notebook PC 1 equipped with a hybrid system. In the hybrid system, one computer system realizes two operating environments, a primary operating environment and a secondary operating environment. Here, one operating environment of the computer system is a concept composed of hardware and software that perform cooperative operation, and hardware and operating system (OS) such as a processor, peripheral device, and chip set, It consists of software such as an application program (application), a device driver, and BIOS. In the hybrid system, the hardware and software elements may be configured to belong exclusively to one of them.

  In the hybrid system of the notebook PC 1, the power states of the primary operation environment and the secondary operation environment can be individually controlled, and only the CPU included in one of the operation environments acquires the entire control right. The operating environment can be dynamically switched bidirectionally through control of the computer itself or through a user interface. The primary operating environment is the main operating environment of the notebook PC 1, and the notebook PC 1 operating in this operating environment can exhibit the maximum functions. The secondary operating environment is composed of hardware and software having a lower function than the primary operating environment.

  For example, hardware in the secondary operating environment can be configured to have a lower operating frequency, a narrower bus bandwidth, and a smaller memory storage capacity than hardware in the primary operating environment. In the secondary operating environment, it is possible to execute an application that is configured more simply while having substantially the same function as the application executed in the primary operating environment. Alternatively, in the secondary operating environment, only processing that places less burden on the processor, such as a Web browser and music playback software, can be executed. Therefore, when the notebook PC 1 operates in the secondary operation environment, power consumption can be significantly reduced compared to when the notebook PC 1 operates in the primary operation environment.

  The device of the notebook PC 1 includes a primary dedicated device group 100, a secondary dedicated device group 200, a shared device group 10, and a basic device group 50. The primary exclusive device group 100 includes a CPU 101, a main memory 103, a graphics card 105, an ICH (I / O Controller Hub) 107, a BIOS 109, and an SSD (Solid State Drive) 111, and performs a primary operation. Works only in the environment. The CPU 101 includes a memory controller to which the main memory 103 is connected and a PCI_E controller to which the graphics card 105 is connected.

  As an example, the CPU 101 can be an X86 processor. The CPU 101 has the largest power consumption among the devices mounted on the notebook PC 1. The main memory 103 is a volatile RAM used as a reading area for a program executed by the CPU 101 and a work area for writing processing data. The graphics card 105 includes a GPU, a video BIOS, and a video memory (VRAM). The graphics card 105 generates an image image to be drawn based on a drawing command received from the CPU 101, writes the image image to the VRAM, and outputs a predetermined timing from the VRAM. The image read out in step (1) is output to the liquid crystal display (LCD) 11 via the changeover switch 13.

  The GPU is a dedicated processor that writes an image into the VRAM based on a drawing command received from the CPU 101, and is also referred to as a graphics accelerator. The ICH 107 is a USB (Universal Serial Bus) for connecting peripheral devices, a SATA (Serial AT Attachment), an SPI (Serial Peripheral Interface) bus, an Audio bus, a PCI_E (Peripheral Component Interconnect Express) bus, an LPC (Low Pin Count) bus, etc. It is a chip set having an interface controller.

  The ICH 107 further includes a real time clock (RTC). The RTC performs a clock operation based on the calendar time acquired through the network, and provides the calendar time to the system used in the notebook PC 1. The RTC operates with the power supplied to the ICH 107, but operates with the power supplied from the button battery when the power of the ICH 107 is stopped. Therefore, the notebook PC 1 is in the power-off state. However, the clock operation will not be stopped.

  The BIOS_ROM 109 stores a system BIOS including a code for accessing a boot device before the control is transferred to the OS, a code for performing processing corresponding to the ACPI standard, a code for executing POST, and the like. The system BIOS performs initialization processing of the primary dedicated device group 100 and the shared device group 10, loading a boot file from the SSD 111 to the main memory 103, and the like. The SSD 111 stores a program that is read into the main memory 103 and executed by the CPU 101 in order to realize a primary operating environment.

  The secondary exclusive device group 200 includes an SOC (System on a chip) type embedded system 201, a main memory 203, and a flash storage device (FSD) 211, and only a secondary operating environment. Works with. The FSD 211 can mount a NAND flash device directly on the embedded system 201 or can be mounted as an SD card. In the embedded system 201, in addition to the function of the CPU 201a, the function of the chip set and the function corresponding to the BIOS are incorporated in one semiconductor device. The chip set functions include the video controller 201b, the memory controller 201c, and all or the main interface 201d functions supported by the ICH 107. As an example, the CPU 201a may be an ARM (Advanced RISC Machine) processor developed by Acorn, UK. The CPU 201a is a type used for mobile phones and smartphones, and consumes much less power than the CPU 101.

  As a function corresponding to BIOS, firmware called BSP (Board Support Package) 201e is incorporated in the embedded system 201. The BSP 201e is a software library necessary for the CPU 201a to execute the OS. The BSP 201e is an initialization process code, a memory mapping process code, and a boot loader for the secondary dedicated device group 200 and the shared device group 10 operating in the secondary operation environment. And device drivers.

  The main memory 203 is a volatile RAM used as a reading area for programs executed by the CPU 201a and a work area for writing processing data. The FSD 211 stores a program that is read into the main memory 203 and executed by the CPU 201a in order to realize a secondary operating environment. The ICH 107 and the embedded system 201 are configured to exchange data with each other by connecting a USB port and other interfaces via a line 31.

  The shared device group 10 includes an LCD 11, a USB terminal 21, an audio device 23, a NIC 25, and an input device 27. The LCD 11 is a refresh type display and needs to receive frame data at a predetermined refresh rate from the video card 105 or the video controller 201b in order to display the same image. The audio device 23 includes a speaker, headphones, and a microphone. The NIC 25 is an interface for connecting to a network by wireless or wired. The input device 27 is configured by combining a keyboard for inputting characters and numbers, a pointing device for designating display coordinates, a touch panel, a digitizer, and the like.

  The keyboard includes basic keys for inputting letters and numbers and function keys to which predetermined functions are assigned. The basic key layout is defined as standard, but the function key is a key that each manufacturer incorporates and arranges independently in order to change the power state of the notebook PC 1 or adjust the volume. . Most basic operations that users perform by running applications use only basic keys.

  The switch 13 connects the LCD 11 to either the video card 105 or the video controller 201b. The switches 15, 17, and 19 connect the USB terminal 21, the audio device 23, and the NIC 25 to either the ICH 107 or the corresponding interface port of the embedded system 201. The switches 13 to 19 are switched by an embedded controller (EC) 57. The shared device group 10 belongs to one of the operating environments depending on the operation of the switches 13, 15, 17, and 19.

  The basic device group 50 includes devices related to basic operations such as power management and temperature management of the notebook PC 1 and operates in any operating environment. The basic device group 50 includes an EC 57, an AC / DC adapter 51, a charger 53, a battery pack 55, a power control circuit 59, a DC / DC converter 65, a heat exhaust fan (not shown), and the like. The EC 57 is a microcomputer composed of a CPU, ROM, EEPROM, DMA controller, interrupt controller, timer, and the like, and further includes an A / D input terminal, D / A output terminal, SM bus (System Management Bus) port , An SPI (Serial Peripheral Interface) bus port, a UART (Universal Asynchronous Receiver Transmitter) port, and a digital input / output terminal.

  The EC 57 operates independently from the CPU 101 and the CPU 201a, and controls the power supplied to the device mounted on the notebook PC 1 according to the power state and manages the temperature inside the system housing. In the present embodiment, the EC 57 performs processing for switching between the primary operating environment and the secondary operating environment. The non-volatile memory of the EC 57 stores a program executed by the EC 57 CPU. The EC 57 is connected to the battery pack 55 via the SM bus and connected to the power supply control circuit 59 via the SPI bus.

  The EC 57 includes an input controller that generates a scan code from a keyboard input of the input device 27 and calculates a cursor coordinate and a movement amount by the pointing device. The EC 57 is connected to the embedded system 201 through the line 33 and can send the input from the input device 27 to either the ICH 107 or the embedded system 201.

  The line 33 includes, as an example, a UART interface for communication between the EC 57 and the embedded system 201. The line 33 includes a line for the EC 57 to detect the presence of the embedded system 201 and to notify the embedded system 201 that the power button 61 has been pressed. Line 33 includes a line for the embedded system 201 to detect the presence of the primary operating environment and to request the EC 57 to change the power state.

  The AC / DC adapter 51 converts AC voltage into DC voltage, supplies power to the DC / DC converter 65, and supplies power to the charger 53 to charge the battery pack 55. The battery pack 55 conforms to a standard called Smart Battery System (SBS) proposed mainly by US Intel Corporation and US Duracell Corporation, and the AC / DC adapter 51 is not connected. Sometimes it becomes the power source of the notebook PC 1 that supplies power to the DC / DC converter 65. When the power source for the DC / DC converter 65 is the AC / DC adapter 51, the battery pack 55 is charged by the charger 53 with the power supplied by the AC / DC adapter 51.

  The power supply control circuit 59 is an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) composed of logic circuits such as a NAND circuit and a NOR circuit, a single transistor, and a passive element such as a resistor. Since the power supply control circuit 59 is composed only of hardware circuits and does not include a processor, the power consumption is very small. A control circuit for the DC / DC converter 65, a power button 61, and a lid sensor 63 are connected to the power supply control circuit 59.

  The power button 61 is provided on the casing of the notebook PC 1 and shifts the power state of the notebook PC 1 when pressed by the user. The lid sensor 63 detects the open / closed state of the housing that houses the LCD 11 and the housing that houses the system device, and transitions the power state of the notebook PC 1. The notebook PC 1 can start the power supply from the sleeping state (S1 state to S4 state) and the soft off state (S5 state), but from the G3 state, which is called mechanical off, the power button 61 It can be activated simply by pressing it. The power supply control circuit 59 controls a switch of a charging / discharging circuit (not shown) related to the battery pack 55 by a command from the system through the EC 57, pressing of the power button 61, or an operation of the lid sensor 63, or a DC / DC converter. 65 operations are controlled.

  The power supply control circuit 59 includes a register that indicates the current power state of the notebook PC 1 and the power state after transition based on the event. The EC 57 controls the power supply control circuit 59 so that power is supplied to a predetermined device by referring to the register of the power supply control circuit 59 when detecting an event for changing the power state of the notebook PC 1. The DC / DC converter 65 uses either the AC / DC adapter 51 or the battery pack 53 as a power source, and is controlled by the power supply control circuit 33 according to the power state to supply power to various devices of the notebook PC 1.

  Note that FIG. 1 is merely a simplified description of the main hardware configuration and connection relationships related to the present embodiment in order to describe the present embodiment. In addition to those mentioned in the above description, many devices are used to configure the notebook PC 1 equipped with the hybrid system. However, they are well known to those skilled in the art and will not be described in detail here.

  A person skilled in the art arbitrarily selects a plurality of blocks described in FIG. 1 as one integrated circuit or device or conversely divides one block into a plurality of integrated circuits or devices. To the extent possible, it is included in the scope of the present invention. Further, the division between the primary exclusive device group 100 or the secondary exclusive device group 200 and the shared device group 10 is not necessarily limited to that illustrated in FIG. For example, the SSD 111 and the FSD 211 can be part of the shared device group. In this case, at the time of booting, the software of the primary operating environment can be booted first, and then the software of the secondary operating environment can be booted. In addition, the types of buses and interfaces connecting the devices are not particularly limited to the present invention, and the present invention is within the scope that can be arbitrarily selected by those skilled in the art even for other connections. Included in the range.

[Software configuration]
FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram showing a main software configuration of the notebook PC 1. The software includes a document application 151, a synchronization application 153, an OS 155, and device drivers 157 and 161 that are executed in the primary operation environment, a document application 251, a synchronization application 253, an OS 255, and a device application that are executed in the secondary operation environment. It comprises drivers 257 and 261. The document applications 151 and 251 are examples of application programs that operate using the services of the OSs 155 and 255. The document application 251 is configured more simply than the document application 151, and the burden on the CPU 201a to be executed becomes light.

  The synchronization applications 153 and 253 perform switching processing between the primary operating environment and the secondary operating environment while exchanging messages with each other. The synchronization application 153 provides the LCD 11 with a user interface for setting the power state transition shown in FIG. The OS 155 can be Windows (registered trademark) as an example, and the OS 255 can be Android (registered trademark) as an example.

  The OS 155 can transition the power state to the power saving mode when the primary operating environment is idle for a predetermined time. Here, the idle state means a state where there is no input from the input device 27 such as a keyboard or a pointing device to the system. The idle state can further include a state where there is no file transfer with the server and a state where the OS 155 module does not switch the display of the application window from the background to the foreground.

  Since the system cannot directly detect the operating states of the SSD 111, the CPU 101, the LCD 11, and the like, the OS 155 recognizes them as idle states even if they are operating. In this case, an application that causes inconvenience when transitioning to the suspend state may issue an API for preventing the notebook PC 1 from transitioning to the power saving state while they are operating. Therefore, a state where such an API is not called can be added to the idle state. This API can be detected by the OS 155 by adding a filter driver and hooking.

  The device driver 157 is a program for controlling the operation and data communication of the controller 159 of the primary exclusive device group, and the device driver 257 is for controlling the operation of the controller 259 of the secondary exclusive device group and the data communication. It is a program to do. The device drivers 161 and 261 are programs for controlling the operation of the controller 51 of the shared device group 10 and data communication. The device drivers 161 and 261 each set the controller of the shared device group 50 and the input / output devices connected to it each time an operating environment is acquired without considering the control right of the notebook PC 1.

[Power state transition]
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of power state transition of the notebook PC 1. The notebook PC 1 conforms to the ACPI standard, and can transition to four global system states of the G0 state, the G1 state, the G2 state, and the G3 state. The G0 state corresponds to an S0 state (power-on state) as a power state, and the CPUs 101 and 201a can execute an application program, and power is supplied to all peripheral devices. Each device can perform a power saving operation according to the device power state from the D0 state to the S3 state based on its unique function.

  The G1 state is also called a sleeping state, and the notebook PC 1 supports only the S3 state and the S4 state among the four sleeping states from the S1 state to the S4 state. However, a computer that supports the S1 state and the S2 state is also included in the scope of the present invention. The S3 state is also referred to as a suspend state or a standby state, and power to devices other than those necessary for holding the storage of the main memories 103 and 203 is stopped. However, in the suspended state, power may be directly supplied to a minimum number of devices that are not related to the storage and holding of the main memories 103 and 203. In the suspended state, supply of power and system clock to the CPUs 103 and 201a is stopped.

  The S4 state is also called a hibernation state or a hibernation state, and the context is stored in the SSD 111 and the FSD 211, and the power of most devices is stopped. In the hibernation state, the storage holding operation of the main memories 103 and 203 is stopped. The G2 state corresponds to the S5 state as a power state, which is also called a soft-off state, and most devices are powered off without holding a context. The G3 state is also referred to as a mechanical off state, and all power sources of the notebook PC 1 are stopped so that standby power is not consumed. The S4 state, the S5 state, and the G3 state are called power-off states.

  The power state of the notebook PC 1 equipped with the hybrid system can be defined in each of the primary operating environment and the secondary operating environment. In FIG. 3, the power state represented as Snm indicates that the primary operating environment is n states and the secondary operating environment is m states. In the S00 state in which both the primary operating environment and the secondary operating environment are in the power-on state, power is supplied to the primary dedicated device group 100, the secondary dedicated device group 200, and the shared device group 10.

  In the S30 state in which the primary operating environment is in the suspended state and the secondary operating environment is in the power-on state, the CPU 101 and the video card 105 that are unnecessary to hold the storage of the main memory 103 in the primary dedicated device group 100 are stored. And the power of some circuits of the ICH 107 is stopped, but the power of the shared device such as the LCD 11, the USB terminal 21, the audio device 23, and the NIC 25 is not stopped. Then, power is supplied to the secondary dedicated device group 200.

  In the S33 state where both the primary operating environment and the secondary operating environment are in the suspended state, the device power necessary to maintain the storage of the main memory 103 and the main memory 203 is supplied, but the device operates in the S30 state. The power supply to the shared device group 10 that has been stopped is stopped. In the S33 state, power supply to the EC 57 and the power supply control circuit 59 is maintained. In the notebook PC 1, the power consumption in the hibernation state and the soft-off state is the same.

  In the S45 state or S55 state in which the primary operating environment and the secondary operating environment are in the hibernation state or the soft-off state, the power of most devices except the power supply control circuit 59 is stopped. The power state shown in FIG. 3 is an example. For example, the primary operating environment may be realized in the S03 state instead of the S00 state, or a new power state such as the S34 state or the S44 state may be added. Is possible.

  The transition [1] from the S45 state or the S55 state to the S00 state corresponds to booting of the entire notebook PC 1 including the primary operation environment and the secondary operation environment. When the power button 61 is pressed, the EC 57 switches the switches 13 to 19 to the primary operating environment side. The CPU 101 first executes the POST code stored in the BIOS_ROM 109 and then loads the boot file stored in the SSD 111 into the main memory 103. When the EC 57 recognizes that the embedded system 201 exists in the notebook PC 1 through the line 33, the EC 57 also supplies power to the secondary dedicated device group.

  In the embedded system 201 to which the power is supplied, the BSP 201e is executed first, the device is tested and initialized in the same way as POST, and then the boot file stored in the FSD 211 is read to the main memory 203. It is. At this time, the OS 255 proceeds with booting on the assumption that the shared device group 10 does not exist. Therefore, the device driver 261 loads without sending a command to the controller 51 of the shared device group or receiving data from it. The primary operating environment and the secondary operating environment are loaded in parallel, and the boot is completed at each timing. As a result, the power state of the notebook PC 1 transitions to the S00 state.

  In the case of transition [2] from the S00 state to the S45 state or the S55 state, the OS 155 that has judged the transition first asks the program being executed whether the transition is possible or stores necessary information in the SSD 111. Prepare to transition to the power off state. At the time of transition to S45, the storage contents of the main memory 103 and the system context are stored in the SSD 111 before the power to the device is stopped. The transition trigger may be an input event from the input device 27, an operation of the lid sensor 63, or a case where the OS 155 detects the passage of a predetermined idle time. When the preparation for the transition to the power-off state is completed, the OS 155 causes the power state of the primary operating environment to transition to the hibernation state or the soft-off state through the EC 57.

  When the EC 57 controls the DC / DC converter 65 and recognizes that the primary operating environment has transitioned to the hibernation state or the soft-off state, the EC 57 notifies the embedded system 201 of the transition of the power state through the line 33. In the embedded system 201 that receives the notification, the OS 255 performs a preparation process in the same manner as the OS 155. When the OS 255 notifies the EC 57 that the preparation has been completed, the EC 57 controls the DC / DC converter 65 to shift the power state of the secondary operating environment to the hibernation state or the soft-off state. It is also possible to start the transition to the secondary operating environment while the primary operating environment is transitioning, and to perform the transition of both operating environments in parallel.

  Transitions [3] to [6] will be described in detail with reference to FIG. In the transition [7] from the S00 state to the S33 state, the transition can be performed almost in the same manner as the transition [2], including the transition trigger, except that the main memory 103 and 203 are stored. it can. The transition [8] from the S33 state to the S45 state or the S55 state is performed when the remaining capacity of the battery pack 55 is reduced to a predetermined value or less when the battery pack 55 is a power source.

  When the EC 57 receives a notification that the remaining capacity has decreased from the battery pack 100, the EC 57 controls the DC / DC converter 65 to supply power to all the devices and temporarily changes the notebook PC 1 to S00. Thereafter, the EC 57 changes the notebook PC 1 to the S45 state or the S55 state in the same procedure as the transition [2]. Transitions [9] and [10] between the S00 state and the S30 state seamlessly transition from the primary operating environment to the secondary operating environment to execute a simple application in the secondary operating environment with low power consumption. To be done.

  Seamless transition means that a state close to the primary operating environment is instantaneously reproduced in the secondary operating environment. For example, when the document application 151 is executed in the primary operation environment, the user application instructs the secondary operation environment to start the related document application 251, and the data up to that point is stored in the document application 251. send. Further, the secondary operating environment displays almost the same image on the LCD 11 as before the transition, and the primary operating environment is transitioned to the suspended state.

  Thereafter, the notebook PC 1 becomes ready to execute the document application 251 by input from the input device 27. In addition, when an application that does not necessarily need to be executed in the primary operation environment, such as browsing a web browser or executing a sound reproduction program, is executed in the S30 state with low power consumption, the transition [9], Although [10] is used, it is not necessary for the description of the present invention, so a detailed description is omitted.

[Transition procedure to super power saving mode]
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a procedure of transitions [3] to [6] for realizing the super power saving mode according to the present embodiment. The super power saving mode is an S30 state that exists between the S00 state and the S33 state, and is designed to reduce power consumption so as not to deteriorate the user's workability even if the transition between the S00 state is repeated frequently. . The S30 state achieves much higher power savings than the device-based power saving mode that was realized in a power-on state with a conventional computer.

  In the device-based power saving mode, when the computer is in an idle state, for example, the processor changes to the Cx state by stepping down or throttling, or the LCD 11 lowers the brightness to reduce the power. If there is a problem, the device can return to the power-on state and process it in a very short time, but the amount of power consumption reduction is by no means sufficient. The device-based power saving mode can be executed in addition to the super power saving mode of the present invention. Blocks 301 to 315 show procedures in the primary operating environment, and blocks 351 to 363 show procedures in the secondary operating environment. A solid line connecting the blocks indicates an event or data path, and a dotted line indicates that the state is shifted.

  The user sets a plan regarding power state transition based on idle time for the OS 155 through the synchronization application 153. For example, the synchronization application 153 sets t0 as the setting time of the idle state that is a condition for the transition [7] for directly transitioning from the S00 state to the S33 state in accordance with a user instruction. In this embodiment, when enabling the super power saving mode, the transition from the S00 state to the S33 state is made via the S30 state, so the transition [7] is set to disabled. Only the set time t0 is enabled. The synchronous application 153 sets the set time of the idle state as a condition of transition [3] for transition from the S00 state to the S30 state as t1.

  In block 300, the power button 61 of the notebook PC 1 that has transitioned to the S45 state or the S55 state is pressed to supply power to all devices, and booting is performed according to the procedure of transition [1]. In block 301 and block 351, the power state of the notebook PC 1 transitions to the S00 state, and the primary operating environment acquires control by default. At this time, in the block 351, after the boot is completed, the secondary operating environment may be changed to the suspended state to realize the S03 state. In the S00 state or the S03 state, the user can work while enjoying the maximum performance through the primary operation environment.

  In block 303, the OS 155 monitors the idle state of the CPU 101. When the idle state duration (idle time) measured by the timer of the OS 155 times out at the set time t1, the synchronous application 153 determines that an idle state transitioning to the S30 state has occurred. The OS 155 resets the operation of the timer if there is an input from the input device 27 before the timeout of the set time t1 occurs.

  The reset timer measures idle time from the beginning. The OS 155 can reset the operation of the timer when it detects file transfer with the server and when it detects that the OS 155 module has switched the display of the application window from the background to the foreground. The OS 155 can reset the operation of the timer when detecting that the API for preventing the transition to the suspended state is called.

  Such an idle state that lasts for the set time t1 occurs when the user thinks while looking at the screen, or when a participant who looks at the monitor screen at the meeting discusses. The PC 1 is in a state where the work is hindered if the screen of the LCD 11 is turned off by making a transition to the S33 state even though the PC 1 is not actually performing the work. The OS 155 that has detected the timeout for the set time t 1 notifies the synchronization application 153 of this in block 305. If the secondary operating environment has been transitioned to the suspended state in block 351, the synchronization application 153 requests that the secondary dedicated device group 200 be supplied with power through the EC 57 and sets the secondary operating environment to the power-on state. Notify after transition.

  The synchronization application 153 sends a switching signal indicating that the control right is transferred to the secondary operation environment to the synchronization application 253. Further, the synchronization application 153 requests the EC 57 to switch the switches 13 to 19 in order to make the shared device group 10 belong to the secondary operation environment. Upon receiving the request, the EC 57 immediately switches the switches 13 to 19 to the secondary operating environment side. Since the input from the input device 27 does not need to be sent to the secondary operating environment in the super power saving mode, the EC 57 does not send the input event from the input device 27 to the embedded system 201 through the line 33. Control the controller.

  In block 353, the synchronization application 253 that has received the notification requests the OS 255 and the BSP 201e to prepare for acquiring the control right by inspecting, initializing, and setting the shared device group 10 belonging to the secondary operation environment. Also, the device driver 261 is set for the shared device group 10. The synchronization application 253 that has received the notification of completion of preparation from the OS 255 notifies the synchronization application 153 that preparation for switching has been completed.

  In block 307, the synchronization application 153 acquires a drawing command sent from the CPU 101 to the video card 105 in order to display the image data currently displayed on the LCD 11 in the secondary operation environment, and synchronizes through the line 31. Send to application 253. At this time, the synchronization application 153 notifies the EC 57 of t2 = t0-t1 as the set time for which the time when there is no input from the input device 27 is up.

  In block 355, the synchronization application 253 causes the CPU 201a to execute the received drawing command and causes the LCD 11 to display the same image as that displayed in the primary operation environment. At this time, the image displayed in the secondary operation environment is a pseudo image that is separated from the application and the OS 155 that displayed the image in the primary operation environment. The synchronization application 253 notifies the synchronization application 153 that an image has been displayed. Such switching of the operating environment for displaying an image can be performed without the user's knowledge, and the continuity of the display screen for the user can be ensured even when the operating environment is switched.

  In block 309, the synchronization application 153 that has received the notification requests the OS 155 to transition the primary operating environment to the suspended state. The OS 155 stores the context of the CPU 101 and the setting information of the primary dedicated device group 100 in the main memory 103. At this time, access to the SSD 105 may be necessary in order to swap the data in the main memory 103. In order to cope with this, the notebook PC 1 uses an SSD 105 having a higher access frequency than the hard disk drive. I use it.

  The OS 155 stops the power of the primary exclusive device group 100 through the EC 57 in block 311. The EC 57 that recognizes that the power of the primary exclusive device group 100 has stopped notifies the embedded system 201 that the primary operating environment has transitioned to the suspended state. At block 357, the synchronization application 253 recognizes that the secondary operating environment has acquired control. At this point, the primary operating environment transitions to the suspend state, the secondary operating environment maintains the power-on state, and the notebook PC 1 as a whole transitions to the S30 state to realize the super power saving mode. The S30 state at this time is different from the secondary operating environment of the S30 state realized by transitioning from the S00 state shown in FIG. 3 through the transition [9].

  The S30 state of transition [9] is a state in which the input from the input device 27 is received by the secondary operating environment and the document application 251 can be executed, whereas the OS 255 is in the input device 27 in the S30 state of the super power saving mode. The document application 251 is not executed without receiving the input from. However, even in the S30 state of the super power saving mode, a secondary operating environment is realized to supply power to the secondary dedicated device group 200 in order to display an image on the LCD 11.

  The transition [3] is completed by the procedure so far. In block 359, in the secondary operating environment, the EC 57 monitors an input event from the input device 27 while measuring time-up of the set time t2 with an internal timer. The input event is an input from a basic key of the keyboard or an input from a pointing device for a pseudo image displayed on the LCD 11. When there is an input, at block 361, the EC 57 supplies power to the primary dedicated device group 100, and further switches the switches 13 to 19 to make the shared device group 10 belong to the primary operating environment. The OS 155 sets the context of the CPU 101 stored in the main memory 103, the contents of the registers of the primary shared device group, and the like, and transitions the primary operating environment to the power-on state in block 313. The device driver 161 sets the shared device group 10.

  At this time, the OS 155 does not ask the user who uses the primary operating environment for password input or fingerprint authentication. When the primary operating environment is restored, an image immediately before the transition to the suspend state is displayed on the LCD 11 in block 311. This image is the same as the image displayed in the block 355 in the secondary operating environment, but is an image created by the document application 151 or the OS 155.

  In addition, input data such as characters and coordinates input in block 359 is temporarily stored in EC 57 and passed to OS 155 after the primary operating environment transitions to the power-on state. The OS 155 sends data corresponding to the scan code to the application displaying the active window in the image data transmitted in block 307. As described above, since the primary operation environment is returned to the power-on state by the input operation from the input device 27 in the S30 state, and the processing is performed in the primary operation environment in which the input information is also restored, the user can select the super power saving mode. Also, the notebook PC 1 can be operated by operating the notebook PC 1 with the same feeling as in the idle state.

  In a conventional notebook PC, when a transition from the power-on state to the suspend state occurs, the operation of keys and pointing devices used to execute applications, such as pressing a function key or power button to wake up, Needed a different special operation or the screen disappeared. Therefore, the user hesitates to make a transition to the suspend state, or sets the set time for the idle state to be up for a long time.

  In this embodiment, since the continuity of the screen display and the continuity of the operation from the S00 state through the S30 state to the return to the S00 state are maintained, the setting of the idle state until the transition to the S30 state is performed. Even if the time t1 is shortened, the reduction in workability can be minimized, so that the super power saving mode can be effectively utilized. The transition [4] is completed by the procedure so far.

  If there is no input event at block 359, at block 363, the EC 57 determines whether or not the time when there is no input event reaches the set time t2. When the timer expires at the set time t2, the EC 57 stops the power of the secondary dedicated device group 200 and switches the switches 13 to 19 to cause the shared device group 10 to belong to the primary operating environment. As the secondary operating environment transitions to the suspended state, the notebook PC 1 transitions to the S33 state and ends the transition [5].

  When returning from the S33 state to the S00 state, it is desirable to use a special button so that it does not return even if the key or pointing device is touched by mistake, unlike when returning from the S30 state to the S00 state. In block 315, the EC 57, which has recognized that the notebook PC 1 has transitioned to the S33 state, detects a return event caused by pressing the power button 61, pressing a function key on the keyboard, or operating the lid sensor 63. In order to return to the block 300 and shift the notebook PC 1 to the S00 state, power is supplied to the primary dedicated device group 100 and the secondary dedicated device group 200.

  In this case, however, the POST and boot file are not loaded by the BIOS, and the respective operating environments are constructed with the data stored in the main memories 103 and 203. When returning to the S00 state, the primary operating environment may require the user to enter a password or fingerprint authentication in order to enable access to the notebook PC 1. The transition [6] is completed by the procedure so far.

  At block 359, the input event may be received by the embedded system 201 and the embedded system 201 may notify the EC 57 to transition the primary operating environment to the power on state. In this case, at block 305, the EC 57 controls the input controller so that the input from the input device 27 is sent to the embedded system 201 via the line 33. Also, at block 315, the return event can be received by the secondary operating environment.

  During the transition to the S30 state in block 359, the synchronization application 253 can display the remaining time until the transition to the S33 state on the LCD 11. In block 359, the same image is displayed on the LCD 11 as long as there is no input event. However, in the primary operating environment, the calendar time is measured by the RTC even in the suspended state. The notebook PC 1 can periodically change to the S00 state and update the display of the screen related to the RTC regardless of the presence or absence of an input event while operating in the S30 state.

  The example in which the image immediately before the transition of the primary operating environment to the suspend state is displayed in the S30 state of the super power saving mode has been described so far. However, the present invention provides a second super mode between the S00 state and the S33 state. The power saving mode (S30 state) is set, and when the notebook PC 1 shifts to the second super power saving mode, a screen saver or previously prepared image data is displayed based on the procedure of FIG. May be. When returning to the S00 state from the state where the second screen saver is displayed, if a password input or fingerprint authentication is requested, the screen saver screen is displayed when the user leaves the notebook PC 1. Thus, the LCD 11 can be made in a state that cannot be seen by others.

  Although an example in which the set time t1 in the idle state is used as a trigger when transitioning from the S00 state to the S30 state has been described, in the present invention, an interface for making the S30 state easier to use can be provided to the input device 27. it can. For example, a function for instantaneously transitioning from the S00 state to the S30 state is assigned to a specific key of the input device 27, or a function for changing the set time t2 for transitioning from the S30 state to the S33 state by the number of times the specific key is pressed. Can be assigned.

  Up to now, the super power saving mode has been exemplified and explained with the hybrid system. However, the present invention is not limited to the display screen until it returns from the idle state to the power on state via the super power saving state. If continuity and continuity of operation can be ensured, it can be realized by a method other than the hybrid system. For example, in a computer having a single operating environment, a self-refresh mode can be utilized in which a refresh type display can display the same image without receiving drawing commands from the processor.

  In this case, a frame buffer is added to the LCD, and the LCD screen just before the transition to the S30 state is stored in the frame buffer for one frame so that the image data of the frame buffer is repeatedly displayed on the LCD. be able to. Furthermore, the processor that sends the drawing command while operating in the super power saving mode does not necessarily have to realize the secondary operating environment. In addition, although a notebook PC has been illustrated and described as an example of a computer, the present invention is not limited to a notebook PC but can be applied to an information terminal device such as a tablet PC, a desktop PC, or a smartphone.

  Although the present invention has been described with the specific embodiments shown in the drawings, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments shown in the drawings, and is known so far as long as the effects of the present invention are achieved. It goes without saying that any configuration can be adopted.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Shared device group 50 ... Basic device group 100 ... Primary exclusive device group 200 ... Secondary exclusive device group 201 ... Embedded system

Claims (20)

A computer equipped with a hybrid system capable of realizing a first operating environment and a second operating environment that consumes less power than the first operating environment.
Displaying an image on a display in the first operating environment;
Transitioning the first operating environment to a suspended state when an idle time in the first operating environment reaches a predetermined time;
Displaying on the display an image that was displayed in the first operating environment in the second operating environment;
A computer program for executing a process including a step of transitioning the first operating environment to a power-on state in response to an input from the input device.   The computer program according to claim 1, wherein the step of transitioning the first operating environment to a power-on state is performed without requiring password input and fingerprint authentication. Transitioning the second operating environment to the suspended state when there is no input from the input device for a predetermined time while the first operating environment is transitioning to the suspended state; and The computer according to claim 1, further comprising a step of transitioning the first operating environment to a power-on state in response to a return event generated when the second operating environment is in a suspended state. ·program.   The computer program according to claim 1, wherein the return event is generated by any one of a power button, a lid sensor, and a function key of a keyboard.   5. The computer program according to claim 3, wherein the first operating environment requests a password or fingerprint authentication when returning to the power-on state.   6. The computer program according to claim 1, wherein the displaying step includes a step of transferring image data of the image from the first operating environment to the second operating environment. Transitioning the first operating environment to a suspended state when the idle time reaches a predetermined time;
The computer program according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising: displaying image data prepared in advance on the display in the second operating environment in a power-on state.   The input device is a basic key of a keyboard, and the first operating environment processes a scan code of the basic key that is pressed after transitioning to a power-on state. The computer program described.   The method according to claim 1, wherein the input device is a pointing device that indicates coordinates of the display. In order to reduce the power consumption of a computer comprising a display and an input device,
Displaying an image on the display in a power-on state;
Transitioning the computer to a suspended state when a processor idle time reaches a predetermined time; and
Displaying in the suspended state an image that was displayed on the display before the computer transitioned to the suspended state;
A computer program for causing a process to transition from the suspended state to a power-on state based on an input received from the input device.   The computer program according to claim 10, wherein the displaying includes operating the display in a self-refresh mode.   The computer program according to claim 10, wherein the displaying includes operating a processor that consumes less power than the processor. A computer with a hybrid system,
A primary proprietary device group including a first processor;
A secondary dedicated device group including a second processor and consuming less power than the primary dedicated device group;
A shared device group that includes a display and an input device and can be switched to and connected to either the primary dedicated device group or the secondary dedicated device group;
The primary dedicated device group transitions to a suspended state when a predetermined idle time of the first processor has elapsed, and the second processor is in the state of the first dedicated device group while the primary dedicated device group transitions to a suspended state. An image displayed on the display before the secondary dedicated device group transitions to the suspend state is displayed on the display, and the primary dedicated device group enters a power-on state in response to an input from the input device. Transition computer.   14. The computer according to claim 13, wherein the secondary dedicated device group transitions to a suspend state when there is no input from the input device for a predetermined time while the primary dedicated device group transitions to a suspend state.   The primary dedicated device group sends the image data of the image displayed before the transition to the suspended state to the secondary dedicated device group, and the secondary dedicated device group displays the received image data on the display. The computer according to claim 13 or 14. A computer capable of transitioning to a suspended state,
A processor;
Display,
An input device,
When the predetermined idle time of the processor elapses, the state transits to the suspend state, and the image displayed on the display before the transition to the suspend state is displayed on the display during the transition to the suspend state. A computer that transitions to a power-on state in response to an input from the input device. A method of controlling power consumption in a computer including a hybrid system including a first processor and a second processor that consumes less power than the first processor, comprising:
Displaying an image on a display based on a drawing instruction of the first processor;
The controller stops the first processor when the idle time of the first processor reaches a predetermined time;
The second processor operating while the first processor is stopped displaying the image on the display;
Causing the controller to operate the first processor in response to an input from the input device detected while the first processor is stopped.   The method of claim 17, wherein the step of operating the first processor is performed without requiring password entry and fingerprint authentication.   19. The controller according to claim 17, further comprising a step in which the controller stops the second processor when there is no input from the input device for a predetermined time while the first processor is stopped. Method. A method for controlling power consumption of a computer,
Displaying an image on a display based on a processor drawing instruction;
The controller stops the processor when the idle time of the processor reaches a predetermined time;
Displaying the image displayed on the display on the display while the processor is stopped, and causing the controller to operate the processor in response to an input from the input device.

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