TWI446157B - Computer and method for protecting its power button - Google Patents

Description

Computer and method of protecting its power button

The invention relates to a computer and a method of protecting its power button.

On the front panel of the computer, there is usually a power button, which is the power on/off button. If you want to activate the device, you need to press this button. If the device has been started or running, you need to force the shutdown, press this button again, and some need to press and continue for a few seconds to shut down.

At present, home computers are becoming more and more popular. When we are running the device, we are busy doing work, such as typing, searching for information on the Internet, and entertainment, such as watching movies and listening to music. If someone, especially a child who is not sensible, suddenly Pressing the power button again will cause a certain loss. Also, for the server, because its startup time is quite long, and the tasks it runs are often important and take a long time to complete, if someone accidentally or conspiring to run the device while the device is running, The button will bring time and property damage.

In view of the above, it is necessary to provide a computer that disables the power button in the case of the device operation by a combination of software and hardware, and protects the computer's power button from being turned off at will by pressing the computer.

In addition, it is also necessary to provide a method for protecting the power button of the computer, which disables the power button in the case of the device operation by means of a combination of software and hardware, and protects the power button of the computer from being turned off at random.

The front panel of the computer includes an analog switch including an input end, an output end, and a control end. The control end is connected to a pin GPO on the computer motherboard, and the input end is connected to one end of a power button of the computer, and the output end is connected to a corresponding power switch pin interface of the computer board of the computer. The motherboard includes a protection unit, and the protection unit includes: a construction module, configured to: when the computer system is running, construct a virtual open button and a virtual close button for turning on and off the function of protecting the power button; and the control module is configured to trigger the When the virtual open button is constructed, the control pin GPO outputs a low level to the control end of the analog switch, thereby controlling the analog switch to be disconnected to disable the power button; the control module is also used to trigger the construction When the virtual close button is pressed, the control pin GPO outputs a high level to the control end of the analog switch, thereby controlling the analog switch to be turned on to make the power button active.

The method for protecting a computer power button includes the steps of: constructing a virtual open button and a virtual close button for turning on and off the function of protecting the power button when the computer system is running; constructing a virtual function for turning on and off the protection power button function when the computer system is running; Turning on the button and the virtual close button; when the virtual open button is triggered, the control pin GPO outputs a low level to the control end of the analog switch, thereby controlling the analog switch to open, causing the power button to be disabled; when the virtual close button is triggered The control pin GPO outputs a high level to the control terminal of the analog switch, thereby controlling the analog switch to be turned on, so that the power button is effective.

Compared with the prior art, the computer provided by the invention and the method for protecting the power button thereof disable the power button in the case of the device operation by the combination of the software and the hardware, and protect the computer from being pressed by the power button by others. Turn off the computer to avoid the time loss and property loss caused by the power supply in the unexpected situation when the computer is running.

1 is an architectural diagram of a preferred embodiment of the computer of the present invention. The computer 1 includes a motherboard 3 and a front panel 4. The front panel 4 is generally connected to the motherboard 3 via a control line to which AUDIO (Audio), USB (Universal Serial Bus), LED (Light Emitting Diode), or the like is connected. The motherboard 3 includes, but is not limited to, a storage device 5. The storage device 5 is used to store the protection unit 50. The front panel 4 includes an analog switch 41 and a power button 42. The external power source 2 described in FIG. 1 is used to supply power to the computer 1.

It should be noted that the north-south bridge and the I/O (Input/Output) (not shown) included in the motherboard 3 are integrated with a power-on trigger circuit, and all the power-on trigger circuits are instantaneously low-level effective. That is, if it is provided with an instantaneous low level, the motherboard 3 can be operated. However, if it is provided with a continuous low level, the computer 1 will be shut down when the computer 1 system is running.

The analog switch 41 has three terminals of an input terminal a, an output terminal b and a control terminal c, wherein the input terminal a and the output terminal b are interchangeable. When the control terminal c inputs the high level, the analog switch 41 is turned on, that is, the analog switch 41 is closed; when the control terminal c is input to the low level, the analog switch 41 is turned off, that is, the analog switch 41 is turned off. When the analog switch 41 is turned on, the on-resistance is several tens of ohms; when the analog switch 41 is turned off, it exhibits a high impedance and can be regarded as an open circuit.

The power button 42 is a switch button that is directly connected between the input terminal a of the analog switch 41 and the ground (GND). In addition, the motherboard 3 includes a pin GPO (General Purpose Output) and a pin GND (the rest are not shown). The pin GPO is connected to the control terminal c of the analog switch 41. When the GPO output level is high, the input of the control terminal c is a high level, the analog switch 41 is turned on; when the GPO output level is a low level, the input of the control terminal c is a low level, and the analog switch 41 is turned off. The pin GND is connected to the ground.

In addition, it should be noted that when the computer 1 is in the off state, the default output level of the pin GPO on the motherboard 3 is a high level.

The output terminal b of the analog switch 41 is also connected to a corresponding power switch pin interface on the motherboard 3 via a power line. Under normal circumstances, the English abbreviation near the pin on the corresponding position on the motherboard 3 is generally PWR, Power SW, PWR SW, etc., the output end b is inserted into the corresponding pin through the plug of the power line, and the analog switch 41 and the host Board connection. It should be noted that when the analog switch 41 is turned on, when the power button 42 is pressed, an instantaneous low level is generated, and the system of the computer 1 is operated. At this time, even if the analog switch 41 is disconnected, the system of the computer 1 is normal. run. However, when the analog switch 41 is turned on and the power button 42 is continuously pressed for a few seconds, the computer 1 is turned off.

2 is a functional block diagram of a preferred embodiment of the protection unit of FIG. 1. The protection unit includes a construction module 500 and a control module 502.

The build module 500 is used to construct a virtual open button and a virtual close button that allow the user to turn the protection unit 50 on and off to protect the power button function. The virtual open button and the virtual close button may be displayed on a display (not shown) of the computer 1, so that the user can turn on and off the function of the protection unit 50 to protect the power button 42 by clicking.

The control module 502 is configured to: when the system of the computer 1 is running, when the user needs to turn on the function of the protection power button 42 to trigger the virtual opening button of the built-in, the control pin GPO outputs a low level, then the control terminal The input of c is also low, thereby controlling the analog switch 41 to open, causing the power button 42 to fail.

The control module 502 is further configured to: when the user needs to turn off the function of the protection power button 42, when the virtual close button is triggered, the control pin GPO outputs a high level, and then the input of the control terminal c is also To the high level, the analog switch 41 is controlled to be closed, causing the power button 42 to be active.

FIG. 3 is a specific implementation flowchart of a preferred embodiment of a method for protecting a computer power button according to the present invention.

First, in step S10, the user presses the power button 42 to run the system of the computer 1.

In step S11, the building module 500 constructs a virtual open button and a virtual close button that allow the user to turn on and off the function of the protection unit 50 to protect the power button 42.

In step S12, when the user needs to turn on the function of protecting the power button 42, the constructed virtual open button is triggered.

In step S13, the control module 502 controls the pin GPO to output the low level to the control terminal c, thereby controlling the analog switch 41 to be disconnected to disable the power button 42.

In step S14, when the user needs to turn off the function of the protection power button 42, the constructed virtual close button is triggered.

In step S15, the control module 502 controls the pin GPO to output a high level to the control terminal c, thereby controlling the analog switch 41 to be closed. At this time, the analog switch 41 is in an on state, so that the power button 42 is enabled. At this time, if the user continues to press the power button 42, the computer 1 is turned off.

In summary, the present invention complies with the requirements of the invention patent and submits a patent application according to law. The above is only the preferred embodiment of the present invention, and the scope of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and equivalent modifications or variations made by those skilled in the art in light of the spirit of the present invention are It should be covered by the following patent application.

1‧‧‧ computer

2‧‧‧External power supply

3‧‧‧ motherboard

4‧‧‧ front panel

41‧‧‧ analog switch

42‧‧‧Power button

5‧‧‧Storage device

50‧‧‧protection unit

500‧‧‧Building module

502‧‧‧Control Module

S10‧‧‧ Press the power button to run the computer system

S11‧‧‧Build virtual open button and virtual close button to turn the power button on and off

S12‧‧‧ When the function of protecting the power button needs to be turned on, the virtual open button is triggered

S13‧‧‧Controls the GPO output low level, which in turn controls the analog switch to open, causing the power button to fail

S14‧‧‧ When the function of the protective power button needs to be turned off, the virtual close button is triggered

S15‧‧‧Control GPO output high level, make the analog switch closed, make the power button effective

1 is a block diagram of a preferred embodiment of a computer of the present invention.

2 is a functional block diagram of a preferred embodiment of the protection unit of FIG. 1.

3 is a flow chart showing a specific implementation of a preferred embodiment of a method for protecting a computer power button according to the present invention.

S10‧‧‧ Press the power button to run the computer system

S11‧‧‧Build virtual open button and virtual close button to turn the power button on and off

S12‧‧‧ When the function of protecting the power button needs to be turned on, the virtual open button is triggered

S13‧‧‧Controls the GPO output low level, which in turn controls the analog switch to open, causing the power button to fail

S14‧‧‧ When the function of the protective power button needs to be turned off, the virtual close button is triggered

S15‧‧‧Control GPO output high level, make the analog switch closed, make the power button effective

Claims (4)

A computer, the front panel of the computer includes an analog switch, the analog switch includes an input end, an output end, and a control end, the control end is connected to a pin GPO on the computer motherboard, and the input end is connected to the computer One end of the power button is connected, and the output end is connected to a corresponding power switch pin interface of the motherboard of the computer, the motherboard includes a protection unit, and the protection unit includes:
Build a module for constructing a virtual open button and a virtual close button for turning on and off the function of protecting the power button when the computer system is running;
a control module, when the virtual open button of the construct is triggered, the control pin GPO outputs a low level to the control end of the analog switch, thereby controlling the analog switch to be disconnected to disable the power button; and the control module, Also used to trigger the built-in virtual close button, the control pin GPO outputs a high level to the control terminal of the analog switch, thereby controlling the analog switch to be turned on to make the power button active. For example, in the computer of the first aspect of the patent application, when the computer is in the off state, the default output level of the pin GPO is a high level. A method for protecting a computer power button, the front panel of the computer includes an analog switch, the analog switch includes an input end, an output end, and a control end, wherein the control end is connected to a pin GPO on the computer motherboard, the input The end is connected to one end of the power button of the computer, and the output end is connected to the corresponding power switch pin interface of the motherboard of the computer, and the method comprises the steps of:
When the computer system is running, construct a virtual open button and a virtual close button to turn the protection power button function on and off;
When the virtual open button is triggered, the control pin GPO outputs a low level to the control end of the analog switch, thereby controlling the analog switch to be disconnected to disable the power button;
When the virtual close button is triggered, the control pin GPO outputs a high level to the control terminal of the analog switch, thereby controlling the analog switch to be turned on to make the power button active. The method for protecting a computer power button according to item 3 of the patent application scope, when the computer is in a shutdown state, the default output level of the pin GPO is a high level.