CN100410846C

CN100410846C - Method for realizing real-time clock waking-up of notebook computer

Info

Publication number: CN100410846C
Application number: CNB2005101049711A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 易贤群
Original assignee: Lenovo Beijing Ltd
Current assignee: Lenovo Beijing Ltd
Priority date: 2005-09-22
Filing date: 2005-09-22
Publication date: 2008-08-13
Anticipated expiration: 2025-09-22
Also published as: CN1936774A

Abstract

This invention discloses a method to realize real-time awakening of clock by notebook computer. It including: Inputting the awakening time into the register of RTC by the timing module, and sent sleep requirement step to the system at the same time. The BIOS module of the system will read out the information of the register of RTC after it has found the sleep requirement and determine it is whether or not the requirement for the awakening of the real-time clock. If it is, then it will read out the time information of the register of RTC and sent out it to the controller of EC. The system will enter the step of the state of S4 according to the above sleep requirement. The controller of EC will carry on the time after it have received time information, and it will sent awaken requirement to the system when the above awaken time arrive. The method of this invention has overcome the increasing of the cost for the need to equip RTC at the KBC end or the shortcoming that the cost of power will be greater because it needs the RTC to charge in the progress of real-time clock awakening by RTC, the method is easy to operate.

Description

The implementation method of real-time clock waking-up of notebook computer

Technical field

The present invention relates to the implementation method of real-time clock waking-up, be specifically related to a kind of implementation method of real-time clock waking-up of notebook computer.

Background technology

Real-time clock waking-up is the basic performance test requirement of of notebook computer, and its purpose is to test in the time of setting, and whether real-time clock can wake system up from the S4 state.As shown in Figure 3, under the S4 state, system is in sleep state, and data are saved in hard disk, and all important register datas in the mainboard BIOS reservation chip, and chipset itself also will be supported the energy management function simultaneously.System is under the S4 state, as is subjected to wake request and can returns to normal condition, and data and mapping are then accordingly from disk recovery system up till now.

Real-time clock waking-up mainly contains two kinds of implementation methods in the prior art, and a kind of is to realize by the real-time clock (RTC) of the South Bridge chip on the mainboard, and another kind is realized by the real-time clock of KBC (keyboard controller).In first method, time block is written to wakeup time in the RTC register of south bridge, and issue allows system enter the request of S4, thereby system enters the S4 state, when wakeup time then, real-time clock equipment by south bridge wakes system up from the S4 state, this method must guarantee that south bridge has electricity under the S4 state, has so just strengthened the power consumption of system under the S4 state.In the second approach, time block is written to wakeup time in the RTC register of south bridge, and issue allows system enter the request of S4, after the BIOS module of system detects this sleep request, read the wakeup time of setting from the RTC register of south bridge, and it is written to the RTC relevant register of KBC, allow system enter into the S4 state then, when wakeup time then, RTC by KBC wakes system up from the S4 state, under the S4 state, electricity is arranged, but have the KBC chip of real-time clock (RTC) on price, to want much expensive than the KBC chip that does not have real-time clock (RTC) without south bridge.

Summary of the invention

The object of the present invention is to provide a kind of implementation method of with low cost, convenient-to-running real-time clock waking-up.

Technical scheme bag of the present invention is: a kind of implementation method of real-time clock waking-up of notebook computer, be characterised in that, comprise: wakeup time is write in the register of south bridge RTC by time block, send sleep step of asking and the real-time clock waking-up status information that south bridge is set to system simultaneously; After the BIOS module of system detects this sleep request, read the status information of south bridge register and judge this information, if be confirmed to be the real-time clock waking-up solicited message, then read the temporal information in the south bridge RTC register and send to the step of embedded controller, if unconfirmedly be the real-time clock waking-up status information then directly enter next step; The step that system enters the S4 state according to aforesaid sleep request; After the embedded controller time of receipt (T of R) information, carry out timing, when treating the wakeup time arrival of aforementioned setting, send the step of wake request to system.

Usefulness of the present invention is, can realize the function of real-time clock waking-up and need not be provided with the higher RTC chip of cost in keyboard controller KBC, also do not need the south bridge circuit of mainboard charged, helps prolongs standby time thereby save power supply.

Description of drawings

Fig. 1 is a modular structure synoptic diagram of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a notebook computer real time clock realization method process flow diagram of the present invention;

Fig. 3 enters S4 state and the synoptic diagram from the S4 recovering state to normal condition for system.

Embodiment

Below in conjunction with accompanying drawing embodiments of the present invention are further described.

The invention provides a kind of implementation method of real-time clock waking-up, core is to utilize BIOS and embedded controller EC to realize the function of real-time clock waking-up, is realized by time block, BIOS (Basic Input or Output System (BIOS)) and EC (embedded controller).

As shown in Figure 1, the present invention relates to three construction modules: time block, BIOS (Basic Input or Output System (BIOS)) and embedded controller EC.Wherein time block is used for being provided with wakeup time and issue sleep request.BIOS (Basic Input or Output System (BIOS)) and EC (embedded controller) finish the real-time clock waking-up function jointly, in BIOS (Basic Input or Output System (BIOS)) part, it receives sleep request and real-time clock waking-up requirement, and from south bridge RTC register, read and comprise current time and the wakeup time equal time information that is provided with by time block, and send temporal information to embedded controller EC.In the EC part, receive after current time and wakeup time or the difference information of the two that main frame sends to, carry out timing by timing module then, and judge whether wakeup time arrives, if arrived the wakeup time of setting, then sent wake request to system system is waken up to normal condition from the S4 state by wake module.

As shown in Figure 2, method of the present invention may further comprise the steps:

(1) time block writes wakeup time (for example 20 seconds) in the south bridge RTC register, and sends the request (wherein real-time clock waking-up request be reflected in the information of the status register of south bridge be the real-time clock waking-up requesting state information) of sleep request and real-time clock waking-up to system;

(2) BIOS reads the information of the status register of south bridge on the mainboard, and information analyzed, if judge that the information of status register is the real-time clock waking-up solicited message, then from south bridge RTC register, read and write the temporal information that comprises wakeup time and current time in system, and the two or the two difference sent to embedded controller EC, make system enter the S4 state then, if instead judge the information of status register be not the real-time clock waking-up information requested then system directly enter the S4 state;

(3) embedded controller EC according to the temporal information that comprises current time and wakeup time and the difference of the two that receives from BIOS (Basic Input or Output System (BIOS)) after, by himself with timing module carry out timing, when wakeup time during, wake the current system that has entered the S4 state up by a wake module to (equaling current time or the two difference as wakeup time is zero).

Therefore the implementation method of notebook real-time clock waking-up of the present invention need not be provided with RTC equipment in keyboard controller KBC, can save cost, does not need system to be in that south bridge keeps charged under the S4 state yet, thereby reduces energy consumption.

Claims

1. the implementation method of a real-time clock waking-up of notebook computer is characterized in that may further comprise the steps:

By time block wakeup time is write in the south bridge RTC register, send the sleep request to system simultaneously;

After the BIOS of system detects this sleep request, read the information of south bridge status register and judge whether this information is the real-time clock waking-up solicited message, if be confirmed to be the real-time clock waking-up solicited message, then read the temporal information in the south bridge RTC register and send to embedded controller EC;

System enters the S4 state;

After the embedded controller EC time of receipt (T of R) information, carry out timing, when treating the wakeup time arrival of aforementioned setting, send wake request to system;

Wherein, described temporal information is the temporal information of current time and wakeup time or the difference of the two.

2. the implementation method of real-time clock waking-up of notebook computer as claimed in claim 1 is characterised in that directly to enter the S4 state when information that BIOS reads the south bridge status register fails to confirm as the real-time clock waking-up solicited message.

3. the implementation method of real-time clock waking-up of notebook computer as claimed in claim 1 or 2 is characterised in that wake request sent to system by the wake module in the embedded controller.

4. the implementation method of real-time clock waking-up of notebook computer as claimed in claim 1, be characterised in that the described wakeup time that writes by time block for after entering the S4 state from system and beginning sometime.

5. the implementation method of real-time clock waking-up of notebook computer as claimed in claim 1 is characterised in that the described wakeup time that is write by time block is to be later than the current time in system sometime.