System platform supporting infrared receiver/transmitter and operation method thereof

An operation method of a system platform includes steps of: transmitting, by an infrared receiver, a received infrared signal to a transmission interface; transmitting, by the transmission interface, an interrupt notification signal to an operation system power management agent (OSPM) through an advanced configuration and power interface (ACPI); receiving, by an infrared application program of an operating system, the interrupt notification signal from the OSPM, so as to generate a system management interrupt (SMI) in a universal extensible firmware interface (UEFI) basic input output system (BIOS) to execute a system management mode (SMM) program; and executing, by the UEFI BIOS, a decoding driver program, and receiving the infrared signal from the transmission interface, so as to decode the infrared signal into event data, and store the event data in a storage device.

BACKGROUND

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a system platform supporting an infrared receiver/transmitter and an operation method thereof, and more particularly, to a system platform applied to a computer, a tablet computer, a smart phone or the like to support application and operation of an infrared receiver/transmitter.

Related Art

Infrared data transmission is safe, low-cost and convenient, and has a wide range in application. Data transmitted by using infrared may be translated from a digital form into an electronic signal and then transmitted in a single direction. An infrared receiving device, after receiving the electronic signal, converts the electronic signal to the original data form. Transmission of a consumer infrared (CIR) may provide a service in a far range, the range of transmission varies according to different infrared transmission apparatuses, and a transmission distance thereof may reach several meters. The CIR may be used to control consumer devices such as a remote controller of a television set and a garage door switch.

When the CIR is applied to a system platform such as a computer, a tablet computer or a smart phone, a conventional interface between a CIR receiver/transmitter and the system platform is an embedded controller (EC), a super IO (SIO) or a universal asynchronous receiver/transmitter (UART). During a booting stage, a basic input output system (BIOS) initials/sets up a CIR_RX#/CIR_TX# port, but the BIOS does not execute a decoding/coding program for a received/transmitted infrared electronic signal.

For the application of the CIR in a system platform such as a computer, a tablet computer or a smart phone, hardware configuration mechanisms such as the EC/SIO are not based on industrial standards, manufacturers of different system platforms have different configuration mechanisms, and configuring an EC/SIO in a system platform may increase hardware cost. For a tablet computer or a smart phone, hardware such as the EC or keyboard controller (KBC) is not configured or present, and therefore, the CIR is quite difficult to be applied to the tablet computer or the smart phone.

SUMMARY

In view of the above problems, the present invention provides a system platform supporting an infrared receiver/transmitter and an operation method thereof. According to the present application, hardware such as EC/SIO/KBC is not required to be configured, thereby reducing hardware cost, and easily applying the CIR to the system platform.

A first aspect of the present invention provides an operation method of a system platform, which includes the following steps:

transmitting, by the infrared receiver, a received infrared signal to a transmission interface;

transmitting, by the transmission interface, an interrupt notification signal to an operation system power management agent (OSPM) through an advanced configuration and power interface (ACPI);

receiving, by an infrared application program running under the operating system, the interrupt notification signal from the OSPM, so as to generate a system management interrupt (SMI) in a universal extensible firmware interface (UEFI) BIOS to execute a system management mode (SMM) program; and

executing, by the UEFI BIOS, a decoding driver program thereof, receiving the infrared signal from the transmission interface, so as to decode the infrared signal to event data, and store the event data in a storage device.

A second aspect of the present invention provides an operation method of a system platform, which includes the following steps:

transmitting, by an infrared receiver, a received infrared signal to a transmission interface;

executing, by a UEFI BIOS, a decoding driver program thereof, where the UEFI BIOS monitors the transmission interface, so as to receive the infrared signal transmitted by the transmission interface; and

decoding, by the UEFI BIOS, the infrared signal into event data, and storing the event data in a storage device.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the present invention provides a system platform, and the system platform includes:

an infrared receiver, used to receive an infrared signal in an operating system stage;

a transmission interface, used to receive the infrared signal transmitted by the infrared receiver;

an ACPI, used to receive an interrupt notification signal sent by the transmission interface;

an OSPM, used to receive the interrupt notification signal sent by the ACPI;

a UEFI BIOS, used to receive the infrared signal from the transmission interface, and decode the infrared signal into event data; and

a storage device, used for the UEFI BIOS to store the event data therein,

where an infrared application program running under the operating system receives the interrupt notification signal from the OSPM, so as to generate an SMI in the UEFI BIOS to execute an SMM program; the UEFI BIOS executes a decoding driver program, receives the infrared signal from the transmission interface, decodes the infrared signal into the event data, and stores the event data in the storage device.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the present invention provides a system platform, and the system platform includes:

an infrared receiver, used to receive an infrared signal in a booting stage;

a transmission interface, used to receive the infrared signal transmitted by the infrared receiver;

a UEFI BIOS, used to receive the infrared signal transmitted by the transmission interface, and decode the infrared signal into event data; and

a storage device, used for the UEFI BIOS to store the event data therein,

where the UEFI BIOS executes a decoding driver program, monitors the transmission interface, decodes the infrared signal transmitted by the transmission interface into the event data, and stores the event data in the storage device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In order to make persons of ordinary skill in the art further understand the present invention, several preferred embodiments of the present invention are described in the following, and construction content and effects to be achieved of the present invention are described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1is a system block diagram of a system platform according to a first embodiment of the present invention. InFIG. 1, hardware and firmware in a system platform100, such as a computer, a tablet computer or a smart phone, include an infrared receiver102, a transmission interface104, an advanced configuration and power interface (ACPI)106, an operation system power management agent which is shortened to OSPM108, a universal extensible firmware interface (UEFI) BIOS110and a storage device112.

The transmission interface104is a general purpose input output (GPIO), a radio frequency (RF) interface, a BLUETOOTH, a near field communication (NFC) interface, a secure digital I/O (SD I/O), a serial peripheral interface (SPI) or a universal serial bus (USB).

The GPIO is a flexible and software controllable digital signal input/output interface. The design of GPIO is provided on a device such as a central processing unit (CPU) or a power management unit (PMU). The GPIO may be configured such that it can detect digital transitions from 0 to 1 or 1 to 0 and, optionally, generate an interrupt such as the aforesaid SMI.

The ACPI is a power management standard, and aims to perform effective control and management on the power by using an operating system instead of the BIOS, thereby saving more power. Therefore, a chip used must provide a standard registration interface for the operating system, and should allow the operating system to perform power interrupt and power recovery for different chips.

Operation system power management is an operating system technology for managing the power of the underlying platform and switching it between different power states. OSPM108enables a platform or system to implement the most efficient power mode and is applicable across all devices and components within a platform/system. In operation system power management architecture, the operating system can directly perform power state changes on all systems and apparatuses. Generally, the operating system uses settings of an application program or setting of a user as a reference of entering a power-saving mode, and the operating system uses the ACPI to control power state of hardware.

InFIG. 1, the infrared receiver102receives an infrared signal, where the infrared receiver102applies a CIR and the infrared signal is an electronic signal. The transmission interface104in hardware devices of the system platform100receives the infrared signal transmitted by the infrared receiver102, and transmits an interrupt notification signal. The ACPI106receives the interrupt notification signal transmitted by the transmission interface104. The OSPM108receives the interrupt notification signal transmitted by the ACPI106. The UEFI BIOS110receives the infrared signal from the transmission interface104, and decodes the infrared signal into event data. The UEFI BIOS110stores the event data in a storage device112such as a memory.

The system platform100executes an infrared application program in the operating system, so as to generate a system management interrupt (SMI) in the UEFI BIOS110, the UEFI BIOS110receives a request of the SMI to execute an system management mode (SMM) program, and at this time, the system platform enters a BIOS stage from an operating system stage.

The SMM program enables, by using the SMI, the system platform100to enter the BIOS stage from the operating system stage, and by executing a restore execution state from SMRAM and return to previous CPU mode (RSM) instruction, the system platform100exits the SMM stage. The program executed in the SMM mode is referred to as an SMM processing program, and all SMM processing programs are run in a space called system management RAM (SMRAM). The SMM processing program is implemented by system firmware.

In the BIOS SMM stage, the UEFI BIOS110executes an SMM decoding driver program, the UEFI BIOS110decodes the infrared signal from the transmission interface104into event data, and stores the event data in the storage device112. After the UEFI BIOS110executes the decoding driver program, the system platform100returns to the operating system stage from the BIOS stage, and the system platform100continues to execute the infrared application program, so that the storage device112accesses the event data, and the infrared application program generates a control event according to the accessed event data, for example, an event of operating a keyboard or a mouse.

An operation method of a system platform supporting an infrared receiver according to the first embodiment of the present invention is described in the following. The system block diagram ofFIG. 1is referred to when an operation procedure of the first embodiment of the present invention is described.

FIG. 2is a flowchart of the operation method of a system platform supporting an infrared receiver according to the first embodiment of the present invention. InFIG. 2, the system platform100is in the operating system stage, and when the infrared receiver102receives an infrared signal, where the infrared receiver102applies a CIR and the infrared signal is an electronic signal, the infrared receiver102transmits the infrared signal to the transmission interface104in hardware devices of the system platform100(step S120).

When the transmission interface104receives the infrared signal, the transmission interface104transmits an interrupt notification signal to the OSPM108through the ACPI106(step S122).

The system platform100executes an infrared application program running under the operating system, and the infrared application program receives the interrupt notification signal from the OSPM108, and generates an SMI in the UEFI BIOS110, so that the system platform100executes an SMM program (step S124).

In the SMM program, the system platform100enters the BIOS stage from the operating system stage, the UEFI BIOS110executes a decoding driver program, and the UEFI BIOS110receives the infrared signal from the transmission interface104, so as to decode the infrared signal into event data, and store the event data in the storage device112such as a memory (step S126).

For example, after the UEFI BIOS110executes the RSM instruction, the system platform100returns from the BIOS stage to the operating system stage, that is, the system platform100returns from the SMM program to continue to execute the infrared application program, accesses the event data from the storage device112, and generates a control event according to the event data, for example, an event of operating a keyboard or a mouse (step S128).

FIG. 3is a system block diagram of a system platform according to a second embodiment of the present invention. InFIG. 3, hardware and firmware in a system platform200, such as a computer, a tablet computer or a smart phone, include an infrared receiver202, a transmission interface204, a UEFI BIOS206and a storage device208.

The transmission interface204is a GPIO, an RF interface, a BLUETOOTH, an NFC interface, an SD I/O, an SPI or a USB.

When the system platform200is in a booting stage, the infrared receiver202receives an infrared signal, where the infrared receiver202applies a CIR and the infrared signal is an electronic signal. The transmission interface204in hardware devices of the system platform200receives the infrared signal transmitted by the infrared receiver202. The UEFI BIOS206receives the infrared signal transmitted by the transmission interface204, and decodes the infrared signal into event data. The UEFI BIOS206stores the event data in the storage device208such as a memory.

The UEFI BIOS206executes a decoding driver program, and monitors the transmission interface204; when the transmission interface204receives the infrared signal, the UEFI BIOS206checks to see whether the infrared signal received by the transmission interface204is correct, and decodes the infrared signal transmitted by the transmission interface204into event data. The UEFI BIOS206stores the event data in the storage device208. The UEFI BIOS206generates an event according to the event data, where the event is, for example, the UEFI BIOS206accesses a corresponding specific address applied to generate an operation of a keyboard or a mouse.

An operation method of a system platform supporting an infrared receiver according to the second embodiment of the present invention is described in the following. The system block diagram ofFIG. 3is referred to when an operation procedure of the second embodiment of the present invention is described.

FIG. 4is a flowchart of the operation method of a system platform supporting an infrared receiver according to the second embodiment of the present invention. InFIG. 4, the system platform200is in a booting stage, and when the infrared receiver202receives an infrared signal, where the infrared receiver202applies a CIR and the infrared signal is an electronic signal, the infrared receiver202transmits the infrared signal to the transmission interface204in hardware devices of the system platform200(step S220).

The UEFI BIOS206executes a decoding driver program, and monitors the transmission interface204; when the transmission interface204receives the infrared signal, the UEFI BIOS206receives the infrared signal transmitted by the transmission interface204(step S222).

The UEFI BIOS206checks to see whether the received infrared signal is correct, and if it is found that the infrared signal is incorrect, for example, the infrared signal is a noise, the UEFI BIOS206discards the received signal; if it is found that the infrared signal is correct, the UEFI BIOS206decodes the infrared signal into event data, and stores the event data in the storage device208such as a memory (step S224). The UEFI BIOS206generates an event according to the event data, where the event is that the UEFI BIOS206accesses a corresponding specific address applied to generate an operation of a keyboard or a mouse.

FIG. 5is a system block diagram of a system platform according to a third embodiment of the present invention. InFIG. 5, hardware and firmware in a system platform300, such as a computer, a tablet computer or a smart phone, include an infrared transmitter, a transmission interface304, a UEFI BIOS306and a storage device308.

The transmission interface304is a GPIO, an RF interface, a BLUETOOTH, an NFC interface, an SD I/O, an SPI or a USB.

The storage device308such as a memory stores event data. The UEFI BIOS306accesses the event data from the storage device308, and codes the event data into an infrared impulse signal, and the UEFI BIOS306transmits the infrared impulse signal to the transmission interface304in hardware devices of the system platform300The transmission interface304transmits the infrared impulse signal to the infrared transmitter. The infrared transmitter adds the received infrared impulse signal into a carrier signal to generate an infrared signal, where the infrared signal is an electronic signal, and transmits the infrared signal to an infrared receiver (not shown) at external of the system platform300. The event data refers to data used to control an operation event of a remote device such as a keyboard or a mouse.

The infrared transmitter includes a carrier310, an AND gate312and an infrared light emitting diode (LED)314. The carrier310generates a carrier signal, and outputs the carrier signal to an input terminal of the AND gate312. The transmission interface304outputs the infrared impulse signal to the other input terminal of the AND gate312. The AND gate312performs an AND gate operation on the received carrier signal and the infrared impulse signal to generate an infrared signal, and an output terminal of the AND gate312outputs the infrared signal to the infrared LED314. The infrared LED314transmits the infrared signal output by the AND gate312to the infrared receiver (not shown) at external of the system platform300.

The system platform300executes an infrared application program running under the operating system to generate an SMI in the UEFI BIOS306, so that the system platform300executes an SMM program. The UEFI BIOS306executes a coding driver program, and the UEFI BIOS306accesses the event data from the storage device308so as to code the event data into an infrared impulse signal. The UEFI BIOS306transmits the infrared impulse signal to the other input terminal of the AND gate312of the infrared transmitter through the transmission interface304.

An operation method of a system platform supporting an infrared transmitter according to the third embodiment of the present invention is described in the following. The system block diagram ofFIG. 5is referred to when an operation procedure of the third embodiment of the present invention is described.

FIG. 6is a flowchart of the operation method of a system platform supporting an infrared transmitter according to the third embodiment of the present invention. InFIG. 6, the system platform300is in an operating system stage, the system platform300executes an infrared application program running under the operating system, and the system platform300stores event data in the storage device308such as a memory (step S320). The event data refers to data used to control an operation event of a remote device such as a keyboard or a mouse.

The system platform300generates an SMI in the UEFI BIOS306, so that the system platform300executes an SMM program (step S322). In the SMM program, the system platform300enters a BIOS stage from the operating system stage, the UEFI BIOS306executes a coding driver program, and the UEFI BIOS306accesses the event data from the storage device308to code the event data into an infrared impulse signal (step S324).

The UEFI BIOS306controls the transmission interface304in hardware devices of the system platform300, so that the UEFI BIOS306transmits the infrared impulse signal to the infrared transmitter through the transmission interface304, that is, the UEFI BIOS306transmits the infrared impulse signal to the other input terminal of the AND gate312through the transmission interface304(step S326).

The infrared transmitter adds a carrier signal into the infrared impulse signal to generate an infrared signal, and transmits the infrared signal to an infrared receiver at external of the system platform300(step S328).

In step S328, the carrier310outputs a carrier signal to an input terminal of the AND gate312; the transmission interface304outputs the infrared impulse signal to the other input terminal of the AND gate312; the AND gate312performs an AND gate operation on the carrier signal and the infrared impulse signal to generate an infrared signal, and the output terminal of the AND gate312outputs the infrared signal to the infrared LED314; and the infrared LED314transmits the infrared signal to the infrared receiver at external of the system platform300.

FIG. 7is a system block diagram of a system platform according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. InFIG. 7, hardware and firmware in a system platform400, such as a computer, a tablet computer or a smart phone, include an infrared transmitter, a transmission interface404, and a UEFI BIOS406.

The transmission interface404is a GPIO, an RF interface, a BLUETOOTH, an NFC interface, an SD I/O, an SPI or a USB.

The UEFI BIOS406codes event data into an infrared impulse signal, and the UEFI BIOS406transmits the infrared impulse signal to the transmission interface404in hardware devices of the system platform400. The transmission interface404transmits the infrared impulse signal to the infrared transmitter. The infrared transmitter converts the received infrared impulse signal into an infrared signal, where the infrared signal is an electronic signal, and transmits the infrared signal to at external an infrared receiver (not shown) of the system platform400. The event data refers to data used to control an operation event of a remote device such as a keyboard or a mouse.

The infrared transmitter includes a carrier410, an AND gate412and an infrared LED414. The carrier410generates a carrier signal, outputs the carrier signal to an input terminal of the AND gate412. The transmission interface404outputs the infrared impulse signal to the other input terminal of the AND gate412. The AND gate412performs an AND gate operation on the received carrier signal and the infrared impulse signal to generate an infrared signal, an output terminal of the AND gate412outputs the infrared signal to the infrared LED414. The infrared LED414transmits the infrared signal output from the AND gate412to the infrared receiver (not shown) at external of the system platform400.

The UEFI BIOS406receives an infrared transmission request, so as to execute a coding driver program to code event data into an infrared impulse signal. The UEFI BIOS406transmits the infrared impulse signal to the other input terminal of the AND gate412of the infrared transmitter through the transmission interface404.

An operation method of a system platform supporting an infrared transmitter according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention is described in the following. The system block diagram ofFIG. 7is referred to when an operation procedure of the fourth embodiment of the present invention is described.

FIG. 8is a flowchart of the operation method of a system platform supporting an infrared transmitter according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. InFIG. 8, the system platform400is in a booting stage, and when the UEFI BIOS406receives an infrared transmission request, the UEFI BIOS406executes a coding driver program (step S420).

The UEFI BIOS406codes event data into an infrared impulse signal (step S422). The event data refers to data used to control an operation event of a remote device such as a keyboard or a mouse. The UEFI BIOS406controls the transmission interface404in the hardware devices of the system platform400, so that the UEFI BIOS406transmits the infrared impulse signal to the infrared transmitter through the transmission interface404, that is, the UEFI BIOS406transmits the infrared impulse signal to the other input terminal of the AND gate412through the transmission interface404(step S424).

The infrared transmitter adds a carrier signal into the infrared impulse signal to generate an infrared signal, and transmits the infrared signal to an infrared receiver at external of the system platform400(step S426).

In step S426, the carrier410outputs a carrier signal to an input terminal of the AND gate412; the transmission interface404outputs an infrared impulse signal to the other input terminal of the AND gate412; the AND gate412performs an AND gate operation on the carrier signal and the infrared impulse signal to generate an infrared signal, and an output terminal of the AND gate412outputs the infrared signal to the infrared LED414; and the infrared LED414transmits the infrared signal to the infrared receiver at external of the system platform400.

According to the descriptions of the embodiments, the present invention provides a system platform supporting an infrared receiver/transmitter and an operation method thereof/for an application of a CIR in a system platform such as a computer, a tablet computer or a smart phone, original hardware and firmware such as a transmission interface, an ACPI, an OSPM, a UEFI BIOS and a storage device of the system platform may be utilized to implement the application of the CIR, without the need of configuring hardware or firmware such as an EC/SIO/KBC, thereby reducing hardware cost, and easily applying the CIR to the system platform.

The present invention is described through the preferred embodiments and exemplary accompanying drawings; however, they are not intended to limit the present invention. Any modification, omission and variation made by a person skilled in the art on a form and content of the embodiments should fall in the scope of claims of the present invention.