Abstract:
An image reproduction apparatus including a power control unit detecting whether an error has occurred in supplying power to the image reproduction apparatus; and a booting control unit selectively cold-booting the image reproduction apparatus based on the detection of whether the error with supplying the power has occurred.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of priority from Korean Patent Application No. 10-2009-0074881, filed on Aug. 13, 2009, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    1. Field 
         [0003]    Methods and apparatuses consistent with the disclosed embodiments relate to booting an image reproduction apparatus, and more particularly, to restarting an image reproduction apparatus when an error has occurred during a booting process. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    Many consumer electronic (CE) devices operate in a suspended mode when powered off in order to control power consumption and allow prompt booting thereof. The suspended mode is referred to as a sleep mode. When a CE apparatus receives a power-on signal, the CE apparatus is returned to an original state, i.e. is resumed. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0006]    One or more embodiments provide a method and an apparatus for restarting an image reproduction apparatus from a suspended mode by detecting an error in a stable supply of power. 
         [0007]    A method and an apparatus are provided for restarting an image reproduction apparatus by detecting that there is an error in a memory that stores the necessary information when the image reproduction apparatus resumes operations from the suspended mode. 
         [0008]    According to an aspect of the disclosure, there is provided an image reproduction apparatus including: a power control unit detecting whether an error has occurred in supplying power to the image reproduction apparatus; and a booting control unit selectively cold-booting the image reproduction apparatus based on the detection of whether the error with the power has occurred. 
         [0009]    The power control unit may detect whether the error with the power has occurred in a suspended mode. 
         [0010]    The booting control unit may receive a power-on signal with respect to the image reproduction apparatus from the outside in the suspended mode and determine whether to resume operations of the image reproduction apparatus or cold-boot the image reproduction apparatus. 
         [0011]    The booting control unit may determine whether to resume operations of the image reproduction apparatus or cold-boot the image reproduction apparatus according to a flag. 
         [0012]    The image reproduction apparatus may further include: a CPU transmitting a signal indicating that the image reproduction apparatus resumed operations to the booting control unit if the image reproduction apparatus resumed operations, wherein, if the booting control unit fails to receive the signal indicating that the image reproduction apparatus has resumed operations from the CPU within a predetermined period of time, the booting control unit cold-boots the image reproduction apparatus. 
         [0013]    According to another aspect of the disclosure, there is provided an image reproduction apparatus including: a memory storing a boot image; a CPU loading the boot image when the image reproduction apparatus resumes operations from a suspended mode; and a booting control unit, if the CPU fails to load the boot image, selectively cold-booting the image reproduction apparatus. 
         [0014]    The CPU may transmit a signal indicating that the image reproduction apparatus has resumed operations from the suspended mode to the booting control unit if the image reproduction apparatus has resumed operations from the suspended mode, wherein, if the booting control unit fails to receive the signal indicating that the image reproduction apparatus resumed operations from the suspended mode within a predetermined period of time, the booting control unit cold-boots the image reproduction apparatus. 
         [0015]    According to another aspect of the disclosure, there is provided an image reproduction apparatus including: a CPU transmitting a signal indicating that the image reproduction apparatus resumed operations from a suspended mode if the image reproduction apparatus resumed operations; and a booting control unit cold-booting the image reproduction apparatus if the booting control unit fails to receive the signal indicating that image reproduction apparatus resumed operations from the CPU within a predetermined period of time. 
         [0016]    According to another aspect of the disclosure, there is provided a method of booting an image reproduction apparatus, the method including: detecting whether an error has occurred in supplying power to the image reproduction apparatus; and selectively cold-booting the image reproduction apparatus based on the detecting of whether the error with the power has occurred. 
         [0017]    The image reproduction apparatus may further include: before the detecting, receiving a power-on signal with respect to the image reproduction apparatus from the outside when the image reproduction apparatus is in the suspended mode; and after receiving the power-on signal, determining whether to resume operations or cold-boot the image reproduction apparatus. 
         [0018]    According to another aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a computer readable recording medium having recorded thereon the method of booting an image reproduction apparatus, the method including: detecting whether an error has occurred in supplying power to the image reproduction apparatus; and selectively cold-booting the image reproduction apparatus based on the detecting of whether the error with the power has occurred. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0019]    The above and/or other features and aspects will become more apparent by describing in detail exemplary embodiments thereof with reference to the attached drawings in which: 
           [0020]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating an image reproduction apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment; 
           [0021]      FIG. 2  is a flowchart illustrating a method of booting an image reproduction apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment; 
           [0022]      FIG. 3  is a flowchart illustrating a method of booting an image reproduction apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment; and 
           [0023]      FIG. 4  is a flowchart of a method of booting an image reproduction apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS 
       [0024]    In a suspended mode, an image reproduction apparatus is not entirely powered off but the power is significantly reduced and power consumption thereof is minimized. In the suspended mode, some of the hardware drivers of the image reproduction apparatus are powered off or have a minimum power consumption status. For example, in the suspended mode, a display, a speaker, a system on chip (SoC), etc. of the image reproduction apparatus, such as a television, are powered off, and a memory for performing a self-refresh operation and a unit for performing a resume operation remain operational. 
         [0025]    A resume operation means returning the image reproduction apparatus from a suspended mode back to a previous mode, i.e. a normal mode. 
         [0026]    When an image reproduction apparatus is entirely powered off, the image reproduction apparatus is powered on again and is booted by cold booting operation means. In more detail, the image reproduction apparatus is generally booted after it was reset. To perform the cold booting operation, the image reproduction apparatus receives a power-on key input relating to the cold booting, also a boot code stored in a flash memory is moved to a DRAM, and the boot code and a boot image are loaded. 
         [0027]    An exemplary embodiment will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
         [0028]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram of an image reproduction apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment. Referring to  FIG. 1 , the image reproduction apparatus includes a power unit  110 , a booting control unit  120 , a CPU  130 , and a memory  140 . The power unit  110  includes a power control unit  112  and a main power unit  114 . 
         [0029]    The main power unit  114  supplies power to each unit included in the image reproduction apparatus. The main power unit  114  supplies power to the booting control unit  120  and the memory  140  in a suspended mode. An architect of the system can change the units to which the main power unit  114  supplies power. 
         [0030]    During a resume operation and a cold booting operation, the main power unit  114  supplies power to the booting control unit  120 , the CPU  130 , the memory  140 , and other operating units (not shown). 
         [0031]    The power control unit  112  detects whether an error has occurred in the power supplied to the booting control unit  120  and the memory  140  from the main power unit  114  in the suspended mode. In more detail, the power control unit  112  determines whether a rated voltage is supplied to the booting control unit  120  and the memory  140 . When the power control unit  112  detects that the error with the power has occurred, the power control unit  112  transmits a signal indicating that the error with the power has occurred to the booting control unit  120 . For example, the main power unit  114  supplies 1.8V to the booting control unit  120  and the memory  140 . When the main power unit  114  fails to supply 1.8V to the booting control unit  120  and the memory  140 , the booting control unit  120  and the memory  140  cease normal operations. In particular, the memory  140  does not perform a self-refresh operation. When the main power unit  114  supplies a voltage exceeding or less than 1.8V to the booting control unit  120  and the memory  140 , the power control unit  112  transmits a signal indicating that the error with the power has occurred to the booting control unit  120  when the image reproduction apparatus is resumed. 
         [0032]    The booting control unit  120  controls the resume operation and the cold booting operation. The booting control unit  120  may be included in or excluded from the CPU  130 . Alternatively, the CPU  130  may perform the resume operation and the cold booting operation performed by the booting control unit  120 . 
         [0033]    When the booting control unit  120  receives a power-on signal with respect to the image reproduction apparatus from the outside in the suspended mode, the booting control unit  120  determines whether to resume or cold boot the image reproduction apparatus according to a flag. For example, if the flag is ‘0’, the booting control unit  120  may be configured to resume the image reproduction apparatus, and, if the flag is ‘0’, the booting control unit  120  may be configured to cold-boot the image reproduction apparatus. 
         [0034]    When the booting control unit  120  begins to resume the operations, the booting control unit  120  receives the signal indicating that the error with the power has occurred from the power control unit  112 . In this case, the booting control unit  120  restarts the image reproduction apparatus and cold-boots the image reproduction apparatus. 
         [0035]    When the image reproduction apparatus resumes operating in the suspended mode, the CPU  130  loads a boot image stored in the memory  140 . When the CPU  130  fails to load the boot image, the resume operation is not performed. When the resume operation is performed, the CPU  130  transmits a signal indicating that the resume operation has been completed to the booting control unit  120 . If the booting control unit  120  fails to receive the signal indicating that the resume operation has been performed from the CPU  130  within a predetermined period of time, the booting control unit  120  determines that an error with the resume operation has occurred, restarts the image reproduction apparatus, and cold-boots the image reproduction apparatus. 
         [0036]    The memory  140  performs a self-refresh operation in the suspended mode. Also, the memory  140  stores the boot image. In an exemplary embodiment, the memory  140  may be a DRAM. However, the present invention is not limited thereto and the memory  140  may store a predetermined type of data. For example, when the memory  140  is a volatile memory, if the power is not supplied to the memory  140 , the data stored in the memory  140  is completely erased. As a result, the boot image that is to be used to perform the resume operation is also erased. When the booting control unit  120  or the CPU  130  receives a power-off signal, the booting control unit  120  or the CPU  130  changes the operation mode to the suspended mode. As a result, the booting control unit  120  or the CPU  130  changes the operation mode of the memory  140  to the self-refresh mode. For example, when the memory  140  is a DRAM, if a clock enable (CKE) signal that is input into the DRAM is low, the DRAM automatically operates in the self-refresh mode. 
         [0037]      FIG. 2  is a flowchart illustrating a method of booting an image reproduction apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment. Referring to  FIG. 2 , in operation  210 , the image reproduction apparatus receives a power-on signal from the outside. 
         [0038]    In operation  220 , when the image reproduction apparatus receives the power-on signal in a suspended mode, the image reproduction apparatus determines whether to perform a resume operation or a cold booting operation in the suspended mode. A flag stored in the image reproduction apparatus may be used to perform such a determination. For example, if the flag indicates the resume operation (operation  220 —Yes), in operation  230 , the image reproduction apparatus performs the resume operation, and, if the flag indicates the cold booting operation (operation  220 —No), in operation  240 , the image reproduction apparatus performs the cold booting operation. 
         [0039]    In operation  230 , the image reproduction apparatus detects whether an error has occurred in a power supplied to a unit that operates in the suspended mode. If the image reproduction apparatus detects that the error with the power has occurred (operation  230 —Yes), i.e. when a proper voltage is not supplied to the unit in the suspended mode, in operation  240 , the image reproduction apparatus performs the cold-booting operation. If the error with the power has occurred in the suspended mode, since a memory does not normally perform a self-refresh operation, the memory does not normally store a boot image. Thus, the image reproduction apparatus does not load the boot image in the resume operation, and thus the resume operation cannot be performed and the cold-booting is necessary. If the image reproduction apparatus detects that there were no errors in power supply (operation  230 —No), in operation  250 , the image reproduction apparatus performs the resume operation. 
         [0040]    In operation  260 , when the resume operation is completed, the image reproduction apparatus receives a signal indicating that the resume operation has been performed. If the image reproduction apparatus fails to receive the signal indicating that the resume operation has been performed within a predetermined period of time (operation  260 —No), the image reproduction apparatus proceeds to operation  240 . If the image reproduction apparatus receives the signal indicating that the resume operation is completed within the predetermined period of time, the resume operation ends. 
         [0041]      FIG. 3  is a flowchart illustrating a method of booting an image reproduction apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment. Referring to  FIG. 3 , in operation  301 , a booting control unit of the image reproduction apparatus that is normally operating receives a power-off signal from the outside. 
         [0042]    In operation  302 , the booting control unit generates a suspend mode command and transmits the suspend mode command to a driver and an application. 
         [0043]    In operation  303 , the driver is unloaded so as to not operate. In operation  304 , the application is closed. 
         [0044]    In operation  305 , the image reproduction apparatus enters in a suspend mode. In operation  306 , the booting control unit transmits a self-refresh command to a memory. 
         [0045]    In operation  307 , the memory fails to perform the self-refresh operation. If the memory is a volatile memory and fails to perform the self-refresh operation, i.e. if power is not supplied to the memory, data stored in the memory is entirely lost. In this case, a boot image is lost. When the boot image is lost, a resume operation will not be performed. Therefore, the memory needs to perform the self-refresh operation in order to be able to perform the resume operation. 
         [0046]    In operation  308 , the booting control unit receives a power-on signal with respect to the image reproduction apparatus. 
         [0047]    In operation  309 , the booting control unit generates a resume command and transmits the resume command to the driver and the application. 
         [0048]    In operation  310 , the loading of the driver fails. When the image reproduction apparatus is resumed in the suspend mode, the hardware driver needs to be initialized, i.e. loaded. However, in operation  307 , the memory failed to perform the self-refresh operation and thus the image reproduction apparatus cannot perform the resume operation. Thus, the driver cannot load. 
         [0049]    In operation  311 , the application cannot initialize i.e. start. 
         [0050]    In operation  312 , the resume timeout occurs. That is, the resume operation is not completed within a predetermined period of time and thus the booting control unit determines that the image reproduction apparatus cannot perform the resume operation and cold-boots the image reproduction apparatus. 
         [0051]    In operation  313 , the booting control unit generates a cold booting command and transmits the cold booting command to the driver and the application. 
         [0052]    In operation  314  through  316 , the driver is loaded and the application is initialized and thus the cold booting operation is performed. 
         [0053]      FIG. 4  is a flowchart illustrating a method of booting an image reproduction apparatus according to an embodiment. 
         [0054]    The method of booting the image reproduction apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment is different from the exemplary method described above with reference to  FIG. 3  in that a memory successfully performs a self-refresh operation. However, in operation  410  or  411 , a driver or an application fails to load or initialize and thus a resume operation cannot be performed. The other description of the method of booting the image reproduction apparatus of an exemplary embodiment is analogous to the description above with reference to  FIG. 3  and thus the detailed description thereof will not be repeated. 
         [0055]    The present invention can also be embodied as computerreadable code on a computer readable recording medium. The computer readable recording medium is any data storage apparatus that can store data which can be thereafter read by a computer system. Examples of the computer readable recording medium include read-only memory (ROM), random-access memory (RAM), CD-ROMs, magnetic tapes, floppy disks, optical data storage devices, etc. The computer readable recording medium can also be distributed network coupled computer systems so that the computer readable code is stored and executed in a distributed fashion. Also, functional programs, code and code segments for accomplishing the present invention can be easily construed by programmer skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains. 
         [0056]    While exemplary embodiments have been particularly shown and described, it will be understood by one skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. The \exemplary embodiments should be considered in descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation. Therefore, the scope of the invention is defined not by the detailed description of the exemplary embodiments but by the appended claims, and all differences within the scope will be construed as being included in the present invention.